California could become the first state to list ‘Jewish’ as an ethnicity
California could become the first state in the nation to consider “Jewish” an ethnic and racial identity, rather than just a religious affiliation. A groundbreaking bill, which was recently approved by the State Senate and…
Assessment
California is poised to make a legal distinction that no other state has attempted: classifying Jewish identity as an ethnicity and race for data collection purposes. This shifts how the state measures and addresses discrimination, since anti-Jewish bias often targets Jews as a people, not just as adherents of a religion. The practical effect would be visible on government forms from schools to prisons. The fight now moves to the Assembly, where the bill's fate determines whether California creates a precedent others may follow.