California Budget Includes Unprecedented Investment in Holocaust Survivor Assistance

Budget Also Funds Nonprofit Security Grants and Other Jewish Community Priorities

June 25, 2025

SACRAMENTO, CA – The Jewish Public Affairs Committee of California (JPAC) applauds the Governor and Legislature for including a historic $14.5 million investment in the state budget for the Holocaust Survivor Assistance Program, providing critical services to aging Holocaust survivors across California.

California is home to an estimated 8,000 Holocaust survivors, many of whom are over the age of 85 and face unique physical, emotional, and financial challenges stemming from the trauma they endured. For the past six years, the state has played a critical role in funding survivor assistance programs administered by seven Jewish Family Service agencies – all JPAC members – across California. These agencies provide trauma-informed services such as home care, healthcare, transportation, and social connection to more than 2,500 survivors annually. The demand for services continues to grow, with increasing numbers on the waitlist. However, that funding was nearing expiration, putting the well-being of thousands of survivors at risk.

JPAC and our Jewish Family Service partners requested $36 million over three years to continue the program and sustain these essential services. The Legislative Jewish Caucus championed the request. This one-year, $14.5 million allocation fulfills an immediate need and provides a vital bridge to keep the program operating – even as California faces a $12 billion budget deficit.

“As the last generation of Holocaust survivors enters their final years, we have a moral responsibility to ensure they can age with dignity and support they deserve,” said David Bocarsly, JPAC Executive Director. “We are deeply grateful to Jewish Family Service for delivering this care every day, and to the Governor, the Legislature, and the Jewish Caucus for stepping up to ensure this critical program continues. Even in a challenging budget year, California is showing that we will not turn our backs on the survivors who have already endured so much.”

The budget agreement also includes critical investments in the safety and well-being of the broader Jewish community and other vulnerable Californians, including:

• $80 million for the Nonprofit Security Grant Program, completing the $160 million, two-year commitment to protect synagogues, schools, and other nonprofits at risk of hate-motivated violence.
• $100 million to backfill federal Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) funding, helping replace federal cuts to essential services for crime victims – including domestic violence support and victim services provided by Jewish Family Service agencies.
• $83.8 million for the Home Safe program, which addresses and prevents homelessness for older adults and adults with disabilities who are victims of abuse, neglect, or exploitation. Services include intensive case management, eviction prevention, landlord mediation, and more.
• $10 million for the Museum of Tolerance modernization and expansion, advancing Holocaust education and anti-hate initiatives.

“These victories reflect the power of organized, values-driven advocacy,” Bocarsly added. “We thank the Jewish Caucus, Governor, and Legislature for their steadfast support. At a time of rising antisemitism and growing needs for our most vulnerable, California has made clear that it stands with the Jewish community and all those targeted by hate.”

JPAC will continue working with state leaders to advance remaining community priorities through trailer bills expected later this year.

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About JPAC:

The Jewish Public Affairs Committee of California (JPAC) is the voice of California’s Jewish community to the State Capitol, and the largest single-state coalition of Jewish organizations in the nation. Composed of 38 leading Jewish community organizations, JPAC advocates in Sacramento for both Jewish communal concerns and broadly shared values – including the fight against antisemitism and hate and the promotion of human services and civil rights. Its members include Jewish Federations, Jewish Community Relations Councils, Jewish Family Service agencies, and others that collectively serve hundreds of thousands of Californians of all backgrounds and represent the interests of California’s 1.2 million Jews.

For more information, visit us at http://jpac-cal.org.

Contact: David Bocarsly, JPAC Executive Director, david@jpac-cal.org