| | Good Tuesday morning. In today’s Daily Kickoff , we talk to Rep. Ro Khanna about his engagement with the Jewish community alongside his appearance on an Oct. 7 conspiracy theorist’s podcast, and report on yesterday’s call between President Joe Biden and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Also in today’s Daily Kickoff : California Assemblymember Laura Friedman, Amb. Rahm Emanuel and Stephanie Cohen. First in the Daily Kickoff: Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) will hold a briefing today with members of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations. Today marks the second major round of congressional primaries, with Illinois and Ohio holding elections that will determine their party’s lineup of nominees for the November elections. Here’s what we’re watching:
Ohio GOP Senate: Former President Donald Trump rallied for businessman Bernie Moreno over the weekend, in a final push to pull his endorsed candidate over the finish line. Despite Trump’s endorsement, Moreno is facing a tough and well-funded challenge from state Sen. Matt Dolan, who has been endorsed by leading figures from the establishment wing of the Republican Party such as Gov. Mike DeWine and former Sen. Rob Portman. Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose is also a factor in the race, but is being badly outspent compared to his two rivals, and lags in third place, according to public polls. As Jewish Insider reported last week, the race features candidates with different values on foreign policy. Moreno, a Colombian-born Cleveland businessman, has become an outspoken critic of supporting Ukraine as it defends itself from Russian aggression — and while standing with Israel, he has also objected to increased American funding for the Jewish state. Dolan is a traditional Republican who hews closer to Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell’s (R-KY) national security views. The primary will determine the nominee against Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH), one of two Democratic senators running for reelection in states Trump carried. Illinois-07: Rep. Danny Davis (D-IL), at 82, is facing a rocky path to reelection against two credible challengers, one running to his left and one running as a more effective alternative. Davis is calling in support from top party leaders, including endorsements from Gov. J.B. Pritzker and Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson. Davis’ leading opponents are Chicago city Treasurer Melissa Conyears-Ervin, who’s backed by the city’s powerful teacher’s union and has raised more campaign cash than Davis, and progressive Kina Collins, who narrowly lost to Davis in the 2022 primary. Conyears-Ervin is well-known in the city and has a strong political apparatus backing her, but also faces an ongoing ethics scandal. There’s some concern that the three-way race — with Conyears-Ervin potentially pulling some votes from Davis — could boost Collins, although Davis is still favored to win. In recent weeks, AIPAC’s super PAC has spent nearly $500,000 on attack ads targeting Collins, a former Justice Democrats endorsee who has called for conditioning aid to Israel and described Israel’s war against Hamas in Gaza as a “genocide.” Illinois-11: In the suburbs of Chicago, longtime Rep. Bill Foster (D-IL) is seeking to fend off a challenge from Qasim Rashid, a progressive activist and human rights lawyer who unsuccessfully ran against a GOP House incumbent in Virginia four years ago. Foster has, throughout the race, largely ignored Rashid, a critic of Israel who has attacked the congressman for his delay in urging an “immediate humanitarian ceasefire” in Gaza. Last week, however, Democratic Majority for Israel’s political arm made a late entry into the primary, spending just over $40,000 on a digital ad buy to boost Foster, whom the group endorsed in December. Illinois-12: Rep. Mike Bost (R-IL) faces a primary challenge from Darren Bailey, a former state senator who was the GOP’s gubernatorial nominee in 2022. Although Bost was endorsed by Trump, Bailey is seeking to challenge him from his right, attacking Bost as a career politician, touting support from right-wing lawmakers such as Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL). During his gubernatorial campaign, Bailey spoke to a local Palestinian American Club in front of a massive map that erased Israel, and has described abortion as significantly worse than the Holocaust. He also questioned the constitutionality of anti-Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions legislation. Ohio-09: Republicans will be nominating a challenger against one of the most battle-tested Democrats in Congress, Rep. Marcy Kaptur (D-OH). Despite representing a Trump district, she easily prevailed over Republican J.R. Majewski, a scandal-plagued, Trump-aligned challenger in 2022. Under pressure from Republicans, Majewski dropped out of the race at the last minute, leaving two more-conventional GOP candidates to battle for the nomination. State Rep. Derek Merrin is the party-backed front-runner, but faces a credible challenge from former state Rep. Craig Riedel, whose past comments critical of Trump sunk his political stock among MAGA-oriented voters. Spread the word! Invite your friends to sign up.👇 Share with a friend | rafah riff Biden to Netanyahu: Consider 'alternative approach' to Rafah  MAZEN MAHDI/AFP VIA GETTY IMAGES In a Monday phone call with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, President Joe Biden reiterated Washington’s support for Israel’s goal of defeating Hamas while offering a resounding rejection of Israel’s plans to mount a major ground operation in Rafah, the southern Gaza city where many Hamas fighters are believed to be hiding, Jewish Insider’s Gabby Deutch reports.
Impending meeting: Acknowledging Hamas’ presence in Rafah, Biden told Israel they could operate there — but only in a highly targeted way. At Biden’s request, Netanyahu agreed to send a senior delegation of military, intelligence and humanitarian officials to Washington within the next week to listen to the White House’s concerns about Rafah.
Alternative approach: At the meeting with senior Israeli officials, the White House will lay out an “alternative approach that would target key Hamas elements in Rafah,” White House National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan told reporters at a Monday press briefing. An Israeli Embassy spokesperson declined to comment.
No major ground op: Monday’s phone call, the first between the two leaders in more than a month, came as Democrats in Washington have sought greater scrutiny of Israel’s actions in Gaza, with some progressives heightening calls to limit U.S. military assistance to Israel. Sullivan said Biden did not threaten to withhold military aid. “The president didn't make threats. What the president said today was, ‘I want you to understand, Mr. Prime Minister, exactly where I am on this. I am for the defeat of Hamas. I believe that they are an evil terrorist group with not just Israeli but American blood on their hands. At the same time, I believe that to get to that you need a strategy that works, and that strategy should not involve a major military operation,’” Sullivan said, recounting the conversation.
Subtle shift: After the call, Netanyahu’s office issued a readout with language that seemed to take this concern into account. He said that increasing humanitarian aid will help Israel achieve its war efforts — a shift in Israeli rhetoric. “We talked about the latest developments in the war, including Israel’s commitment to achieve all of the war’s aims: Eliminating Hamas, freeing all of our hostages and ensuring Gaza will no longer be a threat to Israel — all the while giving necessary humanitarian aid that helps us attain those goals,” Netanyahu said in a Monday statement.
Read the full story here. KHANNA CALLS Rep. Khanna hosts district town hall on rising antisemitism, appears on podcast with Oct. 7 conspiracy theorist  CHIP SOMODEVILLA/GETTY IMAGES Rep. Ro Khanna (D-CA), a progressive leader in Congress, hosted a community town hall on antisemitism in his district on Sunday evening, pledging afterward to take further action, Jewish Insider’s Marc Rod reports. The next day, Briahna Joy Gray, a far-left commentator who has become a prominent source of Oct. 7-related conspiracy theories, including efforts to cast doubt on Hamas’ use of widespread sexual violence on Oct. 7, published an interview with Khanna.
Town hall: Khanna, who has urged the administration to call for a permanent cease-fire and take a harder line toward Israel, told JI on Monday that he scheduled the town hall because he’s been concerned about rising antisemitism in his district. “I think it took a lot of courage for a lot of the young folks to come and share the level of antisemitism they’re facing,” he said. “I was saddened by it, to see some of it happening in school districts and in my district, and I plan to have very frank and difficult conversations with the administrators at these schools, to make it clear that antisemitism has zero place in the 17th District of California.”
Extreme talk: Khanna on Monday also participated in an interview on the 'Bad Faith' podcast with Gray, during which the far-left host questioned comments by Khanna that Hamas had committed sexual violence on Oct. 7. The congressman offered some pushback, pointing to a United Nations report that supported accusations that Hamas had committed sexual assault on Oct. 7 and that hostages taken to Gaza were also assaulted.
Explaining: “I am often criticized for speaking with people who I disagree with, whether on Fox, NewsNation, or progressive podcasts. But I continue to engage and think we shouldn’t shy away from debates and discussions with people who have different ideologies,” he said in a statement to JI after the interview. “I went on Bad Faith and made clear that what happened on October 7th was a terrorist attack and unequivocally condemned the rapes and brutal sexual assault.”
Moving forward: Pressed during his interview with JI on rising antisemitism since Oct. 7 from progressive and pro-Palestinian spaces, Khanna emphasized the need for “respectful dialogue” between the the pro-Israel community and the Muslim and Arab community and others concerned about the humanitarian situation in Gaza. “I’m hopeful when the temperature comes down to facilitate that kind of dialogue,” Khanna said. “But what I’ve emphasized always is the need for respect and civility and dialogue.” The California congressman said he believes a permanent cease-fire and release of all hostages is necessary to facilitate direct dialogue.
Read the full story here. trump talk Trump suggests 'any' Jewish Democratic voter 'hates their religion'  Scott Olson/Getty Images Former President Donald Trump claimed in an interview on Monday that “any Jewish person that votes for Democrats hates their religion.”
What he said: “They hate everything about Israel and they should be ashamed of themselves,” Trump said in an interview with Sebastian Gorka, a far-right commentator who worked in the Trump administration. “The Democrat Party hates Israel…they also see a lot of votes. Don't forget, when you see those Palestinian marches, even I am amazed at how many people are in those marches. And guys like Schumer see that and to him it’s votes. I think it's votes more than anything else because he was always pro-Israel. He's very anti-Israel now.”
Biden reax: “The only person who should be ashamed here is Donald Trump,” Biden campaign spokesperson James Singer said in a statement. “Donald Trump openly demeans Jewish Americans and reportedly thinks Adolf Hitler ‘did some good things.’ He has said the only people he wants counting his money are ‘short guys wearing yarmulkes,’ and praised neo-Nazis who chanted ‘Jews will not replace us’ as ‘very fine people,’” said Singer.
Anti-Defamation League weighs in: Accusing Jews of hating their religion because they might vote for a particular party is defamatory & patently false,” ADL CEO Jonathan Greenblatt wrote on X. “Serious leaders who care about the historic US-Israel alliance should focus on strengthening, rather than unraveling, bipartisan support for the State of Israel.” california candidate Schiff's likely House successor vows to continue his pro-Israel legacy, from a progressive perch  JC OLIVERA/GETTY IMAGES As an active member of California’s Legislative Jewish Caucus, Laura Friedman, a progressive assemblywoman who recently won a crowded Democratic primary to succeed outgoing Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA), has long been involved in efforts to counter rising antisemitism across the state. Now that she is on a glide path to represent a safely blue House seat in the Los Angeles area, Friedman, 57, vows she is ready to apply her experience to the federal level, particularly amid a pronounced uptick in antisemitic incidents sparked by Israel’s ongoing war against Hamas in Gaza. “It should actually concern us all,” she said in an interview with Jewish Insider’s Matthew Kassel last week, cautioning against what she described as “a kind of creeping antisemitism that can blur the lines between very legitimate political criticism” of Israel and remarks “based on antisemitic memes about Jews and who we are as people.”
Federal level: In her final months in the Statehouse, Friedman, who said she has faced such attacks herself while defending Israel, noted that she is now at work on, among other things, crafting legislation to reform diversity, equity and inclusion programs on college campuses, which have recently faced criticism for excluding Jewish narratives. “These are also policies that we need to look at from a federal level,” Friedman explained, stressing the “importance” of recognizing that “antisemitism is a form of discrimination.” As she prepares to replace Schiff, a Jewish Democrat and pro-Israel stalwart who is all but assured a seat in the Senate after his recent primary win, Friedman indicated that she is largely aligned with his positions on Middle East policy, even if her approach is guided by what she characterized as a more staunchly progressive background.
Pressure over Israel: “I am very sensitive to Israel being at this moment of crisis and us being a strong ally,” said Friedman, who has family in Israel and first visited the Jewish state in 2019 on a delegation with members of the Jewish caucus. That sentiment, however, drew backlash during the primary, Friedman said, as she faced pressure from left-wing critics of Israel who wanted to see her condemn the war and accused her of being “pro-genocide” on social media. “I think it’s really hard for pro-Israel but progressive candidates to also have a nuanced view of this on the campaign trail,” she said, “to express the actual complexities and realities of it, where a lot of things can be true at once.”
Read the full interview here. long island sound LaLota discusses a moderate path forward on Israel, Ukraine aid  TOM WILLIAMS/CQ-ROLL CALL, INC VIA GETTY IMAGES Rep. Nick LaLota (R-NY), one of just eight Republicans supporting a measure to force a floor vote on Israel and Ukraine aid, said he sees a bill proposed by Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA) and other House centrists as the most likely way of passing that funding, but didn’t rule out ultimately supporting the Senate-passed version of the bill being pushed by House Democrats, Jewish Insider’s Marc Rod reports.
Discharge petitions: LaLota told JI on Friday “it’s too early to say” whether he would ultimately be open to joining the Democratic discharge petition that aims to call a House vote on the foreign aid bill that passed the Senate, without immigration provisions — not ruling out the possibility, but also appearing to cast doubt on the Democratic petition’s chances. He highlighted that the Democratic petition hasn’t yet collected signatures from all Democrats — it’s unlikely to do so given that some progressives oppose additional aid to Israel — and said he has “the most hope” in the Fitzpatrick bill as a “reasonable bipartisan solution on an aid package.”
Leadership angle: He said that House Republican leadership hadn’t urged him not to sign onto the petition or scolded him for doing so, although House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) has been public about his opposition to discharge petition efforts. LaLota did not say whether House leadership has outlined a plan for moving foreign aid forward, but said Johnson is “fully aware of the urgency of the issue and the desire of specifically the New York Republican delegation to prioritize defeating Hamas.” He said Republicans have and will continue to “push” on the issue with leadership.
Looking ahead: The New York congressman declined to offer his support for a two-state solution in the wake of the Oct. 7 attack, suggesting that it might not be possible under the current circumstances. “I would want to hear from the Israeli government on what it thinks is best for its path forward,” he said. “But I would note the difficulty in a two-state solution, when one doesn't respect the other’s right to even exist.”
Read the full interview here.
Funding update: Lawmakers still haven’t released finalized funding bills to avert a government shutdown on Friday. The Department of Homeland Security is reportedly the final sticking point due to border policy disputes. That bill also determines funding levels for the Nonprofit Security Grant Program, which remain uncertain and could be cut. According to Punchbowl News, lawmakers agreed to cut off funding for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for at least the next year, amid a push from Republicans against the embattled U.N. agency. maryland matters Maryland Statehouse passes new hate crimes commission bill after CAIR controversy  JIM WATSON/AFP VIA GETTY IMAGES The Maryland House of Delegates on Monday passed a bill restructuring the state’s hate crimes commission following months of controversy regarding a member of the body who has posted incendiary and antisemitic content on social media since the Oct. 7 Hamas attacks in Israel. But the version of the bill that passed diverged sharply from the original legislation introduced by Jewish lawmakers, Jewish Insider’s Gabby Deutch reports.
New language: Current Maryland law explicitly names the organizations that will be represented on the commission. Among the groups named in the existing legislation is the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), a Muslim advocacy group whose leaders have a history of antisemitic remarks — especially after Oct. 7. The original version of the bill, when introduced in January, sought to remove the group’s representation after CAIR Maryland Director Zainab Chaudry, who sits on the commission, came under fire for pro-Hamas posts last fall. Instead, the bill was heavily amended in a way that changed the entire legislative framework behind the commission.
Taking CAIR: The bill that unanimously passed the Statehouse on Monday will give Maryland’s attorney general broad discretion to appoint the members of the commission, whereas most of the current members of the commission — which was formed last summer — were expressly named in state law. The new bill does not mention CAIR or any of the groups that were named to the commission.
Make a statement: “It would have been a stronger statement if we just removed CAIR, but I understand why that wasn’t done,” Del. Dalya Attar, the Democrat who introduced the legislation, said, noting that similar bodies in the state are generally more flexible in how they appoint members. She said that Maryland Attorney General Anthony Brown, a Democrat, assured her he would not put someone from CAIR on the commission. (Brown’s office declined to comment on the legislation or Brown’s conversation with Attar.)
Read the full story here. | Today in SAPIR, the Friends & Foes issue continues with Coleman Hughes on the tensions between the minority narratives of Jewish and black Americans and Bret Stephens on America’s bedrock philosemitic ideals.
Black Radicalism: Coleman Hughes, author of the recently published The End of Race Politics, explores how the predominant black American story leads to a dismissiveness toward Jewish American success that can bleed into antisemitism. "More than any other ‘model minority,’” writes Hughes, “Jewish Americans … present a serious challenge to the story that black Americans tell ourselves — a challenge that is not so easily rebutted." Hughes ultimately calls for a return to the outlook of Martin Luther King Jr., arguably America’s most biblical figure, as the first step to bringing the black and Jewish American narratives into harmony. Read his article here.
America’s Philosemitic Origins: Conversely, Editor-in-Chief Bret Stephens explains why the American project has been so friendly to Jews. Home to the largest diaspora community in history, the United States was founded on Hebraic principles, a bedrock of philosemitism that has engendered a mutual affection between America and its Jews. But, he asks: “Will we remain that America for long?” Recent attempts to revise the American story imperil those principles in ways that are likely to undermine the country’s warmth for the Jewish people. Read his article here.
To inquire about placing premium ads in the Daily Kickoff, email our team. | | | On the Extremes: The Wall Street Journal’s Gerard Baker contemplates how extremist elements and rhetoric on both the far right and far left echo pre-WWII Germany. “The conditions of Germany then were so far removed from what obtains in the U.S. today that constantly invoking Hitler blinds us to the real lessons of the time. Weimar Germany was a fledgling democracy traumatized by catastrophic defeat in war, hyperinflation and depression. An electoral system almost designed to generate paralyzing political instability invited both acts of political violence and executive authoritarianism. Above all, Weimar and its institutions were still teenagers when they succumbed so meekly to Hitler’s putsch. The American republic is 247 years old and counting. But there are still lessons for our current political culture. We can see in contemporary extremists of both left and right echoes of the tactics the Nazis deployed — especially the way in which they mobilize language.” [WSJ]
Spotlight on Sinwar: Tablet’s Judith Miller interviews Dr. Yuval Bitton, who identified Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar’s brain tumor in 2004, ultimately saving the Oct. 7 mastermind’s life. “‘Sinwar didn’t care how many Palestinians would die for their cause,’ Bitton recalled. For Sinwar, ‘there was no flexibility, no room for compromise.’ While some Hamas leaders were political, Sinwar thought only about military operations and war. ‘He was always crystal clear: The struggle against the Jewish state must continue, no matter what he had to do.’ If it meant agreeing to close the tunnels between Egypt and Gaza and arresting jihadists suspected by Cairo to enhance security coordination with Egypt, a main supply route to Gaza, that was fine. If it meant trying to reconcile with the Palestinian Authority, which Hamas had violently ousted from Gaza in 2007, by temporarily renouncing violence to pursue ‘peaceful, popular resistance’ to Israeli occupation, which he also did in 2018, so be it. If it meant appearing on Israeli TV to call for a truce with Hamas, in Hebrew, he volunteered. His objective never wavered, though: Do whatever must be done to fight another day and free all Palestinians from jail. Sinwar believed that Israel’s prisons were ‘a grave for us. A mill to grind our will, determination, and bodies,’ he said after his own release.” [Tablet]
Bad Bedfellows: In Real Clear Investigations, Toby Dershowitz and Max Friedman chronicle the relationship between South Africa and Iran, amid speculation that Tehran paid off the debts of the ruling African National Congress in exchange for Pretoria’s case against Israel at the International Court of Justice. “South Africa’s ties to Iran and Hamas will be thrown into sharp relief in the coming days when South Africa’s foreign minister, Naledi Pandor, is scheduled to be in Washington, D.C. Before October 7, Tehran sought to derail the peace agreements known as the Abraham Accords and other efforts to stabilize relations between Arab states and Israel. A network of organizations and front companies, "using accounts housed in major local South African banks: Standard Bank, Nedbank, and Absa,” have reportedly facilitated contributions to Hamas through Al-Quds, an organization sanctioned by the U.S., according to the Jerusalem Post. … Suspicions that South Africa was reaping financial rewards for its support of Hamas and its Iranian benefactor surfaced on Dec. 29, when it filed its case with the ICJ. The move raised eyebrows because South Africa, whose government is essentially broke, was spending millions in preliminary application fees to the court and preparation and argument costs of $10.5 million for an eventual trial expected to cost taxpayers about $80 million, sources told the authors.” [RealClearInvestigations] | Be featured: Email us to inform the JI readership of your upcoming event, job opening, or other communication. | Mulling Manafort: Former President Donald Trump is considering offering his former campaign manager, Paul Manafort, a role as an adviser on his 2024 campaign; Manafort was pardoned by Trump after being convicted of tax and bank fraud felonies tied to Russian election interference in 2016.
On the Trump Train: Nelson Peltz said he will likely — reluctantly — back Trump in November, citing President Joe Biden’s mental faculties.
Pittsburgh Politics: Pennsylvania congressional candidate Bhavini Patel, who is mounting a primary challenge to Rep. Summer Lee (D-PA), notched an endorsement from the Democratic club in the heavily Jewish Pittsburgh neighborhood of Squirrel Hill.
Ross’ Rumination: Politico talks to Amb. Dennis Ross about the Israel-Hamas war.
Rahm’s Rhetoric: U.S. Ambassador to Japan Rahm Emanuel gave a rare interview to Semafor.
Antisemitism Bill: Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb, a Republican, vetoed legislation that would have defined antisemitism in the state, after legislators amended the bill’s text to remove parts of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s working definition of antisemitism that included mentions of Israel.
Fleeing Goldman: Stephanie Cohen is departing Goldman Sachs to take a position as chief strategy officer at Cloudflare.
Cold Cut: Unilever announced plans to spin off its subsidiary Ben & Jerry’s and its other ice cream units in an effort to streamline operations under its new CEO, Hein Schumacher; the move could affect up to 7,500 jobs.
Chip Challenge: Dan Loeb’s Third Point is funding R2 Semiconductor’s lawsuits against tech giants including Intel and Dell as the computer chip design company mounts legal battles against major tech players.
Deli Decamping: Liebman’s Deli is opening a storefront in Westchester County.
More Oscars Fallout: More than 450 Jewish creatives, including Tovah Feldshuh and Amy Sherman-Palladino, signed on to a letter denouncing “The Zone of Interest” director Jonathan Glazer’s Oscars speech.
Bookshelf: The New Yorker reviews historian Timothy Ryback’s new book, Takeover: Hitler’s Final Rise to Power.
Trouble in Toronto: Police in Toronto said the Canadian city has seen a 93% year-over-year increase in hate crimes since the Oct. 7 terror attacks.
The Klarsfeld Chronicles: The Washington Post spotlights the efforts of a German couple to bring Nazi officials to justice decades after the Holocaust.
Star Power: Israeli chef Assaf Granit’s Shabour restaurant in Paris earned a Michelin star.
Gaza Aid: Secretary of State Tony Blinken, who is slated to travel to Egypt and Saudi Arabia this week, said Gazans are facing “severe levels of acute food insecurity,” and called for additional aid to enter the enclave.
Terror Target: National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan confirmed that Israel had killed Hamas deputy commander Marwan Issa, one of the terror group’s top officials in Gaza, in an operation last week.
War’s Toll: In The Atlantic, Andrew Exum, the Obama administration’s deputy assistant secretary of defense for Middle East policy, considers the long-term impact of Israel’s war in Gaza.
Mahsa’s Death: A team of U.N. fact finders determined that Mahsa Amini’s September 2022 death in Iranian custody was “unlawful and caused by physical violence in the custody of state authorities.”
Transition: Nick Baumann was named deputy politics editor at The Washington Post.
Remembering: Screenwriter David Seidler, who won the Oscar for Best Original Screenplay for “The King’s Speech,” died at 86. Mathematician and film buff Ed Mintz, the inventor of CinemaScore, died at 83. Former Loral Corp chairman and CEO Bernard Schwartz died at 98. |  YOAN VALAT/POOL/AFP via Getty Images French President Emmanuel Macron (center) and his wife Brigitte Macron (center left) with President of the Council of French Jewish Institutions (CRIF) Yonathan Arfi (center right) and former CRIF presidents, during a ceremony yesterday at the Elysee Palace to celebrate the 80th anniversary of the Council. |  Gilbert Carrasquillo/FilmMagic NYC-based real estate investor, he is one of three co-founders of the Tribeca Film Festival, Craig Hatkoff turns 70...
Philanthropist, art collector and chairman emeritus of The Estée Lauder Companies, Leonard A. Lauder turns 91... Chairman of the board of Americans for Democracy in the Middle-East, Dr. Daniel M. Zucker turns 75... Israeli politician who served as a member of the Knesset for three different political parties, the daughter of former Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin, Dalia Rabin-Pelossof turns 74... Former executive editor of The New York Times, Jill Abramson turns 70... Musician, composer, singer and songwriter, he was born in Buenos Aires and now lives in Jerusalem, Yehuda Julio Glantz turns 66... Actor, stand-up comedian and author, Fred Stoller turns 66... EVP of merchandising at American Signature Furniture, Steve Rabe... Writer, music critic and author, Seth Rogovoy... Of counsel in the New York office of Latham & Watkins, Jonathan R. Rod... Neurologist in Naples, Fla., Brian D. Wolff, MD... Dean of students at Reichman University, she was previously a member of the Knesset for the Yesh Atid party, Dr. Adi Koll turns 48... Online producer, writer and director, who together with his brother Rafi, are best known for their React video series which have more than 13 billion YouTube views, Benny Fine turns 43... Brazilian-born entrepreneur and angel investor, he is one of the co-founders of Facebook, Eduardo Luiz Saverin turns 42... Former director of North American staff at Taglit-Birthright Israel, Aaron Bock... Member of the New York City Council, Lincoln P. Restler turns 40... Founder of two lines of jewelry, the Brave Collection and Zahava, Jessica Hendricks Yee... Line producer at NBCUniversal in NYC, Emma Gottlieb... | | | | | |
