Jacob Toporek of the NJ State Association of Jewish Federations played a pivotal role in the grassroots effort to advocate for the divestment bill.
January 10, 2008
Jewish leaders throughout New Jersey are hailing Gov. Jon Corzine for signing legislation prohibiting the state from investing its pension and annuity funds in foreign companies doing business in Iran.
Corzine signed the measure on Jan. 4. It specifically prohibits the state from investing in any foreign company that has an equity tie to the government of Iran and is engaged in business operations with Iran’s defense, nuclear, natural gas, or petroleum sectors. Florida, California, and Ohio have passed similar measures.
Jacob Toporek, executive director of the NJ State Association of Jewish Federations, said that his organization, working through its 12 constituent Jewish federations, played a pivotal role in ensuring the legislation’s enactment.
“The State Association was instrumental in making sure that the bill, after it came out of committee, was posted for a vote on the Senate floor on Dec. 17,” Toporek said in a telephone interview. He added that he had conferred closely with Singer about the effort to move the bill to the floor of the Senate.
“There was a lot of work behind the scenes to get the leadership of the Senate to ensure the posting of the bill,” Toporek said.
The success of the effort makes a very strong statement about the power of grassroots advocacy, Toporek added. “Though it may seem like a Jewish community effort,” he said, “the benefits of this bill go far beyond that.”
Felice Maranz, director of community relations for the Jewish Federation of Central New Jersey, also stressed the importance of the legislation to the broader community.
“This is not a Jewish issue. This is a world issue,” Maranz said. “New Jersey has taken a leadership role in promoting bills that call for divestment from companies where regimes are problematic, including Sudan and, now, Iran.
“We recognize, as the people of New Jersey, that Iran supports terror around the world and constitutes a significant threat to all peoples,” she said. “Implementing economic sanctions is a nonmilitary means of trying to reduce Iran’s capacity to commit atrocities. It’s an important step for the broad community.”