| | Good Monday morning. In today’s Daily Kickoff , we profile U.S. Ambassador to Jordan Yael Lempert, and report on former Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan’s first major stump speech of his Senate campaign, delivered at a Potomac synagogue. Also in today’s Daily Kickoff : Rob Satloff, Benny Gantz and former Vice President Mike Pence. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu doubled down on his opposition to Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer’s (D-NY) push last week for Israel to call new elections, telling CNN’s Dana Bash on Sunday that the remarks were “totally inappropriate.” “That's something that Israel, the Israeli public does on its own, and we're not a banana republic,” Netanyahu added. Netanyahu, whose support has precipitously dropped in Israel in the months following the Oct. 7 terror attacks, cited recent polls indicating that a majority of Israelis back the government’s efforts in Gaza, including an operation in Rafah. “Most Israelis overwhelmingly support the position that we have to go in,” he said. “They oppose the idea of ramming down a two-state solution or a terrorist state against their will, because they think that this is — will endanger Israel's future.” The prime minister said that calling for new elections — which aren’t scheduled to be held until 2026 — would result in “at least six months of national paralysis,” which “would be not only a defeat for Israel, but a defeat for America too, because our victory is your victory.” An election could be triggered in the near term under a number of scenarios, among them, if Netanyahu’s coalition members decide to break up the partnership and team up with the opposition to pass a law dispersing the Knesset. In addition, Netanyahu can call an election via a dispersal bill if he thinks his coalition has become untenable. Regardless of who backs such a law, it would set in motion a campaign period of at least 90 days ending in a new election, per Israeli law. A less likely scenario by which Netanyahu could be ousted is via an affirmative vote of no-confidence, in which a majority of the Knesset must also vote in a new prime minister. Netanyahu stopped short of directly criticizing President Joe Biden. The Wall Street Journal reported on Friday that the decades-long relationship between the two leaders “appears close to an open rupture” amid “their clashing political agendas and conflicting war aims.” Speaking at his weekly cabinet meeting on Sunday, Netanyahu blasted those “in the international community who are trying to stop the war now, before all its goals are achieved,” alleging that “those who say that the operation in Rafah will not happen are the same ones who said that we will not enter Gaza, that we will not operate in Shifa [hospital], that we will not operate in Khan Younis and that we will not resume fighting after the [temporary] cease-fire” that occurred in November. The IDF mounted a new operation at Gaza’s Shifa hospital on Monday morning, targeting Hamas operatives believed to be using the building for operations. Elsewhere in Gaza, Hebrew-language media cited Palestinian sources saying that Hamas deputy commander Marwan Issa was believed to have been killed in an IDF strike last week and that Israel will try to remove his body to use as a bargaining chip. Back in Jerusalem, the Knesset voted unanimously on Sunday to mark the 24th day of Tishrei on the Hebrew calendar as a national day of remembrance for the victims of the Oct. 7 terror attacks. But questions remain as to how it will be observed on the first anniversary — which falls on Shabbat. In Tel Aviv, roughly 600 philanthropists and grantmakers are gathering for the Jewish Funders Network convening. Whereas previous JFNs have featured high-profile speakers and a series of large events, this year's conference has a heightened focus on Israeli communal needs in the wake of the Oct. 7 Hamas terror attacks. Spread the word! Invite your friends to sign up.👇 Share with a friend | tough gig Meet Yael Lempert, the Jewish-American ambassador in Amman  MAZEN MAHDI/AFP VIA GETTY IMAGES When Yael Lempert was sworn in as Washington’s new ambassador to Jordan in August, she arrived in a relatively calm Middle East. She presented herself in her Senate confirmation hearing as an optimist with a forward-looking vision for the Middle East. As the No. 2 official working on the region at the State Department, she was Foggy Bottom’s biggest behind-the-scenes booster of regional integration and the Abraham Accords. But that optimism has been pushed to the back burner, if not outright extinguished, since the Oct. 7 Hamas attacks in Israel. The resulting hostility toward Israel, including from some of Jordan’s leaders, has put Washington in an uncomfortable position: navigating diplomatic ties with two neighboring nations who technically have a peace treaty and rely heavily on each other for security purposes, despite an undercurrent of public animosity toward Israel among Jordanians. Lempert’s role involves communicating America’s backing for Israel to a country with growing animosity towards the Jewish state, Jewish Insider’s Gabby Deutch reports in a new profile of the diplomat.
Fine line: “She has to express the empathy and the anxiety of what the Palestinians are feeling [while] at the same time supporting the president's position. You have to walk a fine line. The good news for her, she knows how to do that,” said former U.S. Ambassador to Israel Tom Nides, who worked closely with Lempert before stepping down from his post last summer. Lempert’s tenure as career foreign service officer has taken her to diplomatic posts across the Middle East, North Africa and Europe.
Discreet mediation: That line has never been thinner than this month, as Hamas threatens additional violence during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, which ends on April 9. Jordan maintains a special role overseeing Muslim access to the holy sites in Jerusalem. It’s a unique responsibility for the kingdom that requires discreet security cooperation with Israel, with the U.S. serving as something of a mediator.
Jewish in Jordan: Lempert is the first Jewish-American ambassador to Jordan, a distinction that would have once been almost unthinkable; for decades, the State Department kept Jewish diplomats from serving in the Middle East as a matter of unwritten policy. That her status as the first Jewish person to serve in the role has not received any headlines is a sign of how far Washington has come. But that doesn’t mean Amman has followed. Elliott Abrams, who served in high-level foreign policy roles in the George W. Bush and Trump administrations, pointed out that there is a “fair amount of antisemitism” in Jordanian society, but he speculated that that would not affect the Jordanian government’s dealings with Lempert. “Officials understand that they cannot let that affect official relations, or the treatment of the ambassador — or if they do so, it’ll be at their own peril,” said Abrams. Lempert is known to have a close relationship with Secretary of State Tony Blinken.
Read the full story here. hogan's here Hogan, in first major Senate stump speech, blasts Van Hollen and praises Cardin on Israel  SCOTT OLSON/GETTY IMAGES In remarks to members of Maryland’s Jewish community on Friday, former Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan, now running for Senate, denounced Sen. Chris Van Hollen’s (D-MD) positioning on Israel, while pledging to follow closely in retiring Sen. Ben Cardin’s (D-MD) footsteps on Jewish community issues, Jewish Insider’s Marc Rod reports. Criticism: Hogan blasted Van Hollen, who he described as failing to lead and as “one of the most hostile voices against Israel in the entire United States Senate.” The Maryland senator has argued that Israel is violating international law and that the U.S. should suspend arms sales unless there are changes in its humanitarian behavior. “At this critical moment, Maryland needs a pro-Israel champion in the United States Senate who will stand up and fight for our closest and most important ally,” he said. Role model: In contrast, Hogan said in his remarks that he had “a great deal of respect for Sen. Ben Cardin” and said he “should be commended for his consistent and strong support for Israel, in the face of pressure from the loudest and angriest voices.” He continued, “I want you to know that if I have the honor of becoming your next senator, that is exactly the kind of leadership you will continue to see from me.” The competition: In his speech, the former businessman sought to tie his two potential Democratic opponents — Rep. David Trone (D-MD) and Prince George’s County Executive Angela Alsobrooks — to Van Hollen on Israel policy, accusing them of demanding an immediate and unilateral Israeli cease-fire and of drawing equivalences between Israel’s military operations and Oct. 7. He said that too many of Maryland’s politicians, including members of the congressional delegation are “not standing up at all, or they’re on the wrong side” of the current war and the spike in antisemitism at home. Read the full story here. Bonus: In a Wall Street Journal op-ed, Hogan explains that one of the reasons he is mounting a bid for Senate is “because we need pro-Israel champions in the Senate who will stand up to the loudest, angriest voices.” saudi sights Route to Saudi-Israel normalization now travels through Gaza  MONEY SHARMA/AFP VIA GETTY IMAGES If the summer of 2023 was one of growing optimism that the country at the center of the Muslim world, Saudi Arabia, was about to take its first steps towards normalizing ties with Israel, the world’s only Jewish state – and that the path to a blooming peace would run through Washington – today, it seems that any possibility of reaching such a historic agreement begins and ends in Gaza. As the war in the Palestinian enclave enters its fifth month, with headlines focused on the dire humanitarian situation for more than 2 million Gazans, any chance of kick-starting diplomatic relations between Saudi Arabia and Israel appears to be contingent on the creation of – or even just the affirmation of – a Palestinian state, Jewish Insider’s Ruth Marks Eglash reports.
More from Israel: The Washington Institute for Near East Policy’s executive director, Robert Satloff, told JI that while there is interest in Saudi Arabia for upgrading the strategic relationship with the U.S. – which Riyadh understands includes normalizing with Israel as a necessary precondition – “the Gaza conflict will require more from Israel in terms of a Palestinian component.” Satloff explained that Israel must compensate somewhat for the dismal way it is now being viewed in Saudi Arabia and in the broader Arab and Muslim public opinion, but also “extricate itself from post-Oct. 7 diplomatic isolation and to shift the political discourse at home from responsibility for the failures that led to Oct. 7 to the new opportunities of partnership with the region’s most influential Arab Muslim state.”
Still on the table: “It is amazing to understand that the [normalization] deal is still on the table,” Ksenia Svetlova, CEO of Ropes and a former member of Israel’s Knesset, told JI. “If you think about it, one of the goals of Israel’s enemies, the pro-Iranian alliance, was break down the Abraham Accords and another was to take the Saudi deal off the table,” Svetlova, who is also a senior non-resident fellow at the Atlantic Council, said. “Yet the Abraham Accords are still here, hopefully for good, and the Saudi deal is not off the table.”
Read the full story here. doha direction Qatar should kick out Hamas if negotiations fail, senators say  TASOS KATOPODIS/GETTY IMAGES A bipartisan group of senators, led by the chair and ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee — some of the Senate’s most senior foreign policy figures — issued a joint statement on Friday urging Qatar to expel Hamas if hostage negotiations fail, Jewish Insider’s Marc Rod reports.
Quotable: “If Hamas refuses reasonable negotiations, there is no reason for Qatar to continue hosting Hamas’ political office or any of its members in Doha,” the statement reads. “It is incumbent upon like-minded nations to work together to deny terrorist organizations, like Hamas, the financial support or safe havens that allow them to metastasize or seek legitimacy.”
Signatories: The statement was issued by Sens. Ben Cardin (D-MD), Jim Risch (R-ID), Joni Ernst (R-IA), Thom Tillis (R-NC), Chris Coons (D-DE), Ted Budd (R-NC), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and Jacky Rosen (D-NV). Cardin and Risch are the chair and ranking member, respectively, of the Foreign Relations Committee, while Coons chairs the State and Foreign Operations Subcommittee on the Senate Appropriations Committee and is a close ally of President Joe Biden.
Light touch: The statement steers clear of direct criticism of Qatar, otherwise offering praise for the kingdom. “The United States and Qatar have enjoyed close relations and cooperation on economic and security issues for more than 50 years,” it reads. “This has been acutely important in the aftermath of the horrific events of October 7th and Hamas’ ongoing holding of more than 134 hostages, including at least 8 Americans.”
Read the full story here.
Hate crimes prevention: Reps. Don Beyer (D-VA) and Don Bacon (R-NE) introduced legislation to condition some federal law enforcement funding to local governments on their participation in the federal hate crimes reporting programs and/or their implementation of policies and education programs on hate crimes. They said the legislation was prompted by the spike in antisemitic incidents in the U.S., which have been chronically underreported. Previous legislation, the Jabara Heyer NO HATE Act, had sought to incentivize reporting by providing grants to combat hate crimes; this bill takes a more punitive approach amid continued issues. travel plans JFNA gathers Israel trip providers to discuss visits to the Jewish state post-Oct. 7  COURTESY/JFNA When the Israel Educational Travel Alliance was formed during the COVID-19 pandemic, it served as a way to build and grow Israel educational travel during lockdowns. Some four years later, the group is now looking to navigate an entirely different crisis, eJewishPhilanthropy’s Haley Cohen reports.
Post-Oct. 7 tourism: The group held its inaugural convening Feb. 28-March 1 in Washington, D.C., to discuss the future of Israel educational travel following the Oct. 7 attacks — at a moment when the “majority of organizations have not been able to bring participants to Israel,” according to Tal Gozani, executive director of IETA, which is housed within the Jewish Federations of North America. The convening, which drew more than 100 organizations involved in the Israel travel sector to the Marriot Marquis, came as several questions around tourism to Israel loom — such as whether it is appropriate to visit the homes where Hamas committed atrocities, and parents questioning whether their children will be safe studying or volunteering in the Jewish state.
Addressing a need: “There was an intensity of presence at the conference, which people really noticed because there was such a need to come together and talk about these issues,” Gozani told eJP following the event. Since Oct. 7, JFNA and individual federations have run at least 60 solidarity missions to Israel, bringing some 1,000 community leaders on short visits. But at least 60% of the 170 attendees at the convening had not been to Israel since Oct. 7, according to Gozani. “So it was important for us, as we’re having conversations about what an Israel educational travel experience looks like post-Oct. 7., to provide context and speakers that could help people understand what that change is like and the vibe that is so palpable when you’re there.”
Read the full story here and sign up for eJewishPhilanthropy’s Your Daily Phil newsletter here. | SAPIR is pleased to launch Friends & Foes, an issue on the ideas and movements that strengthen and assail the Jewish people from the Middle East to the United States. The Clarity of Tragedy: Opening the issue, Publisher Mark Charendoff calls for clarity in a moment of Jewish life that demands it. “We don’t like talking about ‘foes,’ and we don’t spend enough time recognizing our friends.” But in order to move forward effectively in these testing times, he writes, we must be honest with ourselves about our values and those who share them — and those who don’t. Read his Publisher’s Note here. Human Rights Hypocrisy: In a revealing essay, former Human Rights Watch senior editor Danielle Haas pulls back the curtain on human-rights NGOs. “The political and ideological creep in many NGOs [with regard to Israel] has become pervasive and deep-rooted,” she explains, offering a series of behind-the-scenes tales that reveal institutions “increasingly hijacked by politics and dominated by groupthink.” As Haas sees it, these NGOs have made themselves unworthy of the moral esteem in which they are held, and must be accountable in the same ways they profess to hold others. Read her essay here. Plus, register now to join Danielle Haas in conversation with Bret Stephens on Monday, April 1 at noon ET. Never Forget: “It Is Still October 7,” writes Ammiel Hirsch, senior rabbi of New York’s Stephen Wise Free Synagogue. He frames the mindset of Jews around the world who have felt under attack for months, beginning by outlining the ascendant challenges to Zionism before turning to “the shock experienced by American Jews” who found widespread antisemitism for the first time in their schools and workplaces. “Israel’s future will be forged with or without anti-Zionist American Jews,” he reasons; the more worrying struggle for the Jewish people might be in the United States. Read his essay here, and register now to join Rabbi Hirsch for “Gen Z and Zionism: Is There a Future?” with Noam Weissman of OpenDor Media on Monday, April 15 at noon ET. To inquire about placing premium ads in the Daily Kickoff, email our team. | | | Hamas Backlash: The Christian Science Monitor looks at declining support for Hamas in the Gaza Strip. “Complaints began with Hamas’ apparent disregard for Gaza civilians who faced the brunt of Israel’s punishing military response to the Oct. 7 attack while Hamas fighters remained in tunnels. Now, with starvation, profiteering, and internal chaos on the rise, the militant group that has ruled the strip for 17 years is nowhere to be found. … For some Palestinians in Gaza, the war has cemented the idea of Hamas as a militant faction looking out only for itself rather than for the people it has governed since first being elected by a plurality in 2006. It has ruled unopposed since 2007, when it drove out its rival Fatah and seized the strip. ‘They see their role is to fight Israelis and not to care for the people. But since Hamas took control of the Gaza Strip, they implicitly agreed to care for its people,’ says Walid [an aid worker in central Gaza who declined to use his full name], who, like many, sees Hamas as ‘evading that responsibility.’” [CSM]
Minority Report: In The New York Times, Ilan Stavans considers how the popularity of Jewish-Mexican politician Claudia Sheinbaum underscores the country’s evolving attitude toward minorities. “That she’s the front-runner says something about the degree to which the country’s effervescent democracy has redrawn the role of minority groups. Though it remains to be seen if winning the presidency, as she is poised to do, will bring about a positive and definitive change, beyond a popular political project. Centuries ago, the Catholic Church in Mexico fanned the flames of hatred toward Jews. Ms. Sheinbaum will legislate from buildings in downtown Mexico City near the Palace of the Inquisition, where crypto-Jews — a term used to describe Jews who were forced to convert to Christianity by the Spanish crown in the 15th century but continued to practice Judaism in secrecy — were tortured during the colonial period. Also in proximity is the Plaza del Quemadero, where they were burned at the stake in autos-da-fé — public executions meant to dissuade others from participating in what the church described as a false and perverted faith.” [NYTimes]
TikTok Trouble: In the Jewish Review of Books, Cole Aronson spotlights the challenges facing Israel on the social media platform TikTok, amid a surge in viral content demonizing the Jewish state and providing false information about the Israel-Hamas war. “When a TikTok dance video appears, you feel tickled. And when you swipe, TikTok’s personal recommendation algorithm will tickle you again. When the clip shows children screaming for their mothers amid the pandemonium of war, any decent person will feel sympathetic grief and righteous solidarity, which are addicting in their own way — and then TikTok will show you more. Of course, TikTok videos usually don’t mention the actions, reasons, and history preceding the misery and desolation displayed on screen. That is TikTok’s political superpower. The platform bypasses the whole debate about context, in which Israel’s critics and defenders claim that suffering on one side must be interpreted with reference to the plight on the other side. All the viewer sees is the suffering child. And all that many people will take away from that is the desire for whatever is causing the child’s suffering to stop right now.” [JewishReviewofBooks]
Presidential Plea: In the Jewish Journal, Gil Troy pens an open letter to President Joe Biden, advising him on how to handle tensions with Israel. “[Secretary of State Tony] Blinken, [Senate Majority Leader Chuck] Schumer, and [The New York Times’ Tom] Friedman project their wartime frustrations with Bibi onto the Israeli people. Most Israelis have noticed that the War Cabinet sidelined Ministers Smotrich and Ben-Gvir, that the trusted army is mostly running the war, and that there is a broad consensus that the IDF must do what it takes to crush Hamas, free the hostages, and restore deterrence, north and south, beyond our borders and house-by-house. True, most Israelis wish Netanyahu had a Day After plan and offered a moral leadership and unity he hasn’t provided for years. But right now, most Israelis worry about winning first. Rest assured, the political bloodletting and Bibi-bashing will start soon enough. Currently, your interests and Israel’s align in ways too many people close to you miss. Israel, America, and your presidential campaign need a clear, quick, Israeli victory; strong affirmations of support for Israel and disdain for Palestinian thuggery; and more creative stability-seeking solutions. These new ideas must acknowledge Israel’s scars since Oslo and the Gaza Disengagement. And they must build toward a better Day After — in Gaza, in a new Middle East, with a crushed Hamas, a subdued Hezbollah, a neutralized Houthi threat, a renewed Saudi initiative, and an abashed Iran.” [JewishJournal] | Be featured: Email us to inform the JI readership of your upcoming event, job opening, or other communication. | Hostage Talks: An Israeli delegation headed by Mossad chief David Barnea is expected to meet with officials in Doha today for ongoing talks to free the remaining hostages; Israel is poised to offer a six-week truce in exchange for the release of 40 hostages.
Pointed Pence: Former Vice President Mike Pence criticized former President Donald Trump’s comments describing Jan. 6 defendants as “hostages,” saying, "I think it's very unfortunate at a time that there are American hostages being held in Gaza, that the president or any other leader will refer to people that are moving through our justice system as hostages."
Qatar on the Quad: Members of the House Education and Workforce Committee are scrutinizing financial ties between Qatar and American universities.
Kerry’s Comms: Rep. Mike Waltz (R-FL) and four other House Republicans requested copies of former Secretary of State John Kerry's correspondence with former Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammed Javad Zarif during the Trump administration, accusing him of violating federal law.
On the Hill: The House Foreign Affairs Committee will vote on Wednesday on legislation by Reps. John James (R-MI) and Jared Moskowitz (D-FL) that would require a reassessment of South Africa’s relationship with the U.S. in light of its genocide case against Israel and its ties to Hamas, Iran, Russia and China.
X Factor: Reps. Jamie Raskin (D-MD) and Dan Goldman (D-NY) asked the Oversight Committee to hold a hearing on reports that X, formerly Twitter, has been selling premium accounts to terrorist groups.
Sanctions Waiver: Rep. Bill Huizenga (R-MI) and four GOP colleagues wrote to the administration with questions regarding sanctions waivers allowing Iraq to purchase electricity from Iran.
Pier Pressure: Republicans and Democrats on Capitol Hill are raising concerns about plans to build a pier off the coast of the Gaza Strip.
Jersey (Un)sure: The New York Times looks at the uphill battle that Sen. Bob Menendez (D-NJ), who has been indicted on a number of federal charges, faces should he choose to seek reelection in the fall.
Rough Ride: A former rideshare driver in San Francisco is facing federal hate crime charges after assaulting a passenger he thought was Jewish or Israeli.
Arson Arrest: Police in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., arrested a man accused of an arson attack at a local Jewish community center.
Penn Problem: Members of Penn Faculty for Justice in Palestine are suing the University of Pennsylvania in an attempt to block administrators from providing internal documents to a congressional committee tasked with investigating antisemitism at the Ivy.
Campus Beat: MIT declined to host former Amb. Dennis Ross as part of the school’s "Standing Together Against Hate” initiative, while inviting an academic who has defended Hamas’ actions.
Trian Tribulation: The Wall Street Journal looks at internal dissent among senior executives at Nelson Peltz’s Trian Partners.
Suggested SBF Sentence: Federal prosecutors are recommending a judge sentence FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried to 40-50 years in prison.
Oscars Fallout: “The Zone of Interest” executive producer Danny Cohen said he “just fundamentally disagree[s]” with director Jonathan Glazer’s controversial comments at last week’s Academy Awards linking the Israel-Hamas war to the Holocaust.
Missing Link: Ella Emhoff, the daughter of Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff, posted a link to a fundraiser for UNRWA, deleting it after being contacted for comment.
Canberra Cash: Australia will resume funding to UNRWA, and pledged an additional AU$4 million ($2.6 million U.S.).
Across the Pond: A London theater is refusing to screen the finals of the upcoming Eurovision unless the song contest’s organizers bar Israel from participating.
Art Attack: An art museum in Barcelona is hosting an exhibition spotlighting Spanish art that fueled antisemitism during the Inquisition.
Hate in Belgium: Sky News reports on a spike in antisemitism in Belgium the wake of the Oct. 7 terror attacks.
Death Confirmed: The IDF confirmed the death of Cpt. Daniel Perez, the son of World Mizrahi Executive Chairman Rabbi Doron Perez; Perez had been believed to have been taken to Gaza on Oct. 7.
He’s Just Ben: The latest episode of Israeli satire show “Eretz Nehederet” features a caricature of war cabinet Minister Benny Gantz performing a version of Ryan Gosling’s “I’m Just Ken” performance from the Academy Awards last weekend.
Missile Message: The G7 issued a statement warning Iran against sending ballistic missiles to Russia, saying the coalition is “prepared to respond swiftly and in a coordinated manner including with new and significant measures” if Tehran completes the weapons transfer.
Rift with Niger: Niger ended its counterterrorism cooperation with the U.S. following accusations from Washington that the country’s ruling junta was secretly discussing an arrangement that would allow Tehran to tap into the African nation’s uranium reserves.
Transition: Rena Krakowski-Riger was named the Diaspora affairs adviser to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. |  Maayan Toaf/GPO Israeli President Isaac Herzog met on Sunday with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz at the President’s Residence in Jerusalem. |  Taylor Hill/FilmMagic Identical twin brothers and former yeshiva students, both singers and songwriters who recorded as “Evan and Jaron,” Evan Lowenstein and Jaron Lowenstein turn 50...
Screenwriter, actor, comedian and film executive, he is best known for co-writing the screenplay for "Jaws" and its first two sequels, Carl Gottlieb turns 86... U.S. special envoy for monitoring and combating antisemitism, Ambassador Deborah Esther Lipstadt turns 77... National columnist with Creators Syndicate and contributor to CNN Opinion, Froma Harrop turns 74... One-half of the eponymous Ben & Jerry's ice cream, Bennett "Ben" Cohen turns 73... Professor at the University of Nebraska Medical Center, Howard E. Gendelman, MD turns 70... French businessman, he is the CEO and chairman of Électricité de France, Jean-Bernard Lévy turns 69... Former crisis response team manager for the City of Los Angeles and now a consultant for nonprofit organizations, Jeffrey Zimerman, MSW... Head coach of the Auburn Tigers men's basketball team, his Hebrew name is Mordechai as he was born during the week of Purim, Bruce Pearl turns 64... Head of school at Golda Och Academy in West Orange, N.J., Rabbi Daniel S. Nevins turns 58... Filmmaker, writer and stand-up comedian, Jake David Shapiro turns 55... Lead vocalist for the pop rock band Maroon 5, Adam Levine turns 45... Actor, comedian and writer, Adam Pally turns 42... COO at Roofmart, Ariel Koschitzky... Actor known for his roles in "24" and "House of Sand and Fog," Jonathan Ahdout turns 35... Chief of staff and communications director at the Jewish Democratic Council of America, Samuel Crystal... Senior business transformation consultant at EY, Michael Schapiro... Actor and television producer, best known for his role on the Netflix original series "Orange Is the New Black," Alan Aisenberg turns 31... | | | | | |
