August 20, 2009

NJ Jewish News is inviting community leaders and our readers to write short essays suggesting issues they regard as critical to the state and the state of the Jewish community ahead of November’s election for NJ governor.

To offer your own ideas on “What’s at Stake,” send your thoughts (no longer than 300 words) to editorial@njjewishnews.com and write “Stake” in the subject line.

Jacob Toporek is executive director of the New Jersey State Association of Jewish Federations.

A capacity for caring

The New Jersey State Association of Jewish Federations, the governmental affairs arm of the state’s Jewish federations and federation community, recently hosted a forum for the state chairs of the two major political parties, Assemblymen Joseph Cryan (D) and Jay Webber (R). The forum was an opportunity to share points of view and the beginning of a conversation through which the engagement of the Jewish community will continue to grow in the political process.

The questions put to the party chairs represented the priorities of our Jewish federations, an agenda that the two major gubernatorial candidates, Gov. Jon Corzine and Chris Christie, are expected to address in the campaign and in the next administration.

• Aging-in-place programs: The focus of services for seniors is concentrated on services to minority and Medicaid-eligible populations. However, a significant percentage of New Jersey’s seniors are aging in the suburbs, many with fixed or moderate incomes, but wanting to stay in their own homes. They can’t access the Medicaid-supported services offered by the State Department of Health and Senior Services and/or county offices on aging. How can New Jersey direct resources toward supporting underserved seniors — including for our surviving victims of the Holocaust?

• Building capacity of nonprofits: Nonprofit organizations, such as our federations and affiliated agencies, are an essential part of maintaining a strong quality of life in New Jersey and are a valuable component of the state’s economic engine. Nonprofits are facing extraordinary challenges stemming from the economic downturn, an increasingly complex regulatory climate, rising demand for services, shrinking funding pools, and the need for capacity building to strengthen infrastructure and operations. How can the state ensure that the nonprofit community has the resources and infrastructure it needs to pursue its mission? Will the gubernatorial candidates support legislation that would allow nonprofits to participate in the state purchasing contract? Will the candidates and parties consider approving tax incentives for charitable giving to NJ nonprofits, charities, and our non-public schools?

• Health care reform: Congress is busy addressing healthcare reform, which will undoubtedly affect health care in New Jersey. For the Jewish community, funding long-term services and support is vital. In our community, Medicaid reimbursement for medical services and nursing home care represents a large percentage of funding of services for the most vulnerable. How do the candidates propose that we reform health care in the best interests of New Jersey’s vulnerable and ensure that aging citizens have access to long-term health care support?

• Homeland security: As residents of New Jersey, we are concerned with security concerns at our Jewish institutions and at the state’s seaports, train hubs, airports, and chemical plants. What steps will the candidates take to ensure that our state’s most vulnerable business and community centers are protected?

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