Myriad members of the California Legislative Jewish Caucus hung mezuzot on their offices to celebrate the passage of a bill barring building owners from taking down residents’ mezuzot.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) signed the bill, SB 652, into law on July 30; it had passed the State Senate and Assembly on May 6 and July 8, respectively.
The caucus shared photos of the mezuzot on Twitter:
Senate Majority Leader @SenateHertzberg affixed his mezuzah on his office door on the historic side of the Capitol Building with R'Cohen and staff. pic.twitter.com/BVyCjlCceF
— CA Legislative Jewish Caucus (@CAJewishCaucus) August 12, 2019
On his first day back in Sacramento, Jewish Caucus Chair Senator @BenAllenCA hangs his mezuzah on his outer and inner office doors pic.twitter.com/3O6TpGRNOe
— CA Legislative Jewish Caucus (@CAJewishCaucus) August 12, 2019
In April, @ASMGabriel hung his mezuzah on his door with Jewish students from Nationcal Conference of Synagogue Youth (@NCSY) pic.twitter.com/IA6X0uTeBv
— CA Legislative Jewish Caucus (@CAJewishCaucus) August 12, 2019
Senator @Steve_Glazer has two beautiful mezuzot hung on his inner and outer office doors pic.twitter.com/oXJk6aDedq
— CA Legislative Jewish Caucus (@CAJewishCaucus) August 12, 2019
Senator @HenrySternCA had a beautiful ceremony to put up his mezuzah this afternoon. pic.twitter.com/1kCghMQ8Ax
— CA Legislative Jewish Caucus (@CAJewishCaucus) August 12, 2019
Jewish Caucus member @AsmJoseMedina places a mezuzah on his Capitol office door today as well! pic.twitter.com/wKs7lCoKNV
— CA Legislative Jewish Caucus (@CAJewishCaucus) August 12, 2019
.@AsmMarcLevine put up his mezuzah earlier this year and displays it proudly on his office door pic.twitter.com/UIxL0q7DLL
— CA Legislative Jewish Caucus (@CAJewishCaucus) August 12, 2019
.@AsmMarcBerman adds another mezuzah to the halls of the State Capitol this afternoon pic.twitter.com/1rUADGVKTE
— CA Legislative Jewish Caucus (@CAJewishCaucus) August 12, 2019
.@SenHannahBeth stands next to her beautiful mezuzah on her Sacramento office door pic.twitter.com/C4S04ORjtJ
— CA Legislative Jewish Caucus (@CAJewishCaucus) August 13, 2019
.@AsmBlancaRubio shows off the mezuzah in her capitol office pic.twitter.com/I0cKT2raDL
— CA Legislative Jewish Caucus (@CAJewishCaucus) August 13, 2019
Anti-Defamation League San Francisco tweeted, “So great to see these mezuzot! Thank you again @CAJewishCaucus!”
So great to see these mezuzot! Thank you again @CAJewishCaucus! #SB652 #MezuzahBill https://t.co/OigW6X2Yte
— ADL San Francisco (@ADL_SF) August 12, 2019
The law, which will go into effect on Jan. 1, 2020, states that “a property owner shall not enforce or adopt a restrictive covenant or any other restriction that prohibits one or more religious items from being displayed or affixed on any entry door or entry door frame of a dwelling,” although it does provide a few exceptions, including an item that prevents a door from opening or closing.
Prior to the law’s passage, there have been various instances of building owners forcing Jewish residents to take down their mezuzot because of a building policy, according to Sen. Ben Allen (D-Los Angeles) and the Anti-Defamation League.
