While University of California students chanted \u201cDivest!\u201d and erected \u201cFree Palestine\u201d encampments, a little-known pro-Israel faction of the California legislature introduced legislation to indoctrinate six million California public school children and stem the rising tide of college resistance to Israel\u2019s genocide in Gaza.<\/p>\n
What\u2019s in a name?<\/strong><\/p>\n They call themselves the\u00a0California Legislative Jewish Caucus<\/a>\u00a0and they are Democrats in the state legislature who critics describe as \u201cprogressive except for Palestine\u201d or \u201cPEP\u201d lawmakers. Individually, they shepard populist bills to increase fines on white collar criminals, strengthen whistleblower protections, require AI transparency, and expand affordable housing, but collectively they work to erase Palestinians from the political and educational discourse. In the midst of Israel\u2019s slaughter in Gaza, the Caucus not only refuses to support a ceasefire, but centers the debate on the protesters\u2019 lack of civility, often conflating criticism of Israel with anti-Semitism.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Who are they?<\/strong><\/p>\n Co-Chaired by Assembly Member Jesse Gabriel ( San Fernando Valley) and State Senator Scott Weiner (San Francisco), the 19 member Legislative Jewish Caucus includes 12 lawmakers in the 80-member assembly and 7 in the 40-member state senate, comprising 15% of the assembly and 17.5% of the senate, enough to exercise leverage as a block of votes on the floor or for the election of the speaker of the assembly or the president of the senate, both of whom appoint the chairs of committees who decide whether bills ever make it to the floor. Of the 19 members, at least 10 chair standing committees, with co-chair Gabriel chairing the powerful assembly budget committee, co-chair Weiner chairing the senate housing committee and member Newman chairing the senate education committee.<\/p>\n The Legislative Jewish Caucus includes the following assembly members: Dawn Addis (Morro Bay), Rebecca Bauer-Kahan (Orinda), Marc Berman (Menlo Park), Laura Friedman (Burbank), co-chair Jesse Gabriel (Encino), Matt Haney (San Francisco) Jacqui Irwin (Thousand Oaks), Josh Lowenthal (Long Beach), Gail Pellerin (Santa Cruz), Blanca Rubio (Baldwin Park), Chris Ward (San Diego) and Rick Chavez Zbur (Los Angeles), and Sens. Ben Allen (Santa Monica), Josh Becker (Menlo Park), Steve Glazer (Orinda), Josh Newman (Fullerton), Susan Rubio (Baldwin Park), Henry Stern (Calabasas) and co-chair Scott Wiener (San Francisco).<\/p>\n BREAKING: Over 300 Jews and allies are peacefully calling for an immediate and lasting ceasefire, and have shut down all California State legislative proceedings, demanding that CA end its support for Israel's genocide of Palestinians. #CeasefireNOW<\/a> — Jewish Voice for Peace Bay Area (@JVPBayArea) January 3, 2024<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n
\ud83d\udcf8: @movementphotog<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/OXQclhPrEH<\/a><\/p>\n