Hindu and Sikh American groups have joined forces with a coalition of Jewish and other religious American groups to form a ‘broad coalition in support of marriage equality.’

The initiative, announced on Friday, has been spearheaded by the Jewish Anti-Defamation League (ADL) and includes the Central Conference of American Rabbis, Women of Reform Judaism, the Women’s Zionist Organization of America, Rabbis for Human Rights North America and the Women’s League for Conservative Judaism.

These are joined by the Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund, the Hindu American Foundation, The Japanese American Citizens League, Lutherans Concerned North America, the Metropolitan Community Church, People for the American Way Foundation, the Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice and the Interfaith Alliance Foundation.

The ADL filed two friend of the court briefs on behalf of the groups in support of marriage equality in cases challenging the Prop 8 ban on same-sex marriage in California and the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) that prevents federal recognition of same-sex unions.

‘These briefs demonstrate there are religious voices that strongly oppose both laws,’ ADL civil rights director Deborah M Lauter said.

‘In both cases, we have brought together an incredibly diverse and impressive coalition of religious and cultural organizations.’

Lauter said that in the DOMA case, ‘we argue that religious views of marriage should be kept distinct from a civil understanding of marriage.’

‘The ill-conceived and discriminatory 1996 law flouts this longstanding constitutional principle by codifying one particular religious understanding of marriage into federal law.’

ADL civil rights chair Christopher Wolf said that in the Prop 8 case the groups urged Supreme Court justices to be on the right side of history.

‘Time and time again, religious and moral disapproval as a basis for discriminatory laws has been rejected by the Supreme Court.’ Wolf said.

‘The Court needs only to look at its decisions ending slavery, segregation, interracial-marriage bans, and laws restricting women’s roles in public life to reach the right conclusion.’

The news comes as US President Barack Obama urges the Supreme Court to end the ban on same-sex marriage in California and 75 leading Republicans file their own brief in support of marriage equality with the court.