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TOP TALKER: “Netanyahu Forms an Israeli Government, With Minutes to Spare” by Jodi Rudoren: “Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel barely met the legal deadline to form a new government on Wednesday night and will start his fourth term with the slimmest of parliamentary majorities, made up of right-leaning and religious parties… Mr. Netanyahu and the head of the Jewish Home, Naftali Bennett, appeared together at Israel’s Parliament building shortly before 11 p.m. to tell reporters they had sealed the deal.” [NYTimes]

“5 Things About Israel’s Narrow Coalition Government” by Aaron David Miller: “1. Mr. Netanyahu has been weakened. 2. A narrow government might be more durable than the conventional wisdom holds. 3. A majority this narrow is unlikely to hold over time. 4. This is only round one. 5. There are tensions in the region and beyond.” [WSJ] • “Israel’s Ultra-Orthodox Poised For Political Comeback” by Aron Heller [AP]

David Horovitz: “Netanyahu promised a ‘better, more stable government’. And we got this? Would the PM have put himself, and us, through this whole election nightmare if he’d known he’d wind up pleading with Naftali Bennett for a wafer-thin majority?” [ToI]

“Natalie Portman Sounds Off on Israel, Netanyahu, French Anti-Semitism and the “False Idol” of Oscar” by Stephen Galloway: “With strong opinions on everything from the Israeli elections (“I’m very, very upset”) to Hollywood’s worship of awards, Portman will unveil her directorial debut, ‘A Tale of Love and Darkness,’ her way — all in Hebrew — just a short flight away from her new home in Paris: “I like being a stranger in a place. You’re kind of an outsider, and I think that’s what makes you. It’s the only way I’ve ever known.”

“On Benjamin Netanyahu, newly re-elected as prime minister of Israel, the country of her birth: “I’m very much against Netanyahu. Against. I am very, very upset and disappointed that he was re-elected. I find his racist comments horrific. However, I don’t — what I want to make sure is, I don’t want to use my platform [the wrong way]. I feel like there’s some people who become prominent, and then it’s out in the foreign press. You know, shit on Israel. I do not. I don’t want to do that.” [HollywoodReporter] • “Jerusalem Unveils Plan to Build Studio to Attract Foreign Shoots” [Variety]

2016 WATCH: “Scott Walker’s rabbi” by Eli Stokols: “When Republican politicians want to make their first pilgrimage to the Holy Land, there’s but one person to call: Larry Mizel. That’s why he’s arranging Scott Walker’s first-ever trip to Israel next week. He opens doors, arranges meetings with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other members of Israel’s ruling class, and provides the kind of guidance that helps candidates avoid the gaffes that can befall politicians abroad… Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper, a Democrat who is close to Mizel and a number of GOP donors, went on Mizel-led tour of Israel in 2013 and called it “the most remarkable seven-day trip of my life.” [Politico]

“Inside Jeb Bush’s long game: A bet on peaking late” by Matea Gold and Robert Costa: “At a luxury Miami hotel last month, one of Jeb Bush’s chief strategists stood before hundreds of top GOP fundraisers to deliver an unsubtle message: The former Florida governor will not be one of the “presidents of August.” During his closed-door presentation at the 1 Hotel in South Beach, Mike Murphy dismissed buzz-fueled candidates who rise fast early only to flame out once the primaries begin… Murphy’s talk was aimed in part at quieting pockets of anxiety that have been percolating among Bush supporters who are beginning to worry whether he can excite Republicans in the same way that many of his younger rivals are already doing.” [WashPost]

“Cash flows in year of SuperPAC 2.0” by Tarini Parti: “Bush’s experimental fundraising approach, designed largely by his legal adviser Charlie Spies — who also formed the pro-Romney super PAC in 2012, follows in the footsteps of his brother, former President George W. Bush, whose 2004 campaign modernized presidential campaign fundraising by making bundling the focus of his money strategy.” [Politico]

“Hillary Clinton Embraces a ‘Super PAC'” by Maggie Haberman and Nicholas Confessore:“Her decision is another escalation in what is expected to be the most expensive presidential contest in history, and it has the potential to transform the balance of power in presidential campaigning, where Republican outside groups have tended to outspend their Democratic counterparts.” [NYTimes]

“Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder ‘has not made any decisions’ on presidential run” by Jonathan Oosting: “Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder “has not made any decisions” about entering the Republican presidential field, a spokeswoman said Wednesday evening, responding to a POLITICO report that he will not run in 2016… Speculation over a potential Snyder run picked up two weeks ago when he attended the Republican Jewish Coalition’s spring meeting in Nevada, where he met with the board. Former Minnesota Sen. Norm Coleman, who said he met Snyder a day earlier, told reporters at the meeting that, “He’s running. He’s running.” [MLive]

“Coleman didn’t back down. “I noted that the field of potential Republican presidential candidates was far from complete and made specific mention of Gov. Snyder, who has an impressive record of accomplishment,” Coleman said in an email to The Detroit News. “It was my clear impression, from my conversation with him, that he is running. However, I will leave it up to Gov. Snyder to confirm whether or not he is officially a candidate.” [DetroitNews] • “Ex-Senator Coleman Lands Emirates Lobbying Push” [Odwyer; TheHill]

“Former Hawaii governor Linda Lingle will make $198K under Rauner” by Kurt Erickson: The former governor of Hawaii is making more money as an aide to Illinois Gov. Bruce Rauner than she did when she oversaw the Aloha State. Rauner’s office, along with payroll records filed this week by the Illinois comptroller, show Linda Lingle will receive $60,000 for a state contract running from April to June. After that, she will go on the state payroll as an employee with an annual salary of $198,000.” [QCTimes]

FLA SEN: “Florida Lt. Gov. Carlos Lopez-Cantera tells supporters he’s likely running for Senate” by Patricia Mazzei: “Florida Republican Lt. Gov. Carlos Lopez-Cantera appears poised to enter the 2016 U.S. Senate race to replace Marco Rubio, telephoning political donors and activists over the past few days to gauge their support and indicate his strong interest in launching a bid, several sources have told the Miami Herald. Like Rubio, Lopez-Cantera has been a favorite of Miami auto magnate Norman Braman, a prominent benefactor. A “super PAC” to benefit Lopez-Cantera is in the works, sources told the Herald.” [MiamiHerald] • “Congressman Ron DeSantis announces run for Rubio’s Senate seat” [News4Jax]

STATE VISIT: Rep. Bob Dold is currently visiting Israel with several prominent Jewish families from Illinois. So far, Dold has met with Defense Minister Bogie Ya’alon, PMO Spokesman Mark Regev, Dore Gold, and MK Erel Margalit, Other trip participants include Sandy Perl, Rivka Zell, Josh Rinkov, Dave and Liz Geifman, and Andy Hochberg [Instagram]

“Secretary of the Air Force Deborah Lee James visits Israel: This was the Secretary’s first visit to Israel in her current position, and she met with senior Israel Air Force leaders, learned about IAF capabilities first-hand during visits to operational units, and looked to the future by discussing the framework for expanded security cooperative activities.” [YouTube]

DRIVING THE DAY: “Senate To Hold Test Vote On Iran Nuclear Bill” by Deb Riechmann: “The bipartisan legislation would block President Barack Obama from waiving congressional sanctions for at least 30 days while lawmakers weigh in on any final deal with Iran. The bill would require Congress to pass a resolution of disapproval to reject the deal, which would almost certainly be vetoed by Obama. Then, Congress would be required to muster votes from two-thirds of each chamber to override the veto.”[AP] • “Looking back and ahead on Iran with Sen. Menendez, nuclear issue pioneer” [JNS]

UK VOTES: “Uncertainty: The only sure thing in Britain’s too-close-to-call election” by Griff Witte and Dan Balz: “After a bitter, bruising and unusually fragmented six-week election campaign, British voters began to vote Thursday knowing just one thing with near certainty: Nobody is going to win. Or, at least, polls suggest that no one will win in the way elections are usually decided in British politics, with one party claiming a majority in Parliament and a clear mandate to run the country.” [WashPost]

“David Cameron: Israel was right to defend itself over Gaza — I feel that very clearly” in a interview with Stephen Pollard: “Last month’s JC poll showing that 69 per cent of British Jews are planning to vote Conservative might, on one level, owe more to the community’s view of Labour leader Ed Miliband than it does to any attributes of David Cameron. But that is a far too flippant response to what is, by any standards, a huge endorsement of the Prime Minister… When I met him on Monday, I wanted to understand how this dogged defence of Israeli actions came from the same man who, before becoming Prime Minister, could attack a previous Israeli military operation as “disproportionate and a mistake”, and who had, on an early Prime Ministerial visit to Turkey, called Gaza a giant “prison camp”. [JewishChronicle]

“Ed Miliband: “I value my relationship with the Jewish community” in an interview with Marcus Dysch: “Ed Miliband’s relationship with the Jewish community has been sorely tested in the year since the Labour leader claimed he felt closer to British Jews than ever before… Mr Miliband spoke to the JC at the end of a long day of campaigning in Newcastle on Monday, discussing his views on the Middle East conflict and tackling antisemitism, and in an emotional moment revealed how he had used his grandfather’s 70th yahrzeit to explain his family’s Holocaust experience to his five-year-old son Daniel.” [JewishChronicle]

**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 [email protected]**
SILICON VALLEY SPOTLIGHT: Max Levchin raises $275 million to reinvent credit” by Leena Rao: “Banks and financial institutions have not created products that serve younger generations in the most efficient way, according to Max Levchin, the co-founder of eBay-owned payments giant PayPal. It’s a major opportunity for startups that seek to rethink financial technology—one Levchin hopes to leverage with his own, Affirm.” [Fortune; BizJournal]

STARTUP NATION: “Crowdfunding’s Hot Formula: Passion for Israel, Facebook Dreams” by Gabrielle Coppola: “With new Israeli tech companies popping up all the time, there’s plenty of competition for capturing crowdfunded investments. Yapping at OurCrowd and Jon Medved’s heels are Nathan Low, a former mortgage-bond trader for Salomon Brothers Inc. who’s enlisted an ex-Mossad agent to help vet cybersecurity ventures for his platform, ZionTech Blue Initiatives LLC, and Tel Aviv-based iAngels, founded in January 2014 by Shelly Hod Moyal and Mor Assia, which has financial backing from Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich and U.S. hedge fund manager Boaz Weinstein.”

“Low’s ZionTech operates like an investment bank, charging startups for the service of raising capital. Low said he’s had some success with wealthy evangelical Christians, who support Israel because they believe its existence will hasten the second coming of the Messiah, as well as American Jews. ZionTech has invested $10 million with another $6 million pending, he said. As long as the number of companies looking for funding dwarfs the amount of available capital, Israeli startups will be a cheaper bet than their Silicon Valley peers, Low said. “Right now it’s the single cheapest asset class in the world,” he said.” [Bloomberg]

“Meerkat’s Israeli Founder On Getting The Kill Call From Twitter” by Natasha Lomas: “Meerkat founder Ben Rubin has criticized Twitter for only giving the live streaming startup two hours’ notice before pulling the plug on access to its social graph. Speaking onstage with TechCrunch’s Josh Constine here at Disrupt NY, Rubin said: “Big platforms should take leadership coming from courage and not fear.” [TechCrunch] • “Meerkat Launches Developer Platform To Differentiate From Periscope” [TechCrunch] • “Google acquires Israeli time management startup Timeful” [Globes; FastCompany]

“Israeli Cybereason Raises $25M Because Corporate Security Is Broken” by Christine Magee: “Cybereason, an Israeli startup that provides real-time cyber attack detection and response tech for the enterprise, is the latest company to tap into the heightened fear around security breaches. They’ve just closed $25 million in Series B funding led by Spark Capital with participation from strategic investor Lockheed Martin and current backer CRV.” [TechCrunch] • “In-Q-Tel Invests in Jack Weiss’ Mobile Communications Platform BlueLine Grid” [VentureBeat] • “StoreDot promises electric car that charges in 5 minutes” [ToI]

BUSINESS BRIEFS: “Sumner Redstone to transfer CBS, Viacom control to daughter” [VanityFair; NYPost] • “Dan Loeb just threw shade at Warren Buffett at a big hedge fund conference and everyone clapped” [BusinessInsider; Fortune] • “Blackstone’s Schwarzman Says Jon Gray Is Part of Succession Plan” [Bloomberg; Yahoo] • “David Rubenstein was right about SunGard” [Fortune] • “Lindsey Rosenwald’s new firm to create vaccines to prevent cytomegalovirus infections” [VND] • “A Farewell Tribute To Alfred Taubman, By Les Wexner” [Forbes]

REAL ESTATE ROUNDUP: “Tenants at this luxury Williamsburg waterfront building can now buy their apartments: A partnership of Kushner Cos., LIVWRK and the Rockpoint Group bought the 338-unit rental property earlier this year for $275 million.” [Crains; RealDeal] • “Aby Rosen’s Proposed Design Changes to the Four Seasons Prompt an Outcry” [NYTimes] • Miki Naftali Profile: The Tel Aviv-born CEO of The Naftali Group [Observer]

Ruth Bader Ginsburg: “The Notorious RBG” — “Justice Ginsburg recently met with Moment editor Nadine Epstein in her chambers, where she proudly pointed out the silver mezuzah on the door frame and prints on the theme of tzedek—justice—hanging on the wall. In a wide-ranging conversation, the woman affectionately dubbed in the popular press and on T-shirts as “The Notorious RBG” discussed her Jewish values, feminism, religious freedom and what it is like to be a role model for so many women.” [MomentMag]

“A Jew in Bradford: How Britain’s Muslim North became George Galloway country” by Ben Judah: “A burly Asian man in a black suit and sunglasses rushes up and grabs me round the neck, pinning me to a low perimeter wall. “Get out, you fucking Jew,” he shouts. I am being throttled as around ten Asian men surround me. My teeth chatter as a man in a tracksuit punches me in the head.” [PoliticoEU]

SPORTS BLINK: “La Familia, The Hate Group That Influences One Of Israel’s Top Soccer Teams” by Raphael Geller: “Why would a football manager, who just last season coached an Israeli-Arab squad and a national youth team full of Muslims, make such racist comments? The answer is job security. And La Familia. La Familia is the ultra football supporters’ group for Beitar Jerusalem. Established in 2005, they since have earned several global headlines for their opposition to signing Muslim and Arab players.” [ViceSports]

BIRTHDAYS: Congressman Ted Deutch turns 49… Bibi and Rand Paul’s tech guru Vincent Harris turns 27…

That’s all folks; have a great day!

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