Bend the Arc Jewish Action California

Bend the Arc Jewish Action California mobilizes Jewish communities in California to support left-of-center causes through campaigns, endorsements, and partnerships with allied groups. The entity is closely affiliated with Bend the Arc: A Jewish Partnership for Justice, a 501(c)(3) focused on education and organizing, and Bend the Arc Jewish Action PAC, which funds electoral efforts. Critics argue the group’s emphasis on progressive agendas sometimes prioritizes partisan politics over broader Jewish interests. ⁴

Bend the Arc: A Jewish Partnership for Justice was formed in 2011 as a merger of the New York-based Jewish Funds for Justice and the west coast-based Progressive Jewish Alliance. ^{5 6}

Advocacy and Activities

Bend the Arc Jewish Action California focuses on state policy, endorsing left-of-center candidates in elections and campaigning for bills like the VISION Act to limit Immigration and Customs Enforcement activity, the California Act to Save Lives on police use of force, and the PROMYSE Act on youth reinvestment. ^{7 8 9} It has pushed for changes to bail laws and expanded services for asylum seekers, often partnering with non-Jewish left-wing advocacy groups. ^{10 11} The organization often partners with non-Jewish allies in coalitions for these efforts, including immigrant rights groups and racial justice advocates. ¹²

Bend the Arc Jewish Action California is aligned with its national counterparts opposing immigration laws and supporting Black Lives Matter initiatives. In 2024, its PAC endorsed California candidates, contributing to left-leaning candidates. ¹³ Critics note the group’s activities can appear partisan, such as when members heckled President Donald Trump during a 2019 Pittsburgh visit, chanting “Trump endangers Jews” at a shale conference. ^{14 15}

In June 2025, Bend the Arc Jewish Action, including its California chapter, participated in the “No Kings: Nationwide Day of Defiance” protests, joining Indivisible and nearly 200 partner organizations to oppose “authoritarianism” and support detained illegal aliens, with events in Los Angeles and other locations. ^{16 17 18}

Controversies

The group has faced criticism for its left-of-center focus, with a 2020 Tablet article accusing it of using Jewish identity to promote agendas funded by non-Jewish sources, potentially diluting traditional Jewish advocacy. ⁴ In 2025, it opposed the Antisemitism Awareness Act, arguing it could undermine Jewish safety and act as a “gag bill.” ¹⁹

Financials

As part of the national entity, Bend the Arc Jewish Action California relies on contributions to the 501(c)(4), which reported $2.46 million in 2023 revenue, primarily from donations. ^{20 21}

The affiliated 501(c)(3) received grants from left-leaning foundations like the Ford Foundation ($5 million, initially approved in 2017 and increased in 2019) and Open Society Foundations (OSF). The OSF grants included three separate awards totaling $1,033,500 in 2020: $500,000 “to combat antisemitism and build solidarity with communities experiencing other forms of hatred,” $93,500 “to support the Funders’ Collaborative on Youth Organizing…in training young activists in youth-driven racial justice and civic engagement organizing,” and $440,000 “to support efforts to combat antisemitism.” ^{22 23} The PAC raised $300,904 in the 2021-2022 cycle from individual donors. ²⁴

Leadership

As of July 2025, leadership is national, with Jamie Beran as CEO since November 2022, overseeing all entities including the California chapter. ²⁵ Other key figures include Eli Williams-Szenes, Bend the Arc’s director of advocacy and political affairs since April 2025. ^{26 27} National staff also features Jillian Lipman as national organizer based in Brooklyn, New York, with experience in community organizing and program development. ²⁸