Jewish Public Affairs Committee of California
The Jewish Public Affairs Committee of California, is an American Jewish advocacy 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 concerns and broadly shared values, articulated in its two pillars, fighting for "issues that support Jewish community" and that "directly further Jewish values".
Political positions
Despite Jesse Gabriel's, a state lawmaker who co-chairs the Legislature’s Jewish Caucus, implication that 501 organizations can only politically advocate within the scope of "social services organizations", "in practice spend 50% of their money on politics." 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" such as "directly or indirectly denying the right of Israel to exist", a right that does not exist in international law, hinging instead on diplomatic recognition. After clashing with the California Teachers Association, "the unveiled a new bill that was nearly empty of specifics of what it would do". Still objecting, organizations such as the California Faculty Association described the legislation as "fail to address sincerely or prudently" while "instead offer a legitimate means to surveil and censor educators in the very institutions founded on the principles of free speech and academic freedom", but this did not prevent it from being subsequently signed into law by Governor Gavin Newsom. 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."Dozens of Jewish organizations and advocates, including the Anti-Defamation League and the Bay Area chapter of the Jewish Community Relations Council."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."
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." 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 the coalition includes organizations that provide social services, help asylum seekers and give legal aid to undocumented immigrants."