Rep. Jared Moskowitz, D-Coral Springs, speaks against the parental trigger bill on the floor of the House of Representatives Thursday, April 4, 2013, at the Capitol in Tallahassee, Fla.

Broward County Commissioner Jared Moskowitz, the first and so far only Democratic candidate to enter the race for the 22nd Congressional District seat, is eager to cast himself as Rep. Ted Deutch’s (D-FL) natural successor, pledging to carry on two of the South Florida congressman’s top issues — Mideast policy and gun control, Jewish Insider’s Marc Rod reports.

Background: “Serving at the federal level is something that I’ve wanted to do since I was a little kid,” Moskowitz told JI in a recent interview. “With the challenges we’re facing as a country, both internally and externally, I want to be in the room helping make those decisions for my community in the state of Florida and the country.” Prior to his current post, the 41-year-old Moskowitz represented Coral Springs in the Florida House and was the director of the Florida Division of Emergency Management from January 2019 to April 2021.

Line of attack: Should other Democrats enter the race, Moskowitz is likely to face scrutiny and criticism for his ties to Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, a Republican, who appointed him to his roles at Emergency Management and the Broward County Commission — already a source of suspicion for some Democrats. Former Rep. Robert Wexler (D-FL), who endorsed Moskowitz, lauded his Democratic credentials, saying he should be “judged on his performance, his record, his beliefs. And there’s nothing more dangerous than guilt by association” saying he has “not… even a remote concern.”

Running deep: Moskowitz, whose father was prominent attorney, Democratic fundraiser and AIPAC activist Michael Moskowitz, said he grew up “in Democratic diapers.” Moskowitz’s family history also plays a central role in the aspiring congressman’s support for Israel. Several of his ancestors were killed in Auschwitz or in pogroms in Poland, and his grandmother and great-aunt were both part of the Kindertransport out of Germany. “When I was young, my parents wanted me to understand the history of the Holocaust and why it was important, and then transitioning into why Israel was so important to have a Jewish state because of what had happened,” he said.

In action: Moskowitz rattled off a long record of pro-Israel policies from throughout his time in elected office, including serving as a lead sponsor of Florida’s anti-BDS legislation, a resolution condemning UNESCO’s posture toward Israel and a resolution in support of former FBI agent Bob Levinson, who was held captive by Iran. He also traveled to Israel with DeSantis in 2019, signing a Memorandum of Understanding with an Israeli counterpart during the visit. “[Israel] is not an issue that I just started caring about because I’m running for Congress, unlike some other people who may jump into this race,” he said. “This is something that’s been part of my fabric — this is something that Ted Deutch and I have been talking about since I was 20 years old.”

Stamp of approval: Although he has not endorsed Moskowitz, Deutch — who was tapped to lead the American Jewish Committee following the retirement of outgoing CEO David Harris later this year — praised the congressional hopeful in a statement to JI. “The U.S.-Israel relationship is personal to Jared, and he understands the importance of standing up and speaking out in support of Israel,” Deutch said. “I’m honored that he turns to me for guidance on these issues that matter so deeply to my constituents.”

Quotable: “When I mean I’m going up there and [Israel] is one of my core issues, it’s not just to have a voting record. It is to be that outspoken voice,” Moskowitz continued. “There are big shoes to fill with Ted Deutch. No one is going to fill those shoes on day one. But I think I’m most positioned and poised to fill those shoes in due time.”

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Chuck Edwards

Chuck Edwards, a Republican state senator in Western North Carolina, readily acknowledges that he once had high hopes for Rep. Madison Cawthorn (R-NC), the freshman congressman who emerged from relative obscurity last election cycle to become the youngest House member in at least several decades. “I had supported Congressman Cawthorn,” Edwards, 61, said in a recent interview with Jewish Insider’s Matthew Kassel. “I had introduced him to friends. I had made contributions to his campaign. And I wanted to see him be successful.”

Change of heart: But Edwards says he has lost faith in Cawthorn’s ability to govern now that he is mounting a primary challenge against the 26-year-old GOP firebrand in North Carolina’s newly drawn 11th Congressional District. “I feel that Western North Carolina can do better,” Edwards said of Cawthorn, who has almost continuously drawn controversy for his extreme right-wing rhetoric since he assumed office in 2021, most recently for comments in which he called Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky a “thug,” drawing sharp rebukes from fellow party members. “Right now, the U.S. House floor is not a training camp for folks to learn how to lead legislatively.”

Balancing act: Edwards has been a vocal critic of Cawthorn’s behavior for the better part of a year, but in conversation with JI, he was relatively cautious in assessing the congressman’s first term. “I want to stay focused on what my campaign is about,” Edwards said, “and allow the voters to compare Congressman Cawthorn’s record to my record.” Such hedging underscores the unique balancing act Edwards now finds himself navigating as he goes up against Cawthorn, who appears to remain popular with the Trump wing of the party.

Eye on the Middle East: Edwards suggested that his experience as a state legislator, as well as a businessman, makes him a more qualified candidate than Cawthorn. But he was somewhat less well-versed on foreign policy. While he touted his support for Israel, he was unclear on the details of the Iran nuclear deal that Trump abandoned in 2018. He also said he was “not familiar with the details” of the Biden administration’s efforts to renegotiate a nuclear agreement with Iran. “What I can say is that we need to stand strong and insist that Iran not be able to advance their nuclear technology.”

Addressing antisemitism: Edwards said he would “stand up against antisemitism” in the House, noting that he had already taken such action as a state senator. Cawthorn, for his part, introduced a resolution last July condemning the uptick in antisemitic violence that followed the Gaza conflict. But his relationship with Jewish constituents in the district has been strained, thanks in part to an old Instagram post in which he appeared to glorify Adolf Hitler, whom he described as “the Führer,” during a visit to the Eagle’s Nest, Hitler’s mountain chalet. “I can tell you,” Edwards emphasized, “that I have absolutely no desire to visit the Eagle’s Nest.”

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Dr. Sabah al-Binali

Emirati investor Sabah al-Binali is a seasoned financial services executive, but 18 months after the Abraham Accords, he is adding another, albeit informal, role to his already impressive portfolio: business ambassador. “People call me for advice from both sides,” al-Binali, partner and executive chairman of OurCrowd Arabia, one of the largest global venture investing platforms based in Jerusalem, told The Circuit‘s Ruth Marks Eglashof his work connecting Israeli and Emirati companies.

Finding synergy: “I know I’m generalizing here, but Israelis have a strong entrepreneurial spirit and are quick decision-makers, while in the UAE, you have good, long-term strategic thinking,” said al-Binali, adding, “If we can synergize this fast-decision-making entrepreneurial spirit with the thoughtful, strategic thinking, then it could be the best partnership in the world — it could be unbelievable.” Finding a way to bridge these contrasting business styles is exactly what al-Binali, who took up the position of executive chairman just a few weeks after the normalization agreements were signed in September 2020, is trying to do for OurCrowd and for the Abraham Accords.

Dispelling myths: In August 2020, when he first began talking to OurCrowd CEO Jon Medved about taking on the unprecedented role, al-Binali told him, “If you’re going to have this view that you go to the UAE to raise money, then I am the wrong person for the job, and you’ll probably not raise even one cent.” “I think we’ve got to get away from this fantasy that the opportunity here is money coming from the UAE and technology coming from Israel,” Binali continued. “Israeli startups are drowning in money and so, you know, without being cynical, if that’s what people are looking at as the opportunity, I believe, they will be disappointed.”

Common ground: Instead, he said, the countries can be mutually beneficial to one another on multiple levels. al-Binali believes that Israel and the UAE can serve as a gateway for one another. The Emiratis, who are active in Africa and Southeast Asia, can open up new markets for Israel. And Israel’s close ties with the U.S. are attractive for Emirati companies. On another level, the two markets can become a testing ground for new innovation. Al-Binali points out that similarities in size and scale between the two Middle Eastern states makes them ideal partners.

Great opportunities: “Of course, there is potential for disagreements and working together is still a challenge, but I also believe there are some great opportunities,” concluded al-Binali, pointing to global events such as changes in the U.S. equity market, growing inflation and the Russia-Ukraine war. “You’re going to see contraction, but on the flip side oil has just gone through the roof, which means the coffers of the sovereign wealth funds in the Gulf will be filled out, and there’ll be pressure on them to expand their investment programs.”

Flourishing: Trade and investments between the two countries are already flourishing, reaching over $600 million within the first year. In September, Emirati Minister of Economy Abdulla bin Touq Al-Marri predicted that economic activity with Israel could reach more than $1 trillion over the next decade.

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