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TOP TALKER —  Dems gunning for Trump fear 2020 split over Israel — by Nahal Toosi and Marc Caputo: “Democrats hoping for a united front against President Donald Trump in 2020 are trying to avoid splintering over an increasingly thorny topic: the Israeli-Palestinian conflict… The 2020 Democratic presidential contenders are saying little publicly as they balance the competing interests. But in the meantime, pro-Israel Democrats are scrambling behind the scenes to shore up support, providing Holy Land trips to members of Congress and proposing policies they hope can bridge a growing party divide.”

“A big Democratic concern: how to handle the issue of the U.S. embassy in Jerusalem? … One campaign platform proposal being floated among Democratic consultants is to keep the embassy in Jerusalem but reestablish a diplomatic mission — possibly something beyond just a consulate general — in a part of East Jerusalem that Palestinians claim for a future capital… Democratic activists say they expect a more intense fight than usual over the Democratic Party platform.” [Politico]

PODCAST PLAYBACK — Peter Beinart discusses the Dem debate on Israel with Tommy Vietor on the Pod Save The World podcast: “In the Democratic Party what you see is a pretty significant gap between where Democratic politicians are and where Democratic grassroots activists are. There’s been a real shift in public opinion and a younger generation, including a number of Jews, who want America to take a more forthright, critical position on Israel. It’s like where the Republican Party was on trade before Donald Trump came along which was that Republican politicians were much more pro free trade than Republican voters and Donald Trump saw that opening.”

“The interesting question will be whether a candidate in 2020 in the Democratic nomination seizes that opening and distinguishes themselves from the rest of the pack by taking a much more critical position on Israel. Bernie Sanders is really the only one so far who I think seems to be moving in that direction. He’s even said things about conditioning military aid to Israel, which is not something that Barack Obama ever discussed. I suspect if he does that we will see it’s a political winner for him. That shifts the debate and shows other Democratic politicians where there is a political opportunity and the debate within the Democratic Party could change pretty significantly.” [PodSaveTheWorld]

DRIVING THE CONVO — A day after Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) offered her “unequivocal” apology for invoking anti-Semitic tropes, Republicans continued to hammer Democrats over their response to the Minnesota Representative’s comments, with President Trump leading the demand for a greater response. Progressive allies of Omar joined together to push back against calls for further punishment.

Vice President Mike Pence tweeted on Tuesday evening: “Ilhan Omar’s tweets were a disgrace & her apology was inadequate. Anti-Semitism has no place in the United States Congress, much less the Foreign Affairs Committee. Those who engage in anti-Semitic tropes should not just be denounced, they should face consequences for their words.”

— “A senior Democratic aide told The Washington Post such a move was not under discussion.” [WashPost]

At the start of a cabinet meeting at the White House on Tuesday,President Trump called on Omar to “either resign from Congress or she should certainly resign” from the House Foreign Affairs Committee. “What she said is so deep-seeded in her heart that her lame apology — that’s what it was, it was lame and she didn’t mean a word of it — was just not appropriate,” Trump said. “I think she should resign from Congress frankly, but at a minimum, she shouldn’t be on committees, certainly that committee.” [CSPAN]

HOW IT PLAYED — Trump Rejects Democrat’s Apology, but Traffics in Own Jewish Stereotypes — by Mark Landler: “Mr. Trump was the latest in a parade of Republicans and Democrats to condemn Ms. Omar. But the president himself has perpetuated stereotypes of Jews using money to buy political influence or of acting as ‘globalists,’ pulling the levers of power for their own enrichment.” [NYTimes]

— Flashback to December 3, 2015 — Trump: Jewish Donors Want Control Over Electeds: “Jonathan Greenblatt, the Anti-Defamation League’s CEO, said that after having carefully reviewed the speech, the ADL does not believe ‘that it was Donald Trump’s intention to evoke anti-Semitic stereotypes.’” [JewishInsider]

RJC’s Matt Brooks tells us: “It is absolutely offensive to try and equate Donald Trump with the comments by Representative Omar. Donald Trump has never uttered anything anti-Semitic that anybody can point to, and does not have an anti-Semitic bone in his body. In fact, I encourage everybody to go look at his speech to the Farmers of America following the Tree of Life synagogue shooting, and you will see the most historic declaration and condemnation of anti-Semitism and hatred ever espoused by any United States president. It goes far beyond anything that any other president has said and is absolutely historical.”

“The Democrats — and I applaud them for putting forth a statement condemning Omar’s comments — continue to reward bad behavior by letting her continue to serve on the House Foreign Affairs Committee. She’s proven that she doesn’t have the depth, the knowledge, the bandwidth, or the fundamental understanding of the complexities of the region. If she believes that the only reason we support Israel is because of rich Jewish donors, then she just doesn’t understand and is ill-equipped to serve on that committee.”

JDCA’s Halie Soifer: “We welcomed Rep. Omar’s apology but wished she had ended the apology with ‘unequivocally apologize’ because subsequent paragraphs made it appear somewhat equivocal by likening AIPAC to other organizations, such as the NRA. We were disappointed with that part of the apology. But we welcomed her apology. And in it, she indicated a willingness to learn and we think that’s very important.”

“We’ve never seen an apology from President Trump for the many anti-Semitic tropes and dog whistles and other things he has done and said that have been deeply offensive to the Jewish community. Almost daily, he offends minorities in this country and he’s never once apologized for his work. So, of course, he’s not just the wrong messenger, he’s very hypocritical.”

Mark Mellman, President of the newly-created Democratic Majority for Israel, emails: “Many people have standing to have called out Congresswoman Omar’s anti-Semitic remarks. President Trump is not one of them. He would do better atoning for his own racist and sexist remarks.”

Abe Foxman: “We should welcome the President’s strong condemnation of anti-Semitism, but the president who had never apologized is not a mayven (expert) on the sincerity of an apology.” Read more here [JewishInsider]

MN Jewish leaders talked with Ilhan Omar about anti-Semitism last year. Why they remain frustrated — by Dave Orrick: “Last year, State Sen. Ron Latz… invited Omar to his house, where a number of Jewish leaders had gathered… He declined to attempt to recall exact statements made by him, or others, including Omar… But here’s his summary: ‘Over the course of about two hours, we shared with her our concerns for things, including language that has references and meanings beyond just the meanings of words. Tropes, dog whistles… Most of us came out of that conversation very troubled by the answers we received. I was not convinced she was going to give a balanced approach to policy in the Middle East, and I was not convinced … where her heart is on these things.'” [TwinCities] • Was Congresswoman Omar listed to speak with anti-Semite Abdallah in error? [JPost]

HEARD ON CABLE — CNN political commentator Bakari Sellers on CNN Newsroom: “The reason that I’m disappointed in Omar’s comments, more so than the anti-Semitism and the racism that we are enveloped in, in this country right now, is that it made the conversation about Israel, that’s a very nuanced conversation, more difficult to have. There are many of us who are friends of AIPAC, who are friends of Israel, but have very critical opinions on Bibi Netanyahu. I mean those criticisms are okay. Those criticisms are valid… But when you start to go down this path of anti-Semitic rhetoric, it doesn’t do anybody any good.” [Video] 

AIPAC fundraises on Rep. Omar’s remarks — In an email with the subject line titled — “We will not be deterred” — AIPAC notes: “We are proud as Americans to participate in our democratic process to effect change, and we are determined to exercise that right to help keep Israel safe. We are proud that members of Congress from both sides of the aisle continue to stand together to condemn illegitimate attacks on the pro-Israel community. And we are determined to continue our bipartisan efforts in support of the shared values that unite America and Israel.”

ON THE HILL — Two Jewish members of the Democratic caucus — Reps. Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ) and Elaine Luria of Virginia (D-VA) — have gathered 25 signatures from their colleagues in the Democratic caucus on a letter asking Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) and Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-MD) to confront “recent rhetoric from certain members within our caucus” by “reiterating our rejection of anti-Semitism and our continued support for the State of Israel.” Read the full letter here [JewishInsider]

2020 WATCH — Beto O’Rourke Was Once Adrift in New York City. Now He’s Searching Again — by Matt Flegenheimer: “In a neighborhood of Hasidic Jews, Mexican-Americans and residents from the Marcy Houses blocks away, Mr. O’Rourke developed a reputation as the socially dexterous Texan who could talk to anyone. ‘If you needed somebody to talk to somebody, you asked Beto,’ a neighbor, Yuval Adler, recalled.” [NYTimes]

Former Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz discussed Trump’s Syria withdrawal during a CNN town hall with Poppy Harlow in Houston, Texas: “I disagree completely with how President Trump acted in unilaterally deciding that we were going to pull out of Syria for a whole host of reasons. The first is, he did not inform any of our allies. The second is, the president of the United States has a moral responsibility to listen to the intelligence community and his military advisers. He did not do that… The country cannot function by these kinds of hyperbolic decisions. We need a thoughtful, disciplined strategy in all the things we’re doing, and it goes back to thoughtful, servant leadership and recognizing the role and responsibility of the commander-in-chief.”

HEARD LAST NIGHT — Former UN Ambassador Nikki Haley after receiving the 2019 Friend of Israel Humanitarian Award at the Greater Miami Jewish Federation Main Event at the Hilton Miami Downtown: “If you support BDS, you support hate.” [Pic]

— Haley says standing up for Israel was ‘right thing to do’ — by Carli Teproff: “Haley, a fervent supporter of Israel, said supporting the Jewish state was ‘one of the easiest things I did in the UN.’ … Haley said of the award: ‘It is an honor and pleasure to accept this award. I can promise you I’m too young to stop fighting.’ She added jokingly, ‘That did not mean I am running for president.'” [MiamiHerald]

Christie plays Manhattan — by Jonathan Swan: “Chris Christie told Trump stories for nearly an hour last night at the Manhattan home of hedge fund billionaire Steven Cohen… The former New Jersey governor said ‘the thing I’m proudest about’ — now that his book, ‘Let Me Finish,’ has been out for two weeks — is that nobody he wrote about, some of whom still work in the White House, had dared to deny what he’d written. ‘They know I know even more,’ Christie said. Christie pointed at Gary Cohn, Trump’s former economic adviser, as he said this. Cohn nodded knowingly.” [Axios] • Christie Handicaps the Field of Democratic Presidential Hopefuls [Bloomberg]

DRIVING THE DAY — Vice President Mike Pence and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo are headlining a conference on peace and security in the Middle East, with the participation of 60 nations, including 30 foreign ministers, in Warsaw, Poland. Pence, Pompeo and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will deliver remarks at the main session on Thursday.

White House senior adviser Jared Kushner will also discuss details of Trump’s peace plan at the two-day conference. Western officials say the parts expected to be unveiled mostly focus on economic aid — and European nations have not been privy to Kushner’s plan.

Mideast envoy Jason Greenblatt insisted in a Twitter exchange with Martin Indyk on Tuesday that the Palestinians were invited to the conference but declined. “Unfortunately it serves some people’s interests to spread false info to media, experts and those interested in the conflict,” he added.

— Greenblatt will also discuss the peace plan in an off the record conversation moderated by Rabbi Shmuley Boteach at the Klubokawiarnia Babel on Thursday evening.

Greenblatt tweeted this morning: “About to daven (pray) with my tefillin on Air Force Two en route to Warsaw. Very special. God bless the USA.”

Aaron David Miller emails: “To borrow a Seinfeld trope, the Warsaw conference may well turn out to be a show about nothing. Having organized my fair share of Middle East conferences — most of which failed, I’m something of an expert on the subject. But when you send Secretary of State and Vice President, you invest a lot. And what will the return be? I’m watching two things: will Bibi meet publicly with the Saudis, and will Jared Kushner say anything new in his peace process speech?”

REPORT — Israel rejected 2014 Saudi proposal on Palestinian peace talks — by Barak Ravid: “In early September 2014, Netanyahu held a secret meeting with Saudi national security adviser, Prince Bandar Bin Sultan… Bandar told Netanyahu at the meeting that Saudi Arabia wanted to re-launch the peace process… Netanyahu was enthusiastic, and after 10 hours of talks he and Prince Bandar agreed to start preparing for a summit at the UN. In the next few weeks, meetings were held between Netanyahu’s advisers and Bandar’s aides to draft a joint document… While the Saudis agreed to many of the points, they asked Israel to show flexibility. Netanyahu refused to go further and the talks collapsed.” [Axios]

SCENE IN JERUSALEM — U.S. Ambassador to Israel David Friedman tweets: “Was a joy and a thrill to perform tonight with Governor Mike Huckabee and his band from the Holy City of Jerusalem. No worries, I am keeping my day job!” [Pic; Video]

KAFE KNESSET — Bibi and Gantz Go to (Viral) War — by Neri Zilber: Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his main challenger in the polls, retired IDF chief of staff Benny Gantz, have gone to war over the last two days via social media. Netanyahu’s Likud and Gantz’s Hosen Le’Israel issued a number of short video clips in quick succession blasting the other as soft on terror and relitigating the 2005 disengagement from the Gaza Strip. Subscribe to read today’s entire Kafe Knesset here[KafeKnesset]

TRANSITION — House Judiciary ramps up oversight of Trump administration with two new hires — by Rebecca Kaplan: “The House Judiciary Committee announced Tuesday it has retained… ethics expert Norm Eisen and trial attorney Barry Berke of Kramer Levin… [to] help develop an oversight agenda — filled with document requests and hearings… A committee aide told CBS News that Eisen and Berke are not being brought in to help launch impeachment proceedings against the president. But the aide did not dispute that whatever their work uncovers could eventually be used as evidence against the president if Congress does move to impeach him… Eisen will resign as chairman of the board of Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington… He will continue part-time work as a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution.” [CBSNews]

LONG READ — The new Washington, D.C., is awash in foreign money and shady lobbyists — and Elliott Broidy fits right in — by Andy Kroll: “This story is based on more than 40 interviews, hundreds of pages of legal records as well as private emails and other documents of Broidy’s, which reveal his efforts to shape the Trump administration’s Middle East policy and score foreign contracts for his company. Before publication of this story, a lawyer for Broidy sent a letter to Rolling Stone alleging that “paid agents” of Qatar stole the emails from Broidy as retribution for the “exercise of his First Amendment rights to highlight Qatar’s support for global terrorist organizations.” The lawyer contended that some of the documents were doctored or forged by the alleged hackers. Taken together with Rolling Stone’s reporting, the documents give a rare inside view of how the Trump-era swamp works — and Broidy’s place in it.” [RollingStone]

** Good Wednesday 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 Editor@JewishInsider.com **

BUSINESS BRIEFS: Michael Lynton Joins Warner Music Board [Variety] • Milwaukee Bucks co-owner Marc Lasry fined for tampering[ESPN] • Lululemon exit makes Joe Sitt’s Thor Equities vulnerable on Fifth Avenue—again [CrainsNewYork] • Bobby Kotick’s Activision Blizzard cuts nearly 800 jobs amid ‘record results in 2018’ [TheVerge] • Axonius raises $13 million to help businesses track and secure their connected devices [VentureBeat] • Qatar Shocked, Shocked to Learn It Accidentally Bailed Out Jared Kushner [VanityFair]

HEARD AT MILKEN — Trump backer Tom Barrack defends Saudi Arabia — by Ed Clowes: “Speaking on stage at the Milken Institute MENA Summit in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday, Barrack was asked by CNN’s Becky Anderson about the reputational damage to Saudi Arabia over the Jamal Khashoggi killing… Barrack said that ‘whatever happened in Saudi Arabia, the atrocities in America are equal, or worse.’ … He later added that the West had always been confused about the Middle East. ‘The corrupt hand of the West has been the primary instigator in the kingdom, and in the resource curse across the region forever.'” [GulfNews]

Iran is turning its ‘people into paupers’ instead of providing food, Saudi prince says — by Natasha Turak: “Iran is funding militias throughout the Middle East while turning its own people into paupers, Saudi Arabian Prince Turki Al-Faisal told CNBC Tuesday. ‘I’ve described Iran in the past, and I think the description still fits, the leadership in Iran has developed into a paper tiger with steel claws. The ‘steel claws’ are the militias that they have established throughout the Middle East… whose main purpose is to further Iran’s influence and its domination of the areas in the Middle East,’ he said.” [CNBC]

TALK OF OUR NATION — JCPA Makes Expansion Push Amid Increasingly Treacherous Politics — by Shira Hanau: “As the Jewish Council on Public Affairs (JCPA) marks its 75th anniversary this year, it unveiled a strategic plan to expand its relationship-building efforts across the country by increasing the number of JCRC professionals working on the local and national level. But the excitement around increasing personnel and budgets was tempered by the challenges facing JCRCs in building broad coalitions in the face of increasing polarization… ‘We talk a lot about building consensus — I’m not sure that’s doable anymore,’ said David Bernstein, president and CEO of JCPA, at a panel of past JCPA leaders… The central aim of the strategic plan announced at the conference [this week] — strengthening community relations across the country — is an attempt to answer these challenges.” [JewishWeek]

ACROSS THE SEA — Sharp Rise in Anti-Semitic Acts in France Stokes Old Fears — by Elian Peltier: “A spate of reports in recent days illustrates what the government officially confirmed on Tuesday: Anti-Semitic incidents have risen sharply in France. Such episodes jumped by 74 percent in 2018, to 541, up from 311 in 2017, the interior ministry reported. ‘Anti-Semitism is spreading like a poison, like a bile,’ the interior minister, Christophe Castaner, said on Monday as he visited the site of the felled tree.” [NYTimes]

George Soros: The EU is heading toward a Soviet-style collapse — by Zachary Basu: “Billionaire philanthropist George Soros penned an op-ed in The Guardian Tuesday in which he argued that anti-EU forces in the U.K., Germany, Italy and elsewhere are driving the European bloc toward the same fate suffered by the Soviet Union in 1991. ‘Most of us assume the future will more or less resemble the present, but this is not necessarily so. In a long and eventful life, I have witnessed many periods of what I call radical disequilibrium. We are living in such a period today.'” [Axios]

Somerville College looks into kosher meat ban: “An Oxford University college is considering a request from students to ban certain kinds of halal and kosher meat from its dining hall. Somerville College’s Junior Common Room (JCR) passed a motion that any animals on the menu should be stunned before being killed. The college said it would still expand its halal and kosher offering. It is looking into the request by the JCR… but the vote by the students is not binding… Nicole Jacobus, president of the university’s Jewish Society, said: ‘The very fact that this amendment was passed in a JCR meeting without a Jewish student being able to challenge it highlights the lack of diversity and awareness of other cultures amongst students in Oxford.’” [BBC]

‘The Empire and the Five Kings’ Review: The Desert Grows — by Martin Peretz: “The old world, which Bernard-Henri Lévy has written about for more than four decades, is one of ethnic groups struggling for self-determination in Europe, Asia and the Arab world. The realized nations among them, such as Poland and Kosovo, are ‘rational’ states created by thick, recognizable communities—interlocking, uncategorizable mixes of ethnic, cultural, genetic and vernacular inheritance. They’re mostly new nations; most of their inhabitants share an inherited identity; almost all of them knew oppression firsthand, and, for many, threats still loom—for example, Ukraine is threatened by Russia.” [WSJ]

TAPPER AND SON — Jake Tapper Interviews His Kids About How He’s Doing as a Dad  —“Jake: What could I be better at as a dad? Son: Not yelling. Jake: You really think I yell a lot? Son: Your voice is too loud. Mom: That’s just his voice. But he needs to learn to make it softer. Son: I don’t like your angry eyebrow.” [MensHealth]

ENTERTAINMENT — Hit Israeli Comedy Series ‘Checkout!’ Ordered For Second Season — by Elsa Keslassy: “Israel’s public broadcaster, KAN, has ordered a second season of the hit half-hour comedy series “Checkout!” (“Cash Register”). Produced by July August Prods., a Red Arrow Studios company, “Checkout!” is a behind-the-scenes look at the clash of cultures and characters in a supermarket located in a Central District of Israel. Each episode follows the daily lives of the store’s crazy staff and eccentric customers. The first season the show was critically acclaimed and pulled strong ratings in Israel with more than 30% above the average on Channel 10, the show’s original home.”[Variety]

DESSERT — This Italian Chef is Bringing Kosher Wood-Fired Pizza to NYC — by Shannon Sarna: “Abaita, which opened in May of 2018, is the brainchild of Chef Egidio ‘David’ Donagrandi, [his Brazilian-Jewish wife] Hannah, and Chef Sruli Subar (who is Jewish). Abaita, Hebrew for ‘at home,’ is a fitting name for a restaurant that focuses on simple cooking prepared at the very highest level. The name also works on two levels: In the Italian dialect of Chef Donagrandi’s childhood, ‘baita’ means ‘little house or little mountain hut,’ and so the dual meaning is doubly significant.” [MyJewishLearning]

Things I Never Knew About Skiing Until I Was a Private Instructor in Aspen — by Brandon Presser: “Noncash payouts can also be a delightful byproduct of long-term relationships. A Saudi prince once gifted an instructor a Jeep. Other clients have shown their gratitude with heli-skiing vacations in the Southern Hemisphere, trips to the Super Bowl, and invitations to weddings and bar mitzvahs. One instructor is even the godfather to his client’s children.”[Bloomberg]

REMEMBERING — Edward F. Zigler, an Architect of Head Start, Dies at 88 — by Sam Roberts: “Edward F. Zigler, a psychologist who in the mid-1960s helped design Head Start, the vanguard federal government program for preschool children, died on Thursday at his home in North Haven, Conn… President Richard M. Nixon nominated Dr. Zigler to be chief of the children’s bureau of the Department of Health, Education and Welfare (now the Department of Health and Human Services) in early 1970. Within months the bureau became the Office of Child Development and he became its first permanent director… Edward Frank Zigler was born in Kansas City on March 1, 1930. His parents, Frank and Gertrude (Gleitman) Zigler, were Jewish immigrants from Poland who sold fruit from a horse-drawn wagon.” [NYTimes]

BIRTHDAYS: Talmudic scholar, also emeritus professor of economics at New York University, closely identified with the Austrian school of economic thought, Rabbi Yisroel Mayer Kirzner turns 89… Television, film and stage actor, popular in the 1960s and 1970s for playing both dramatic and comedic roles such as Ship of Fools (1965), and Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (1966), George Segal turns 85… Board member (and chair) of the Toronto-based Mackenzie Institute think tank, he is a former North York and Toronto City Councillor, Norman “Norm” Gardner turns 81… Professor at American Jewish University in Los Angeles and scholar of biblical literature and Semitic languages, Ziony Zevit turns 77… Pamela Brown turns 76… Host of the tabloid talk show “The Jerry Springer Show” (1991-2018), former Democratic mayor of Cincinnati, Jerry Springer turns 75… Newsweek columnist specializing in US intelligence, military and foreign policy issues, previously national security editor for Congressional Quarterly, Jeff Stein turns 75… Former Speaker of the New York State Assembly (1994-2015), Sheldon Silverturns 75…

Senior US Senator from Connecticut, elected in 2010 and re-elected in 2016, previously Attorney General of Connecticut (1991 to 2011), Richard Blumenthal turns 73… Professor of anthropology at the University of Toronto, author of “‘I Did Not Know You Were Jewish’ and Other Things Not to Say,”Ivan Kalmar turns 71… Arlene Milrad turns 70… Former front office consultant for the Atlanta Falcons (2014-2015), CEO of the Cleveland Browns (2012-2013) and president of the Philadelphia Eagles (2001–12), Joe Banner turns 66… Radio broadcaster for the New York Mets, he also called games for the New York Rangers and New York Islanders, Howard “Howie” Roseturns 65… Ukrainian billionaire, previously president of the United Jewish Community of Ukraine, Ihor Kolomoyskyi turns 56… Casting director, Amy Sobo turns 56… President and CEO of the congressionally chartered National Constitution Center in Philadelphia, professor at GWU Law School and a contributing editor of The Atlantic, Jeffrey Rosen turns 55… Internet entrepreneur best known as the co-founder of Zynga, maker of online social games, Mark Pincus turns 53…

Retired Israeli soccer player, he made 89 international appearances for Israel and won eight league championships, more than any other Israeli player, Alon Harazi turns 48… SVP at Wells Fargo Advisors, he is an Executive Committee and Board member of the Jewish Federation of South Palm Beach County, Bryan M. Drowos turns 40… Publisher of Southern California’s Jewish Link Magazine, Dov Blauner turns 40… Corporate crisis correspondent at Reuters since 2018, following 12 years as a Wall Street Journal reporter, Mike Spectorturns 38… Director of communications at Columbia World Projects for Columbia University, she was previously communications director for US Senator Michael Bennet (D-Colorado), Samantha Slater turns 36… Jonathan Neuman turns 35… Dallas native and graduate of SMU, she is a government and public affairs associate at Dallas-based ECA Strategies, Alejandra Aguirre turns 28… Former senior speechwriter for Treasury Secretaries Geithner and Lew (2010-2017) and speechwriter for Senator Frank Lautenberg (2008-2010), Mark Cohen…