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TRANSITION — Strauss Zelnick Replaces Richard Parsons as CBS Chairman of Board — by Sharon Waxman: “Richard Parsons resigned from the CBS Corporation Board of Directors on Sunday for health reasons and was replaced as interim chairman by Strauss Zelnick, the head of Zelnick Media Capital… The appointment follows a unanimous decision on Sunday by the CBS Board… Parsons and Zelnick… are considered close to Shari Redstone, the controlling shareholder of CBS.” [TheWrap; WSJ]

Zelnick was just featured on NBC’s Megyn Kelly Today where he discussed ‘becoming ageless’ through health and spirituality. [Video]

TRENDS — Wang Xiangwei writes… “China has much to learn from Israel and Jewish diaspora about soft power: Beijing’s decision to task [Vice President] Wang Qishan with elevating ties with Israel is believed to have come after a brainstorming session among Chinese leaders, in which they discussed how to boost China’s innovation and hi-tech industries at a time when ties with the United States have deteriorated and the US has taken decisive steps to curb China’s technological advances. During the session, Wang, a history buff, impressed the others with his firm grasp of Israeli history and its contemporary rise to a hi-tech powerhouse in the world. He will be the highest-ranking Chinese official to visit the country in nearly two decades.”[SouthChinaMorningPost]

DRIVING THE WEEK — in Israel: Chinese Vice President Wang Qishan, Alibaba’s Jack Ma, Facebook executive David Marcus, venture capitalist Yuri Milner, and former Google CEO Eric Schmidt are expected to attend the Prime Minister’s Israeli Innovation Summit 2018, which will take place in Jerusalem on October 24 and 25.

— President Reuven Rivlin kicked off the Jewish Federations of North America General Assembly this morning at the Tel Aviv Convention Center with a speech focused on the shared interests between Israel and the Jewish communities in Diaspora. [Program]

GA Event Promises Tough Talk on Issues Dividing Israel and U.S. Jews – but Can It Deliver? — by Judy Maltz: “A look at the program reveals that… Orthodox voices are nowhere to be found and issues that have caused outrage and angst among progressive Jews – who still account for the overwhelming majority in America – are not specifically addressed in the program.” [Haaretz] • Israeli Diaspora Minister Will Be Conspicuously Absent From This Week’s Big Diaspora Event in Israel [Haaretz]

DRIVING THE DAY — U.S. Tries to Uphold Saudi Alliance — by Ian Talley: “An array of lawmakers from both parties urged sanctions on the kingdom as Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin prepared to visit Saudi Arabia on Monday. Mr. Mnuchin told a small group of reporters that the administration’s relationship with Riyadh was critical to the U.S. campaign to counter Iran’s bid to become the region’s dominant power… He said his message in visiting Saudi Arabia—the primary challenger to Iranian power in the Middle East and a crucial oil supplier—was that the two countries “have very important issues that we continue to focus on,” including combating terrorist financing and countering Iran.” [WSJ]

Trump downplays the Kushner-MBS relationship — by Josh Dawsey: “White House officials said there has been a deliberate effort during the Khashoggi controversy to sideline Jared Kushner, the president’s son-in-law and adviser, who has developed a strong relationship with MBS. Trump has grown frustrated with Kushner, White House officials said, though he offered his son-in-law some support in the Post interview. “Jared doesn’t do business with Saudi Arabia. They’re two young guys. Jared doesn’t know him well or anything,” he said. “They are just two young people. They are the same age. They like each other I believe. Jared has done a very good job. I think he’ll make peace with Israel. But there are a lot of setbacks. This is a setback for that.” [WashPost]

— “In recent days, a number of sources I have spoken with have raised the possibility that M.B.S.’s ties to Kushner may have instilled in the crown prince a belief that America would, indeed, turn a blind eye to the murder of Khashoggi. “I think there is a lot to be said [about how] M.B.S. thought he could get away with it, because Jared Kushner was in his pocket, and so was the president for that matter,” [a] former State Department official who worked in the Middle East said. And after all, the Trump administration has largely ignored the war in Yemen; the strange sojourn of Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri to Saudi Arabia; the ill-fated boycott of Qatar; and M.B.S.’s spats with Canada and Germany.” [VanityFair]

Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC) on Fox News’ Sunday Morning Futures: “You’ll never convince me that [MBS] didn’t do this… My beef is not with Saudi Arabia the country. My beef is with this young leader who’s taken the law into his own hands.” [TheAtlantic]

Inside the Saudis’ Washington influence machine: How the kingdom gained power through fierce lobbying and charm offensives — by Tom Hamburger, Beth Reinhard and Justin Wm. Moyer: “During an afternoon meeting on March 12, Saudi Ambassador Khalid bin Salman sat at the head of a long table in an embassy conference room, flanked by a whiteboard detailing the prince’s itinerary. His assembled advisers included Norm Coleman, the former Minnesota senator; Marc S. Lampkin, a veteran Capitol Hill adviser who served on President Trump’s transition team; and Democratic strategist Alfred E. Mottur… Eight days after their meeting, the congressional resolution aimed at extracting the United States from what the United Nations labeled “the worst humanitarian crisis in the world” would be defeated — hours after Mohammed was warmly welcomed at the White House at the start of his nationwide tour.”

“Coleman — a dean of the Saudi lobby in Washington and an influential GOP figure who also co-founded a super PAC aligned with House Speaker Paul D. Ryan (R-Wis.) — said national interests are at stake if the U.S.-Saudi partnership does not endure. “The relationship with Saudi Arabia is critically important, and its partnership in confronting the Iranian threat is critical for U.S. security, for security in the region, including the security of Israel,” he said.” [WashPost]

Mossad Chief Yossi Cohen in remarks at a budget conference held by Israel’s Finance Ministry: “One of the Americans I met recently asked me ‘What might happen if Iran is defeated, if we overcome Iran?’ I told him that if we beat Iran, I may be jobless, if Iran isn’t beaten, I may be homeless.”

— “Cohen said various powers’ handling of Middle East hotspots like Syria “is, of course, very much affected by the change in approach since President Trump took office, which, I think, is very pleasant for us, as the State of Israel. There is a kind of feeling – including in me – that there is a differentiation, between the good guys and the bad guys, being done in a more dichotomous, simpler and clearer manner.” [Reuters]

ULTIMATE DEAL WATCH — Khashoggi’s killing threatens Trump dreams for Mideast peace — by Josef Federman: “With the Saudi prince’s credibility facing serious questions following Khashoggi’s death, President Donald Trump may soon have to rethink his Mideast strategy. “It definitely complicates their plans to release their proposal, if indeed they have one,” said Dan Shapiro.”

“A U.S. official familiar with the peace effort said the team remains committed to its plan and does not expect the crisis surrounding the Khashoggi killing to affect it. The official added, however, that the team has not yet discussed the matter since the Saudis confirmed Khashoggi’s death over the weekend, and plans a discussion in the coming days.” [AP]

REPORT — Israel worried US peace plan will include Jerusalem as Palestinian capital — by Itamar Eichner: “Israeli officials are worried that one of the enticements the White House might present to Abbas would be mentioning Jerusalem as the future capital of the Palestinian state. “Trump wants a deal and he’s very serious,” a senior Israeli official said. “To the Americans, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is relatively easy to resolve and is ripe for the picking.”

“The official said that if the Republicans lose power in the upcoming midterm elections, Trump might increase his efforts to reach a solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict so he could run for his second term with a big foreign policy achievement under his belt… In such a case, the prime minister would likely ask to postpone the release of the peace plan until after the elections in Israel.”[Ynet]

HAPPENING NOW — Jared Kushner and Van Jones are taking part in a discussion about prison reform and working across party lines at Citizen by CNN, a day-long conference held at the Time Warner Center in Manhattan. Kushner said at the beginning of the discussion that he is “as optimistic as one could be” on Middle East peace. Michael Bloomberg and Rahm Emanuel are also among the featured speakers. [Livestream]

The Next Intifada Might Be Stirring in the West Bank — by Mehul Srivastava: “In interviews, West Bank residents describe a mounting despair that is the result of an emboldened right-wing Israeli government, a belligerent U.S. administration and an indifferent Arab world — especially Saudi Arabia, which has chosen to build covert ties with Israel as it duels with Iran. Their frustration with their own interim government, the Palestinian Authority (PA) led by Abbas, has also grown. More than 60 percent of Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza want Abbas — whom they deride as corrupt, inept and impotent against Israeli aggression — to resign, and three-quarters think things have become worse since Oslo… “You may think I am being dramatic, but when there’s nothing left to live for, should I not die in a way that matters?” says Adil, a 32-year-old waiting outside an East Jerusalem hospital that has lost U.S. funding.” [Ozy] 

Jordan Says It Won’t Renew Peace Treaty Land Deal With Israel — by Suleiman Al-Khalidi: “Jordan said on Sunday it would not extend the 25-year deal that allows Israel to use two tracts of territory along its border just as Israel said it was still planning to negotiate an extension. King Abdullah… told senior Jordanian politicians the kingdom wanted to exercise its “full sovereignty” over the two areas… Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu… acknowledged that Jordan wanted to exercise its option to end the arrangement. But he said Israel “will enter negotiations with it on the possibility of extending the current arrangement.” [Reuters] 

“The decision came as an unwelcome surprise to Israelis, but was not likely to touch off any immediate diplomatic crisis.” [NYTimes]

YESTERDAY IN JERUSALEM —Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin met with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem at the start of a Middle East trip, his third trip to Israel in the past year. “The US-Israel alliance under President Trump has never been stronger,” Netanyahu said at a press conference with Mnuchin. [Pic; Video]

Mnuchin also visited Aish HaTorah in the Old City of Jerusalem — led by Rabbi Steven Burg — with U.S. Ambassador David Friedman and his senior advisor, Aryeh Lightstone. [Pic] And held a roundtable discussion with Israeli technology leaders on economic issues. [Pic] 

Mnuchin, along with Assistant Secretary of State Manisha Singh, Deputy Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Pam Patenaude, and Treasury Under Secretary Sigal Mandelker attended the U.S.-Israel Economic Conference today in Jerusalem.  [Pic]

MIDTERMS — Michael Bloomberg Bets Big on the Midterm — by Chris Smith: “Bloomberg’s $80 million is being deployed on behalf of just 16 lucky beneficiaries at the moment; the number will likely grow to a still-select group of 20. The current list includes… Mike Levin, who is taking on incumbent Darrell Issa north of San Diego; Elaine Luria, running in a district that covers Virginia Beach, Williamsburg, and part of Norfolk… Elissa Slotkin and Haley Stevens, in southern Michigan and suburban Detroit, respectively… The bulk of the midterms cash, however, is being spent directly, through Bloomberg’s Independence USA PAC. His longtime political adviser, Kevin Sheekey, is involved in the effort, with Howard Wolfson directing the day-to-day strategy.”

”Wolfson is dividing Bloomberg’s money roughly 3–to–1 between traditional TV and digital ads… “Most of our TV stuff will hit late,” Wolfson says, and it will be sharpened by more polls and focus groups. The web spots began running in early September. “We will end up spending north of $10 million just on digital,” Wolfson says. “It will make us the biggest player in digital ads for Democrats this cycle.” [VanityFair]

This house candidate could soon be one of the first Muslim women to serve in Congress — by Amal Ahmed: “Rashida Tlaib will become the first Muslim American and Palestinian woman elected to the House of Representatives in November—but she’d rather talk about the heavy-duty trucks that roll through her neighborhood in Detroit… “My activism was birthed in many ways because of my Palestinian heritage,” says Tlaib, 42, a Michigan state representative. “But air quality and environmental justice—that’s something I’m so passionate about.” [TheAtlantic]

SCENE LAST NIGHT — Democratic House candidate Susan Wild and Republican Marty Nothstein participated in a debate hosted by the Jewish Federation of the Lehigh Valley for the open seat vacated by retiring Rep. Charlie Dent (R) in the 7th Congressional District contest. Iran, BDS, and anti-Semitism were among the topics that were discussed. [Pic] 

FL GOV — Ron DeSantis and Andrew Gillum spar over race, Trump in contentious Florida governor debate — by Gregory Krieg: “Though his upset victory in the primary was driven by an endorsement from President Donald Trump, DeSantis sought to keep some space from the President, never quite answering whether he considered Trump a good “role model,” and instead talking up the administration’s decision to move the US embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.” [CNN; AP]

DeSantis also blasted Gillum for associating himself with groups like the Dream Defenders, which has likened Israel to an ‘Apartheid’ state: “I look at what Andrew has done in terms of aligning himself with groups like the Dream Defenders, who one of their main planks of their platform is to boycott, divest and sanction the state of Israel.  They say Israel is a genocidal apartheid state… I think he should disavow them, because I can tell you this, if you want to unify Florida, taking positions about Israel like that, that may be unifying if you’re running for the mayor of the Gaza Strip. It ain’t unifying here. We’re a pro-Israel state and we need to do that.”

Gillum: “Well, let me just simply say, my relationship with Israel is beyond reproach. I’m the mayor of the city that has a sister relationship in Israel with the city of Ramat-Hasharon.  I’ve been to Israel three times and I’ve had rabbis from my community come to my defense in this regard.” [Video]

PROFILE — Larry Krasner’s Campaign to End Mass Incarceration — by Jennifer Gonnerman: “Krasner is one of about two dozen “progressive prosecutors,” many of them backed by [George] Soros, who have won recent district-attorney races… Krasner now oversees five hundred and thirty-seven employees, including some three hundred prosecutors, and an annual budget of forty-two million dollars. With his tailored suits, well-trimmed silver hair, and square jaw, he could be mistaken for a Republican senator, but his speech is freewheeling and at times leaves his spokesperson, Ben Waxman, a thirty-three-year-old former journalist, looking anxious. At lunchtime each day, prosecutors returning from the courthouse stream through the doors of the D.A.’s office, pulling metal carts stacked with boxes of files, and ride an escalator to the mezzanine, then board an elevator to their offices.”[NewYorker] 

DEEP DIVE — How a Disgraced Republican Fundraiser Is Exposing Qatar’s Shadowy Lobbying Offensive — by Dan Friedman: “[Jamal] Benomar’s lawyer, Abbe Lowell, a prominent criminal defense attorney who also represents Jared Kushner, defends his client with a surprising claim. Benomar, Lowell says in a court filing, indeed “advised Qatar on foreign policy issues,” but Lowell says he did so at the direction of the Moroccan government. Lowell declined to answer questions from Mother Jones about why Morocco asked Benomar to advise Qatar, what kind of advice he provided, or whether he was paid for his work. [Elliott] Broidy’s lawyers contend that Benomar was compensated and point to his appointment last month to the board of Lagardère, a French media company partly owned by Qatar’s sovereign wealth fund.)” [MotherJones] 

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BUSINESS BRIEFS: How Stephen Schwarzman’s Blackstone Landed $20 Billion From Saudis for New Fund [Bloomberg] • 23andMe CEO Anne Wojcicki says ‘one of our biggest competitors’ is fake science on sites like Goop[Recode] • Israel-based Amai Proteins’s sugar substitute aims to avoid a bitter end [WSJ] 

SPOTLIGHT — He Raised Legal Hell for 35 Years. Now He’s Back — by Corey Kilgannon: “On the day his law license was reinstated this past summer, Stanley L. Cohen got a call from an old friend and client, Mousa Abu Marzook, a senior political leader of Hamas… “He said, ‘You’re up to trouble again already?’” recalled Mr. Cohen, 67. In certain circles in the Middle East, he said, “Word had gotten around very quickly that I was back.” That Mr. Cohen is back — after a prison sentence on federal tax charges that resulted in the suspension of his law license — is certain to infuriate many people. He has spent much of his 35-year law career raising legal hell, defending controversial clients with an audacity that has antagonized his enemies, including United States intelligence figures and many Jewish groups.”

“The lawyer Alan M. Dershowitz — no stranger to controversy himself, having represented O.J. Simpson and Claus von Bülow, among others — said of Mr. Cohen: “I think he’s a horrible human being with horrible values, but I’ve defended worse.” [NYTimes]

Polygamy persists among Israel’s Bedouins but women are pushing for change — by Yardena Schwartz: “Bedouin men who marry multiple wives only register one marriage with Israeli authorities, making the problem difficult to track. Muslim marriages are carried out by Sharia courts, and multiple marriages by one man are rarely reported to authorities. Thus many married Bedouin women are legally considered single. As a result, despite its traditionalism, the Bedouin community boasts Israel’s highest rate of single mothers. Over 10 percent of Bedouin families are single-parent households. Now all of that is changing. In January 2017, the government passed an $825 million plan to improve the socio-economic status of the Bedouin sector, Israel’s most disenfranchised population. Part of that plan was the creation of a government committee to eradicate polygamy and help the women and children who are hurt by it.” [NBCNews]

Battling addiction in Orthodox Jewish community means breaking through silence —by George Itzhak and Dennis Romero: “Talking about substance abuse and addiction in the Orthodox Jewish world is a difficult endeavor that Rabbi Zvi Gluck is well acquainted with. He grew up in the ultra-Orthodox neighborhood of Borough Park, Brooklyn and said that, “any insular community likes to remain in their bubble so that they deal with things themselves and not have to mix in the outside world into it.” … In 2014, with the support of Jewish philanthropists and community leaders, Gluck created Amudim, a crisis support organization that has taken on two of the most controversial issues in the Hasidic and Orthodox Jewish worlds: sex abuse and addiction. Since inception, Amudim has helped over 5,000 clients, from across the Jewish spectrum.” [NBCNews]

Australia’s Jerusalem ploy fails to avoid by-election beating, risks Muslim backlash — by Tom Westbrook and Colin Packham: “In the kosher cafes of Sydney’s east, Australia’s surprise move to mull recognizing Jerusalem as Israel’s capital won some support but not enough votes to prevent a huge backlash against the government at a crucial weekend by-election. The results, with about a fifth of the Wentworth electorate switching their vote away from Prime Minister Scott Morrison’s government, are on track to plunge the ruling conservative coalition into political chaos and a parliamentary minority. Its Israel gambit could unravel further.” [Reuters] • Leak of top-secret Asio advice on Israel embassy move referred to federal police [TheGuardian]

SPORTS BLINK — The ones who know Dodgers can pull this off don’t need your belief — by Kevin Kernan: “No one else may believe, but the Dodgers believe they can beat the Red Sox. And that starts at the top with team president and CEO Stan Kasten. In the wild champagne party in the visitors’ clubhouse at Miller Park after the Dodgers’ Game 7 win over the Brewers gave them the NL pennant late Saturday night, Kasten said this of the matchup between the Dodgers and the Red Sox, the first time these franchises have met in the World Series in 102 years: “This is a classic, two great franchises with two of the three oldest stadiums in baseball, it’s going to be as pure a baseball experience that you can have in the modern era, it’s very exciting.” [NYPost]

Greg Joseph’s long journey from Jewish day school to the NFL — by Ed Carroll: “Browns rookie kicker Greg Joseph said it’s been a “wild ride” for him since being cut at the end of preseason by the Miami Dolphins, signing with Cleveland in Week 3 of the regular season, and just days later, playing an integral role in the NFL team’s first victory in nearly two years. To cap his “wild” five-week stretch, Joseph booted a game-winning 37-yard field goal – which was reportedly partially blocked by a defender – in overtime October 7 against the division rival Baltimore Ravens.” [ToI]

Primeau biking through Israel to aid disabled veterans — by Adam Kimelman: “[Keith] Primeau, 46, will participate in Courage in Motion 2018, a five-day cycling trip through Israel to raise money for Beit Halochem, which provides aid to disabled veterans in Israel. Proceeds from the ride will be used toward purchasing cycling equipment, including customized hand bikes and single and tandem bicycles, as well as funding cycling programs. The ride, which will be held Monday through Friday, will take riders from Mitzpe Ramon, in the southern part of the country, north to Jerusalem. Along the way the group will stop to hike at Masada and swim in the Dead Sea.” [NHL] 

Israeli bodybuilders compete in annual flex-off — by Oded Balilty: “Just short of 80 contestants participated in 14 categories at this year’s Israel’s National Amateur Body Builders’ Association competition… This year’s men’s winner, 25-year-old Or Magdasi of Tel Aviv, beamed, veins bulging, as he lifted his trophy… Magdasi will get a shot at representing Israel at the 2019 Mr. Universe competition in the United Kingdom.” [ABCNews]

Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, the former Iranian President has been tweeting about American sports. Can he make it as a pundit? — by Zach Helfand: “Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Iran’s President from 2005 to 2013, oversaw a ban on social media in his country, but last year, perhaps following the example of America’s President, he started tweeting on a new account. On Twitter, the populist hard-liner goes by the handle @Ahmadinejad1956 (a reference to his birth year), and identifies himself as a “Husband, Dad, Grandfather, University Professor, President, Mayor, Proud Iranian.” For the most part, his tweets veer between New Agey aphorisms (“Let’s all love each other”) and political commentary (“the Zionists are always causing problems for the #AmericanPeople . . . #ZionistPlot”).”[NewYorker] • After talking LeBron and Serena, Iran’s ex-president tweets about . . . Michigan football? [WashPost]

CAMPUS BEAT — Chabad opens new house worth $3.2 million — by Maria Harrast: “Chabad at Dartmouth now has a new place in Hanover to call home. On Oct. 14, the Hilary Chana Chabad House — located two blocks from the Green at 19 Allen Street — opened the doors of its new 9,000-square-foot building with a weekend of festivities that culminated in a dedication ceremony on Sunday… It took the [Rabbi Moshe and Chana Gray] just three days to come up with the $1.3 million needed to purchase the property. Sue Ann Arnall, whose daughter Hillary Chana was then in her final year at Dartmouth, pledged $750,000… Ultimately, the Chabad House will act as a hub where students can come together for meals, prayer services, social activities, intellectual events and studying, [Max] Goldman said.” [TheDartmouth]

Israeli Consul General Dani Dayan writes… “Israeli Diplomacy In The Age Of Bots And Trolls: As a Twitter addict myself, I can tell you that checking if Israel is receiving a fair hearing on Facebook and Twitter is like a 24-hour game of whack-a-mole played in the dark. On Israel, and just about every subject imaginable, millennials and Generation Z are exposed to hate-filled or simply inaccurate content. These messages can be coordinated behind the scenes by extremist regimes like Iran, or U.K. opposition leader Jeremy Corbyn and his anti-Semitic associates.” [Newsweek]

MAZEL TOV — A Celebration Uniting Past, Present and Future (Mom Predicted It) — by Rosalie R. Radomsky: “On Aug. 30, Rabbi Seth Braunstein led a Jewish ceremony at Mad Synagogue in Mad, Hungary. The wedding ceremony at the synagogue was the first since 1944, according to Mariann Frank, a caretaker of the historical site. Viktoria Bedö, 28, is a third-year rabbinical student and Wexner Graduate fellow at the Jewish Theological Seminary of America in New York, and has fellowship through Hillel International’s Office of Innovation… [Jonah Chaim] Fisher, 29, works in New York as the director of Gather, a Seeds of Peace program in which he trains and supports entrepreneurs in conflict zones focusing on the Middle East… Ms. Bedö grew up in Budapest in an assimilated Roman Catholic household; Mr. Fisher grew up on the Upper West Side of Manhattan in a Jewish community. “His grandfather was a Holocaust survivor from Munkacs,” she said. “My family is not Jewish and I converted when I was 17,” said Ms. Bedö.” [NYTimes]

REMEMBERING — David Posner, Senior Rabbi of Flagship Reform Synagogue, Dies at 70 — by Sharon Otterman: “At Temple Emanu-El on Fifth Avenue in Manhattan, a flagship Jewish congregation in the Reform tradition since the 19th century, services have traditionally been a formal and grand affair, with “thee” and “thou” in the prayer book, an ethereal choir and a towering sanctuary glowing with stained glass. But even amid the splendor, which is always so much greater than any one person, there was something unique about Rabbi David M. Posner, the congregation’s senior rabbi, who died of complications of Alzheimer’s disease on Friday at age 70.” [NYTimes] 

Man who foiled Nazi nuclear plan dies aged 99: “The leader of a daring World War Two raid to thwart Nazi Germany’s nuclear ambitions has died aged 99, Norwegian government officials said on Sunday. Joachim Roenneberg, serving behind enemy lines in his native Norway during the German occupation, in 1943 blew up a plant producing heavy water, or D2O, a hydrogen-rich substance that was key to the later development of atomic bombs.” [Reuters]

DESSERT — How Fish and Chips Migrated to Great Britain — by Abbey Perreault: “Fish prepared “in the Jewish manner” was sold on the streets of London on any given day. And at the end of the week, eating fish on Friday was a part of religious observance for Jews and Christians alike—as “fish fasting” to avoid consuming warm-blooded animals has been a part of the Catholic tradition for centuries. But the Friday-night tradition was likely chipless until the late-19th century. The general popularity of the potato bloomed late in Europe, and it wasn’t until the late 1800s that the tuber was accepted, due especially to the promotional efforts of a French scientist.”[AtlasObscura]

More than 50 years on, central London Jewish deli Gaby’s is to close — by Harriet Sherwood: “Gaby’s Deli, a landmark Jewish cafe serving salt beef and falafel in the heart of London’s theatreland for more than half a century, is to close at the end of this month… The deli’s proprietor, Gaby Elyahou, an 82-year-old Iraqi Jew, is to retire and his nephew, Menachem Kojman, 72, who helps to run the cafe, has concluded that he can no longer battle against the march of chain restaurants dominating the West End of London… Customers include the Labour leader, Jeremy Corbyn, the actor Matt Damon and the director Mike Leigh.” [TheGuardian]

BIRTHDAYS: Australian billionaire, philanthropist and long-time chairman of Westfield Corporation, owner of shopping malls across the globe which he sold in June 2018, Frank Lowy turns 88… Founder and national director of the National Conference of Synagogue Youth (NCSY) of the Orthodox Union,Rabbi Pinchas Stolper turns 87… EVP and chief professional officer of the Orthodox Union since 2014, he was previously chairman of NYC-based law firm Proskauer Rose, Allen Fagin turns 69… Actor who starred in many high-grossing films such as Jurassic Park, Independence Day and sequels of both of those, Jeff Goldblum turns 66… Partner at SKDKnickerbocker and an on-air CNN political analyst, she was the long-time CEO of the Recording Industry Association of America, Hilary Rosen turns 60…

Bethesda, MD resident and AIPAC staffer (not the Hillel president), Eric Matthew Fingerhut turns 48… Chief of Staff of The Associated: Jewish Community Federation of Baltimore, Michelle Gordon turns 47… Former VP in the NYC offices of West End Strategy Team and then Marathon Strategies, Samantha Kupferman turns 35… Dana Tarley Sicherman turns 33… Journalist and writer, he covered New York City Hall and national politics for the New York Observer (2013-2016), he ran for NYS Senate in 2018, Ross Barkan turns 29… Reporter and columnist for The Jewish Journal and Tribe Media, Ryan Torok…