A permit to pray at home with friends?

August 13, 2026

A special message from Alliance Defending Freedom

This shouldn’t be happening in America. Stand with Daniel.

Friend,

This is one of those stories that sounds too outrageous to be real.

It's the story of a modern-day Daniel—the kind of story you'd expect to read about in history books, not the news.

Daniel Grand is an Orthodox Jew. As a faithful practitioner of his faith, he simply wanted to host a small prayer gathering in his home with about a dozen friends.

But a neighbor learned about Daniel's plans and reported him to the mayor, demanding that the city "put a stop to this."

Shockingly, University Heights, Ohio did exactly that.

City officials ordered Daniel to obtain a permit to hold the prayer gathering in his home, classifying it as a "place of religious assembly.

PROTECT THE RIGHT TO PRAY WITH YOUR FRIENDS

Then things got worse.

To make sure Daniel didn't hold prayer meetings without the permit, the city began surveilling his home and even encouraged neighbors to spy on him and report any suspected violations.

Daniel tried to comply. But there was an impossible catch.

The permit process wasn't designed for a family home—it was designed for churches, synagogues, and other dedicated houses of worship. If he successfully obtained the permit, Daniel and his family would have to stop living in their own house.

In other words, the city presented him with an impossible choice: abandon his proposed prayer meetings or give up his house. And when Daniel filed a lawsuit seeking to rectify this violation of this free-exercise rights, the federal courts told him he needed to complete the permitting process first.

Imagine being told that opening your home to prayer—something people of faith have done for centuries—now makes you a target of your own government. Imagine your neighbors watching your house, ready to report you.

Daniel shouldn't have to face it alone. And he doesn't have to.

Alliance Defending Freedom and co-counsel Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe are representing Daniel at the U.S. Supreme Court. Alliance Defending Freedom will never bill its clients for their defense. That's our commitment.

But defending religious freedom against government overreach takes significant resources, and we can only do it because faithful supporters like you make it possible.

That's why I'm reaching out today—and why your gift right now matters as much as ever.

Thanks to a generous matching grant, every dollar you give will be doubled, while matching funds last. Your $25 becomes $50. Your $50 becomes $100. Twice the impact to defend Daniel—and other Americans facing the same threats—at no extra cost to you.

Will you make a tax-deductible gift today?

DOUBLE MY GIFT

Because if this can happen to Daniel, it can happen to others. And when you give today, you're not just standing with one man—you're defending every American's freedom to pray, worship, and live according to their faith.

The time to act is now.

—Alliance Defending Freedom

P.S. Right now, your gift will be matched dollar for dollar—but only while matching funds last. Don't miss your chance to make twice the difference for Daniel and religious freedom in America.