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Sacramento, CA — Assemblymember Jesse Gabriel (D – Woodland Hills), Chair of the California Legislative Jewish Caucus and Senator Scott Wiener (D – San Francisco), Vice Chair, released the following statement regarding the State Board of Education’s adoption of the final Ethnic Studies Model Curriculum:
Members of the California Legislative Jewish Caucus joined a coalition of state lawmakers on the Capitol steps in Sacramento on Monday afternoon to promote a slate of bills aimed at addressing hate crimes against minority groups.
Rob Bonta, a member of the Assembly from the East Bay who is part of the Asian and Pacific Islander Caucus, organized the gathering so the state’s Jewish, Latino, LGBTQ, Black and Armenian leaders could express solidarity and showcase their legislative efforts amid a rise in racist attacks targeting Asian Americans across the state, including recent violent attacks in Oakland and San Francisco.
There have been 1,226 incidents of hate reported against Asian Americans in California since the coronavirus pandemic began, according to a tally this month by AAPI Hate, a San Francisco State University project that tracks attacks against the Asian American and Pacific Islander communities. The incidents coincide with the proliferation of antisemitic conspiracy theories blaming Jews for the coronavirus, according to the ADL.
“We are not just talking,” said Assemblymember Rebecca Bauer-Kahan, a member of the Jewish caucus who represents parts of the East Bay. “We are taking action.”
State Assembly Majority Whip Jesse Gabriel also discusses the role states like California can play in foreign policy
On this week’s episode of Jewish Insider’s Limited Liability Podcast, hosts Jarrod Bernstein and Rich Goldberg are joined by California State Assembly Majority Whip and Chair of the California Jewish Caucus Jesse Gabriel and JI’s Melissa Weiss to discuss the recent controversy around the California ethnic studies curriculum.
In recent days, several articles have appeared about the proposed Ethnic Studies Model Curriculum in California. Some include inaccuracies and misrepresentations of the plan’s current state and ignore the vital advocacy work that the Jewish Public Affairs Committee (JPAC), the largest single-state alliance of Jewish organizations in the United States, and others accomplished during the past 18 months.
Recent misleading articles included excerpts from a first draft of the model curriculum that are no longer present in its current state, false and out-of-context references in the lesson plans on Jewish Americans and failure to properly present a full and accurate timeline, scope of advocacy work, and achievements by our diverse coalition of Jewish organizations across the state. Other news articles incorrectly referred to one of the lesson plans on Jewish Americans as echoing Nazi propaganda and characterizing Jews as imposters in plain sight.
California Jewish groups appear less concerned than a recent headline would suggest
A diverse coalition of more than 110 Jewish community organizations and leaders from across California, led by the San Francisco-based Jewish Community Relations Council (JCRC), the California Legislative Jewish Caucus and the JCRC of Silicon Valley, today called on House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy to come together to confront hyperpartisanship and rising extremism in our politics.
Jesse Gabriel, a member of the state legislature from the San Fernando Valley and chair of the Legislative Jewish Caucus, recalled that shortly after the birth of his third son, Noah, in April he received a text from Padilla that said, “Mazel tov.”
“He has that kind of cultural sensitivity to reach out,” Gabriel said. “He’s a menschy guy, smart, a good guy, a great public servant who shows he cares about our issues. He checks all the boxes.”
Assemblymember Jesse Gabriel to Serve as Chair of the California Legislative Jewish Caucus, Senator Scott Wiener Elected Vice Chair
Caucus Membership Expands Following Election Victories Across the State
Legislation Now Includes “Guardrails” Requested by the Jewish Caucus that Address Concerns About Anti-Jewish and Anti-Israel Bias in the Prior Draft of the Model Curriculum
Press Release
Statement on New Draft Ethnic Studies Model Curriculum
Sacramento, CA — Senator Ben Allen (D - Santa Monica) and Assemblymember Jesse Gabriel (D - Encino), Chair and Vice Chair of the California Legislative Jewish Caucus, released the following statement regarding the recent release of the new draft of the Ethnic Studies Model Curriculum: