Daily Kickoff
“U.S. House to vote on Iran Sanctions Act renewal as soon as November” by Patricia Zengerle: “Obama’s administration had asked Congress to hold off on renewing the ISA, saying it has enough power to reimpose economic sanctions if Iran violates the nuclear agreement even if it expires. White House spokesman Josh Earnest declined to say how Obama would respond to the bill if it passed both houses of Congress and reached his desk. White House opposition to the bill could generate resistance from Democrats in the Senate, making it more difficult for any legislation to garner the 60 votes needed to move ahead.” [Reuters]
“For Iran, Exerting Force While Making Nice Is Part of the Plan” by Thomas Erdbrink:“Publicly, Ayatollah Khamenei often criticizes the nuclear agreement, but the most influential hard-liners understand that he was the architect of the pact. He also did not stop discussions between Boeing and the national carrier, Iran Air, even though the deal that is emerging will mean large-scale business relations with the United States… Both Iran’s partial opening up to the West and its involvement in Middle East conflicts are directed by Ayatollah Khamenei, analysts say.” [NYTimes]
TOP TALKER: “Unesco adopts controversial resolution on Jerusalem holy sites” by Peter Beaumont: “The final version of the resolution – which has sparked furious claims and counter-claims – passed easily on Wednesday after Israel pressed for a secret vote. Despite containing some softening of language following Israeli protests over a previous version, Israel continued to denounce the text. Israel says the resolution’s exclusive use of Arabic terms to describe parts of the site deliberately airbrushes out the Jewish connection to the site of the Second Jewish Temple – destroyed in 70 AD.” [TheGuardian]
–Barak David: “Even though the motion passed, Israel gained some diplomatic points since it was able to “force” a vote on the resolution. In recent days, the Palestinians and Jordan softened the wording of the resolution in attempt to reach consensus among the panel’s member states and approve it without a vote. A senior Israeli official said that the United States helped Israel to try to recruit countries that would demand a vote, thereby enable countries interested in doing so to vote for or against, or to abstain.”[Haaretz] • In Protest of Latest UNESCO Resolution, Netanyahu to Recall Israel’s Ambassador for Consultations [Haaretz]
“Clinton Condemns ‘Outrageous’ UNESCO Vote on Jerusalem” by Jacob Kornbluh: “It is disappointing and wrong to see that UNESCO’s World Heritage Committee is considering a resolution on Jerusalem that fails to recognize and respect the deep and historic ties of the Jewish people to Jerusalem and its holy sites,” Clinton said in a statement. “I have always stood with Israel to reject these biased actions at the United Nations, and I always will.” [JewishInisder]
“Jewish Federations to debate travel to West Bank settlements” by Eitan Arom: “In an Oct. 26 conference call, JFNA’s board of trustees will be asked to “authorize the entry of JFNA missions, including federation community missions planned through JFNA, into Israeli-controlled territories beyond the Green Line (e.g., Ariel or Gush Etzion, etc.),” JFNA president Jerry Silverman wrote in an email to trustees, naming two Jewish settlements. It was unclear whether the trustees would be asked to rewrite federation policy or simply lend their approval to the IAN trip. But even if the vote applied only to the IAN trip, it would set precedent, since federation missions currently avoid the West Bank entirely.”[JewishJournal]
OVER THE WEEKEND — “How mega-donors helped raise $1 billion for Hillary Clinton” by Matea Gold and Anu Narayanswamy: “The top five donors together contributed one out of every $17 for her 2016 run: hedge fund manager S. Donald Sussman ($20.6 million); Chicago venture capitalist J.B. Pritzker and his wife, M.K. ($16.7 million); Univision chairman Haim Saban and his wife, Cheryl ($11.9 million); hedge fund titan George Soros ($9.9 million); and SlimFast founder S. Daniel Abraham ($9.7 million).” [WashPost] • “The liberal billionaire philanthropist George Soros has given $13.5 million, far more than he gave to support Mr. Obama four years ago.” [NYTimes]
“Trump stops holding high-dollar fundraisers that were raising big cash for the GOP” by Matea Gold: “Steven Mnuchin, Trump’s national finance chairman, said in an interview with The Washington Post on Tuesday that Trump Victory held its last formal fundraiser on Oct. 19. “We’ve kind of wound down,” Mnuchin said, referring to formal fundraisers. New York financier Lew Eisenberg, the top fundraiser for the RNC and chairman of Trump Victory, said that he has been working “in a united effort” with Mnuchin to “continue to raise money from major donors” through phone calls and impromptu events.” [WashPost; AP] • Trump Campaign Says Fundraising Operation Moving Full Steam Ahead[Bloomberg]
“President Obama Attends Fundraiser at Home of Jeffrey Katzenberg” by Ted Johnson:“This was expected to be Obama’s final fundraiser with Jeffrey Katzenberg before Obama leaves the White House. Katzenberg has been among Obama’s most prolific fundraisers.”[Variety; HollywoodReporter]
“Jewish donors fill candidates’ war chests, especially Clinton’s” by Eric Cortellessa:“Trump’s second biggest donor is Bernard Marcus, the son of Russian-Jewish immigrants who co-founded Home Depot. He’s given $7 million to the former reality television star.” [TimesofIsrael]
“In Miami, Bill Clinton tries to explain the whys of the wild presidential race” by Patricia Mazzei: “In South Florida, Bill Clinton appealed to traditionally Democratic constituencies — black and Jewish voters — with the plea that they go vote… To Jewish ones, he mentioned tikkun olam, the idea of doing good in the world through acts of kindness. “If there are any group of people in this country that should understand the threat to the fundamental character of the nation and the future of our children and grandchildren posed by the choice in this election, it should be members of the Jewish community,” Clinton said. “No one should sit it out.”” [MiamiHerald] • Shmuel Rosner: “What Bill Clinton understands better than many Jews” [JewishJournal]
“In Miami Beach, Donald Trump’s Orthodox support is increasingly on the down-low” by Ron Kampeas: “No one’s going to talk to you,” he explains. “You can’t be for Hillary in this community. But how can you be for Trump? What he said was disgusting.” [JTA]
“Poll: Israelis split on which US presidential candidate is looking out for them” by Lahav Harkov: “When asked which candidate will better serve Israel’s interests, 34% of the respondents chose Trump and 29% Clinton. Jewish Israelis’ responses were even more evenly divided, with 49% of those with an opinion choosing Clinton and 51% choosing Trump, but Arab Israelis were almost three times more likely to say that Trump (74%) is looking out for Israel than Clinton (26%).” [JPost] • Meet Hillary Clinton’s Biggest Cheerleaders in Israel [Haaretz]
In Florida, Trump blasts Hillary for emboldening Iran: “Hillary also started the negotiations that led to the Iran deal – and thus ultimately leading to the $1.7 billion ransom for American hostages. Clinton gave Iran everything they wanted and more – including Iraq. Now, Iran is emboldened as never before. In the latest insult to America, the government of Iran is demanding “many billions,” in new ransom payments for an American businessman and his ailing father.”
Bret Stephens: “My Former Republican Party: Where, amid Mr. Trump’s routine denunciations of our allegedly freeloading allies, or Newt Gingrich’s public doubts about defending NATO member Estonia against Russian aggression, or the alt-right’s attacks on “globalism,” or Sean Hannity’s newfound championship of WikiLeaks and its founder, Julian Assange, is that Republican Party today?” [WSJ]
“How White Nationalists Learned To Love Donald Trump” by J.M. Berger: “Users on the forums mostly saw Trump as annoying or entertaining, but they frequently speculated that he was secretly Jewish, or close enough to Judaism be worthy of hate: In the fevered white nationalist worldview, it’s inconceivable that a New York real estate magnate could make billions of dollars without support from a Jewish financial conspiracy. In 2009, when Trump’s daughter Ivanka began converting to Judaism, hardcore white nationalists believed their suspicions were confirmed… Stormfronters debated whether Trump was sincere in his birtherism; some said he was a Jewish plant, intended to deceive gullible white nationalists into supporting him, or just to make them look like idiots by association.” [Politico]
Jeffrey Goldberg on NPR’s ‘Morning Edition’ on being one of the journalists named by the ADL who’ve been targeted the most with anti-Semitic tweets: “I am glad that Nazis hate me. I consider that a compliment. These are neo-Nazis. I’m inured to it, but I also think this is a challenge for Twitter in a way. I don’t want to be on Twitter as much because I find it a little bit dispiriting to start my day with that kind of discourse. It doesn’t scare me, but it just is dispiriting… I link this phenomenon to the rise of Trump-ism and I wish that the Trump campaign would make a definitive statement against this kind of neo-Nazi horror. But so far, I have not had satisfaction on that front.” [NPR]
Trump’s Israel adviser denies anti-Semitism among supporters: “David Friedman told Israel’s Channel 2, “No, there’s anti-Semitic sentiment among Clinton supporters.” When it comes to anti-Semitism, Friedman said, “The danger in the United States is not on the right…. The movement that you ought to be concerned about is the movement on the left.” As for anti-Semitic attacks online targeting Jewish journalists, as highlighted in a recent report by the Anti-Defamation League, Trump’s aide said, “I can’t speak about a particular group of victims.” Friedman lashed out at the ADL, saying the organization “has lost, frankly, all credibility” under its new director, whom he called “a former J Street advocate.””[TimesofIsrael] • Trump’s Israel advisor calls Clinton a “nasty person” [JerusalemOnline]
“The big donors behind ads in Missouri Senate race” by Deirdre Shesgreen: “The Senate Leadership Fund has shelled out more than $8 million in recent weeks on ads attacking Kander. The biggest donors to the McConnell-linked super PAC include: Las Vegas casino magnate Sheldon Adelson and his wife, Miriam Adelson, who have each contributed $10 million. Wealthy hedge fund executives Paul Singer, who donated $3 million, and Ken Griffin, who gave $2 million. Top donors to the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee include Soros Fund Management, the firm founded by liberal billionaire George Soros, and NewsWeb Corp., a publishing company founded by Chicago media mogul Fred Eychaner.” [USAToday] • A Democrat Deft With a Firearm Tightens the Race for the Senate[NYTimes]
“Rubio, Murphy Senate race attracting big campaign dollars” by Andy Reid: “Some of Rubio’s top contributors through September include Goldman Sachs ($79,800), the hedge fund Elliot Management ($72,900) and sugar producer Fanjul Corp. ($72,660). Some of Murphy’s biggest contributors through September included the pro-Israel group JStreetPAC ($72,898).” [SunSentinel]
“Top Democrats steamed that party letting Rubio skate” by Burgess Everett, Marc Caputo and Kevin Robillard: “Stephen Bittel, a top Florida fundraiser who has hosted Obama at his Miami home, called Schumer recently to complain about the DSCC backing away from Murphy. Bittel said Schumer “thought he could get a bigger return on his money in other races.” Bittel is now considering withholding further contributions to the DSCC unless it helps Murphy. “Going forward, we should certainly consider building a big beautiful wall around Florida that the DSCC pays for,” Bittel quipped.”[Politico]
More Podesta emails – Podesta on draft of speech Hillary Clinton was going to deliver at the Saban Forum in DC: “On page 16, in the graph beginning Many Americans feel a deep emotional connection…the paragraph is about Israel, but evokes how people feel about how Israel is treating the Palestinians. I think I’d cut or rework.” [12-05-2015]
Tom Donilon: “At page 5 I would take out the shot at the Egyptians ( “heavy handed tactics may play into the hands of extremists”). Will sound a bit inconsistent to this audience with later good point on Israeli/Egyptian >> cooperation v. ISIS on the Sinai… At page 4–not sure that “take to the next level” is strong enough. Maybe something like ” Take our already strong relationship and continue to deepen and perfect it. The US and Israel must always do the work necessary to ensure that we are the strongest of allies.”” [12-06-2015]
What Saban thinks of Rubio: “Naughty boy the republican establishment’s golden boy!” [01-19-2016]
Was Huma ignoring Saban’s emails? – Saban: “Is Huma still on the team?” Podesta: “You bet.”Saban: “Strange,,,maybe my mails are going to spam,,,,she’s not responding.” [06-18-2015]
Saban clarifies comment on ‘more scrutiny’ of Muslims immigrants: “What I said was that we should scrutinize the Muslim immigrants ,,,,,if we take France as an example of what happens when millions of people enter a country w/no scrutiny, our lives are put in jeopardy,,,,, Life before liberty,,,,, I am not aware of what her position is on this.” [11-19-2015]
BUSINESS BRIEFS: Activist Paul Singer Expects Positive Change at Samsung [WSJ] • Jason Goldberg’s Fab was valued at $1 billion before it collapsed. What can today’s startups learn from his failure? [Bloomberg] • Opponents of Beverly Hilton project allege voter fraud [LATimes] • The Secret Language of George Soros [TabletMag] • Sumner Redstone Suing Former Companions [WSJ] • Scenes from Robert Kraft’s swanky private party featuring the Rolling Stones at Gillette [BostonGlobe]SPOTLIGHT: “‘Nobody wins in a family war’: Billionaire Charles Bronfman on Seagram’s demise” by Anna Maria Tremonti: “As one of the heirs to Canada’s whisky empire, the Seagram company, Charles Bronfman grew up surrounded by unimaginable wealth. “I didn’t think a lot of the trappings of wealth were perks at all because it seemed to me that was the way life was led.” Now in his mid-80s Bronfman looks back at his life as a billionaire businessman and owner of the Montreal Expos in his new memoir, Distilled: A Memoir of Family, Seagram, Baseball and Philanthropy.” [CBC]
STARTUP NATION: “Israel’s Silicon Wadi Is Bringing In Billions from Investors” by Jonathan Kandell: “In less than 30 years, Israel, once better known for its agricultural kibbutzim, has transformed itself into a high-tech industrial nation with a per capita income of some $35,300, just behind France’s and nearly 9 percent greater than Japan’s. Silicon Wadi, a 125-mile corridor stretching from the plains around the northern port of Haifa to the Negev Desert in the south, has spawned more high-tech start-ups than all of Europe.” [InstitutionalInvestor] • Uber’s Israeli Self-Driving Truck Startup Otto Makes Its First Delivery: 50,000 Beers [WiredMag]
TALK OF THE TOWN: “A New Class of Power Investors Makes Its Home in New York” by Christopher Ross: “When Ben Lerer leaves his office at New York’s Broadway and Prince Street for a meeting at the haute bagel bakery Sadelle’s, four blocks west in SoHo, he might run into any number of fellow venture-capital investors: perhaps Joshua Kushner, founder of Nolita-based Thrive Capital, or David Tisch, founder of BoxGroup, whose offices are just to the north in Union Square… Their ties are like a game of connect-the-dots: Lerer, 35, and Tisch, 35, attended the University of Pennsylvania together. Lerer, Tisch and Kushner, 35, have all invested in Oscar health insurance, co-founded by Kushner, which is now valued at $2.7 billion. They also have overlapping investments with Scott Belsky, 36, a partner at Benchmark Capital.” [WSJMag]
PROFILE: “Heretic.” “Maverick.” “Opportunist.” “Advocate.” Who is the real Simcha Felder? — by Frank Runyeon: “Impervious to the steady thwack of newsprint-wrapped bombshells before Election Day, Felder is running unopposed for his state Senate seat in the 17th district – on the Republican, Democratic and the Conservative party lines. Political analysts call him an anomaly, an outlier, a maverick even. He’s been called worse. But despite donning a yarmulke and being ordained as a rabbi, Felder does not define himself by religious conviction either. “I don’t consider myself the ‘Jewish senator,’” he said. “That part is irrelevant – except that it is very important to my upbringing and my background.”” [City&State]
SPORTS BLINK: “The Chicago Cubs are the Official Team of Jews—Also Christians, Buddhists and Muslims” by Andrew Beaton and Kevin Helliker: “A rabbi who is a columnist for the Jerusalem Post recently hailed the Cubs as “the Jews of the sports world,” an idea seconded by the Israeli ambassador to the U.S., Ron Dermer, who made a stop at Wrigley Field on a swing through Chicago this month. “The Cubs might be the most Jewish team in America,” said Mr. Dermer. “They’ve experienced a long period of suffering, and now they’re hoping to get to the promised land.” There are Cubs-themed yarmulkes and caps spelling the team’s name in Hebrew.” [WSJ] • “Bet you Indians are real MOT” by Regina Brett [ClevelandJewishNews]
BIRTHDAYS: South African judge who led the 2009 UN Fact Finding Mission on the Gaza Conflict, Richard Goldstone turns 78… Presidential candidate Hillary Rodham Clinton turns 69… Actress who has appeared in 25 films plus 68 episodes of Will & Grace, Shelley Morrison (born into a Separdic family as Rachel Mitrani) turns 80… Actress best known as one of Charlie’s Angels (1976-1981 TV series), Jaclyn Smith (family name was Kupferschmidt) turns 71… Pulitzer Prize-winning author Stacy Schiff turns 55… Figure skater who won a 2006 Olympic silver medal, plus three World Championship medals and the 2006 U.S. Championship, Sasha Cohen turns 32… Founding Partner and President of of Global Strategy Group, who also serves as an adjunct professor at Columbia University’s SIPA, Jefrey Pollock turns 46… Director of Communications at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, formerly at Hillel, Jeffrey Rubin (h/t TWI Comms/Dev team)… Albert Calo… Evie Sullivan… Evan May…