David Bocarsly is the CEO of Jewish California (formerly JPAC), the Jewish community's voice in Sacramento and the nation's largest statewide coalition of Jewish organizations. Jewish California brings together 43 leading Jewish community organizations – including Jewish Federations, Jewish Community Relations Councils, Jewish Family Service agencies, and others – to advance policies reflecting the core issues and values of California's organized Jewish community. Since David assumed leadership in 2022, Jewish California has secured over $450 million in state funding for Jewish priorities and advanced 57 successful bills, including AB 715 – a first-in-the-nation law addressing antisemitism in California schools.

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Previously, David served as the Director of the California Legislative Jewish Caucus, leading legislative and advocacy efforts on behalf of its 18 elected officials. In that capacity, he created an annual Tikkun Olam – Repairing the World bill package, guided the Caucus's efforts to establish a widely-accepted statewide Ethnic Studies curriculum, and helped increase nonprofit security grants from $2 million to $50 million annually.

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David has worked for elected officials and campaigns at every level of government, including U.S. Congressmember Jerry Nadler. He is an alumnus of the Coro Fellowship in Public Affairs, was UCLA's first kippah-wearing Student Body President, and earned his Master of Public Policy from USC with a Certificate in Social Justice.

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His path to this work was shaped by a Jewish upbringing in Los Angeles and formative experiences in Camp Ramah, United Synagogue Youth, Nativ, and UCLA Hillel – institutions that grounded his belief in justice as a core Jewish value and political activism as a powerful tool for achieving meaningful change. He is also an alumnus of the New Leaders Council Institute, Schusterman Foundation's ROI Community, Jewish Federation's New Leaders Project, and America Indivisible's Public Leaders for Inclusion Council.
 

In his spare time, David enjoys dancing, backgammon, LA sports, and scenic overlooks. He is on social media at @davidbocarsly.

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Introduce David →