What’s in a name? If you’re trying to make heads or tails of the Bay Area organizations involved in Jewish and pro- (or anti-) Israel work, good luck. It can be hard to keep the sometimes-bewildering acronyms straight.
But you’re in luck. From BAJA to BANJO to JCOB, we’re here to help you untangle them with our handy guide. There are plenty more organizations we could have added, but we stuck with some of the newer ones, some of the lesser-known ones and the ones that have risen to prominence in the difficult period since Oct. 7, 2023.
JPAC: the Jewish Public Affairs Committee of California
What it is: A lobbying group that advocates for Jewish organizations statewide and supports their collective goals. It works with state lawmakers to pass bills, for example, that target “hate littering,” improve Holocaust education and address the rise in antisemitism.
Our coverage:
- State bills focusing on antisemitism and Holocaust education training await Newsom’s signature
- JPAC annual summit draws 500 to Sacramento to strategize on antisemitism
What it’s not: CLJC
CLJC: the California Legislative Jewish Caucus
What it is: A group of state legislators who are either Jewish or support the causes of their Jewish allies. It is one of more than a dozen official legislative caucuses based on issues or identity.
The Jewish caucus is co-chaired by state Sen. Scott Wiener, a Democrat who represents the San Francisco area, and Assemblymember Jesse Gabriel, a Democrat who represents Southern California’s San Fernando Valley.
Our coverage:
- Newsom signs bills on Jewish student safety, Holocaust education, religious bias, ‘hate littering’
- California Jewish lawmakers send colleagues anguished letter asking for support
- Pro-Palestinian protests grind California Democratic Party convention to a halt
What it’s not: JPAC
BANJO: Bay Area Network of Jewish Officials
What it is: A group started by the JCRC to support Jewish elected officials across nine counties in the Bay Area, ranging from city council reps to school board members. BANJO is both a networking opportunity for Jewish officeholders and a place to discuss issues of common concern, including how to navigate being openly Jewish in tense times.
Our coverage:
What it’s not: BAJA
BAJA: Bay Area Jewish Action
What it is: A JCRC spinoff that seeks to level up Jewish grassroots political organizing, focusing on local elections and mobilizing voters on behalf of politicians who take a strong line against antisemitism. (It’s pronounced BAH-hah, like the peninsula.)
Our coverage:
What it’s not: JCOB
JCRC: Jewish Community Relations Council Bay Area
What it is: An organization of almost eight decades that acts as the voice of the region’s mainstream Jewish community in interactions with local governments and school districts. It operates across San Francisco, Marin, Sonoma, Napa, Alameda, Contra Costa, Solano, San Mateo and Santa Clara counties.
Recently JCRC has gained prominence for its work in countering Gaza-related cease-fire measures at city councils and fighting antisemitism in schools.
Our coverage:
- JCRC Bay Area steps into the spotlight amid post-Oct. 7 uptick in antisemitism and anti-Zionism
- ‘A stronger voice’: Silicon Valley Jewish Community Relations Council merges with larger Bay Area JCRC
- Jewish anti-Zionist group protests JCRC Bay Area’s 75th anniversary gala
What it’s not: JPAC
AROC: Arab Resource and Organizing Center
What it is: The San Francisco nonprofit provides legal services to Arabic speakers and advocates stridently for the Palestinian cause, including in support of the boycott, divestment and sanctions movement against Israel. Since the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas massacre in Israel and the subsequent Israel-Hamas war, AROC has intensified its activism, organizing anti-Israel protests and cease-fire resolutions in city and county governments across the region. Its executive director said earlier this year that she is working to “overcome Zionism” in America.
Our coverage:
- Anti-Zionist org gets $100K grant as Walter and Elise Haas Fund changes direction
- Local activist with ties to public schools calls to ‘overcome Zionism’ at conference
- SFUSD finds anti-Israel org AROC entered school campuses before walkout for Gaza
- Egg-throwing, calls for ‘intifada’ at combative protest in S.F.
What it’s not: CAIR
CAIR: the Council on American-Islamic Relations
What it is: Founded in the Bay Area 30 years ago, this national organization promotes Muslim civil rights and fights Islamophobia. It also focuses much of its attention and resources against Israel.
Our coverage:
- S.F. public schools reschedule antisemitism training canceled after pushback
- Muslim civil rights leader says she is target of ‘prolonged Zionist onslaught’ as she goes on sabbatical
- ADL spars with CAIR over local Muslim leader’s remarks on ‘polite Zionists’
What it’s not: AROC
JCOB: Jewish Coalition of Berkeley
What it is: This grassroots group sprung up after Oct. 7, 2023, in response to concerns about antisemitism in public schools and at school board and city council meetings. There is no website. Members communicate by email and WhatsApp to get the word out about community meetings and political candidates.
Our coverage:
- Alameda County policy will advance BDS, opponents say
- How Bay Area Jewish candidates fared on Election Day
What it’s not: BAJC
BAJC: Bay Area Jewish Coalition
What it is: Another grassroots group that came together after Oct. 7, 2023, in response to local incidents of antisemitism. The South Bay group, which includes Israeli and American Jews, tracks incidents in schools and encourages members to show up at public meetings and rallies.
Our coverage:
- S.F. Federation awards 26 grants worth $670,000 to fight hate at local level
- Jewish family sues San Jose school, alleging failure to address daughter’s harassment
- Sunnyvale teen creates new central address for reporting hate and bias in K-12 schools
What it’s not: JCOB
JVP: Jewish Voice for Peace
What it is: A national group founded in the mid-1990s in Berkeley that began as a pro-peace group and officially adopted anti-Zionism in 2018. JVP has stepped up its activism since the start of the Israel-Hamas war, playing a significant role in pressing local governments to pass cease-fire resolutions and divest from companies that do business with Israel. JVP members have been involved in large-scale protests against Israel, including blocking the Golden Gate Bridge in April.
Our coverage:
- ‘Gaza solidarity sukkah’ at UC Berkeley’s Sather Gate is dismantled in one day
- Jewish anti-Zionist group protests JCRC Bay Area’s 75th anniversary gala
- Jewish anti-Zionists arrested during sit-in at Oakland federal building calling for Gaza cease-fire
What it’s not: SJP
SJP: Students for Justice in Palestine
What it is: An anti-Zionist group founded at UC Berkeley in the 1990s that has evolved into a national network of student activists. It has doubled down on its efforts since the start of the Israel-Hamas war, organizing or joining most campus protests and tent encampments over the past 14 months.
Our coverage:
- Stanford says ‘no’ to students’ Israel divestment petition
- ‘Week of Rage’ and other anti-Zionist protests planned on Oct. 7 anniversary
- Gaza protests return to Bay Area campuses as semester starts
- The secret history and uncertain future of Students for Justice in Palestine
What it’s not: JVP
JDCBA: Jewish Democratic Coalition of the Bay Area
What it is: This group is for people active in the local Democratic Party who support Israel. It advocates for Democratic candidates who are Israel allies and put out a list of endorsements for the Nov. 7, 2024 election.
What it isn’t: JPAC