Premiere: George Washington and the Pursuit of Religious Freedom

“George Washington and the Pursuit of Religious Freedom” is Mount Vernon’s latest short film. It follows the establishment of religious freedom in America and George Washington's precedent-setting letter to the Touro Synagogue congregation. On August 18, 1790, congregants of the Touro Synagogue of Newport, Rhode Island, warmly welcomed George Washington to their place of worship and city. Washington’s letter of response to the synagogue, delivered on the same day, is famous for reinforcing the ideal of religious liberty in American life. Watch the April premiere at the famed 92nd Street Y in New York City and the accompanying conversation moderated by philanthropist David Rubenstein with Joanne Freeman, Ph.D., professor of history at Yale University, and Douglas Bradburn, Ph.D., President and CEO of Mount Vernon as they discuss Washington’s critical role in fortifying religious freedom in the United States.