What domestic policy issues do Jewish communities care about?

Each year UJC's Washington Office asks Jewish federation professionals and agency executives that very question to help prioritize legislative issues for the upcoming Congressional cycle.

The input from these communities across the country serves as a blueprint for UJC's advocacy work, similar to how the president outlines his goals for the year in the State of the Union. What does 2004 hold in store for the Jewish federation network?

Jewish federations, agencies and service providers understand the importance of setting legislative priorities now more than ever. With community needs growing and more services being provided to the elderly, low-income families and people with disabilities, the billions of dollars our network receives each year from public programs are crucial.

Given the economic slump of the past few years and its impact on state budget deficits, federal funds are even more vital to our communities' ability to deliver services to their clients. Over 50 communities across the nation responded to UJC's survey, identifying Medicaid, Naturally Occurring Retirement Communities (NORCs), homeland security, charitable giving, and senior transportation to be their top legislative priorities.

Services to seniors are the most pressing needs facing the Jewish community. The Jewish population is aging much faster than the general American population, making the need for healthcare, supportive services, and aging in place initiatives important to most federations.

In 2004, UJC will seek to expand funding for senior transportation and NORCs. UJC will also seek to help alleviate the state budget pressures caused by the Medicaid program, which is the primary long-term care provider for low-income elderly. UJC will also continue to lead the senior transportation coalition that is working to at least double the $90 million senior transportation program.

The federation system has depended on both the contributions of the community and government policies to provide many of these services to the elderly and other populations. Charitable tax incentives like the IRA Charitable Rollover will go far in assisting with our efforts to provide high quality care and services.

The encouragement for charitable giving through tax incentives provided in the Charity Aid, Recovery and Empowerment Act (CARE, S. 476) and Charitable Giving Act (H.R. 7) will be extraordinarily helpful in expanding the capacity of non-profits to provide services for people in need in our communities. UJC Washington is working for enactment of the charitable giving provisions, and retention of the Social Services Block Grant funding.

In addition to the services we provide, Jewish institutions are facing new challenges. In communities across the country -- from New York to Los Angeles, Atlanta to Nashville -- Jewish institutions are incurring immense costs, totaling more than $100 million, in an effort to enhance their security against a terrorist attack.

UJC will assemble a coalition of national non-profits to seek establishment of a federal grant program, administered by the Department of Homeland Security, to provide security-upgrade grants to non-profit/communal institutions deemed to be at high risk of terrorist attacks.

To read more about UJC's work in Washington, click here.

For the full text of the President's State of the Union, click here.