Education, leadership development, and advocacy from a progressive Jewish platform
The Jewish Center for Justice is a distinguished social justice, education, and leadership development platform that empowers current and future leaders to build a more compassionate and just society.
A diverse movement and community spanning generations and denominations, JCJ connects Jewish justice activists with unique opportunities to formulate their voices and make a real impact on issues such as immigration, gun violence prevention, economic justice, climate change, and more.
“Engaging with JCJ on campus has enriched my college experience by providing the tools and confidence I needed to raise my voice for justice, as well as a better understanding of how my activism is intrinsically linked to my Judaism.”
— Kevin Gibson, UC Berkeley
Advocacy
Recent Blog Posts
These are the JCJ-Backed Bills Signed into Law
With California’s 2026 legislative cycle now complete, Governor Gavin Newsom has signed a number of bills that the Jewish Center for Justice tracked and supported throughout the year.
These new laws span a wide range of issues at the heart of JCJ’s advocacy, including health care access, LGBTQ+ protections, gun violence prevention, voting, foster care, environmental justice, and security for houses of worship and nonprofit organizations.
For JCJ, legislative advocacy does not begin when a bill reaches the Governor’s desk. Throughout the legislative session, we track legislation as it moves through committees and floor votes, engage our community around key issues, and provide opportunities for advocates to make their voices heard.
This year, that work included legislation addressing some of the most pressing challenges facing communities across California.
Among the bills signed into law are measures strengthening protections for people seeking legally protected health care, safeguarding sensitive LGBTQ+ health information, addressing firearms and emerging gun technologies, expanding resources for nonprofit security, and protecting access to houses of worship. Governor Newsom signed several of these measures as part of broader legislative packages in the final days of September.
Other measures address extended foster care, juvenile facilities, voter information, environmental and public health concerns, and Medi-Cal eligibility.
Below is a look at the JCJ-tracked legislation signed by Governor Newsom this year:
Turning Values Into Action
The legislative process can be long. Bills are introduced, amended, debated, voted on, and sometimes transformed significantly before reaching the Governor’s desk. Not every priority becomes law, and progress often takes more than a single legislative session.
But each bill signed into law represents the culmination of months of work by legislators, advocates, community organizations, and Californians who chose to participate in the legislative process.
As we close out the 2026 legislative cycle, JCJ will continue working to help our community understand the issues moving through Sacramento and provide meaningful opportunities to turn our Jewish values into action.
Thank you to everyone who took action with us throughout this legislative session.
Understanding Israel’s 2026 Election
On October 27, 2026, Israelis will head to the polls to elect the next Knesset. But for those more familiar with American elections, understanding exactly what Israelis are voting for, and how those votes ultimately produce a government, can be complicated. Israel is...
JCJ’s 2026 Midterm Election Voter Guide
This article was updated on October 5, 2026. Election Day is Tuesday, November 3, 2026, and the Jewish Center for Justice is committed to helping our community vote informed, vote their values, and make their voices heard. Voting is one of the most basic rights in any...
