In 2021, Daniel Grand, an Orthodox Jew, sent an email to some of his friends, planning to hold a small prayer gathering in his home. That email was forwarded to the City of University Heights, which issued a cease-and-desist order against Grand, claiming his home was a 'place of religious assembly.'
The city demanded that Grand get a permit to hold prayer services in his home, and ordered police and neighbors to monitor Grand's home and file complaints if he had visitors. Grand went to court, where his case was dismissed because he didn't have a permit — something he should not have needed in the first place.
Now the Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF) has gotten the Supreme Court to hear Grand's case.
BREAKING: “Prayer Permit” case going to the Supreme Court!
— Kristen Waggoner (@KristenWaggoner) June 30, 2026
SCOTUS has just agreed to hear the case of Daniel Grand, an Orthodox Jew forbidden from holding a Sabbath prayer meeting in his Ohio home without a “special use permit.” City officials later harassed him and encouraged… pic.twitter.com/WvITx6Mzq1
This is a huge win for Grand.
If you’re a mayor, and you find yourself telling townspeople to report their neighbors for praying, it’s probably time to stop and ask: “Am I the bad guy?”
— Kristen Waggoner (@KristenWaggoner) June 9, 2026
But (as this video shows) the mayor of University Heights, OH, showed no signs of self-doubt when he did just that in 2021.… pic.twitter.com/EABptg4MYj
"To the community members who are here, let there be no question, there is no permission granted here to operate a house of assembly or conduct activities consistent with one, at ... if you observe such activities, and I hope you do not, but if you do, you may report them to the city, and the city will enforce its laws," then-Mayor Michael Brennan said.
If he had been hosting a weekly poker night, the city would never have gotten involved. Crazy!
— Jason Bedrick (@JasonBedrick) June 30, 2026
Grand said the permit for the worship, which he applied for, was written in such a way that it would have meant his family could no longer live in their home. That's why he withdrew the application, but the harassment from city officials continued.
What a crazy world we’re in—a world in which all kinds of sexual activity occur on public streets during the Pride parades, but where you need a permit to pray in the privacy of your home!
— Suzy Shofar (@suzylebo) June 30, 2026
It's a clear violation of the First Amendment.
How is this even going to the supreme court? Aside from the fact that people gather for all sorts of things: bible study, poker, book club, wine club to name a few.
— Zalmy Fogelman (@thevillagerabbi) July 1, 2026
First amendment…what is the argument against it? https://t.co/WZG8t037eb
We'd love to know what city officials were thinking.
Christians that think, "whew, not us" are incredibly short-sighted if they think they'll escape notice. https://t.co/WtHr5mNLx0
— 🌟✝️ Deus X Mushina ✝️🌟 (@MushKat) June 30, 2026
It won't stop with Orthodox Jews. This will impact anyone the Left deems an enemy, including Christians. The Left's attacks on the First Amendment will not stop and we must continue to fight them.
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