by Marilyn Silverstein
NJJN Bureau Chief/PMB

May 15, 2008

Some 65 professionals and lay leaders representing Jewish communities from across the state converged on the State House in Trenton on May 12 as the NJ State Association of Jewish Federations mounted an all-day lobbying mission there.

Topping the agenda was a request for supplemental funding for Holocaust survivors and trying to find a source of permanent funding in the state for NORCs — naturally occurring retirement communities.

Roy Tanzman, president of the State Association, stressed the need for funds to support social services for the state’s remaining Holocaust survivors.

“The good part about the ask — and the sad part about the ask — is that it’s finite,” he said. “If they don’t give us the money now, there’s not going to be anybody around.

“It’s always important to come down to Trenton so people know who we are and what’s important to the Jewish community,” he said, “and that’s really the purpose of the day — to remind them of what’s important to the Jewish community and to thank legislators for doing what’s right.”

The request for supplemental funding for services for survivors comes at a very difficult time in terms of New Jersey’s fiscal situation, Jacob Toporek, executive director of the State Association and a newly appointed member of the New Jersey-Israel Commission, reminded the gathering.

“We’re asking for $500,000. That’s a lot of money,” he said. “We’ve asked and we’re going to ask for this funding. We feel it’s a very special situation for our community. We’re going to ask each and every one of you to go back to your communities and coordinate a political push for this.”

The mission coincided with the opening of a statewide exhibit — New Jersey Celebrates: 60 Years of Israel’s Statehood, 20 Years as Israel’s Sister-State — and culminated in Gov. Jon Corzine’s proclaiming May as New Jersey-Israel Sister State Month (see related story).

The goal of the lobbying mission was twofold, according to Toporek.

“The first is to introduce Trenton to our federation constituents,” Toporek said in an interview as many of those constituents streamed into a conference room in the State House Annex. “The second is to meet and speak with members of the Legislature and the administration, to brief them on our state agenda, and also to celebrate Israel@60.”

Among those addressing the lobbyists were Assemblywoman Linda Stender of Scotch Plains (D-Dist. 22), deputy speaker of the General Assembly; Sen. Thomas Kean Jr. of Westfield (R-Dist. 21), who has just been appointed to the New Jersey-Israel Commission; Adam Zellner, director of the governor’s office of policy; Heather Howard, commissioner of the Department of Health and Senior Services; and Benjamin Krasna, deputy consul general of Israel in New York.

Krasna applauded New Jersey for passing legislation last fall that prohibits the state from investing its pension and annuity funds in foreign companies doing business in Iran.

“The legislation was so, so important and really a testimony to the close, intense cooperation” between New Jersey and Israel, Krasna told the group. “Really, it does stand as one of the standard bearers for all the states — the leadership of New Jersey on this issue.… Iran still is the number one strategic threat we are facing.”

Krasna strongly encouraged the federation leaders to back a statewide legislative delegation to Israel.

“I think a statewide delegation marking the 60th anniversary has a very, very important message,” the diplomat said. “I’m telling you in all honesty that the types of meetings we get for legislators is very, very different from the types of meetings we get for federation missions. Having a statewide delegation focused on the political can really have a lot of benefit.”

Zellner briefed the gathering on Corzine’s energy master plan, and Kean spoke about the need to make New Jersey more affordable. Howard noted that her department has increased its funding for home-based and community-based services to make it possible for more seniors to avoid the need for nursing home care.

“Not only are these services preferred by folks, they’re cost effective,” Howard said, “so it’s win-win.”

Much of the value of the lobbying day came simply from showing up in Trenton, according to Max Kleinman, executive vice president of the United Jewish Communities of MetroWest NJ.

“I think it’s very, very important,” he said in an interview. “First of all, we’re celebrating Israel’s 60th anniversary, reinforcing the importance of the Iran divestiture bill, and dealing with social service issues for Holocaust survivors and NORCs, as well as Medicaid for Jewish nursing homes.

“The proof is in the pudding,” he said. “It’s very, very important that it’s on their radar screen that a large group took a day off to come down here. It’s important that we come down here in the aggregate to represent what some of our issues are. This is not a one-shot deal.”

CRC director Lori Price Abrams added that having the top leadership of the federation with the CRC leadership reinforces the importance of the advocacy agenda which her department drives in MetroWest. “We hope that this experience will embolden the MetroWest community to respond to our calls for action on core issues,” said Price Abrams.

UJC MetroWest president Ken Heyman of Short Hills agreed. “I think the greatest value is having a group of interested and committed Jews,” he said. “It’s important for us to show our support for state government and show them what’s important to us. We want to make sure we’re working together to achieve the goals of the Jewish community.”

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