Daily Kickoff
JFNA TALK: Next Tuesday’s closing plenary at the JFNA’s General Assembly will feature speeches from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Opposition Leader Isaac Herzog, White House Chief of Staff Denis McDonough, and former Canadian Foreign Minister John Baird.
Rumor Has It: JFNA really wanted to feature President Obama and Prime Minister Netanyahu on stage together but the White House is sending McDonough instead.
Ari Harow, Netanyahu’s former Chief of Staff, previews the Prime Minister’s upcoming visit for JI readers: “We can expect that PM Netanyahu will continue where he left off at the UN, pushing the Iran issue… compliance with the deal… strengthen those opposing Iranian agression; first and foremost Israel… and work to dismantle Iran’s global terror network… Post the Iran deal Israel has gone to great lengths to ease tensions with Washington, including in statements made by some of Israel’s leaders… and Defense Minister Ya’alon’s visit to DC last week helped set the stage..which should help both sides put a positive spin on the visit.”
Ronald Lauder places an ad in today’s NYTimes, WSJ and Washington Post: “This is a unique opportunity to reinvigorate the relationship between the United States and Israel. I know both President Obama and Prime Minister Netanyahu. Both possess the greatness, the vision and the courage needed to move this relationship forward on a positive path. Together, they can revitalize the American-Israeli alliance, ensure the future security of Israel, help stabilize the Middle East and bring the entire world closer to peace.” [Ad] H/T to our friends at Playbook
Chris Miller and Rebecca Friedman Lissner: “The Israel That Can Say “No” — Why Netanyahu Has Less Need for the United States.” Paywall [ForeignAffairs]
Hillary Clinton Op-Ed: “How I Would Forge Better Ties to Israel — and Rebuild Bond With Benjamin Netanyahu” [Forward]
“Cruz Blasts Administration For Neglecting U.S. Victims of Palestinian Terror” by Jacob Kornbluh: “During the hearing, titled “Justice Forsaken: How the Federal Government Fails the American Victims of Iranian and Palestinian Terrorism,” Cruz and Senator Chris Coons (D-Delaware) drew focus on the federal government’s failure to support the American victims of Iranian and Palestinian terror in their search for justice.” [JI; YouTube]
TOP TALKER: “Donald Trump Is Said to Have Reached Out to the Megadonor Sheldon Adelson” by Maggie Haberman: “Adelson has told associates in the weeks since that conversation, which took place over the summer, according to the person briefed, that he considered the outreach an effort by Mr. Trump to secure his support.” [FirstDraft; JI]
“Trump courted mega-donors he now scorns” by Kenneth Vogel and Ben Schreckinger:“Trump’s courtship of Adelson, a Las Vegas casino mogul and ardent Zionist, involved “a very clear ask for money,” said a source close to Adelson, who noted the request came even as Trump was publicly declaring that he didn’t need donors’ money. “It was an odd ask.” Yet the sources close to the Trump campaign said that it went to great lengths to cast the candidate as an Israel supporter to appeal to Singer, Adelson and other similarly minded megadonors.” [Politico]
Trump on Morning Joe: “I had one conversation with Sheldon, and all he wants to do is protect Israel,” Mr. Trump said on MSNBC’s Morning Joe. “The only thing I can tell you is that Sheldon Adelson is very well-protected because I will take care of Israel,” he said. “But his primary thing, I would say 99.99 [percent] is Israel.” [WashTimes]
BACKSTORY — by Gabriel Sherman: “According to a source, Kushner told Trump during a meeting at Trump Tower that he could help broker a meeting with Singer. Kushner, the owner of the New York Observer, indicated to Trump that the paper had been helpful to Singer. Trump told Kushner to make it happen. Kushner emailed Dan Senor, an executive at Elliott Management and a close associate of Singer’s, to introduce Trump, according to three sources close to Singer and Trump. But Singer wasn’t interested, and the meeting with Senor never happened.” [NYMag]
“Donald Trump Rips Marco Rubio, Paul Singer on Immigration: “Paul Singer represents amnesty and he represents illegal immigration pouring into the country,” Trump said.” [Bloomberg]
RJC’s Jeremy Wynes: “Are you serious with this, Daily Caller?!” — “Does Paul Singer Think Open Borders For America Will Be Good For Israel?” [DailyCaller; Twitter]
“Marco Rubio Would Like to Have a Beer With Malala, a Muslim Teen” by Jordan Sargent:“This is hilarious on about 40,000 different levels, the first being that Malala is both a teenager and a practicing Muslim, which would prevent her from drinking alcohol twice over.” [Gawker]
BIPARTISAN: “U.S. Senators Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and Marco Rubio (R-FL) on Wednesday announced they have joined a bipartisan Senate resolution in support of Israel which strongly condemns the Palestinian terrorist attacks that have occurred in recent weeks.” [JI]
HAPPENING TODAY: At 12PM, the Friedlander Group hosts a Congressional Tribute to the U.S. – Israel Security Alliance at the Cannon Caucus Room. Expected speakers include Rep. Ted Deutch, Rep. Eliot Engel, Democratic Whip Steny Hoyer, Rep. Hal Rogers, Rep. Ed Royce, Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, and Rep. Peter Roskam.
At 9AM, the House Oversight & Government Reform Committee holds a hearing on “Iran’s Power Projection Capability” with witnesses Jonathan Schanzer, Thomas McInerney, Steven Bucci, and Alireza Nader.
IRAN DEAL: “U.S. Detects Flurry of Iranian Hacking” by Jay Solomon: “Iran’s powerful Revolutionary Guard military force hacked email and social-media accounts of Obama administration officials in recent weeks in attacks believed to be tied to the arrest in Tehran of an Iranian-American businessman, U.S. officials said.” [WSJ] • “Iran’s defense hawks prepare for worst after nuclear deal” [Reuters]
FIRST LOOK — Cover Story: “Is Iran Finally Ready for Change?” Paywall [TimeMag]
Josh Rogin: “Iran and Saudi Arabia Clash Inside Syria Talks” [BloombergView]
SCENE LAST NIGHT — by Jacob Kornbluh: “A few hundred members of the New York Jewish community gathered last night at Temple Emanuel to honor the memory of former Israeli PM Yitzhak Rabin. Featured speakers included Consul Gen. Ido Aharoni, Malcolm Hoenlein, UJA’s Alisa Doctoroff, Rabbi Joshua Davidson, Dr. Gady Levy, and Rabin’s granddaughter, Noa Rothman. Actor Tony Lo Bianco served as emcee.”
Hoenlein recalled his relationship with Rabin: “In 1995, we hosted an event in the Capitol rotunda to mark the passage of the Jerusalem bill. It was the last time that such an event has ever been held there. As we were working on the bill, Rabin said to me: ‘If you get it passed, I will come to Washington to sign it.’ So, I called him the day before the vote and I said, ‘Mr. Prime Minister, I want to test you if you will keep your word because tomorrow it will pass.’ It didn’t take but a few hours until I got a call asking me when the ceremony will be and he came. And he said to me that this one of the happiest days in his life.”
BUSINESS BRIEFS: “Does Benjamin Netanyahu have James Packer in mind for this Israeli casino?” [AFR] • “Sotheby’s Auctions a $377 Million Portion of Taubman Estate” [WSJ] • “New Twist in Sumner Redstone Soap Opera: Daughter, Ex-Companion on Verge of Fight Over Mental Competency”[HollywoodReporter] • “A ‘Leviathan’ Of A Controversy: Israel’s natural gas saga developing some heated plot lines” [JewishWeek] • “Cellcom Israel Bumps Up Against Opposition to Golan Bid” [Bloomberg] • “Westfield’s ‘big data’ movement” [TheAustralian] • “Wexner: Stores ‘way bigger than Internet’ for retail” [Dispatch] • “Gateway Casinos announces $45M investment at Ghermezian’s West Edmonton Mall” [EJournal]
LongRead: “America’s Nuttiest Billionaire Couple: Amid Drought, Stewart And Lynda Resnick Are Richer Than Ever” [Forbes]
Heard at URJ Biennial: “Charles Bronfman to Reform Jews: Take back Birthright from Chabad” [JTA]
Earlier This Week: “Ruderman Foundation pushes for bottom-up inclusion movement for people with disabilities” [JPost]
TALK OF THE TOWN: “New York’s hip SoHo Synagogue sets sights on West Coast” [JewishJournal]
HOLLYWOOD: “Nathan Fielder’s Holocaust Awareness Windbreakers Are a Hit With Celebs, Raise $45K” [Forward]
TALK OF OUR NATION: “Amid Security Threats, Tunis’ Only Kosher Restaurant Shutters” by Steve Inskeep: “A few years ago, I visited that kosher restaurant — a vestige of Tunisia’s ancient and once-thriving Jewish community. We were traveling across North Africa, and we took a table with the owner, Jacob LaLoush. We’d heard his restaurant served a vodkalike concoction made from figs called bukha — a type of Tunisian vodka. When we dropped by in 2012, he taught us how to drink it, retrieving a frost-covered, small green bottle from the freezer in his kitchen. To LaLoush, alcohol symbolized freedom in a majority-Muslim country, but it was also becoming a source of friction in Tunisia… But, for security, the new restaurant will serve customers by invitation-only.” [NPR]
DESSERT: “A Brooklyn Bakery Appeals to Observant Jews and Pizza Fans” by Leah Koenig: “Isaac’s Bake Shop knows firsthand the power of the adage “location, location, location.” The humble kosher bakery happens to be directly across the street from Di Fara Pizza, one of the few destinations in Midwood that draws international tour guides. Di Fara is also known for its interminable waiting times… “Came to Midwood for Di Fara Pizza, but came home raving about Isaac’s,” wrote one Yelp reviewer, echoing the sentiment of many.” [NYTimes]
BIRTHDAYS: Ken Weinstein, CEO of the Hudson Institute (yesterday)… Sara Netanyahu turns 57… Yair Lapid turns 52… Yael Cohen Braun turns 29…