Jewish California
Non-profit organization located in the United States
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Jewish California (formally known as Jewish Public Affairs Committee of California or JPAC), is an American Jewish advocacy[6] umbrella organization of "leading" Jewish community organizations across California, "the largest single-state coalition of Jewish organizations in the nation", founded in 1972 to advocate in Sacramento on behalf of the California Jewish community's (1.2 million coreligionists) concerns and broadly shared values, articulated in its two pillars, fighting for "issues that support [California's] Jewish community" and that "directly further Jewish values".[1] The JPAC‑to‑Jewish California name change, after more than 50 years under the original name, coincided with heightened public scrutiny of pro‑Israel lobbying groups such as AIPAC and with a controversy in which a California Faculty Association questionnaire grouped “AIPAC/JPAC” together with industries like oil and tobacco, although Jewish California's own announcement did not cite this criticism as a reason for the rebrand.[7][8][9][10]
| |
| Formation | 1972 (as Jewish Public Affairs Committee of California, or JPAC for short)[1] |
|---|---|
| 68-0028695 | |
| Legal status | 501(c)(4) nonprofit organization |
| Headquarters | Sacramento |
Executive Director | David Bocarsly[2] |
Director of Policy and Partnerships | Miller Saltzman[2] |
| Affiliations |
|
| Revenue | $841 thousand[4] (2024) |
| Employees | 11[5] |
| Website | jewishcal |
Political positions
Pro-Israel advocacy
Strong support for California Assembly Bill 715
State lawmaker Jesse Gabriel, who co‑chairs the California Legislative Jewish Caucus, a partner organization of Jewish California, has suggested that 501(c)(4) organizations may only engage in political advocacy within the scope of ‘social services organizations’; however, in practice such organizations may devote up to 50% of their expenditures to political activity.[6][11] During the Gaza war, JPAC "led", through the use of its preexisting relationships with the Legislative Jewish Caucus and other allies in the California State Legislature, advocacy efforts to change California's ethnic studies curriculum through the passage of AB 715, through what it considered to be "removal of antisemitic content"[12] such as accounts that minimize the nature and extent of antisemitic incidents and violence as determined by pro-Israel organizations like the ADL, comparisons of Israel with Nazi Germany and Jews or Israelis with Nazis, “dual loyalty” assertions that American Jews have loyalty to both Israel and the US [13][14][15] or “directly or indirectly denying the right of Israel to exist." After clashing with the California Teachers Association, "the [Jewish Caucus ...] unveiled a new bill that was nearly empty of specifics of what it would do" while still creating a state Antisemitism Prevention Coordinator position.[16] Still objecting, organizations such as the California Faculty Association described the legislation as "fail[ing] to address [antisemitism] sincerely or prudently" while "instead offer[ing] a legitimate means to surveil and censor educators in the very institutions founded on the principles of free speech and academic freedom",[17] but this did not prevent it from being subsequently signed into law by Governor Gavin Newsom.[6] Affirming the free-wheeling nature of JPAC's political advocacy, AIPAC spokesperson Marshall Wittmann characterized the CFA's objection as “ostracizing fellow citizens who are engaged in the democratic process to strengthen the US-Israel partnership” and of discriminating against pro-Israel Americans.[6]
Other supporters of the bill in its final form
"Dozens of Jewish organizations and advocates, including [...] the Anti-Defamation League and the Bay Area chapter of the Jewish Community Relations Council."[18]
Other opponents of the bill in its final form
"Include ACLU California Action, the Association of California School Administrators, California County Superintendents, California School Boards Association, Council of UC Faculty Associations, Jewish Voice for Peace Bay Area chapter and the University of California Student Association, among others."[18]
Political and apolitical activities
"The organization's Campus Council meets monthly on Zoom from December to April, culminating in person in May for the annual JPAC Capitol Summit in Sacramento."[19] When responding to the CFA's objection, executive director Bocarsly argued that "JPAC was an 'ethno-religious community' rather than an interest group" because it "does not make political contributions or endorse candidates[, and that] the coalition includes organizations that provide social services, help asylum seekers and give legal aid to undocumented immigrants."[6]