Gov. Gavin Newsom on June 30 signed California’s 2022-2023 State Budget, and the $308 billion budget includes a record amount of funding for Jewish community priorities, including seven items prioritized by the Jewish Public Affairs Committee of California, totaling $141.2 million.

The JPAC priority items in the final state budget were $50 million for the California State Nonprofit Security Grant Program; $40 million to rebuild six Jewish and non-Jewish summer camps lost in recent wildfires; $36 million for the California Holocaust Survivor Assistance Program; $9 million for the construction of a Los Angeles-area housing project for adults with disabilities, being developed by Cornerstone Housing; $3 million to renovate and enhance the Jewish Family and Children’s Services Holocaust Center in San Francisco; $1.8 million for the Commission on the State of Hate; and $1.4 million for the Governor’s Council on Holocaust and Genocide Education.

JPAC priorities funded in the state budget amounted to $76 million in 2021 and $40 million in 2019 (the 2020 state budget funding was sparse due to the start of the COVID-19 pandemic). Each of the numbers represented record highs at the time.

The California State Budget takes effect at the start of the new fiscal year, July 1.

“The Jewish caucus is proud to have secured unprecedented funding for numerous important Jewish community priorities in this year’s state budget,” said Assemblyman Jesse Gabriel (D-Woodland Hills), chair of the California Legislative Jewish Caucus. “This funding will help make a real difference on issues including hate crimes, community security, Holocaust education and rebuilding our beloved Jewish summer camps. We are most grateful to JPAC and our other partners across the state for their tireless advocacy to help secure these important resources.”

“This is an historic year for California Jewish advocacy,” JPAC executive director David Bocarsly said. “The final budget includes record investments in our social service priorities and declares that California is dedicated to rooting out hate in all forms. Amidst large-scale efforts to address gun violence, reproductive rights and rising gas prices, the governor and legislative leaders also demonstrated a continued commitment to Jewish community priorities.”

“We thank Governor Newsom, the legislative leadership and our legislative Jewish caucus for supporting the critical and necessary funding of JPAC’s budget requests,” JPAC board chair Allison Gingold said. “In the wake of increases in acts of anti-semitism and hate of all forms, the need for additional security for nonprofit organizations and teaching about the Holocaust is more important than ever. We must also assure the basic needs for people with disabilities and our aging Holocaust survivor population. We are grateful that our California leaders recognized these needs and took action to address these critical issues.”

For information, visit jpac-cal.org/our-work/2022-budget-items/.