Jewish groups fight repeal of clean energy law in Calif.



Some 55 Jewish individuals and groups that oppose Prop 23 penned an open letter to rabbis and community leaders around the state urging them to vote against it and thereby uphold the law.

"The passage of Prop 23 will significantly slow the development of the clean economy that is helping to power California out of recession," the groups wrote.

The Northern California co-chairman of AJC’s Energy Security Task Force, Jonathan Axelrad, who helped organize the letter, told JTA that repealing the bill would hurt U.S. and Israeli national security by slowing the development of technologies that would wean the world off foreign oil.

Signatories to the letter include the American Jewish Committee, the Coalition on the Environment and Jewish Life, the Jewish Council for Public Affairs and Hazon.