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Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney, is speaking at a “Shine a Light on Antisemitism” event later this morning.
Kenney appeared yesterday at a “Palestine Solidarity Day” rally in the city, days after Israeli Consul General in New York Asaf Zamir, whose region encompasses Pennsylvania, sent a letter to the mayor’s office imploring him not to speak at the event.
The Capitol Jewish Forum — organized by American Friends of Lubavitch (Chabad) — will host a menorah-lighting ceremony outside the Capitol this evening, with several members of Congress, including members of leadership, expected to appear.
The Democratic Socialists of America’s Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions and Palestine Solidarity working group recommended on Monday that Rep. Jamaal Bowman (D-NY) be expelled from the organization.
The group said it had demanded that Bowman drop out of a J Street U event held last night and end his relationship with the organization, express clear support for a resolution objecting to Israel’s classification of six Palestinian NGOs as terrorist groups and commit to opposing “any future funding” for Israel to maintain his membership.
The Senate failed again Monday night to pass a procedural motion limiting debate on the 2022 National Defense Authorization Act, as Republicans demanded votes on additional amendments.
Rep. Tom Suozzi (D-NY) announced his campaign for New York governor on Monday, joining an already crowded field of Democrats. The departure of Suozzi from New York’s 3rd Congressional District, which includes most of Long Island’s North Shore, leaves an open seat in a toss-up district.
Melanie D’Arrigo, who mounted a failed primary challenge against Suozzi in the 2020 Democratic primary, announced Monday that she will enter the race to succeed the congressman, who has represented the district since 2017.
welcome party
Israeli ambassador hosts first Washington event: Lesson of Hanukkah alive today

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In his first public event as Israeli ambassador to the United States, Michael Herzog framed the conflict between Israel and its regional foes as a “struggle between light and darkness” and a fight against “radical forces who resist any progress,” reports Jewish Insider’s Marc Rod. Hosting the Israeli Embassy in Washington’s annual Hanukkah party on Monday evening, Herzog said, “When I light this candle, I dedicate it to our effort to spread hope as well as to our unbreakable bond with the United States, our best friend and ally, which is a force multiplier in this quest for light.”
Then and now: Herzog compared the Hanukkah story of the Maccabees to that of the modern State of Israel, reaffirming Israel’s duty and ability to protect itself. The new ambassador’s comments came against the backdrop of renewed nuclear talks with Iran in Vienna, and a statement earlier Monday from Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett opposing the negotiations. “If our core identity and the values that define us are ever in danger, we as a nation must fight to maintain them and be prepared to make the necessary sacrifices, as our ancestors did,” he said. “The lesson of Hanukkah is as alive today as it was over 2,000 years ago. Today, we have a state that is thriving and strong, capable of defending itself against aggressors and ill-wishers.”
The gentleman from New York: “It is such an honor to be here at your first official appearance as ambassador to the United States,” Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) said to Herzog. “I know the relationship between the United States and Israel will grow even stronger with you here in Washington and with recently confirmed Ambassador [Tom] Nides in Yerushalayim. It’s a great team.” Schumer, who sat shiva on Sunday night for his father, who died last week, noted that the Mi Chamochaprayer he recited at the shiva relates to the name of the Maccabees. “The first four words of the prayer – Mi Chamocha – start with the letters Mem-Khaf-Bet-Yod, which spells Maccabee,” the majority leader explained.
‘Small but mighty’: “The Maccabees rescued Jerusalem, built the Second Temple. It shows that a small but mighty people can do wondrous things,” Sen. Ben Cardin (D-MD) said at the event. “That’s the State of Israel. That’s what the State of Israel has been able to do in a part of the world where it’s a small nation, but a mighty nation. And it’s guided by its values. And that’s why this special relationship between the United States and Israel has only grown stronger over time.”
Fun fact: The hanukkiah used at the event was one of three created for the Clinton White House by Maryland-based sculptor Zachary Oxman and lent to the embassy by Kira Epstein-Begal and William Begal.
Read the full event recap here.
Spotted: Shirin Herzog, IDF Maj. Gen. Eyal Zamir, Israeli Agriculture Minister Oded Forer, Department of Homeland Security’s Rob Silvers, Maryland Secretary of State John Wobensmith, William Daroff, Nathan Diament, Liz Diament, Leonard Attman, Rabbi Levi Shemtov, Ken Weinstein, Ambassador Norm Eisen, Elliot Brandt, Aaron Keyak, Einat Wilf, Jeff Mendelsohn, Rob Satloff, Gal Levakov, Adam Lehman, Rabbi Hyim Shafner, Sara Winkelman, Dan Mariaschin, Halie Soifer, Sheila Katz, David Makovsky, Joel Rubin, Jason Isaacson, David Bernstein, Dan Arbell, Ellie Cohanim, Steve Rabinowitz, Benjamin Krasna, Roee Snir, Karen Barall, William Begal, Elad Strohmayer, Mark Dubowitz, Herbert Block, Mira Resnick, Daniel Benaim, David Schenker, Tammy Ben-Haim, Michael Lipin, Rabbi Jonah Pesner, Dana Gershon, Robert Greenway, Dan Pollak, Elliot Miller.