Government Affairs

The Jewish Federation is committed to tzedakah, or justice, and sees our partnership with government as a necessary component of our work. As such, we work tirelessly to protect the partnership between government, our partner agencies and the clients they serve. This includes legislative advocacy work, grassroots organizing, community education and coalition building.

Our work is focused on four main areas: Children, Youth and Families, Adults, Seniors and Human and Civil Rights.

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Washington State Jewish Action Center

Washington State Jewish Action Center

The Washington State Jewish Action Center is the Jewish community’s hub for information related to public policy and the impact on local and statewide communal organizations. The Action Center is also the primary tool the Jewish Federation uses to communicate with our community about public policy matters.

You can sign up for the Action Center to receive periodic updates on legislation, policy and other items being considered in Washington DC, Olympia and elsewhere. Through the Action Center, the Jewish Federation will communicate important information and provide opportunities for engaging opinion makers at all levels of government. The Action Center is an important tool in our government relations toolbox.

Become a Member of the Washington State Jewish Action Center

Recent Action Alerts

Government Affairs News

Five Local Jewish Groups Share Homeland Security Grants

Posted on Friday Aug 13, 2010 10:51 AM

The Jewish Federation is pleased to announce that five local Jewish nonprofits were chosen by the Department of Homeland Security for security grants totaling $308,914. The recipients are Herzl Ner Tamid, Temple De Hirsch Sinai, Jewish Family Service, Sephardic Bikur Holim and the Jewish Federation of Greater Seattle. In each of those five years, we have successfully facilitated the grants process for all of the local Jewish groups.

Elena Kagan Becomes 4th Female Justice, 8th Jewish Justice

Posted on Friday Aug 6, 2010 4:43 PM
Elena Kagan

The Jewish Federation of Greater Seattle would like to congratulate Solicitor General Elena Kagan on her Senate confirmation to the United States Supreme Court. She brings with her unique personal and professional qualifications as a consensus builder and a deep commitment to upholding our constitutional values. We are particularly proud to see a member of our Jewish community rise to such an important position, being just the fourth female justice and eighth Jewish justice in Supreme Court history.

2010 Regular (and Special) Legislative Session Wrap-Up

Posted on Friday Apr 16, 2010 1:31 PM

Overview

With a nearly $3 billion deficit facing the state, the Governor and the majority party concluded that some package of new taxes was needed to prevent an all cuts budget. This was the focus of the legislature from the beginning of the regular session in January to the last day of the special session. There was room, occasionally, for important policy adjustments.

Our State Budget Presents a Huge Challenge

Posted on Thursday Jan 14, 2010 3:02 PM

In a short, sixty day session, anything is possible. But erasing the need for drastic cuts to health and human services may very well be a lost cause.

So much is at stake for low-income people and community agencies like Jewish Family Service and the Kline Galland. Lend your voice to solutions to keep our Jewish community, and Washington State, safe and strong. Join the Washington State Jewish Action Center to stay up-to-date and take action on legislative and policy happenings in Olympia, WA and Washington, DC.

The 2010 legislative session presents challenges for the Jewish community and our legislative priorities. To balance Washington’s budget and erase an almost $3.0 billion deficit, Governor Chris Gregoire’s proposed budget made deep cuts into critical programs

Deepening Elected Officials' Knowledge of Hate Crimes

Posted on Tuesday Oct 20, 2009 9:31 AM

Jewish Federation’s role to address and solve community problems was evident at Hate Crimes and Discrimination in the Northwest, a symposium for elected officials and their staff held on October 15.

The goal of the symposium was to explore and discuss with elected officials and their staff a wide range of issues concerning hate and discrimination. The symposium was split into three parts:

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