California Jews go to Sacramento + Slingshot Fund’s ‘10 to Watch’ – eJewish Philanthropy

California’s Jewish Public Affairs Committee brought some 300 local Jewish leaders to the state Capitol in Sacramento this week to lobby state lawmakers to advance four issues, including nonprofit security grants, which are poised to be cut this year due to state budget cuts, reports eJewishPhilanthropy‘s Judah Ari Gross.

‘Housing, welfare, food: The other pieces of issues JPAC (not to be confused with the national Jewish Council for Public Affairs, JCPA) and the participating organizations lobbied for were: the Affordable Housing on Faith Lands Act, which would allow churches, synagogues, mosques and other houses of worship to build affordable housing on their property even if local zoning otherwise prevented it; a bill to extend social services to new refugees; and a bill to expand California’s food security program, CalFresh.

Coalition building: The lobbying push was part of JPAC’s annual Capitol Summit. The Jewish Federation of Greater Los Angeles, which sent 50 representatives to the state capital, said those issues were “of significance to not only the Jewish community but our partners as well.” This year, JPAC’s summit was also attended by a number of non-Jewish partner organizations, including the Brotherhood Crusade, Fulfillment Fund, Heart of Los Angeles, Homeless Outreach Program Integrated Care System, Faith and Community Empowerment and SoLA ICAN Foundation.

Working out: “Having The Jewish Federation of Greater Los Angeles’ civic partners join the overall JPAC delegation allowed us to strengthen our advocacy muscle and to voice unified support around concerns that not only impact the Jewish community, but that also affect other racial, ethnic and religious communities across the state,” Mary Kohav, JFGLA’s vice president of justice, equity, diversity and inclusion and community engagement, said in a statement.’

Housing, welfare, food: The other pieces of issues JPAC (not to be confused with the national Jewish Council for Public Affairs, JCPA) and the participating organizations lobbied for were: the Affordable Housing on Faith Lands Act, which would allow churches, synagogues, mosques and other houses of worship to build affordable housing on their property even if local zoning otherwise prevented it; a bill to extend social services to new refugees; and a bill to expand California’s food security program, CalFresh.

Coalition building: The lobbying push was part of JPAC’s annual Capitol Summit. The Jewish Federation of Greater Los Angeles, which sent 50 representatives to the state capital, said those issues were “of significance to not only the Jewish community but our partners as well.” This year, JPAC’s summit was also attended by a number of non-Jewish partner organizations, including the Brotherhood Crusade, Fulfillment Fund, Heart of Los Angeles, Homeless Outreach Program Integrated Care System, Faith and Community Empowerment and SoLA ICAN Foundation.

Working out: “Having The Jewish Federation of Greater Los Angeles’ civic partners join the overall JPAC delegation allowed us to strengthen our advocacy muscle and to voice unified support around concerns that not only impact the Jewish community, but that also affect other racial, ethnic and religious communities across the state,” Mary Kohav, JFGLA’s vice president of justice, equity, diversity and inclusion and community engagement, said in a statement.