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Seattles Jewish community launches renewed campaign to pass Anderson-Murray Civil Rights Bill

Seattles Jewish community launches renewed campaign to pass Anderson-Murray Civil Rights Bill
Anti-Defamation League and Jewish Federation, Jewish clergy and other community leaders rally to renew support to extend anti-discrimination laws to all people, including Gays and Lesbians BELLEVUE, WA The Jewish Federation of Greater Seattle and the Anti-Defamation League this week launched a campaign to pass the Anderson-Murray Civil Rights Bill (House Bill 1515) in the next session of the Washington State legislature. The event was marked by a special gathering on Wednesday, May 25, of Jewish communal leaders, including a broad spectrum of clergy, Coalition for a Jewish Voice, the National Council for Jewish Women, the American Jewish Committee, and other groups. House Bill 1515, which failed to pass by one vote in the State Senate this past legislative session, adds sexual orientation to the Human Rights Commissions jurisdiction, allowing the investigation of claims of discriminatory practices based on sexual orientation. At Wednesdays event, which was held at Temple Bnai Torah in Bellevue, Jewish leaders, including rabbis from both the reform and conservative movements, explained the significance of existing protectionsfor example, how within recent memory, Jews were not able to buy homes in certain Seattle neighborhoods because of restrictive covenants. These laws changed the conditions for Jews outlawing discrimination in housing, employment, insurance and public accommodations. Leaders also explained how it is within the Jewish tradition to make sure that all people are treated equally. Jews have a significant representation in the greater Seattle area, including in three key Senate swing legislative districts: The 45th (Senator Bill Finkbeiner, minority leader), the 48th (Senator Luke Esser, minority floor Leader) and the 44th (Senator Dave Schmidt), said Rob Jacobs, director of the Pacific Northwest region of the Anti-Defamation League. We are joining forces to express our dismay for the absence of sexual orientation in our Washington State anti-discrimination laws. That is a glaring omission that effectively legitimizes homophobia in employment and housing practices. The campaign has two primary components: Organizing in key legislative districts to urge legislators pass 1515 in the next session, and reaching out to other religious groups to increase the faith-based voice for equal rights. The key legislative districts that will be focused on are the 48th (parts of Bellevue, Redmond, Kirkland and Points Communities of Medina, Clyde Hill, Yarrow Point and Hunts Point); the 45th (Redmond, Duvall, Carnation, and parts of Kirkland, Woodinville and the Upper Snoqualmie Valley), and the 44th (South Snohomish County, Lake Stevens, Snohomish, Marysville and Mill Creek). The group announced it will begin meeting with legislators this summer both separately and in conjunction with other groups. In addition, the campaign seeks to join other efforts, including Equal Rights Washington and the Religious Coalition for Equality, and help to grow their networks of advocates in every legislative district. The campaign has been endorsed so far by: Jewish Federation of Greater Seattle; Anti-Defamation League, PNW Region; American Jewish Committee; National Council of Jewish Women; Coalition for a Jewish Voice; Womens Endowment Foundation; Bnai Brith Youth Organization; Temple Bnai Torah (Reform, Bellevue) Rabbi Jim Mirel, Cantor Serkin-Poole; Temple Beth Or (Reform, Everett) Rabbi Harley Karz-Wagman; Herzl-Ner Tamid Conservative Congregation (Conservative, Mercer Island) Rabbi Jay Rosenbaum, Rabbi Rachel Nussbaum; Congregation Kol Ami (Reform, Woodinville) Rabbi Laurie Rice; Kol HaNeshamah West Seattles Progressive Synagogue Community (Reform, West Seattle) Rabbi Michael Latz; Temple Beth Am (Reform, Seattle) Rabbi Jonathan Singer, Rabbi Beth Singer; Temple Beth El (Reform, Tacoma) Rabbi Bruce Kadin; Temple De Hirsch Sinai (Reform, Seattle) Rabbi Danny Weiner, Rabbi Philip Rice. Founded in 1926, the Jewish Federations mission is to ensure Jewish survival and enhance the quality of Jewish life locally, in Israel and worldwide. In support of that mission, the Federation has raised millions of dollars for various community, educational and social service programs and services. The ADL has had a presence in the Pacific Northwest since May, 1943. Its regional office was originally located in Portland, Oregon and was relocated to Seattle in the late 1960s. Jewish Federation/Anti-Defamation League PHOTOS Endorsers of the Jewish campaign to pass HB 1515 includes Rabbi James Mirel and Cantor David Serkin-Poole of Temple Bnai Torah in Bellevue