Daily Kickoff
SCENE LAST NIGHT: According to several sources in the room, around 300 donors attended a Marco Rubio fundraiser in NYC hosted by Ben Heller and Phil Rosen. Prior to the main fundraiser, there were two smaller events. The first, organized by Jonathan Burkan, was geared towards former Scott Walker donors and the second for top Rubio bundlers. Among those who were spotted: Ohio Treasurer Josh Mandel, Dan Arbess, Michael Vlock, Trump donor Ralph Herzka, Wayne Berman, Raymond Gindi, Joe Wall, Rob Astorino, Jerry Levin, Andrew Duncan, Courtney Geduldig, Mark and Erica Gerson, Stanley Stern, Eliot Lauer, Andrew Lauer, Raj Mahajan, Rabbi Steven Weil, Nathan Diament, Jeff Ballabon, Aryeh Lightstone, Shmuel Winiarz, Christopher A. Ohmacht, Eric Levine, Larry Grafstein, Leon Goldenberg, Chaskel Bennett, Kelly Powers, Jeb donor Morris Wolfson, Abraham Wolfson, Burton Weinstein, Drew Parker, Felix Glaubach.
In Pictures: Rubio addressing the crowd [Pic] • Leaving the building [Pic]
Later, Nathan Diament tweeted — “Spotted: @marcorubio @amtrak from NYP. Early days still as a candidate.” [Twitter]
Bernie Sanders’ L.A. Fundraiser — by Jared Sichel: “Yesterday at the historic Avalon Hollywood nightclub in Los Angeles, Bernie Sanders was back for his second major public appearance in L.A. in as many months, packing fans into a relatively small club that maintained its nightlife atmosphere for the stump speech–dark blue lighting and rock and pop music blaring before and after Sanders’ hour-long speech, which cost each attendee a minimum $25 contribution to the Sanders campaign.”
–Pool report by the WashPost’s John Wagner: “Following the low-dollar fundraiser at the Avalon in Hollywood, Sanders held a second fundraiser Wednesday in Beverly Hills at the home of Syd and Linda Leibovitch. said that since Tuesday night’s debate, his campaign has raised $2.5 million.”
“Jeb Bush Disclosure on His Campaign ‘Bundlers’ Spurs Criticism” by Christopher Stewart and Beth Reinhard: “Jeb Bush on Thursday is expected to become the first Republican presidential candidate to release the names of supporters who are bundling campaign contributions—although with a twist. Bush is defining bundlers as donors who have raised at least $17,600… Critics say the lower benchmark allows Mr. Bush to make it impossible to detect his biggest bundlers.” [WSJ] • “After being wooed by Rubio, Charles Schwab to help host Bush fundraiser” [Politico]
“Ben Carson to skip Sheldon Adelson confab” by Theodore Schleifer: “Ben Carson is the only invited Republican presidential candidate not planning to attend the upcoming high-profile conference hosted by a group led by Sheldon Adelson, a Republican source said Wednesday, missing a top opportunity to win over some of the biggest donors in the Republican money race. The Republican Jewish Coalition’s winter forum in early December is expected to feature nearly every GOP hopeful except Carson, a Republican close to the organization said.” [CNN]
“Ivanka Trump on how she feels about her father’s presidential bid: It’s complicated” by Leena Rao: “As a daughter, Trump says her father’s ambitions of becoming President of the U.S. are more complicated for her: “The level of interest and scrutiny is beyond anything you have experienced.” [Fortune; JI] • “Ivanka Trump is her father’s most influential adviser, his most powerful surrogate—and his total opposite.” [PoliticoMag]
IRAN DEAL: “Samantha Power: Iran violating U.N. Security Council resolutions” by Nick Gass: “If the facts are as we believe them to be, it would violate U.N. Security Council resolutions,” Samantha Power said, speaking at Fortune’s Most Powerful Women summit in Washington.” [Politico; JI] • “Iran Is Even More Tempting for Big Oil After the Price Slump” [Bloomberg]
“House Foreign Affairs chair demands White House response to Iranian missile test” by Karoun Demirjian: “It is clear that Tehran is testing United States resolve in the wake of the nuclear agreement,” Royce wrote to Obama, urging a response “to make clear that Iran remains prohibited from developing this dangerous technology and uphold your administration’s pledge before Congress to counter Iran’s ballistic missile program.” [PowerPost]
Q&A with White House Jewish Liaison Matt Nosanchuk by Geoffrey Melada: “Matt Nosanchuk is checking his watch. He’s not being rude. In fact, he’s sat for more than an hour’s worth of questions from a reporter at this point. But he’s got opera tickets tonight — Carmen is opening at the Kennedy Center — and he doesn’t want to miss the famous overture. He’s taking his mother to this performance for her birthday, and they’ve got good seats. In fact, they’re sitting in President Barack Obama’s private box, a favor from the boss.” [WashingtonJewishWeek]
“U.S. ‘excessive force’ comment touches nerve in Israel” by Jeffrey Heller: “U.S. State Department suggestions that Israel might be using excessive force to confront a wave of Palestinian stabbing attacks drew sharp criticism on Thursday from senior Israeli cabinet ministers. Defence Minister Moshe Yaalon accused Washington of “misreading” the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and he said shooting knife-wielding Palestinians was self-defense. Public Security Minister Gilad Erdan called the U.S. remarks ‘foolish.'” [Reuters; JPost]
“White House Makes New Push to Ease Israeli, Palestinian Tension” by Felicia Schwartz and Carol Lee: “Secretary of State John Kerry will travel to the region soon to call for calm as violence in Israel has escalated in recent weeks, State Department spokesman John Kirby said.” [WSJ]
“Jerusalem Grows More Grim and Polarized With Clampdown” by Isabel Kershner and Jodi Rudoren: “The Mamilla Mall, an upscale Jerusalem shopping street popular with fashion-conscious residents of all backgrounds, was desolate on Wednesday.” [NYTimes]
Aaron David Miller: “Four Things That Aren’t Helping the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict” [WSJ]
David Suissa: “Israel under the knife” [JewishJournal]
Jerusalem Mayor Nir Barkat on Morning Joe [MSNBC]
At 6:30PM local time in Israel, Prime Minister Netanyahu and MFA Director General Dr. Dore Gold will hold a press briefing in English.
Chemi Shalev: “Why ‘Occupation-denial’ Impedes Israel’s War on Terror” [Haaretz]
Dan Ephron: “How Yitzhak Rabin’s Assassin Won” [PoliticoMag]
HAPPENING TODAY: At 10am, the Washington Institute for Near East Policy hosts a forum on “Palestinian-Israeli Crisis: Leadership, Diplomacy, and Prospects for Renewed Violence” with Avi Issacharoff, Ghaith al-Omari, and David Makovsky. [Livestream]
The Anti-Defamation League holds its 2015 annual meeting at the Grand Hyatt in Denver today and tomorrow. Speakers include Denver Mayor Michael Hancock, Jonathan Greenblatt, Rabbi David Wolpe, Dennis Ross, Abraham Foxman, Amos Yadlin, and a presentation from Matisyahu.
WEEKEND TRIP: New York Mayor Bill de Blasio departs for a three day visit to Israel. De Blasio will keynote the 30th annual Conference of Mayors at the Hilton in Tel Aviv on Sunday. He is also expected to join students of a coexistence Jewish-Arab school, Hand in Hand, for a field trip to an olive grove near a kibbutz west of Jerusalem. The school was the victim of an arson attack last year. Joining the mayor will be the JCRC’s Michael Miller, Michael Landau, senior aide Avi Fink, philanthropists Elly Kleinman and Leon Goldenberg, and activist Ari Noe. Follow @JacobKornbluh for live coverage. [NY1]
“Group calls ‘gift’ to pay for de Blasio’s trip to Israel ‘troubling’” by Gloria Pazmino: “In an open letter to Mayor Bill de Blasio, the Center for Constitutional Rights on Wednesday criticized how his three-day trip to Israel this week is being financed. The trip and lodging for the mayor and his staff is being paid for through “private gift to the city” by Israeli entrepreneur Baruch Eliezer Gross. The gift has been approved by the city’s Conflicts of Interests Board and will not cost taxpayers anything.” [CapitalNY; Letter]
BUSINESS BRIEFS: BBC chief Danny Cohen stepping down [ToI] • “US-based tech entrepreneur Jack Hidary sets up India office” [TheHindu] • “With Sam Nazarian out at SLS, the Strip loses a colorful character” [LVWeekly] • Marketplace interviews Slack CEO Stewart Butterfield [Marketplace] • Joseph Chetrit selling Chicago Public Schools HQ for almost $205 million [Crains] • “Sheldon Silver says he won’t take a plea deal, is ready for trial” [CapitalNY]
PROFILE: “Martin Selig Escaped Nazi Germany to Seattle, Where He Built Fortune In Real Estate” by Chloe Sorvino: “It’s impossible to look at Seattle and not see Martin Selig. His eponymous real estate company has been erecting buildings there for nearly six decades–mostly high-end high-rises… The 78-year-old arrived in the Pacific Northwest under less than auspicious circumstances. He and his family fled Nazi Germany in 1939 after a late-night warning to get out, traveling east through Poland to Russia, where they snuck onto the Trans Siberian Railroad. From there came Korea and Japan before they secured a place in steerage to America, getting off–apparently on a whim–in Seattle. He’s been there ever since.” [Forbes]
TALK OF OUR NATION: “Don’t try to get courts to figure out what’s really “Modern Orthodox Jewish” and what isn’t” [WashPost]
BIRTHDAYS: Haim Saban turns 71… Stanley Fischer turns 72… Washington Nationals owner Ted Lerner turns 90… Stu Loeser… Alain Cohen… Neil Kugelman…