Rabbi Simonds on Tzedakah as Justice
This article was originally posted in Vocal Media on Saturday, January 31, 2026. *** Rabbi Joel Thal Simonds on Tzedakah as Justice: Torah, Dignity, and Public Policy in Los Angeles How does Rabbi Joel Thal Simonds frame tzedakah as justice—not optional charity—while...
Meeting the Moment: JCJ’s 2026 Legislative Priorities
The challenges facing California in 2026 are not abstract or distant. They are already shaping daily life: from rising antisemitism and threats to LGBTQ+ safety, to housing insecurity, healthcare interference, climate disasters, and difficult budget decisions that...
JCJ Statement on the killing of Renee Nicole Good in Minneapolis
The killing of Renee Nicole Good at the hands of ICE was not an isolated incident. It is simply one of the few that was caught on camera. Across this country, we are witnessing a disturbing pattern: people shot in the streets, individuals violently detained, and...
8 Bills Awaiting the Governor’s Signature
Last week, the JCJ community made our voices heard. We picked up the phone and called our Assemblymembers and Senators, urging them to pass a slate of vital bills that protect LGBTQ rights, safeguard our environment, defend our immigrant neighbors, and lift up those...