California Legislative Jewish Caucus

The California Legislative Jewish Caucus (CLJC) is a bipartisan, bicameral group of state legislators primarily dedicated to Jewish institutional interests, promoting Holocaust education and remembrance, countering antisemitism, anti-Zionism and anti-Israel narratives, supporting Israel in schools and college campuses, and strengthening California–Israel economic, technological and cultural ties. It was established in 2012 and is the first official legislative Jewish caucus in the United States.

The CLJC employs staff paid through the State Assembly but is not a separate legal entity and has no independent budget or bank account. Its “budget” accomplishments (e.g. $80 million/year for 2024-25) are state funding allocations it successfully advocates for in the annual California Budget Act. The CLJC works in partnership with Jewish Public Affairs Committee of California (JPAC).

The CLJC successfully advocated for the incorporation of the IHRA definition of antisemitism in California's K-12 Ethnic Studies Model Curriculum (ESMC).

Since 2021, the CLJC's legislative efforts related to Jewish institutional interests and Israel have intensified alongside broader Tikkun Olam themed social-justice programs. The CLJC has been criticized for misleading, unethical, and undemocratic legislation, mostly in support of Israel.