Legislators Seek to End Session for Jewish Holidays

SACRAMENTO —  Sandy Koufax wouldn’t pitch. Jewish lawmakers say that they won’t play.

For the first time in years, the frantic close of the legislative year coincides with Rosh Hashana, the beginning of the Jewish High Holy Days, putting Jewish lawmakers in a bind.

In a way, their predicament recalls the choice Koufax faced in 1965 when he declined to pitch the World Series opener because it fell on Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement.

Seeking to avoid a similar predicament, legislative leaders Thursday were nudging their fellow members--Jews and non-Jews--to move along hundreds of bills so both houses of the Legislature could shut down by early this afternoon and Jewish members could reach home by sunset, the start of the holiday.

In the state Senate, with two Jewish members, business was scheduled to end by early this afternoon.

“If I can catch the 2:30 p.m. [flight] I’ll be fine,” said Sen. Adam Schiff (D-Glendale). “If necessary, I can take the 4:15, which will be cutting it kind of close.”