CA’s Jewish right to 'plant Republican flag' in San Francisco

California’ Jewish Republicans are cranking up their GOP volume this weekend by hosting their second statewide conference in that enemy territory called San Francisco.

“We’re planting our Republican flag in the heart of a left-wing political environment,” said Larry Greenfield, the always-on-the-go California director of the Republican Jewish Coalition, which has nine chapters statewide. “The RJC is a safe harbor and a warm, welcoming place for disaffected Jewish Democrats.”

Greenfield’s frequent flyer miles are envious. On Wednesday the L.A.-based Greenfield was in Oakland debating a Democrat at the Temple Beth Abraham. Then he’s back in L.A. Thursday for an evening tribute at the Nixon Library in Orange County, honoring the quarter-century broadcasting career of Jewish moralist and talk radio staple Dennis Prager. On Friday he flies north again to run the RJC’s three-day, $345-per-person conference at San Francisco’s fabulous Kabuki Hotel.

The RJC now has 8,000 members statewide including 1,500 in the largely liberal Bay Area. Greenfield said the current 8,000 figure is a noteworthy because, “we were only at 1,200 in California five years ago.”

That growth came from Greenfield keeping a schedule during the Bush years much like his schedule this week and opening new chapters in non-Jewish outposts like Fresno.

The RJC’s recently created Ventura County chapter came about because Jewish Republicans there wanted their own events rather than driving up or down the 101 to attend Santa Barbara or L.A. chapter gatherings. Yet despite Greenfield’s constant presence at both Jewish and GOP events - in Jewish L.A., the man is simply everywhere – he has avoided turning the California RJC into some career-stepping stone that’s more about him and less about the cause, a pitfall common among non-profit leaders.

The weekend conference’s speakers include Israeli diplomats and American pundits plus ex-Republican National Committee chairman Ken Mehlman, current RNC national treasurer Tim Morgan of Santa Cruz and state GOP party chair Ron Nehring. Plus the Saturday night ice cream party.

“It’s very fun, casual, with great speakers,” Greenfield said. “And we will raise our banner and flag in the Bay Area.”