Lobby Day Faces New Challenges
Plus: What the ADL's anti-Semitism and extremism report found
The Jewish Community Relations Council Lobby Day event faced new challenges this year with unpredictable weather, changing alliances, a limited state budget, and less established Jewish leaders in the Washington State Legislature.
The annual visit to Olympia took place this year on Thursday, February 6th, and sent lay leaders and community members to advocate for priorities identified by the JCRC through surveys and meetings. (The JCRC is the public affairs and external relations branch of the Jewish Federation of Greater Seattle.)
With a projected 2025-2027 state budget deficit of $16-$20 billion, “everything we ask for is a stretch,” JCRC director Max Patashnik says. “This is a really, really challenging budget year. We’re not asking for policy change, just maintenance-level funding. This work is more important than ever.”
On top of budget concerns, the community has lost several veteran leaders who could be relied upon for advocacy around Jewish concerns. Both David Frockt and Reuven Carlyle have retired, Andy Billig decided not to run again, and Tana Senn joined Gov. Bob Ferguson’s team as secretary for the Department of Children, Youth, and Families. That leaves the JCRC with greener members.
“We usually know where legislators stand on their issues, but we don’t know,” Patashnik says. “Who are our strongest allies? Where do we need to build support for the rest of session?”
The JCRC took a leading position on two bills and supporting positions on several others. They led advocacy for funding the state nonprofit security grant program and continued funding for Holocaust and genocide awareness education.
The security grant funding is critical for Jewish organizations that are high-level targets for vandalism and attacks but don’t qualify for federal funding. The JCRC also hopes to keep $1.5 million in the operating budget for the Holocaust Center for Humanity’s education programs, which have seen measurable success in Washington state classrooms.
“We are asking for a continuation of funding from the state legislature,” Patashnik says. “Through funding expansion over the past several years, the Center has been able to move from reaching 28 percent to 44 percent of students. They are able to teach about propaganda. How do you teach about that in today’s light? How do they get their news? They’re providing teacher trainings for how to center humanity in complex times.”
The JCRC took a supporting position for several other bills: HB 1052/SB 5038 for hate crime accountability, SB 5101 to support victims of online hate, SB 5436 to create a bubble zone around houses of worship, SB 5131 to allow religious prisoners access to proper meals, and a budget proviso for addressing hate in K-12 schools.
Beyond Jewish and religious protections, the JCRC supported bills that align with the directives to welcome strangers and protect the vulnerable, namely, HB 1482 to expand Apple Health Care, HB 1772/SB 5626 to provide unemployment benefits to undocumented workers, budget proviso for the Washington Migrant and Asylum-Seeker Support Program, funding for SNAP and senior meals, and HB 1404/SB 5352 to provide breakfast and lunch to all students in the state.
“We ultimately decided to focus on health equity for low-income residents of Washington state,” Patashnik says. “All low-income residents in Washington state [should] have access to health care. There’s a lot of basis in Jewish tradition about caring about health.”
Patashnik recognizes the tension between focusing on anti-Semitism and wider issues that could be seen as less critical to many Jews in Washington.
“What do we as Jewish community members feel is most important based on our history and experience?” she asks. “This might be an issue that gets partially supported or partially defunded…. We really try and strike a balance and figure out where that bell curve is.”
The group made it down to Olympia despite widespread snow and ice closures around Seattle. They were joined by Sen. Manka Dhingra, a state leader in combating hate crimes, and Representative Dave Paul, a champion of Holocaust education. They formed new relationships with Rep. Adam Bernbaum and Rep. Matt Marshall.
“Participants educated policymakers about the Jewish community,” says Patashnik. “Who we are, what we are facing, what matters to us today and how their leadership can make a difference.”
The Anti-Defamation League released its latest report on extremist activity in the region. “Hate in the Cascade States: Extremism & Antisemitism in Oregon & Washington” tracks right- and left-wing activity, including incidents directed not directed at Jews.
Among the findings from the report:
Anti-Semitic incidents rose by 210 percent in Oregon from 2022 to 2023 and by 191 percent in Washington.
White surpremacist propaganda in Oregon and Washington was slightly down in 2023 over 2022.
Three extremist-related murders took place, one in Oregon and two in Washington. None targeted Jews.
White nationalist groups are forming coalitions, and some historically anti-government groups are running for office.
Left-wing anti-Semitism has emerged among some 250 anti-Israel protests in the wake of October 7th, with claims of Jewish power mirroring right-wing anti-Semitic claims. Numerous acts of violence have occured, including $1 million worth of damage done to Portland State University and the burning of more than a dozen police cars at the Portland Police Bureau.
The ADL calls out Samidoun, which the US has designated a sham charity and a front for the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine. Samidoun Seattle is active in the protest scene.
In a live briefing on Thursday, the ADL doubled down on its “see something, say something” message. “If you witness something, report it,” says Alex Friedfeld, associate director of Investigative Research at the ADL Center on Extremism. “Data drives advocacy.”
In other news
Jewish groups may find themselves increasingly pitted against anti-Israel groups due to Trump’s executive order to combat anti-Semitism. Speaking to KOMO News, local AJC director and Friend of the Cholent Regina Sassoon Friedland called the decision a “clear signal that enough is enough,” while UW activists on the other side of the aisle decried it as a way of targeting vulnerable populations and silencing students.
Will things at UW change under the new president, Dr. Robert Jones?
“My approach is to always try to make sure I fundamentally understand the issues and people on both sides of the issue know that I'm approachable,” Jones told KOMO. “I want to hear from them about their concerns, but as the leader of the university, you have a responsibility for the safety of the entire university. It doesn't mean that you disagree or you're taking sides on any issue, but the safety and accessibility of the campus has to be first and foremost a primary concern.”
It’s unclear if this means he will take safety seriously or continue more of the same approach. In the same article, Friend of The Cholent Shira Kaufman, a member of the UW Jewish Alumni Association, called for the return of free speech, including Jewish and Israeli opinions: “There has to be a zero-tolerance policy for any student or professor who silences diverse viewpoints. All viewpoints must be heard.”
Cover photo: Lobby Day on February 6th, 2025. Courtesy Max Patashnik
Community Announcements
Check out the Seattle Jewish community calendar.
Candlelighting in Seattle is at 5:02 p.m. The parasha is Beshallach.
Cholent subscriber and fellow Substacker Broadway Maven David Benkof will be coming to Seattle from Jerusalem to present “Barbara Streisand’s Musicals” at Limmud Seattle Sunday, February 16th.
Join Hillel UW on March 6 in celebration of Amee Huppin Sherer’s decade of leadership before she departs as Executive Director at the end of this academic year. The festive gathering raises the critical funds needed to offer a safe, inclusive home away from home for Jewish undergraduates and 20-30 something's to thrive. Register, donate and submit tributes honoring Amee at https://e.givesmart.com/events/FYp/
Shoutouts
Shoutout to the Samis Foundation, Seattle Hebrew Academy, Northwest Yeshiva High School, JIMENA: Jews Indigenous to the Middle East and North Africa, Jewish Day School of Metropolitan Seattle, Seattle Jewish Community School and more for representing the Seattle area at Prizmah last week. Shoutouts to Melissa Rivkin, David Zimmand, Beth Jacoby, Gabrielle Azose, Nance Morris Adler, Rabbi Chaim Weiss, Connie Kanter, Ray Opatowsky, Rabbi Benjy Owen, Ben Lipman, Rabbi Gabbay, Malka Adatto Popper, Deirdre Schreiber, Walls, Rabbi Yehuda Gabay, Jason Feld and everyone who attended to represent our Jewish day schools. —Ty Alhadeff
Kol Ha'Kavod to Max Patashnik, Aliza Mossman, Perri Doll & Jason Levine for all of their hard work for Jewish Community Lobby Day. —Randi Abrams Caras
Mazal tov to Kim Isaac on becoming the vice president of advancement at Americans for Ben-Gurion University (A4BGU).
Thank you for the summary of legislative and other news of interest to Jews in our area. Some of us are too busy avoiding/responding to national news to keep up locally!
This seems to miss the big elephant in the room, the state education budget with plans for an ethnic studies graduation requirement, and the unanswered question of who will get the funding to be the curriculum provider.