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Ed note: Hope you had a fantastic 4th! We’re back to our regular publishing schedule. Congrats to Daniel Bonner on his special day! Pro tip: Ask DB who he’s voting for… 

DRIVING THE CONVO — Earlier this week, the White House boasted about improved ties with Israel, claiming Israel was viewed as an enemy by the Obama administration. “You’ve seen the relationship with Israel that is greatly enhanced because of this President,” White House Deputy Press Secretary Hogan Gidley told reporters aboard Air Force 1 on Tuesday. “It’s the only democracy in the region, and it was virtually thought of to be an enemy of the American people in the last administration… Under the Barack Obama administration, they almost viewed them as an enemy, it seemed like, in some ways with the way he treated Netanyahu. And so, this President came in and changed the relationship. It’s the only democracy in the region, and it’s important that we keep our partners and allies close and happy.”

Former Ambassador Daniel Shapiro tells us… “This is a ridiculous and offensive remark that should be beneath a White House spokesperson. It is, of course, true that there were disagreements between the United States and Israel during the Obama administration on serious issues like the Iran deal and West Bank settlements. It is also true that during the same period, the security partnership between the two countries became dramatically stronger — with technology breakthroughs in missile defense and tunnel detection, Israel’s acquisition of the F-35, expanded intelligence cooperation and joint military exercise, and a $38 billion military aid package. That’s not how the United States treats an enemy.”

“Those, and many other accomplishments that benefitted both countries are also the joint work of Obama and Netanyahu. It should be possible to acknowledge the disagreements without downplaying them, which represent two allies whose interests heavily overlap but are not identical, without engaging in hyperbole or ignoring the many ways the relationship was enhanced. Anyone who is not motivated by trying to turn Israel into a partisan wedge issue would do so.”

Brookings’ Tamara Cofman Wittes emails us… “This is a preposterous distortion of the facts, as stated clearly and on multiple occasions by both the Israeli and American leaderships throughout the period in question. Distorting and denigrating the long record of US-Israel partnership is not an act of friendship.”

Dore Gold, former Director-General of Israel’s Foreign Ministry: “Israelis unquestionably appreciate President Trump’s administration and public opinion polls show that point. This was enhanced because the President tackled the two most important issues in the relationship: moving the US Embassy to Jerusalem and pulling out of the JCPOA, the Iran Agreement. Part of the problem in the Obama period emanated from the fact that his administration was motivated by underlying assumptions on foreign policy that were inimical to core Israeli interests: that Iran was moving in a moderate direction, as articulated by Ben Rhodes, and that the Palestinian issue was the key to stabilizing the Middle East. These assumptions were both wrong and the first one especially, that asserted Iranian moderation, rankled leaders in Abu Dhabi, Riyadh, and Cairo as much as in Jerusalem. What is important to remember is that it is a vital Israeli interest to have good relations with both political parties in the US, even though at times of crisis, it may seem difficult.”

Dennis Ross in an interview with the Jerusalem Post: “Israel risks a backlash because the Trump administration has caused such deep alienation among Democrats, so it’s very important that there is outreach by Israel to Democrats on all levels, be it national, state and municipal… If you identify with only one party, sooner or later another party might come to power.” [JPost] 

SCENE THE OTHER DAY IN JERUSALEM — Reps. Ted Deutch (D-FL), Albio Sires (D-NJ), George Holding (R-NC) and Jenniffer González (R-PR) met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem on Tuesday [Pic] and with President Reuven Rivlin. [Pic] • U.S. Ambassador David Friedman acknowledged their presence at the Embassy’s 4th of July reception later in the day. “Thank you for coming and for showing your bipartisan support for Israel,” Friedman said.

DRIVING THE DAY — Talks today between China, Russia, the UK, France, Germany and Iran in Vienna over the economic package the Europeans have put together to counter the impact of the U.S. withdrawal from the Iran nuclear deal have failed to produce any breakthroughs. Heading into the meeting, German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas conceded that the treaty nations would not be able to compensate Iran entirely for the loss of business from companies withdrawing. French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian warnedTehran to stop threatening to break its commitments to the deal.

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, who is on a weeklong visit to Europe, called the proposals “disappointing,” and “just a set of general commitments.” Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif told reporters, “The proposal was not a precise and complete one,” adding that it’s up to Iran to decide whether it should remain in the deal.

Earlier this week, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called on European leaders to follow Trump’s lead and stop appeasing Iran after an Iranian diplomat was arrested on suspicion of plotting a terror attack in France. “I call on the leaders of Europe: Stop financing the terrorist regime that is financing terrorism against you on your soil. Enough with the policy of appeasement and weakness regarding Iran,” Netanyahu said in a speech on Wednesday.

TALK OF THE REGION — Hezbollah role in Syrian south exposes limits of U.S. policy — by Tom Perry and Laila Bassam: “Hezbollah is helping to lead a Russian-backed offensive in southern Syria, pro-Damascus sources said, exposing the limits of U.S. policy that hopes Moscow can get Iran and groups it backs out of the country. Hezbollah’s role in the offensive near the border with Jordan and the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights has also defied Israeli demands that Iranian proxies be kept away from its frontier… A senior official in the regional alliance that backs Assad said Hezbollah was fighting “under the cover” of the Syrian army in the south.” [Reuters]

Putin Prepares a Real Deal Trump Can Tout After Summit — by Henry Meyer: “At the top of the list for the July 16 meeting in Helsinki, Finland, is Iran’s role in Syria… Putin has agreed in principle to U.S. and Israeli demands that Iranian-backed forces in southern Syria be kept away from Israel’s border, replaced with troops loyal to the government in Damascus, two Kremlin advisers said. After studying Trump’s meeting with North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un… Putin decided he needs to negotiate with the billionaire personally… Still, there are major questions about Putin’s ability to enforce any agreement involving Iran’s actions in Syria… This in turn is fueling concerns in Washington and among U.S. allies in Europe that Trump may proclaim the Helsinki meeting a breakthrough without extracting any real concessions.”

“Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Wednesday that he’ll confer with U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo after the Helsinki summit about implementing whatever agreements are reached. Even so, he cautioned that “it’s absolutely not realistic” to demand Iran pull out of Syria altogether.” [Bloomberg] 

At Helsinki Summit, Putin Likely to Rebuff Any Pressure From Trump on Syria — by Amy Mackinnon: “Analysts and former officials believe that Putin has no interest in removing Iran from the complicated equation in Syria and, even if he wanted to, he probably does not have sufficient leverage to do it… “I think it’s a gross overstatement to suggest that Putin can order the Iranian militias out of Syria. He doesn’t have that kind of leverage over Iran,” said Michael McFaul, a former U.S. ambassador to Moscow.” [ForeignPolicy]

VIEW FROM JERUSALEM — Israel lays down red lines for postwar relations with Syria — by Josef Federman: “Our demand is that the Iranian forces will go out or withdraw from Syria as a whole, and specifically southwest Syria,” said a senior Israeli military official… The Israeli military official… said that while there is no love lost for Assad, the Israeli thinking recognizes the emerging reality. “We are looking for an address, a reliable one. We are looking for security and defense to our territory, interests and people,” he said. “If we get that, of course, it’s fine with us.” [AP]

— Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is heading to Moscow next Wednesday to discuss the Syrian military campaign with Russian President Vladimir Putin. [Ynet]

Robert Malley writes… “Slim prospects for Syria headway at Trump-Putin summit: If Putin gets to the planned Helsinki summit with the southwest in regime hands, there will be little left to negotiate. Russia wants the U.S. out of Syria but so does Trump, so it’s not clear what Putin might trade for something Trump’s eager to do anyway. Trump also wants Iran out of Syria, but that’s not something Russia can deliver.” [Axios]

Israel’s Secret Operation to Recover the Watch of a Legendary Spy — by Ronen Bergman: “The watch belonged to Eli Cohen, whose spying in Syria is credited with helping Israel to a quick victory in the 1967 war… Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu praised the “determined and courageous action” of the Israeli spy agency, Mossad, for returning “a memory from a heroic fighter who contributed greatly to the security of the state.” But the announcement was tantalizingly short on specifics, setting off a buzz across Israel… The operation, according to an Israeli official with knowledge of it, was part of a broader 14-year hunt by the Mossad to find Mr. Cohen’s body, which 53 years after his execution in Damascus had never been located… During the search, the official said, Mossad agents located a man who had the watch and began an operation to obtain it.” [NYTimes]

HEARD YESTERDAY — President Trump during a campaign rally in Montana on conditioning foreign aid with pro-U.S. votes at the UN: “Remember with Israel. Remember when we had two votes on something having to do with Israel. I said, ‘We’re watching.’ We ended up getting 68 votes. We didn’t even do anything.” [Video] • Ari Fleischer chides Trump for mocking ‘thousand points of light’ [WashPost]

ULTIMATE DEAL WATCH — Chief Palestinian Negotiator: U.S. Acting Like a Real Estate Firm: [Saeb] Erekat says the White House “should be run by great men, not real estate men,” and that the Israeli-Palestinian conflict “won’t be solved by the tools of real estate men.” Erekat also said the Palestinian Authority will continue its payments to the families of jailed or slain Palestinian militants, after Israel passed a law this week withholding millions in taxes it collects for the Palestinians. [AP; Haaretz] • Poll shows most Israelis have little hope for Trump peace plan [ToI]

REPORT — U.S. cancels 4th of July reception for Palestinians — by Tal Shalev: In an unprecedented move, the U.S. Consulate in Jerusalem, which is responsible for relations with the Palestinian Authority, chose not to host this year its traditional 4th of July reception for Palestinian officials in addition to the Ambassador’s official reception. The Consulate, according to the report, had failed to enlist Palestinian sponsors and feared Palestinians wouldn’t attend. [Walla]

Palestinians Lose Patience With Abbas as Frustrations Pile Up: “More than 60% of Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza want Mr. Abbas to resign, according to a public-opinion poll released Wednesday by the Palestinian Center for Policy and Survey Research. Still, 64% of Palestinians say they worry that if Mr. Abbas leaves politics, it could spark turmoil and insecurity because he has no clear successor.” [WSJ]

Can Jared Kushner sell a peace deal without the Palestinians? — by Catherine Philp and Anshel Pfeffer: “In Ramallah… there is a sinking feeling of being forced into a corner. “We have lost faith in our Arab brothers giving us backing for now,” said one advisor to President Abbas. “And we certainly have no expectations any longer from the Trump administration. All we can do is stick to our national demands and wait for both Trump and Netanyahu to be replaced by leaders we can work with.” By then, the ailing 82 –year-old President Abbas may also be gone, with little sense of who would replace any of them.” [TheTimes]

Richard Goldberg and Jonathan Schanzer write… “Expose the Palestinian ‘Refugee’ Scam: If President Trump wants to promote peace in the Middle East, his first step should be to declassify a key State Department report that would end the myth of Palestinian “refugees.” … Removing the label of “refugee” from millions of Palestinians wouldn’t hurt them. Instead, it would unlock their economic potential and create an opportunity for lasting peace.”[WSJ] 

SUPREME COURT WATCH — Schumer urges Trump to tap Merrick Garland for Supreme Court — by Seung Min Kim and Robert Costa: “Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer (D-N.Y.) privately urged President Trump in a phone call earlier this week to nominate federal Judge Merrick B. Garland, then President Barack Obama’s third nominee to the Supreme Court who was summarily shunned by Senate Republicans in 2016, to replace retiring Justice Anthony M. Kennedy… arguing doing so would help unite the country.” [WashPost] 

Justice Ginsburg bemoans partisan divide in Congress — by Aron Heller: “Speaking at a Jerusalem cinema after the screening of “RBG,” the breakout hit documentary about her life and career, [Justice Ruth Bader] Ginsburg said she would not address past or present personnel changes on the court… But the liberal icon did bemoan how partisan the process of picking a justice has become. “I was considered by some a controversial person because of my affiliation with the American Civil Liberties Union,” she said about her 1993 confirmation hearings. “There wasn’t a single question asked of me during the hearings about my ACLU connections. The vote was 96-3… I hope someday we will get back to the bipartisan spirit prevailing with respect to the confirmation of judges.” [AP]

— “When the justice… was asked how her Jewish background has influenced her approach to the law, she noted that at the entrance to her chambers, “There is a large poster with Hebrew letters saying ‘Tzedek, tzedek, tirdof – justice, justice thou shalt pursue.’ … She also proudly pointed out that her office had the only mezuzah in the Supreme Court – a gift, she said, from a Jewish girls’ school in her native Brooklyn.” [Haaretz; Video]

— Ginsburg visited yesterday her Israeli counterparts at the Supreme Court in Jerusalem. [Pic] 

2018 WATCH — Illinois governor clarifies: ‘Vote for anybody’ but the Nazi — by Natasha Korecki: “Gov. Bruce Rauner on Thursday followed Sen. Ted Cruz’s lead and called for voters in a Chicago-area congressional district to “vote for anybody” but the avowed Nazi running as a Republican… after declining earlier this week to go as far as Cruz — who had publicly urged Illinois residents to vote for a Democrat, Rep. Dan Lipinski, or write in a candidate, rather than cast a ballot for Holocaust denier Arthur Jones… “To the voters of the 3rd Congressional District: vote for anybody but Arthur Jones. Nazis have no place in our country and no one should vote for him,” Rauner said via Twitter.” [Politico]

DJOP Reverses Course, Endorses Scott Wallace — by Joshua Needelman: “In an abrupt course reversal, Democratic Jewish Outreach of Pennsylvania endorsed Scott Wallace, the Democratic nominee in the 1st Congressional District, on Monday, nearly a month after saying it wouldn’t do so… DJOP founder Jill Zipin said Monday it’s apparent Wallace has educated himself on Israel and BDS… After reading his position papers, DJOP believes Wallace now more closely aligns with its values.” [JewishExponent]

Rabbi Andy Bachman in an open letter to Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez: “Come With Me to Israel: I’d encourage you to consider a short trip to Israel and Palestine. I’ll take you and there introduce you to leaders across racial, ethnic, religious, class and generational spectrums who are working each day in a positive and constructive way to build the two-state solution and the chance for peace for Israelis and Palestinians.” [JewishJournal] 

IN THE SPOTLIGHT… Michael Cohen Hires Lanny Davis, Lawyer Close to the Clintons — by Maggie Haberman: “Michael D. Cohen… has hired Lanny J. Davis, the Washington lawyer and public relations consultant best known for serving in the Clinton White House, to represent him… Mr. Davis said he was persuaded to join the legal team after Mr. Cohen said in an interview with ABC News that aired this week that his first allegiance was to his family and to his country, not to the president. He added, “Michael Cohen deserves to tell his side of the story — subject, of course, to the advice of counsel.”” [NYTimes] • Michael Cohen tells friends he doesn’t think Trump would pardon him [CNN]

Inside the Online Campaign to Whitewash the History of Donald Trump’s Russian Business Associates — by Lachlan Markay and Dean Sterling Jones: “Spokespeople for online reputation management companies in the two countries confirmed that they had been paid to write articles attempting to whitewash Trump’s ties to Felix Sater, a Russian-born businessman who, with former Russian trade minister Tevfik Arif, collaborated with the Trump Organization on numerous real estate deals… The campaign appears designed to influence Google search results pertaining to Trump’s relationship with Sater, Arif, and the Bayrock Group, a New York real estate firm.” [DailyBeast] 

** Good Friday 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] **

BUSINESS BRIEFS: Hear that hush? Allen & Co. returns to Sun Valley [MTExpress] • Bob Iger’s Disney’s Deal Playbook: Target a Company That’s Not for Sale [WSJ] • Glencore Announces $1 Billion Share Buyback Days After Probe [Bloomberg] • Bank that backs Brooklyn’s biggest Hasidic developers lends $40M on synagogue conversion on UWS [TheRealDeal] • Josh Kushner’s Oscar to get $3.5M in state tax credits to move to new Manhattan HQ[CrainsNY] • Teva Pharmaceuticals to locate U.S. headquarters in New Jersey after receiving $40M in tax credits [Politico] • Home-brewed life lessons from Honest Tea’s Seth Goldman [Reuters] • Windward raises $16.5m [Globes]

SPOTLIGHT — A Hedge Fund Star Dims, and Investors Flee — by Gregory Zuckerman: “After more than a decade of winning on Wall Street, [David] Einhorn’s Greenlight Capital Inc. has shrunk to about $5.5 billion in assets under management, his investors estimate, from a reported $12 billion in 2014, and his investments are struggling. “My patience is wearing thin,” said Morten Kielland, chairman of investment-management firm Key Family Partners SARL… Some frustrated clients have pulled out of Greenlight over the past three years, and some others say they will exit if results don’t rebound… People familiar with the fund attribute Mr. Einhorn’s troubles in part to his unconventional ways—sticking to value stocks, for example, and keeping clients at a distance—which he hasn’t changed even as investors bolt.” [WSJ] • Another minority investor in Milwaukee Bucks revealed [BizJournals]

TALK OF THE TOWN — On Martha’s Vineyard, a Frosty Summer for Alan Dershowitz — by Jess Bidgood and Julie Bosman: “This summer, Mr. Dershowitz says that because he has expressed views that back President Trump, he no longer feels so welcome on the Vineyard, a summertime epicenter of progressive values, money and sheer Democratic power in the United States. “I never thought I would see McCarthyism come to Martha’s Vineyard, but I have,” Mr. Dershowitz wrote in an opinion column last week in The Hill… “For them, it is enough that what I have said about the Constitution might help Trump,” he wrote. “So they are shunning me and trying to ban me from their social life on Martha’s Vineyard.” Acquaintances and friends of Mr. Dershowitz on the island confirmed that his increasingly vocal defenses of Mr. Trump on cable news have not been well received in these social circles, particularly in Chilmark, one of the most liberal enclaves of this liberal island.” [NYTimes]

— The Martha’s Vineyard crowd strikes back at Alan Dershowitz — by Mark Shanahan: “Walter Teller, a prominent Los Angeles entertainment lawyer and longtime Vineyard resident, sent Dershowitz and others in their circle an e-mail explaining the sudden estrangement… “You thereby gave Trump an opportunity to use you and your positions in his own defense, to wave you like his pom-pom. How unfortunate for all of us,” wrote Teller… Reached Tuesday night, Dershowitz was on his way to the annual soiree hosted by designer Kenneth Cole and his wife… “I was never lamenting or whining about the fact that people are trying to punish me,” he said. “I was exposing it. I stand by my principles. I’m very proud of it. I challenge them to have a conversation with me.”” [BostonGlobe] • Alan Dershowitz’s War With Martha’s Vineyard Drags On [NYMag]

Thomas Friedman writes… “Can Lancaster’s successes be replicated? Yes. Its problems are global and the strategies Lancaster has employed to resurrect itself are shared by complex adaptive coalitions I’ve visited all over. The organization [Gidi] Grinstein, the societal innovator, created, called Reut, is helping to catalyze some in Israel. I took him with me to Lancaster, and afterward he noted common features that all of these successful coalitions share…” [NYTimes]

CAMPUS BEAT — Maccabee Task Force’s David Brog talks to David Horovitz… “In this interview, Brog details the approach that guides the Maccabee Task Force and specifies precisely how it operates — essentially providing the anatomy of Sheldon Adelson’s landmark project to relegitimize Israel on America’s most hostile campuses… While “we really try our best to work with the entire pro-Israel community,” says Brog, “the one group that we don’t fund on campus is J Street U.” Why? Because its positions, he says, “step out” of the “broad consensus” among pro-Israel groups… “And the money is fungible, so if we fund J Street U we free up resources for that national J Street message.” [ToI]

Yad Vashem Rebukes Israeli and Polish Governments Over Holocaust Law — by Isabel Kershner: “Israel’s official Holocaust memorial center on Thursday issued a stinging critique of a joint statement by the Israeli and Polish prime ministers that was meant to resolve a rift between the countries over a contentious Polish law on the Holocaust… The memorial center, Yad Vashem, said the statement contained “grave errors and deceptions.” … Yad Vashem also said that even after the amendment of the law, its “essence” was the same, and raised the possibility of harm to “the historical memory of the Holocaust.” … Relishing the opportunity to excoriate Mr. Netanyahu, who is battling multiple corruption investigations, his rivals weighed in from the political left, right and center.” [NYTimes]

The $100K Qatar Donation No One’s Talking About — by Hannah Dreyfus: “Benjamin Anthony, the founder and director of Our Soldiers Speak… indicated to The Jewish Week that he would not be returning Qatar’s donation. “We are very pleased to take every penny we receive and apply it towards the mission statement of our work,” Anthony said when asked if he plans to send the money back after Allaham disclosed the donation was from Qatar. Anthony, an IDF veteran and sergeant in the IDF reserves, said his organization was “not aware” that the money was from Qatar when the donation was accepted in October 2017. When asked if the discovery surprised him, he cited his extensive service in the IDF before saying, “It’s difficult to shock us.” [JewishWeek]

SPORTS BLINK — In Israel, Building a Lacrosse League From Scratch — by Aimee Berg: “In 2010, Scott Neiss decided to make lacrosse the No. 1 sport in Israel. The catch? The 25-year-old from Long Island had never played the game. Nor did he live in Israel. But on a trip to the country after graduating from St. John’s University, where he had worked full time for a pro lacrosse league, he wondered if he could run a team of his own. Eight years later, he has developed the nonprofit Israel Lacrosse Association, which has an eight-city league, has been a catalyst for youth engagement and, starting on July 12, will host the largest world championship in the sport’s history when 46 teams descend on Netanya for 11 days of competition.” [NYT]

HOLLYWOOD — Sacha Baron Cohen Might Take Aim at Trump with New Showtime Comedy Series: “Baron Cohen is in talks with Showtime to distribute a new series in which he will star, sources tell Variety. The format is said to be similar to Baron Cohen’s “Da Ali G Show,” which aired on Channel 4 in the U.K. and HBO in the U.S.” [Variety; VanityFair]

DESSERT — LA’s Most Exciting New Kosher Hummus Spot, Hasiba, Arrives on Pico — by Matthew Kang: “Hasiba brings something fresh and well-composed out of the gate for Pico-Robertson and the kosher corridor down Pico Boulevard. The Lodge Bread team of Alex Phaneuf, Or Amsalem, and Ben Amsalem opened Hasiba last week in a tiny slot that features about a dozen seats inside (many communal) and a tight sidewalk patio. The menu isn’t too expansive but it boasts loads of flavors despite hewing to a kosher and mostly vegetarian menu.” [EaterLA]

More D.C. Restaurants Are Going Kosher With The Help Of This New Organization — by Lauren Landau: “Rabbi Shmuel Herzfeld and Maharat Ruth Balinsky Friedman lead the community at Ohev Sholom – The National Synagogue on 16th Street above Rock Creek Park. Their new organization DC Kosher, helps existing vegan and vegetarian restaurants in the D.C. area go kosher. Since the organization’s launch in April, DC Kosher has certified two restaurants in Maryland and five in D.C., including a food truck.”[DCist]

REMEMBERING — Denver attorney Paul Jacobs, who helped bring Major League Baseball to Denver, dies at 78 — by Mike Klis: “Paul Jacobs, the man instrumental in bringing the Major League Baseball franchise that is the Colorado Rockies to Denver, died Monday night. He was 78. Jacobs’ diligent attorney work first coalesced the Rockies’ initial ownership group that was awarded an expansion franchise on July 5, 1991.” [9News]

Claude Lanzmann Dies: Director Of Acclaimed Holocaust Doc ‘Shoah’ Was 92 — by Andreas Wiseman and Nancy Tartaglione: “Claude Lanzmann, the French filmmaker best known for acclaimed Holocaust documentary Shoah has died in Paris… His death comes one day after the French theatrical release of his latest film, Les Quatre Soeurs, which features testimonials from four Holocaust survivors which were not included in Shoah.” [Deadline]

Max Fuchs, G.I. Cantor in Historic Battlefield Service, Is Dead at 96 — by Richard Goldstein: “Max Fuchs was a rifleman in the First Infantry Division when it came ashore at Omaha Beach, the bloodiest sector of the D-Day invasion of Normandy, on the morning of June 6, 1944… On Oct. 29 of that year, Private Fuchs — who had attended a yeshiva and sang cantorial music in a choir while growing up on Manhattan’s Lower East Side — sang the traditional Sabbath hymns at a hugely emotional open-air service on the Aachen battlefield before some 50 fellow Jewish soldiers… When Mr. Fuchs died on Tuesday at his home in Manhattan at 96, he was remembered for his voice, one that resounded at the first Jewish service to be broadcast from German soil since the rise of Hitler. It was heard the next day on the NBC radio network throughout America and rebroadcast for those who missed it. Later, the service was broadcast in Germany.” [NYTimes] 

BIRTHWEEK (was yesterday): Former executive director of AIPAC (1974–1980), then vice chairman of JINSA, Morris J. Amitay turned 82… Democratic Congresswoman from New York, she was first elected in 1988, Nita Lowey turned 81…  President Emeritus of the Union for Reform Judaism, Rabbi Eric Yoffie turned 71… Investment banker who led President Obama’s auto industry rescue, Steven Rattner turned 66… Founder and leader of Israel’s Yisrael Beiteinu party, and Defense Minister of Israel since 2016, Avigdor Lieberman turned 60… Author, teacher and founding Senior Vice President of Jerusalem’s Shalem College, Daniel Gordis turned 59… CEO of YouTube since February 2014, Susan Wojcicki turned 50… Vice Chair of San Diego’s Leichtag Foundation and board member of many Jewish organizations, Emily Einhorn… Pulitzer Prize winner, author and chief Washington correspondent for The New York Times, David E. Sangerturned 58… Director of Expansion at Repair the World, Kate Belza…

WEEKEND BIRTHDAYS — FRIDAY: Marshall Brachman turns 68… Israeli cryptographer, he is a co-inventor of the RSA algorithm and one of the inventors of differential cryptanalysis, Adi Shamir turns 66… Founder of Tumblr, which he sold to Yahoo in 2013 for $1.1 billion, David Karp turns 32… Josh Lipson… Jeannie Gerzon…

SATURDAY: Early collaborator on object oriented computer programming in the 1970s, Adele Goldberg turns 73… Israeli billionaire business mogul with vast holdings in energy (Delek Group) and real estate (El-Ad Group), Yitzhak Tshuva turns 70… Pioneer of Israeli punk rock, nicknamed “HaMeshuga,”Rami Fortis turns 64… Senior Director at the Center for American Progress, formerly at CNN, Rachel Rosen… Shalom Klein… Birthright’s Amy Handman…

SUNDAY: Emmy Award-winning singer and actor, part of the duo “Steve and Eydie.” Steve Lawrence (born Sidney Liebowitz) turns 83… Retired in 2016 after 26 years as Executive Director of the Baltimore Jewish Council, Arthur “Art” Abramson turns 70… Attorney and former United States Ambassador to Belgium (2009-2013), Howard Gutman turns 62… Longtime member of Knesset who has served as Israel’s Foreign Minister, Justice Minister, Agriculture Minister and Housing Minister, Tzipi Livni turns 60… Rabbi at Temple Emanuel in Beaumont, Texas since 2009, Rabbi Joshua S. Taubturns 60… Washington D.C. bureau chief of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency, Ron Kampeas turns 58… Managing Principal at Albright Stonebridge Group, former Clinton White House senior staffer, Dan K. Rosenthal turns 52… Managing director in the Baltimore office of Harbor Group International, Meir Raskas turns 48… Atlanta-based educator, activist and writer, Robbie Medwed turns 37… Tech and foreign affairs correspondent at the Israeli public broadcasting corporation, Amichai Stein…