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Jewish Journal

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July 13, 2017

2 Israeli police officers killed in Jerusalem terrorist attack

Leave a Comment / Israel /

Two Israeli police officers were killed and another one was injured by Arab Israelis of Palestinian origin who opened fire on security forces in Jerusalem’s Old City.

At least three armed terrorists were killed in a gunfight with security forces on Friday at the Lions’ Gate, which is situated directly northeast of the Temple Mount compound, the Israeli Broadcasting Corp., or IBC, reported.

The officers killed were Kamil Shanan, 22, and Hail Satawi, 30, Army Radio reported. The officers were Druze, according to a statement condemning the attack by Naftali Bennett, Israel’s education minister. The third officer hurt in the attack is in stable condition.

The attack was considerably bloodier and better organized than the dozens of terrorist attacks that Israel’s security services record each month in Jerusalem. Featuring semi-automatic weapons and multiple assailants, it constituted a substantial escalation compared to most of the attacks, which feature the use of knives and homemade firebombs.

The attack occurred at around 7 a.m., police told the IBC, when the Temple Mount compound was largely empty. The gunmen fired on the police officers before fleeing into an area housing several mosques before they were shot dead by security forces in pursuit. They were carrying a handgun and two Carlo assault rifles — makeshift weapons favored by Palestinian terrorists that are produced in metal workshops in the West Bank and Gaza.

Mahmoud Abbas, the president of the Palestinian Authority, condemned the attack during a telephone conversation he initiated with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel’s Channel 2 reported.

Attacks rarely occur so close to the Temple Mount compound, which also houses the Haram a Sharif mosque.

The suspected assailants were from Umm al Fahm, the Israel Security Agency, or Shin Bet, said in a statement. The agency identified them as Mohammed Hammed Abed al-Latif and Mohammed Ahmed Mafdl Jadarin, both 19, and Mohammed Ahmed Mohammed Jabarin, 29. They had no previous record of terrorist activity.

Gilad Erdan, Israel’s interior security minister, told Army Radio that the “unusual and severe incident may require Israel to review its security arrangements around the Temple Mount.” And Zeev Elkin, the Cabinet minister responsible for issues connected with Jerusalem, told the radio station the attack was possible because of Israel’s desire to allow freedom of worship to Muslims and others at the site.

“Though we want to allow freedom of worship to Muslims at the Temple Mount, we need to balance that with the desire to prevent the cynical use of precisely this holy site for staging terrorist attacks,” Elkin said.

Separately, an 18-year-old Palestinian was killed Friday morning during clashes with Israeli troops near Bethlehem, IBC reported. The Palestinian Maan news agency identified him as Baraa Hamamda. An Israeli army spokesman told Maan that during a detention raid in Bethlehem’s al-Duheisha neighborhood, Palestinians threw “explosive devices and blocks” at Israeli forces, who fired toward the youth.

The Israel Security Service recorded a total of 94 terrorist attacks against Israelis in June – a 35 percent drop over the previous month. Of those, 21 occurred in Jerusalem, compared to 29 in May. One victim was killed in terrorist attacks in June, an Israel Border Police agent, and three other security personnel were wounded.

2 Israeli police officers killed in Jerusalem terrorist attack Read More »

Linda Sarsour, defending cemetery allocations, lashes out at ‘right wing zionists’

Leave a Comment / United States /

Palestinian-American activist Linda Sarsour said she is the target of  the “right wing, alt-right” and “right wing zionists” after being accused of withholding $100,000 that a fund she helped launch had promised to a neglected Jewish cemetery in Colorado.

The money would be disbursed, she said, after the organization handling the fund received a detailed plan from the cemetery.

Sarsour was responding Tuesday to an article by the Jewish news website The Algemeiner alleging that a campaign she set up in February to raise funds for vandalized Jewish cemeteries in St. Louis and Philadelphia failed to deliver funds promised to the Colorado cemetery.

The Muslim-led crowdfunding campaign raised $162,000 from nearly 5,000 donors, exceeding in the first few hours its $20,000 goal to help repair the Chesed Shel Emeth cemetery in St. Louis. Jewish leaders who otherwise object to Sarsour’s support of the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement against Israel appreciated her gesture.

According to the campaign, some $40,000 was sent to the cemetery in St. Louis. Another $5,000 each went to help a vandalized Jewish cemetery in Rochester, New York, and repair the Chicago Loop Synagogue following an anti-Semitic attack. The Philadelphia cemetery turned down the money, saying it was not in need of further assistance.

The Algemeiner reported Tuesday that the Golden Hill Cemetery in Lakewood, Colorado, had yet to receive a check for approximately $100,000 as promised by Celebrate Mercy, a Muslim nonprofit that partnered with Sarsour on the project.

Golden Hill was not among the vandalized cemeteries, but rather requested funding from Celebrate Mercy at the suggestion of Jennifer Goodland, a local history buff and photographer who had taken pictures of the cemetery’s overgrown plots and toppled headstones. In a Facebook post Wednesday, Celebrate Mercy said it was awaiting a revision of Golden Hill’s “detailed funding request” and that “we are doing our due diligence to all the campaign donors to carefully evaluate all proposed costs and set up a disbursement schedule for the funds based on achieved milestones.”

“Over the next few months, we intend to fully disburse all remaining funds to help other vandalized Jewish cemeteries and centers nationwide,” the Facebook post read.

Goodland, commenting on the Celebrate Mercy Facebook page, supported the nonprofit’s assertion that the funding would follow a careful review process.

“This is not the kind of project someone does overnight,” she wrote. “The cemetery has been holding meetings with other grant organizations so that we best know how to proceed and truly maximize your humbling and generous offer.”

Neal Price, a caretaker of the cemetery, told The Algemeiner that he and other officials had met in June to discuss costs and create the plan Celebrate Mercy had requested, but that he had not heard from Goodland or Tarek El-Messidi, Celebrate Mercy’s founder, in weeks.

New York State Assemblyman Dov Hikind, a Democrat from Brooklyn, accused Sarsour of “fraud” because Golden Hill had not received a disbursement.

“Sarsour is a fraud,” Hikind said in a statement following publication of the Algemeiner article. “She talks out of both sides of her mouth. One minute she’s claiming to be a disciple of the great Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., and the next she’s standing with a terrorist on stage at an event, and singing praises of that terrorist to an audience. I won’t be the least bit surprised to hear that her little Jewish cemetery publicity stunt wasn’t quite what she made it out to be.”

In April, Sarsour appeared at an event in Chicago with Rasmea Odeh, a Palestinian woman who is being forced to leave the United States for not telling immigration authorities that she was imprisoned in Israel for her role in two terror attacks. In May, Hikind objected when the City University of New York School of Public Health chose Sarsour to deliver the keynote speech at its graduation, saying Sarsour supports terrorism and radical Islam.

Sarsour hit back on Facebook, writing: “I have the unfortunate receipts of what it costs to be a target of the right wing, alt-right, right wing zionists. This has caused my family great emotional stress & trauma. It’s not free to keep my family safe. I just want people to know I am taking names of media outlets and prominent individuals who have used the last few months to defame my character. I may be quiet but they will pay with their pockets.”

Sarsour noted that El-Messidi had visited the Colorado cemetery in February and was awaiting plans from the cemetery officials.

“Once they had a plan to take on this huge project Tarek would be ready with the funds,” she wrote.

“You can call me what you want BUT DO NOT EVER QUESTION my integrity,” she also wrote, adding: “I am exhausted. I am tired of the lies, lies, and more lies. It’s too much and it reignites the most vitriolic human beings on this earth. I am not safe and someone will pay for this with their pockets. Big time.”

https://www.facebook.com/linda.sarsour/posts/10155674125745572

Linda Sarsour, defending cemetery allocations, lashes out at ‘right wing zionists’ Read More »

What to do in Los Angeles: July 14-20

Leave a Comment / What's Happening /

FRI | JULY 14

SHABBAT AT HOME WITH THE RABBIS

Atid, Sinai Temple’s group for Jewish young professionals ages 21-39, brings together Rabbi Nicole Guzik and Rabbi Erez Sherman to host a special, intimate Shabbat service and kosher meat dinner in a private home in the Beverly Hills/Westwood area. Limited to the first 40 people to register. 7 p.m. $10; tickets available at eventbrite.com. Must register in advance; address provided upon registration. (310) 474-1518. atidla.com.

SAT | JULY 15

FINDING THE CURE

The Jewish Platform for Advocacy and Community Engagement and the American Technion Society present “Finding the Cure: How Israel Is Winning the War Against Cancer,” featuring guest speaker Dr. Zeev Ronai, chief scientific adviser at the Signal Transduction Program and co-director of the Technion Integrated Cancer Center in Israel. Services led by Rabbi Yossi Cunin and Cantor Levi Coleman. 9:30 a.m. Shabbat service; 11:30 a.m. lecture. Free. Beverly Hills Jewish Community at The Beverly Hills Hotel, 9641 Sunset Blvd., Beverly Hills. (310) 276-4246. beverlyhillsjc.org.

TUES | JULY 18

LUNCH & LEARN: EATING AND DRINKING OUR WAY THROUGH TORAH AND JEWISH HISTORY

Enjoy a catered lunch as Jon Greenberg, biblical and talmudic botanist, explains the symbolic meaning of the foods and beverages served. You’ll learn about such things as edible lilies, how civilizations may have begun as a quest for beer, and the Jewish exile who proved that tomatoes are not poisonous. Noon. $5 for lunch. Congregation Shaarei Tefila, 7269 Beverly Blvd., Los Angeles. (323) 938-7147. shaareitefila.org.

WED | JULY 19

TRENDS IN AMERICAN JUDAISM

Come and get to know Rabbi Leah Lewis, new senior rabbi at Temple Menorah, as she discusses innovations and trends in American Judaism. After lunch, visitors will watch one of Lewis’ favorite movies, “A Serious Man,” the Oscar-nominated Coen brothers film. 11 a.m. $16; $14 for members. Temple Menorah, 1101 Camino Real, Redondo Beach. (310) 316-8444. templemenorah.org.

HERSHEY FELDER: “OUR GREAT TCHAIKOVSKY”

Actor and pianist Hershey Felder returns to the stage of the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts for the Los Angeles premiere of “Our Great Tchaikovsky.” Written and performed by Felder. 8 p.m. Tickets start at $35. The Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts, 9390 N. Santa Monica Blvd., Beverly Hills. (310) 746-4000. thewallis.org.

THURS | JULY 20

PARTNERS IN RESEARCH

Israel Cancer Research Fund of Los Angeles invites you to join Dr. Edward Garon as he discusses  “Immunotherapy: A New and Exciting Cancer Treatment.” 7 p.m. Free; must RSVP to (818) 986-2100. Adat Shalom, 3030 Westwood Blvd., Los Angeles. (818) 986-2100. icrfla.org.

What to do in Los Angeles: July 14-20 Read More »

Small Israeli family firm hits Target (and Amazon)

Leave a Comment / Business /

Whoever said little guys can’t win clearly does not know about Israel’s Bram Industries.

One of Walmart’s smallest suppliers, the 200-employee company based in the working-class southern city of Sderot also peddles its Life Story brand plastic tableware, housewares and storage products in American and European mega chains such as Target; TJ Maxx; Amazon; Bed, Bath & Beyond; HomeGoods; Home Depot and The Container Store, plus stores in Panama and Mexico.

Bram was on Fast Company’s list of the 10 most innovative Israeli companies for 2016 for “bringing sustainability to the plastics market — including a fully biodegradable shopping bag” and disposable cutlery made from cornstarch.

“Companies like Rubbermaid are like 100 times the size of our company and yet we have the same customers they have. It’s because we bring something different, from design to management. We have new technologies to do things faster and cheaper and more efficiently. So the big buyers agree to meet us and accept us as a supplier,” said President Eli Bramli.

His father, Haim, founded the business in 1981 and still works on the factory floor at 81 years old.

“He knows how to fix everything; he’s an expert in the plastics industry. I come from the commercial and finance side,” Eli Bramli said.

In 2016, Bram Industries opened a $3 million factory and distribution center in Savannah, Ga., in addition to existing manufacturing facilities in Israel and France.

Publicly traded on the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange since 2005, Bram Industries’ Life Story division makes about 100 products and is growing fast. The Hai Plastic division makes industrial plastic packaging solutions primarily for the local food industry and takeout market.

“Our main focus is innovation. Our motto is to make a product with nice design at a comfortable price,” Bramli said.

The vast majority of its products are not biodegradable — yet — because the raw materials are more expensive and therefore the finished product is too costly for the average big-box store customer. Bramli believes that “the future is more biodegradable and the costs will go down.”

Meanwhile, the company strives to be ecologically responsible by designing injection-molded plastic items meant to take the place of disposables and using natural materials when feasible.

One popular item that accomplishes both of these goals is the reusable Corky Cup,  insulated with a coating of real cork — which also keeps the heat inside, away from the person’s hands — and featuring a screw-on, spill-proof lid. Launched at the end of 2015, Corky Cup sells for $4.99 in Walmart and is one of Life Story’s top products.

“Most cups for coffee today are made from steel or double-walled plastic,” Bramli said. “One Israeli guy brought us an idea of putting plastic on cork, but we saw it wasn’t possible for a disposable product because cork is expensive. So we made a non-disposable coffee cup that you can take to Starbucks and refill. It’s a similar concept to SodaStream,” the Israeli-made home appliances for making carbonated drinks in reusable bottles.

“It took a long time to develop the process to integrate plastic with cork,” Bramli continued. “We had to build a special robot to put it together.

“Another problem is that when you inject the materials together, the temperature is very high and the cork could melt. We worked with a company in Caesarea to solve that problem and it took 18 months.”

One other example is the Pret-a-Paquet line of compartmentalized lunch, salad and snack kits, sold at The Container Store. They are freezer- and microwave-safe, BPA-free and secured with leak-proof snap lids. Some are enclosed in a colorful insulated zippered pouch. Inspired by suggestions of office workers at Bram’s Sderot headquarters, the kits prevent a daily mountain of plastic-bag-and-paper-sack trash.

“Eighty percent of our products are designed in-house. As we’ve become bigger, we are starting to work with outside design companies in Israel and in Italy,” Bramli said.

“Our next step will be opening a manufacturing and distribution facility on the West Coast of the United States in the next two or three years, since we work with all the chains nationwide.”

Small Israeli family firm hits Target (and Amazon) Read More »

Israeli Rabbinate accused of ‘blacklisting’ Diaspora rabbis

Leave a Comment / Israel /

Some 160 rabbis, including several prominent American Orthodox leaders, appear on a list of rabbis whom Israel’s Charedi Orthodox-dominated Chief Rabbinate does not trust to confirm the Jewish identities of immigrants.

Rabbis from 24 countries, including the United States and Canada, are on the list. In addition to Reform and Conservative rabbis, the list includes Orthodox leaders such as Avi Weiss, the liberal Orthodox rabbi from the Riverdale section of New York, and Yehoshua Fass, the executive director of Nefesh B’Nefesh, a group that encourages and facilitates American immigration to Israel.

The Chief Rabbinate controls all Jewish marriage in Israel, and immigrants who wish to wed there must first prove they are Jewish according to Orthodox law — whether they were born Jewish or converted. This proof often comes via a letter from a community rabbi attesting to the immigrant’s Jewish identity. One midlevel bureaucrat at the rabbinate, Rabbi Itamar Tubul, handles every claim.

The publication of the list comes on the heels of a clash between American Jewish leaders and the Chief Rabbinate over how to determine Jewish identity. In June, Israel’s Cabinet advanced a bill that would give the Chief Rabbinate authority over all official Jewish conversions within Israel. After an outcry from Jewish leaders in the United States, the bill was shelved for six months.

The Chief Rabbinate’s antipathy to Reform and Conservative rabbis is well documented. Its distrust of some Orthodox rabbis abroad was seen last year when the Rabbinate omitted several prominent Orthodox figures from a list of rabbis it trusts to confirm the authenticity of Jewish conversions.

The Rabbinate’s latest list is comprised of rabbis whose letters it rejected during 2016. In addition to Weiss and Fass, the list includes Joshua Blass, a New York congregational rabbi and student adviser at the Modern Orthodox Yeshiva University’s rabbinical seminary; Joseph Potasnik, executive director of the New York Board of Rabbis; Adam Scheier, a past president of the Montreal Board of Rabbis; and Daniel Kraus, director of education at Kehilath Jeshurun, a tony modern Orthodox synagogue on Manhattan’s Upper East Side.

The Rabbinate sent the list to Itim, a nonprofit that guides Israelis through the country’s religious bureaucracy, and was obtained July 6 by JTA. In 2015, Itim filed a Freedom of Information request in a Jerusalem municipal court demanding a list of approved foreign rabbis, and received this list as part of that case.

Rabbi Seth Farber, Itim’s executive director, called it a “blacklist” because it shows which rabbis the Rabbinate has not trusted in the past. He has called repeatedly for greater transparency in the Rabbinate’s evaluation of rabbis, and said the way it is being handled is a “stain on the state of Israel.”

“They’re effectively creating a blacklist,” Farber said. “The dimensions are greater than we could have ever imagined, and the disregard with which they treat rabbis from around the world is astounding.”

On July 11, Moshe Dagan, the director-general of the Rabbinate, said that characterization is misleading. In a letter to the Orthodox Rabbinical Council of America obtained by JTA, Dagan wrote that the proof-of-Judaism letters were rejected for a range of reasons, and that the list questioned the documentation, not the individual rabbis. Dagan added that these rejections were sometimes temporary.

“The list that was publicized is not a ‘list of unrecognized/unauthorized rabbis,” Dagan wrote, in Hebrew. Rather, he wrote, it is a list of rabbis whose letters regarding marriage were not recognized by the personal status and conversion division of the Chief Rabbinate of Israel “for whatever reason.”

Even though the list contained only the names of rabbis, Dagan wrote in bold type that “it is the documents that were presented which are unrecognized, not the rabbis.” Israel’s Ashkenazi chief rabbi, David Lau, said he didn’t know about the list before it was sent out. In a public letter July 9, Lau called the list damaging and sounded incredulous that it was composed without his approval.

“The Chief Rabbi was shocked to discover this list. This was done without the rabbi’s knowledge or his agreement. How can a list like this be publicized without the rabbi being made aware of the list itself or of its publication?” read the letter written by an aide on behalf of Lau.

“The results of this are very serious,” the letter continued. “First of all, an employee in the Chief Rabbinate cannot decide on his own to publicize who the Rabbinate approves or not. Secondly, the damage this does to certain rabbis cannot be exaggerated — including to the Chief Rabbinate.”

According to a JTA tally of the 66 U.S. rabbis on the list, at least one-fifth are Orthodox, including one alumnus of the Baltimore Charedi Orthodox seminary Ner Yisroel. The vast majority of U.S. rabbis on the list are Reform or Conservative.

Weiss’ inclusion is the latest blow he has absorbed from the right wing of Orthodox Judaism, whose leaders have objected to his efforts to expand women’s participation in Orthodoxy.

“The way they’re conducting themselves is so painful, so unfortunate,” Weiss said on July 7. “The pain that I feel is not personal. It’s that this Rabbinate is an arm of the State of Israel, and that we have reached this point is nothing less than a tragedy.”

In 2013, the Rabbinate rejected a proof-of-Judaism letter from Weiss, then reversed course and accepted it after complaints from American-Jewish leaders. Last year, the Rabbinate rejected a similar letter from Rabbi Haskel Lookstein, Kehilath Jeshurun’s former rabbi and the rabbi who oversaw the conversion of Ivanka Trump. It also rejected conversions overseen by Rabbi Gedalia Dov Schwartz, the chief presiding judge of the National Beth Din of the Rabbinical Council of America, the main modern Orthodox rabbinical court in the United States.

In some cases, Tubul made the rejection. But in Lookstein’s case, a district rabbinical court in the central Israeli city of Petach Tikvah rejected his imprimatur when a woman who converted under his auspices applied for a marriage license there and was denied.

These rejections have caused consternation among American Orthodox leaders who are invested in maintaining a good relationship with the Chief Rabbinate. But after Weiss’ initial rejection in 2013, former Rabbinate spokesman Ziv Maor said examining the credentials of Orthodox rabbis is crucial to the integrity of the evaluation process.

“The testimony needs to be according to Jewish law and the witness needs to have the fear of heaven,” Maor said. Regarding Weiss, he added, “We’re talking about someone on the fringes of Orthodoxy.”

Rabbi Baruch Goodman, who runs the Chabad-Lubavitch center at Rutgers University in New Jersey, said he was surprised to find out he was on the list. Goodman, who declined to be quoted, said he has been writing proof-of-Judaism letters for nearly two decades without incident.

Scheier, the Montreal rabbi, said he was unfazed by his inclusion. He said he is working with Itim to encourage transparency and consistency in the evaluation of rabbis.

“I know I’m in good company on the list,” he said on July 7. “There are wonderful, honest, unparalleled rabbis that have been blacklisted by the State of Israel. No one who knows me or knows my community or knows my rabbinate could question my capacity to attest to the Jewish identity of the members of my congregation.” n

Israeli Rabbinate accused of ‘blacklisting’ Diaspora rabbis Read More »

Emmys 2017: So many Jewish nominees

Leave a Comment / Hollywood /

On Thursday, the Television Academy announced the nominees for the coveted Primetime Emmy Awards. Here are the candidates with Jewish ancestry. The awards for TV excellence will be presented Sept. 8 on CBS.

Lead actress, drama series

Evan Rachel Wood is being considered for her portrayal of Dolores Abernathy, an android character in the sci-fi series “Westworld” who discovers that what she thought was her life is a lie.

Evan Rachel Wood accepting the best actress in a drama series award for ‘Westworld’ at the Critics’ Choice Awards in Santa Monica, Calif., Dec. 11, 2016. (Christopher Polk/Getty Images for The Critics’ Choice Awards )

Lead actor, drama series

In the crime-drama series “Ray Donovan,” Liev Schreiber portrays the titular character, a fixer at a powerful Los Angeles law firm.

Liev Schreiber attending Hearst MagFront 2016 in New York City, Oct. 25, 2016. (Ilya S. Savenok/Getty Images for Hearst)

Lead actress, comedy series

Pamela Adlon stars as a divorced actress raising three children by herself in “Better Things.”

Pamela Adlon attending the 76th Annual Peabody Awards ceremony in New York, May 20, 2017. (by Michael Loccisano/Getty Images for Peabody)

In “Veep,” Julia Louis-Dreyfus pokes fun at Washington, D.C., as the power-hungry vice president (and later president) Selina Meyer.

Julia Louis-Dreyfus shows off the Emmy Awards for best actress in a comedy series and best comedy series for “Veep” at the Primetime Emmy Awards in Los Angeles, Sept. 18, 2016. (Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)

Tracee Ellis Ross plays a biracial anesthesiologist who is the matriarch of an upper-middle-class African-American family in “Black-ish.”

Tracee Ellis Ross at the Golden Globe Awards in Beverly Hills, Calif., Jan. 8, 2017. (Charley Gallay/Getty Images for FIJI Water)

Lead actor, comedy series

Jeffrey Tambor was nominated for his role as the transgender matriarch of a Jewish California family in “Transparent.”

Jeffrey Tambor attending the Critics’ Choice Awards in Santa Monica, Calif., Dec. 11, 2016. (Christopher Polk/Getty Images for The Critics’ Choice Awards )

Supporting actress, comedy series

Vanessa Bayer earned a nomination with her work on “Saturday Night Live.”

Vanessa Bayer attending the “Carrie Pilby” New York screening at the Landmark Sunshine Cinema, March 23, 2017. (Nicholas Hunt/Getty Images)

In “Transparent,” Judith Light plays the former wife of a Jewish transgender woman.

Judith Light attending the 2017 Fragrance Foundation Awards in New York, June 14, 2017. (Nicholas Hunt/Getty Images for Fragrance Foundation)

Supporting actor, drama series

Mandy Patinkin was tapped for his performance as Saul Berenson, the Jewish Middle East Division chief and later acting director of the CIA in “Homeland.”

Mandy Patinkin attending the Museum Of The Moving Image 30th Annual Salute honoring Warren Beatty in New York, Nov. 2, 2016. (Neilson Barnard/Getty Images)

Supporting actress, limited series or movie

Jackie Hoffman portrays Joan Crawford’s housekeeper in “Feud,” which centers on the rivalry between Crawford and fellow actress Bette Davis.

Jackie Hoffman attending the Mothers And Sons special performance benefiting The Actors Fund at the John Golden Theatre in New York, May 18, 2014. (Astrid Stawiarz/Getty Images)

Guest actor, drama series

In the drama “Bloodline,” Ben Mendelsohn plays the black sheep brother whose return home leads to family drama.

Ben Mendelsohn attending the screening of “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story” in London, Dec. 13, 2016. (Stuart C. Wilson/Getty Images for Disney)

Hank Azaria portrays a corrupt former FBI agent who clashes with a professional fixer in “Ray Donovan.”

Hank Azaria arriving at the FYC event for IFC’s “Brockmire’ and Documentary Now!” at the Saban Media Center in North Hollywood, Calif., May 31, 2017. (Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images)

Guest actress, comedy series

The late Carrie Fisher was nominated for her performance in “Catastrophe” as the mother of a man expecting a child as a result of a short affair.

Carrie Fisher attending the U.S.-Ireland Alliance’s Oscar Wilde Awards event at J.J. Abrams’ Bad Robot in Santa Monica, Calif., Feb. 19, 2015. (Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images for US-Ireland Alliance)

Voice-over

Kevin Kline lent his voice to play the landlord of a hamburger shop owner in the animated sitcom “Bob’s Burgers.”

Kevin Kline speaking at the 2015 New York Film Critics Circle Awards at TAO Downtown in New York, Jan. 4, 2016. (Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images)

Emmys 2017: So many Jewish nominees Read More »

Here is the Chief Rabbinate’s ‘blacklist’ of American rabbis

Leave a Comment / Israel /

The Israeli Chief Rabbinate has a list of some 160 rabbis it does not trust to confirm the Jewish identities of immigrants.

To get married in Israel, immigrants must prove they are Jewish to the Chief Rabbinate, often via a letter by a congregational rabbi attesting to the immigrant’s Jewish identity. This list comprises rabbis whose letters were rejected during 2016. Rabbis from 24 different countries appear on the list, which includes several prominent American Orthodox leaders.

RELATED:

Rabbi Seth Farber: The Chief Rabbinate’s blacklist isn’t defending Judaism. It’s undermining it.

David Benkof: There’s no ‘blacklist’ of rabbis

JTA has transcribed the list of 66 United States rabbis into English, and has listed the 60 verifiable names below in alphabetical order, along with denomination.

JTA obtained the list from Itim, an organization that guides Israelis through the country’s religious bureaucracy, which has called the list a “blacklist.” JTA’s publication of this list should not be viewed as an endorsement.

Below is the list of United States rabbis, in  alphabetical order by first name. Several of the rabbis have died, but may have written letters attesting to congregants’ Jewish identity while still alive.

Alberto Zeilicovich, Conservative
Alexander Davis, Conservative
Alfredo Winter , Conservative
Amos Miller, Conservative
Arthur Rulnick, Conservative
Arthur Weiner , Conservative
Arthur Zuckerman, Conservative
Avi Weiss, Orthodox
Barry Dolinger, Orthodox
Baruch Goodman, Orthodox
Bernard Gerson, Conservative
Dan Ornstein, Conservative
Daniel Kraus, Orthodox
David Rosen, Orthodox
David Wortman, Reform
David Zaslow, Renewal
Eli Kogan, Orthodox
Eliezer Hirsch, Orthodox
George Nudell, Conservative
Gerald Serotta, Reform
Gil Steinlauf, Conservative
Harold Berman, Conservative
Irwin Groner, Conservative
Isaac Lehrer, Conservative
Jacob Max , Orthodox
Jason Herman, Orthodox
Jay Rosenbaum, Reform
Joseph Potasnik, Orthodox
Joseph Radinsky, Orthodox
Josh Blass, Orthodox
Joshua Skoff, Conservative
Ken Carr, Reform
Kenneth Roseman, Reform
Leonard Gordon, Conservative
Leonid Feldman, Conservative
Marcelo Bronstein, Conservative
Mario Karpuj, Conservative
Melvin Sirner, Conservative
Michael Pont, Conservative
Michael Siegel, Conservative
Morris Allen, Conservative
Paul Plotkin, Conservative
Paul Schneider, Conservative
Paul Yedwab, Reform
Peter Grumbacher, Reform
Pinchas Chatzinoff, Orthodox
Sam Fraint, Conservative
Seth Adelson, Conservative
Seymour Siegel, Conservative
Shay Mintz, Orthodox
Shimon Paskow, Conservative
Shimon Russel, Orthodox
Stephen Goodman, Reform
Stephen Mason, Reform
Stephen Steindel, Conservative
Steve Schwartz, Conservative
Steven Denker, Reform
Yaakov Kalmanofsky, Conservative
Yaier Lerer, Conservative
Yehoshua Fass, Orthodox

Here is the Chief Rabbinate’s ‘blacklist’ of American rabbis Read More »

Rep. Brad Sherman introduces article of impeachment against Trump

Leave a Comment / United States /

Rep. Brad Sherman, a California Democrat, introduced an article of impeachment against President Donald Trump.

The impeachment article introduced Wednesday accuses Trump of obstructing justice during the federal investigation of Russia’s alleged interference in the 2016 election. Rep. Al Green, D-Texas, co-sponsored the article.

A majority vote in the Republican-controlled House of Representatives is required to impeach a president.

Democrats in the House reportedly have been debating whether it is politically prudent to introduce impeachment proceedings at this time.

Sherman cites the new disclosures by Donald Trump Jr. that he met with Russian officials to receive damaging information about Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton, the president’s efforts to curtail the investigation of National Security Adviser Michael Flynn and the firing of FBI Director James Comey.

“Every day Democrats, Republicans, and the entire world are shocked by the latest example of America’s amateur President,” the Jewish congressman said in a statement. “Ignorance accompanied by a refusal to learn. Lack of impulse control, accompanied by a refusal to have his staff control his impulses.  We’re no longer surprised by any action, no matter how far below the dignity of the office — and no matter how dangerous to the country.

“But the Constitution does not provide for the removal of a President for impulsive, ignorant incompetence. It does provide for the removal of a President for High Crimes and Misdemeanors.”

In response, The Hill reported that White House spokeswoman Sarah Huckabee Sanders told reporters Wednesday during an off-camera briefing, “I think that is utterly and completely ridiculous and a political game at its worst.”

Sherman also said in the statement that he hopes the introduction of the article of impeachment will inspire an “intervention” in the White House that will see “competency replaced by care.” He added that if the “impulsive incompetency” continues, he hopes that Republicans will join the impeachment effort.

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Episode 46 – Topol is still a Fiddler on the Roof

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“We would […] get them to smile. And obviously every few years we had a war […] There were times that we performed 4-5 times a day, either it was a place where there were 8 or 10 soldiers, and sometimes even 1000. And in my time, we never used microphones. We screamed. When I finished my service […] I had a neck wider than my head.”

Long before Gal Gadot, Topol was the first and only Israeli international superstar. His path to fame started in 1964, when he starred in Kishon’s film Sallah Shabati, the first Israeli film to be nominated for an Oscar, and for this role he received a Golden globe. From there, his road to the role of Tevye was short. He first portrayed him in West End in London,and then in the 1971 Norman Jewishon Hollywood adaptation. For this role he also received a Golden globe and was nominated for an oscar for best actor.

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Daily Kickoff: Javanka land in Sun Valley amid anti-Trump tone | Greenblatt’s water deal | Zuckerberg’s road trip rules | Sam Altman’s United Slate

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SUN VALLEY 2017: “Jared Kushner, Ivanka Trump to Attend Sun Valley Media and Tech Conference” by Brent Lang: “The pair will pay for their own travel to Sun Valley, Idaho, where the event is held. They will also pay for their accommodations… The annual conference is put on by Allen & Co., an investment bank with ties to Hollywood, Silicon Valley, and other industries. Warren Buffett, CBS CEO Leslie Moonves, Snap chairman Michael Lynton, Viacom vice chairman Shari Redstone, Verizon CEO Lowell McAdam, and Discovery CEO David Zaslav are among the bold-faced names who have flocked to the resort.” [Variety] • Pics of attendees [DailyMail]

DRIVING THE CONVO: “The big talk this week is the presence of Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump on the guest list. With kids in tow, the pair left DC amid the email scandal and arrived in Sun Valley on Wednesday afternoon. This has annoyed at least a few folks back at the White House, who chafe at the way Jared and Ivanka leave town in times of crisis. Last April, the pair were spotted in ski gear in Whistler (a JI scoop!) while the president and his aides were embroiled in leaks and infighting. Their trip this week has also raised eyebrows in Sun Valley, where some of the discussions on the first day had a distinctly anti-Trump tone…” [CNN]

HEARD EARLIER — “Media mogul Barry Diller on Trump: ‘I think it’s just a joke. Hopefully it will be over relatively soon.'” by Anita Balakrishnan: “He hasn’t done anything, really. I think it’s just a joke. Hopefully it will be over relatively soon,” Diller said. “It inexplicably began and it will inexplicably end.” The comment came in a wide-ranging interview with CNBC at the Allen & Co. Sun Valley conference in Idaho. Diller has been friendly with Trump family members Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner over the years, he said, but he added that he probably wouldn’t bring up issues from the current administration with them.” [CNBC]

“Another session that had people talking was this morning’s session where well-known hedge fund managers Stanley Druckenmiller and Baupost Group’s Seth Klarman told the executives that many people confuse the performance of the stock market with the health of our economy, but that is not necessarily a great indicator. “They gave out a lot of data and investment information about our economy and how to determine growth,” said one attendee. “It was great because they really spoke their minds.” The panel was moderated by The New York Times/CNBC journalist Andrew Ross Sorkin.” [Deadline] 

Sun Valley session today: King Abdullah II from Jordan will speak one-on-one with talk show host Charlie Rose.

Paging Amb. Dermer… “Amid the barbecues and cycling outings, investors on the guest list, including Warren Buffett, will have the opportunity to mingle with CEOs from America’s biggest companies and dignitaries such as Yousef Al Otaiba, United Arab Emirates ambassador to the U.S.” [Bloomberg]

TOP TALKER: “US anti-boycott laws could come into play in Qatar crisis” by Josh Lederman: “Under obscure tax and export provisions designed decades ago to protect Israel, U.S. companies can be punished if they accept a foreign country’s demand to comply with a boycott not supported by the United States… While President Donald Trump has voiced support for the Saudi-led bloc, the United States isn’t backing the Qatar boycott… That could put American companies in a difficult position, even if so far there haven’t been any public indications of Saudi Arabia or its allies issuing a Qatar-or-us ultimatum. Some groups, sympathetic to the concerns about Qatar, have been pressuring U.S. businesses to cut ties.”

“The Counter Extremism Project, which includes former Sen. Joe Lieberman and is run by former U.N. Ambassador Mark Wallace, sent letters to American Airlines and others warning them to stop dealing with Qatar earlier this month… Given Trump’s position on the crisis, it’s unclear if his administration would punish U.S. companies for cutting ties with Qatar.” [AP] • Qatar and its opposing quartet: What’s next in the standoff? [CNN]

“Iran’s Stature Grows as Rivals Quarrel” by Yaroslav Trofimov: “With regional heavyweight Turkey taking Qatar’s side, the collapse of the Sunni alliance isn’t the only good news for Tehran. The growing alienation between the Trump administration and European nations, particularly Germany and France, is also making any new concerted international effort to pressure Iran increasingly unlikely.” [WSJ]

DRIVING THE DAY: “Trump envoy mediates water deal between Israel, Palestinians” by AFP: “Jason Greenblatt hailed an “important step forward” in a wider regional water deal, as Israel announced it would provide more than 32 million cubic metres of water to the Palestinians annually. “Water is a precious commodity in the Middle East. The United States welcomes the agreement reached by the Palestinian Authority and the government of Israel which will allow for the sale of up to 33 million cubic metres of water from Israel to the PA,” Greenblatt said at a signing ceremony in Jerusalem.” [DailyMail] 

— “At a joint press conference in Jerusalem, Greenblatt adamantly refused to take any questions regarding his bid to relaunch peace negotiations.” [ToI]

KAFE KNESSET — Peace talks in the fall — by Tal Shalev and JPost’s Lahav Harkov: Kafe Knesset has learned that the POTUS special envoy, Jason Greenblatt, who is on his sixth visit to the region this week, said in some of his meetings that the plan and goal is to renew the process in the fall. Greenblatt has reiterated time and again that Palestinian economic prosperity is high on the US agenda and is crucial for building trust between the sides. He refused to take any questions about the process this morning during a special press conference convened today to announce a new Israeli-Palestinian water agreement, but he did stress that the water agreement is “an example of what can be achieved when the sides work together” and reminded that “President Trump has clarified that promoting Israeli-Palestinian peace is one of his highest priorities.”

At Wednesday’s press conference, when Kafe Knesset asked both sides what lessons could be learned from the successful dialogue on water to promote the political process between Netanyahu and Abbas, Regional Cooperation Minister Tzachi Hanegbi did give “my dear friend Jason” one piece of advice: “The discrete nature of the negotiations and contacts is one of the secrets of our success. It ensures that it is more serious and that we are not dragged into other issues.” Read today’s entire Kafe Knesset, including how Bibi’s friends are dropping like flies amid the corruption scandals, here[JewishInsider]

In a statement responding to the House Armed Services Committee’s amended National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for the 2018 budget, the White House suggested that an additional $558 million for Israeli missile defense funding was a “misuse” of funds: “Misuse of Overseas Contingency Operations (OCO) Funds: The Administration is concerned by the use of OCO funds for items not related to contingency operations, including an additional $558 million for Israel missile defense funding. The bill also proposes using OCO to fund additional end strength, ships, and homeland defense. Funding these enduring requirements in OCO would complicate the funding stability for associated outyear costs and runs contrary to the purpose of OCO.” [WhiteHouse] • Congress plans to debate the NDAA today [CSPAN]

TAYLOR FORCE ACT — Senators Demand Action on Palestinian Terror Payments — by Aaron Magid: During a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing yesterday, Elliott Abrams testified in favor of the Taylor Force Act while former Ambassador Dan Shapiro urged the bill to be amended. One proposal floated by Shapiro was to add a national security waiver — similar with the six-month waiver on moving the U.S. Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem — that would allow President Donald Trump to waive the requirement of cutting off aid if viewed as appropriate. In response to a suggestion by Senator Jeff Merkley (D-OR) about possibly shifting assistance to non-governmental organizations or peace projects, Abrams expressed skepticism. “If the penalty for spending money on terrorists is well it goes from box one to box two, that’s not much of a penalty. I think Palestinians need to be told: this has got to stop.”

Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY): “People sense weakness. Cut it all. Cut every last penny of it. Restart it when they (PA) change their behavior.” Paul also suggested that it’s up to Israeli lawmakers to take the first step. “If the Knesset can’t even withhold the tax money… what kind of message are we sending?” he asked. “If the Knesset is listening to us, for goodness sake you have got to do at least that first step.”

Ranking Democrat Ben Cardin (D-MD) expressed disappointment that no representative of the Trump administration was present at the hearing to offer the executive branch’s view on this legislation. [JewishInsider]

Noah Pollak, advocating in favor of the Taylor Force Act, emails us… “The hearing showed that a bipartisan consensus exists for addressing the problem of Palestinian Authority payments to terrorists. Having spoken to members and staff we are increasingly confident a strong bill will be approved out of committee with bipartisan support. ”

ANOTHER TRUMP WALL? “Trump lawyers want wall between Kushner, president” by Jonathan Swan: “President Trump’s outside legal team wants to wall off Jared Kushner from discussing the Russia investigation with his father-in-law… Members of Trump’s legal team — which is led by longtime Trump lawyer Marc Kasowitz, and includes conservative legal firebrand Jay Sekulow — are trying to cloak their startling demand with the two-word message to Kushner: Nothing personal… Members of Trump’s legal team are frustrated that Kushner has been discussing the investigation with the president, according to the sources.” [Axios] 

“With Glare on Trump Children, Political Gets Personal for President” by Mark Landler and Maggie Haberman: “[Jared] Kushner, colleagues say, has kept up a regular work schedule, meeting on Wednesday with Gary D. Cohn, the director of the National Economic Council, to discuss the administration’s impending moves on trade. He is also in touch with Jason D. Greenblatt, Mr. Trump’s Middle East envoy, who is in Israel for meetings with Israeli and Palestinian leaders… Colleagues of Mr. Kushner said he had remained focused and upbeat despite the drumbeat of negative headlines — a trait they ascribe to his experience dealing with the legal troubles of his father, Charles Kushner, who was convicted of tax evasion and witness tampering.”[NYTimes]

ICYMI: “‘Jared Kosher’: Fox News Ticker Misidentifies Jared Kushner” [DailyBeast]

COLLISION: “Trump helicopter accident kept under wraps” by Emily Smith: “Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner were initially rumored to have been aboard at the time, but Trump insiders denied they were involved.” [NYPost] 

“Democrats clamor for Jared Kushner’s security clearance to be revoked” by David Smith, Sabrina Siddiqui, Ben Jacobs and Amanda Holpuch: “Norm Eisen, the former ethics tsar in Barack Obama’s administration, told the Guardian on Wednesday: “Given the nature of the meeting… I think, certainly, the security clearance should be re-evaluated. One must balance the principle of innocent until proven guilty with the less prudential standards that go into giving a security clearance…” On Capitol Hill, Democratic senators were happy to talk about Kushner. Connecticut’s Chris Murphy…  said: “I don’t know why Jared Kushner still has a job… He watched his father-in-law go on TV and say, ‘No one in my campaign talked to the Russian government.’ He knew that was false.” … New Mexico’s Martin Heinrich… was terse when asked about his role as one of the president’s top advisers. “Then he should act like a senior adviser,” Heinrich said.”[Guardian]

NOAM VS. ALAN — Norm Eisen tweets with about recent Alan Dershowitz Op-Ed about the need to investigate if meeting with Russian lawyer was illegal: “There is much in this Alan Dershowitz piece that I agree with. Note that he’s (slowly!) coming around to possibility crimes were committed.” [Twitter]

Dershowitz: “I’m happy Norm Eisen is slowly coming to my view: we shouldn’t rush to yell “lock her/him up” unless clear breach found of existing statute.” [Twitter] 

“Photo surfaces of evangelical pastors laying hands on Trump in the Oval Office” by Sarah Pulliam Bailey: “Photos of the gathering were posted by Johnnie Moore, who handles media relations for several pastors and ministries… Moore said that many of these leaders are in regular communication with the White House, including with [Jared] Kushner… He said many of the leaders there are hoping the White House will appoint someone to become an ambassador-at-large for international religious freedom, a position that was held by Rabbi David Saperstein until Trump took office.” [WashPost] 

2020 WATCH: “Sanders won’t take 2020 presidential bid ‘off the table’” by Ben Kamisar: “I am not taking it off the table, I just have not made any decisions. And I think it’s much too early,” [Bernie Sanders] said in an interview set to air Thursday morning with SiriusXM Progress’ “Make it Plain with Mark Thompson.” “Our job right now is… to take on all of [President] Trump’s reactionary proposals … There’s a whole lotta fights that we have to fight. It is just too early to be talking about an election 3 1/2 years from now.” [TheHill] 

SPOTLIGHT: “Mark Zuckerberg Hits the Road to Meet Regular Folks—With a Few Conditions” by Reid J. Epstein and Deepa Seetharaman: “Mr. Ball said Mr. Zuckerberg’s representatives instructed them not to relay verbatim quotes from their discussions with him if asked by reporters… Despite his world-wide fame, Mr. Zuckerberg isn’t always recognized by his surprise hosts. In June, he attended an Iftar dinner in Minneapolis. Mr. Zuckerberg arrived after the prayers and the other people in the room, who were mostly refugees from Somalia, didn’t know who he was, said attendee Mohammed Jama… The Zuckerberg entourage, which can be up to eight people, includes a professional photographer. His aides said there is no prohibition against others snapping pictures… As Mr. Zuckerberg was leaving, he made one request, Mr. Moore (a Democratic union steelworker who was a volunteer for Donald Trump’s presidential campaign) said. “He said, ‘If there are any news reporters that call you, just make sure you tell them I’m not running for president.’” [WSJ] 

“With the United Slate, Sam Altman presents a political vision for California… and the U.S.” by Jonathan Shieber: “As the country grapples with income inequality, a lack of affordable housing, and a potential labor crisis brought on by technological advancements like artificial intelligence and automation, Y Combinator president Sam Altman is launching a new initiative to try and create political solutions in his home state and potentially the nation. The new initiative, which Altman launched today, is a combination of a political platform and a call for candidates that the 32-year-old tech millionaire can support in their bids for governor, lieutenant governor, and Congress.” [TechCrunch]

** Good Thursday Morning! Enjoying the Daily Kickoff? Please share us with your friends & tell them to sign up at [JI]. Have a tip, scoop, or op-ed? We’d love to hear from you. Anything from hard news and punditry to the lighter stuff, including event coverage, job transitions, or even special birthdays, is much appreciated. Email Editor@JewishInsider.com **

BUSINESS BRIEFS: David Einhorn’s Hedge Fund Sheds More Than $400 Million in Investor Outflows [WSJ] • Hedge fund titan Paul Singer scores big win after NRG Energy surges 25% in single day [CNBC] • AstraZeneca’s CEO Soriot to join Israeli drugs company Teva: report [Reuters] • Kushner’s Co. rushin’ to sell two buildings in Brooklyn Heights [NYPost] • Robert Kraft, Fred Wilpon among six owners to buy into new esports venture Overwatch League [ESPN] • Mystery of Bob Iger’s Sun Valley absence solved [NYPost] • WeWork has a new COO, Jen Berrent [TechCrunch] • New Lloyd, Same Goldman: The CEO survived the financial crisis and then cancer. Now he’s pushing a bold commitment to trading that’s out of favor in the industry. [Businessweek]

“Hungary to take down controversial Soros posters” by Lili Bayer: “Hungary’s government will take down controversial posters featuring U.S. financier George Soros, Hungarian online news portal Index reported Wednesday… In its justification for ending the campaign, the government said it had originally planned for the campaign to end on July 15.” [Politico] 

WATCH — Former Israeli Defense Minister Moshe Ya’alon tells Christiane Amanpour Netanyahu should condemn Hungary: “We have to distinguish. On the Hungarian case, the ambassador was very right (in criticizing the government). What is going on in Israel with the money of George Soros actually delegitimizing the state of Israel as a Jewish state is a different story… You know, when it comes to anti-Semitism, we should be on a very clear side to defend Jewish people, including George Soros.” [CNN]

“Israel Seeking Saudi Flight Agreement to Bring Pilgrims to Mecca” by Jonathan Ferziger and Yaacov Benmeleh: “Israel is trying to persuade Saudi Arabia to allow it to send special Hajj pilgrimage flights to Mecca… “Reality has changed,” Kara said in an interview this week at his office in Jerusalem. “This is a good time to make the request, and I’m working hard on it.” … Kara said he’s spoken to government officials in Saudi Arabia, Jordan and other countries about the Hajj plan and they’re “ready to do it, but it’s very sensitive and it’s still a matter of negotiation.” [Bloomberg]

Bipartisan Letter Demands Answers on Bob Levinson — by Aaron Magid: Nearly two dozen lawmakers led by Bill Nelson (D-FL) and Marco Rubio (R-FL) published a letter to President Donald Trump imploring the White House to increase diplomatic efforts to secure the release of U.S. citizen Bob Levinson detained in Iran for ten years. “We request that you reengage with Tehran and make it clear that continued delay in returning Bob… is another obstacle Iran must overcome if it wants to improve relations with the United States,” they wrote. Michael Anton, a spokesman for the National Security Council, declined to respond to Jewish Insider’s request for comment on the White House’s efforts to secure Levinson’s release or his current medical condition in Iran. [JewishInsider]

“Alan Gross, after spending 5 years in a Cuban prison, is starting over in Israel” by Ron Kampeas: “Gross, 68, wanted to tell me his news: He and his wife, Judy, had made aliyah… “It came through on May 3, which is Golda Meir’s birthday, and a day after my birthday, which is also Herzl’s birthday,” he said. “It was long overdue. I’d been going there for more than 40 years, and I’d worked in Israel and around the region.” … As a contractor who worked in development, Gross was especially busy in Israel and the Palestinian areas working on joint Israeli-Palestinian development after the launch of the Oslo peace talks in 1993. “I was in Israel probably 60 times before I made aliyah,” he said. Alan and Judy Gross live in Tel Aviv… Gross could not pinpoint a time he started thinking about making aliyah. “I can’t say Cuba had anything to do with it,” he said. “I don’t think my Jewish background had anything to do with my treatment.”” [JTA]

TALK OF THE TOWN: “Accusations and Rancor as Elite School’s Leader Departs” by Kate Taylor: “The dispute comes down to a meeting between them on Oct. 20… During the meeting [Jessica] Bagby mentioned that two parents had contacted her with concerns about the Conversations About Race program. She then asked [George] Burns, “You know what the problem here is?” When he asked what it was, he wrote, she said… apparently referring to the parents who had complained, “It’s the Zionists — the Jews.” Mr. Burns wrote that he was stunned and told her that there were plenty of Jewish families who supported the program and families of different backgrounds who opposed it. Mr. Burns said she then made an additional comment about “this group of Jewish parents” who were complaining about the program.”[NYTimes]

“Sheldon Silver’s 2015 Corruption Conviction Is Overturned” by Benjamin Weiser: “In vacating Mr. Silver’s conviction, the appellate court cited a United States Supreme Court ruling last year involving Bob McDonnell, a former Republican governor of Virginia, that narrowed the definition of the kind of official conduct that can serve as the basis of a corruption prosecution. Prosecutors may retry Mr. Silver, a 73-year-old Democrat from the Lower East Side of Manhattan who served for more than two decades as Assembly speaker.” [NYT]

“H.L. Mencken’s Cultured Pearl to return for candidate’s campaign launch” by Sarah Meehan: “The smell of red onions sauteing over a gas stove wafted through Nate Loewentheil’s house on Patterson Park as he and his father, Stephan Loewentheil, prepared a second batch of “Marvelous Marty’s Mexican Chili” on Monday morning… Loewentheil, 31, is running for a spot representing Maryland’s 46th District in the state House of Delegates during next year’s midterm elections. He most recently served as a special assistant to President Barack Obama and a senior policy adviser at the National Economic Council, where he led the White House task force on Baltimore. He holds both a bachelor’s degree and law degree from Yale University.” [BaltimoreSun]

BIRTHDAYS: Teacher for 27 years in the Los Angeles United School District (1964-1991), president of the San Fernando Valley Council of NA’AMAT USA, Zita Gluskin turns 91… Scottsdale, Arizona resident, Howie K. Kipnes turns 78… One of the highest box-office grossing actors ever, his maternal grandmother was Anna Lifschutz, a Jewish immigrant from Minsk, he is best known as the title character in the Indiana Jones film series, Harrison Ford turns 75… Radio and television talk show host, co-host of “Pardon the Interruption” on ESPN since 2001 with Michael Wilbon, former sportswriter and columnist for The Washington Post, Anthony Irwin “Tony” Kornheiser turns 69… Director of governmental and regulatory affairs for Calpine Corporation’s East Region (Calpine is an operator of 83 electric power plants), Stuart Widom turns 60… Manager of institutional affairs at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, Jennifer Rebecca Goodman Lilintahl turns 37… Co-founder and COO of Bubby, a tech enabled yenta-like matchmaking app, previously an official at AIPAC and AJC Global, Sarah Persitz turns 32… Co-founder and president at Time Flash, a digital time capsule service, Jared Kash turns 24… Founding Partner and CEO of Trinnacle Capital Management, Eric Kohlmann Kupper… Louis Panzer…

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Daily Kickoff: Javanka land in Sun Valley amid anti-Trump tone | Greenblatt’s water deal | Zuckerberg’s road trip rules | Sam Altman’s United Slate Read More »