Daily Kickoff
DRIVING THE DAY: Hamas fires rockets at Be’er Sheva breaking cease-fire. Israel hits back at terror targets in Gaza [ToI] — “Israeli Diplomat Says Gaza War Taught Hamas a Lesson” [DailyBeast] — “Hamas in West Bank ‘planned to topple Palestinian Authority'” [JPost] — “Fatah: Activists In Gaza Under Hamas House Arrest” [AP]
IRAN TALKS: “Despite sanctions relief, Iran aids Hamas with missile technology” by Guy Taylor and Maggie Ybarra: “When President Obama announced last year the easing of U.S. sanctions on Iran in return for concessions on its nuclear program, he cautiously hailed the deal as a “real opportunity to achieve a comprehensive, peaceful settlement” with Tehran. But while both countries work overtime on thorny nuclear issues, fresh evidence suggests Iran continues to support the Palestinian terrorist organization Hamas, which went to war anew this summer with Israel.” [WashTimes]
REUTERS: “As Gaza war subsides, a battle over how it is investigated” by Luke Baker: “Even before starting work as chairman of a U.N. human rights commission investigating the Gaza war, Canadian law professor William Schabas has been vilified as an apologist for Iran incapable of setting aside his perceived anti-Israel bias. Full page adverts have been taken out against him in The New York Times, Wall Street Journal and Washington Post, while the Facebook page of Rabbi Shmuley Boteach, a leader of the anti-Schabas campaign, has attracted more than 30,000 “likes”.” [Reuters] — “Englewood rabbi launches pro-Israel ads” [NorthJersey] — “Rabbi Shmuley: Russell Brand, Israel-Hater” [Observer]
Pastor John Hagee on CUFI’s plan forward: “We would like to continue the Nights to Honor Israel in every major city, the Pastors’ conferences in every major city, teaching them their responsibilities to speak up for Israel; the continuous growth and development of our college and university programs that are taking the fight to the next generation, because anti-Semitism is a flourishing thing on America’s college campuses, and we are in over 300 universities right now… And in the future, we would like to open a Washington office that has the ability on a daily basis to communicate with Congress members and Senators concerning the needs of Israel as we see it, and to become a daily influence on the policies ofgovernment as it relates to the State of Israel.” [JewishJournal]
2016 WATCH: “The Koch’s plan to beat Harry Reid” by Kenneth P. Vogel and Burgess Everett: “Intensifying and complicating the competition is that allies of Reid and Koch are assiduously courting Sheldon Adelson. He’s a friend and constituent of Reid’s, but sources say Koch operatives raised more than $20 million from him in 2012… In GOP finance circles, some wonder if Adelson, who spent as much as $150M trying to elect Republicans in 2012, will support a challenge to Reid, either through the Koch network or otherwise. Adelson attended his first Koch donor seminar in 2012. And in March, Phillips made his first foray to an annual Republican Jewish Coalition conference at Adelson’s Venetian Resort Hotel Casino, where all manner of leading GOP operatives and politicians clamored to butter up Adelson… Adelson political lieutenant Andy Abboud did say that his boss “has become friends with Harry Reid, and they have a close working relationship. But it’s based on two things — the importance of the industry to Nevada and the importance of defending Israel.”… The political world took notice this spring when Reid declined to lump Adelson in with the Kochs, casting the casino mogul’s political giving as more idealistic in an interview with Chuck Todd on MSNBC. “So, Sheldon Adelson, don’t pick on him,” Reid said. “He’s not in it to make money.” [Politico] — Soros Funded Group Behind Perry’s Indictment [MRC]
—Lev Leviev’s BlockTrail Secures Cash For Its Bitcoin Transactions Analysis Platform:“BlockTrail is a new platform for bitcoin analytics launched today by Amsterdam-based researchers BlockCorp. It’s secured €500,000 ($669,310) in funding from BlockCorp, which was set up by entrepreneur Boaz Bechar and VKontakte co-founder Lev Leviev. Competing with Blockchain.info and Blockr, the platform hopes to surface information about cryptocurrency transactions by creating dedicated tools for the analysis of network and economic data.” [TechCrunch]
REAL ESTATE ROUNDUP: “Chetrit drops $97.5M on Brickell assemblage” [RealDeal] — Kushner buys 3 Middle River apartment complexes for $37.9M [BizJournal] — Trump Executive, Michael Cohen, files $250K suit over Hamptons rental “disaster” [NYPost]
TALK OF THE TOWN: “You Can Pay Jews To Live in Dothan, Alabama. But Will They Stay: A Relocation Program Tries to Attract Jewish Families” by Anne Cohen & Sigal Samuel: “In 2008, the dwindling community launched a last-ditch effort to ensure a Jewish future in Dothan. Larry Blumberg, a prominent real estate entrepreneur in his 80s, comes from one of Temple Emanu-El’s original founding families. He pledged $1 million over 10 years to fund a relocation program, which offers up to $50,000 in moving expenses and start-up money for families willing to move to the Alabama town — and stay there for at least five years. In the six years since the program launched, eight families have made the jump, with two more expected before the High Holidays… In order for this plan to work, the community must draw in families with young children, and keep them there.” [Forward]
Holocaust survivor, 90, arrested in Missouri protest: “A 90-year-old Holocaust survivor has joined the fray of protests in Missouri regarding the shooting death of Michael Brown, even being arrested Monday, according to local news outlets.” [Haaretz]
TABLET-OP: “Becoming an Unaffiliated Jew: Why I Left My Synagogue” by Judy Walters: “I wrote the email on a late June day. I rewrote it. Again. And again. Then I walked away from it. I looked at it the next day. And the next. Then I hit “send.” And I had done it. I had left my synagogue. After 20 years of mixed feelings and more than eight months of discussion and debate with my husband, we had walked away from the place where our babies had been named, welcomed, and bat mitzvahed, the place where we had celebrated countless holidays, volunteered hundreds of hours, and—not to mention—spent thousands of dollars.” [TabletMag]
PHILANTHROPY: “From Vancouver to Newfoundland, 40 students awarded largest ever Canadian scholarship to study STEM”: “Created by Canadian business leader and philanthropist Seymour Schulich three years ago, the annual awards program encourages high school graduates to embrace STEM disciplines in their future careers. This year, there were 1,147 Schulich Leader Nominees competing for the 40 awards. To date, the Scholarship has positively impacted 120 students from across Canada by distributing more than $7.6 million to Canadian students… This $100 million endowment fund is creating the next generation of technology innovators in Canada and Israel… The administration of the program is a function of the Jewish Foundation of UJA Federation of Greater Toronto.” [Newswire]
BIRTHDAYS: Former President Bill Clinton turns 68… Omri Sharon turns 50… Yehuda Neuberger… Ezra Friedlander