Daily Kickoff
Good Monday morning.
In today’s Daily Kickoff, we look at the response on Capitol Hill to the Iranian proxy attack that killed three American service members, and talk to legal experts about the implications of the International Court of Justice’s ruling on Friday. Also in today’s Daily Kickoff: Rep. Nancy Pelosi, Mirjam Beit Talmi Szpiro and Sam Lessin.
In the more than 100 days since the start of the Israel-Hamas war elevated tensions across the region, confrontations between American forces and Iran-backed groups were limited to tit-for-tat exchanges in the heavily trafficked commercial waterways across the Middle East, Jewish Insider Executive Editor Melissa Weiss writes.
That changed over the weekend, with the first deadly drone strike on an American position since the start of the war. Three U.S. service members were killed in Jordan, near the Hashemite Kingdom’s borders with Iraq and Syria. The attack — for which President Joe Biden has vowed a response — has already spurred calls from Congress for the White House to take a harder line against Tehran. Read more below on how it’s playing out on Capitol Hill.
Last night, the editorial board of The Wall Street Journal suggested that an American response “probably includes hitting Iranian military or commercial assets,” though such a move “certainly” risks an escalation. “But Iran and its proxies are already escalating, and they have no incentive to stop unless they know their own forces are at risk,” the board writes.
The Washington Post’s Max Bootwrote that “it’s clearly time to show Iran that it cannot kill U.S. troops with impunity,” suggesting the U.S. attack members of Iran’s Quds Force and levy more sanctions against the Islamic republic.
But Iran shows no signs of stopping its proxies from further attacks on American interests. The Houthis announced this morning that they had launched a rocket at the U.S. warship Lewis B. Puller in the Gulf of Aden off of Yemen’s coast.
Israeli legal experts interviewed by JI’s Lahav Harkov over the weekend suggested a financial agreement between Tehran and South Africa’s ruling African National Congress party in exchange for Pretoria’s case against Israel at the International Court of Justice. But the attempt was blunted by the court’s refusal to call for an immediate cease-fire. Read more about the ICJ ruling below.
The ICJ ruling dealt a blow to left-wing Democrats in Washington, state capitals and municipalities pushing cease-fire resolutions. The decision not to call for a cease-fire underscores what has been the Israeli position since Oct. 7: that most civilized societies do not see a future in which Hamas can remain in control of Gaza.
And the ruling has shut down arguments from the hard left accusing Israel of genocide. Over the weekend, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) dodged a question asking if she agreed with the use of the term “genocide” to describe Israel’s actions in its war against Hamas terrorists.
More than 100 days in, despite protestations from left-wingers, the Biden administration has maintained its support for Israel. Addressing reporters at the White House on Friday, the National Security Council’s John Kirby again wore a dog tag calling for the return of the hostages as he discussed the U.S. pause on funding to UNRWA, the U.N. group that works with Palestinians. Hours earlier, the U.S. had announced the pause after it was determined that at least 12 UNRWA employees participated in the Oct. 7 attacks.
The U.S. was soon followed by nearly a dozen countries, including France, Japan, Italy and the U.K., in putting a halt to any future funding to the organization. On Monday, The Wall Street Journal reported that 10% of UNRWA employees in Gaza have ties to Islamic terror or militant groups.
The domino effect of countries dropping UNRWA support — which came shortly after the ICJ ruling — surprised watchers of the region, who had grown accustomed to global silence over connections between UNRWA and Hamas. Edward Luttwak, writing in Unherd over the weekend, points out how the diplomatic response to the Israel-Hamas war differs from Israel’s other major military confrontations — namely, that Israel has more global support than in the past.
“How times have changed since 1967, when socialist Israel still enjoyed the enthusiastic support of global ‘progressives,’ but was so diplomatically isolated that it received no support at all from Europe or America when openly threatened with war by Egypt, Jordan and Syria,” Luttwak recalled, pointing out how the situation “was much the same” six years later during the Yom Kippur War.
Such a diplomatic embrace — and global concern over Iranian military and nuclear ambitions — may be Israel’s saving grace in its war against Hamas, as the rest of the Western world recognizes that the true threat comes from the terror group’s benefactors in Tehran.
on the hill
Senate Republicans call for strikes on Iran following U.S. service member deaths
Senate Republicans on Sunday called for the Biden administration to carry out military strikes on Iran and Iranian personnel following the deaths of three U.S. service members in a drone attack on a U.S. base in Jordan by an Iranian proxy group, Jewish Insider’s Marc Rod reports. The administration had thus far resisted such calls in response to previous Iranian-backed attacks, which had injured, but not killed, U.S. troops.
Crippling costs: Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) blasted the administration for its previous responses, describing them as “hesitation and half-measures.” He called for “serious, crippling costs — not only on front-line terrorist proxies, but on their Iranian sponsors.”
Direct strike: Sen. Roger Wicker (R-MS), the ranking member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, said in a statement, “We must respond to these repeated attacks by Iran and its proxies by striking directly against Iranian targets and its leadership.” He argued that the administration’s limited responses to previous attacks “have only invited more attacks.”
Democratic reaction: From the Democratic side, lawmakers called for a response to the attack, generally in nonspecific terms. Even the most hawkish Democrats stopped short of calling for strikes on Iranian territory. “We must work to hold those responsible accountable,” Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) said. A Schumer spokesperson declined to comment on calls for strikes on Iran.
Act now: Sen. Jacky Rosen (D-NV), who recently helped lead a resolution calling for strong action against Iran, likewise said that “Iran must be held accountable.” Asked whether Rosen supports strikes on Iran, a spokesperson told JI that the Nevada senator “believes it’s up to the administration to utilize available intelligence to determine the decisive action it will need to take to hold Iran accountable for this horrific drone strike. Failure to act now will only embolden Iran’s aggression.”
unrwa uproar
U.S. halts UNRWA funding over staffers’ involvement with Oct. 7 terror attacks
The United States on Friday suspended funding to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency, the humanitarian body that works with Palestinians, in light of allegations that 12 UNRWA employees were involved in the Oct. 7 Hamas terror attacks in Israel, Jewish Insider’s Gabby Deutch reports. Following the U.S. decision, nearly a dozen other countries — including Australia, Italy, France, Canada and Japan — have paused future contributions to the U.N. organization.
Fired: The announcement from the State Department came after UNRWA announced that it had terminated several employees in light of new information that Israel provided to the agency detailing the connections of those UNRWA employees to the attacks. The New York Times on Sunday published details from the report given to American officials, detailing the degree to which UNRWA employees were involved in the Oct. 7 Hamas terror attacks.
Details: UNRWA said on Friday that nine of the employees cited in the document had been fired. An additional two were killed in Israel on Oct. 7. Of the 12, seven of the employees worked in UNRWA schools. One of the men had been instructed to bring an RPG launcher from his home. Another, a school counselor in the Gazan city of Khan Younis, reportedly worked with his son to abduct an Israeli woman on Oct. 7. Another man is accused of bringing the body of a dead Israeli soldier into Gaza after the attacks.
Heat from the Hill: The announcement was met with a swift response on Capitol Hill, JI’s Marc Rod reports, where Republicans blasted both the U.N. group and the Biden administration. Rep. Michael McCaul (R-TX), the chair of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, said he was “appalled — but unfortunately not surprised” by the revelations, given “extensive evidence that UNRWA is not a neutral arbiter, and that their anti-Israel bias is widespread and systemic.” HFAC is slated to hold a hearing on ties between Hamas and UNRWA tomorrow afternoon.
Read the full story about the U.S. decision here and on the response of congressional Republicans here.
Bonus: Speaking to NBC’s “Today Show,” Kirby downplayed the significance of UNRWA’s admission. “But I do think it’s important to remember that UNRWA does important work across the region — certainly in Gaza — they have helped save thousands of lives and we shouldn’t impugn the good work of a whole agency because of the terrible allegations lobbed against a small number of their employees,” he said.
chi-town conversation
Democrats brace for anti-Israel protests at Chicago convention
An unusual and, for Democrats, potentially worrisome dynamic has emerged at recent Biden campaign events: When President Joe Biden begins speaking, someone interrupts him to protest his support for Israel’s war against Hamas in Gaza. By now, this has occurred enough times for Democrats to know it’s not an anomaly. Earlier this month, Biden was interrupted by protesters while speaking at Mother Emanuel AME, the Charleston, S.C., church where nine Black parishioners were killed by a white supremacist in 2015. Pro-cease-fire protesters camped outside the home of Secretary of State Tony Blinken in recent days. Some Democrats are beginning to think about how to handle similar disruptions at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago in August, where such protests are viewed as an inevitability, Jewish Insider’s Gabby Deutch reports.
Certain appearance: With seven months until the convention, the war in Gaza could go in any number of directions by the time delegates gather in Chicago. But enough Democrats and affiliated political constituencies, like unions, Arab Americans and pro-Palestinian Black clergy, have signaled their dismay with Biden’s approach that the issue is certain to appear in some form.
Chicago specific: That the convention is taking place in Chicago highlights Democratic divisions over Israel. Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson last week announced his support for a resolution calling for a cease-fire, diverging from Biden. Alderman Debra Silverstein, the only Jewish member of the Chicago City Council, released a letter opposing the resolution — arguing, in part, that the measure sends the wrong message ahead of the convention. “Chicago, of all the cities within this nation, ought to be perceived as a stronghold of support and fortitude for President Biden and Vice President Harris,” Silverstein wrote.
Just optics: Pro-Israel Democrats told JI they are largely unconcerned by the threat of protests, noting that Biden’s strong support for Israel means any disruptions are unlikely to affect party policy. (The drafting of the party’s official platform, a process that has already played host to major disputes on Israel in past years, is likely to again include messy debates on the issue.)
yellow card
ICJ ruling is a ‘headache’ for Israel, but impact on Gaza war is likely small
The International Court of Justice’s preliminary ruling that Israel report back on its efforts to prevent genocide and take great efforts to minimize civilian harm is unlikely to change much in the way Israel continues the war in Gaza, experts said following Friday’s decision, Jewish Insider’s Lahav Harkov and Marc Rod report. The Israeli government railed against the decision as libelous against its right to defend itself against terrorism. And in the United States, pro-Israel lawmakers generally concluded that, despite their disagreements with the ruling and the credibility of the court, South Africa failed in its goal of tagging Israel with a genocide charge.
Minimal impact: The provisional measure will have minimal impact on how the war is fought, Ambassador Alan Baker of the Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs, the former legal adviser to Israel’s Foreign Ministry and ambassador to Canada, said, because “Israel is fighting the war with what it considers to be strict observance of international humanitarian law and the laws of armed conflict. It has solid evidence and proof behind this.”
U.S. response: The White House addressed the court’s decision hours after it was issued, with the National Security Council’s John Kirby telling reporters on Friday that the ruling was “consistent” with “much of the approach that we’ve taken with Israel.” U.S. lawmakers also weighed in on the International Court of Justice’s decision, generally denouncing the case as a whole, even as the court’s decision disappointed many anti-Israel forces. Some framed the fact that the court did not order Israel to stop the war as a victory for Israel. Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ) told JI that the case was “both false and dangerous,” adding that the U.S. and its allies “must continue to uphold Israel’s right to exist against those who demand the absolute destruction of the Jewish state and encourage our allies to support Israel against these ongoing attempts to delegitimize and demonize our great ally.”
Herzog hits back: Israeli President Isaac Herzog accused the ICJ of having “twisted my words, using very, very partial and fragmented quotes, with the intention of supporting an unfounded legal contention.”
changes in attitude
J Street rescinds endorsement of Jamaal Bowman over anti-Israel rhetoric
J Street, the progressive Israel advocacy group, said on Friday that it had rescinded its endorsement of Rep. Jamaal Bowman (D-NY) over his increasingly inflammatory rhetoric on the war in Gaza, crediting the decision to growing concerns that his comments have gone too far, Jewish Insider’s Matthew Kassel reports.
‘Crossed the line’: “When the rhetoric, the framing and the approach go too far, that’s where we are going to hold our line,” Jeremy Ben-Ami, J Street’s president, told The Forward, which first reported the group’s decision to part ways with Bowman. “And that’s when we felt that Bowman crossed the line here.”
Camping setback: The surprise reversal from J Street, which just last month had vowed to continue supporting Bowman, was a setback for the congressman as he faces a primary challenge from Westchester County Executive George Latimer, who is backed by AIPAC. A spokesperson for J Street, which has confirmed that it won’t endorse Latimer, referred JI to a statement citing “significant differences” with Bowman “in framing and approach” — which the group left unspecified.
Fury over Finkelstein: The final straw, Ben-Ami indicated to The Forward, came earlier this month, when JI first reported on a recent panel discussion in Westchester County at which Bowman appeared alongside Norman Finkelstein, a controversial anti-Israel scholar who has celebrated Hamas’ Oct. 7 terror attacks. In his remarks at the event, for which he has since apologized, Bowman said he was “starstruck” by Finkelstein and the other speakers, thanking them for “delivering the truth.”
pressure campaign
‘Qatar is Hamas’: Second rally outside embassy sends a blunter message
Days after the Washington-area Jewish Community Relations Council gathered outside the Qatari Embassy in D.C. to push for the release of hostages held in Gaza, a group of around 40 protesters rallied outside the embassy on Friday to deliver a harsher message to the Qatari government, Jewish Insider’s Marc Rod reports.
Who they are: The group was brought together by Tsav 8 DMV, an ad-hoc grassroots organization — unaffiliated with established community groups — that has come together to plan local events and rallies in support of Israel following the Oct. 7 attack. Tsav 8 refers to the IDF’s emergency call-up order for reserve duty.
The message: The protesters, carrying Israeli and American flags, as well as some homemade signs, delivered a blunt, direct message, distinct from the more balanced advocacy of the JCRC event: “Qatar is Hamas,” they chanted. Speakers at the event blasted Qatar as a major supporter, sponsor and host of Hamas, calling out its financial payments to Hamas and Al Jazeera’s anti-Israel and pro-Hamas rhetoric. They also accused the kingdom of stoking anti-Israel and antisemitic activity on the college campuses to which it provides funding. They argued that Qatar, through its support for Hamas, was effectively a party to the crimes of Oct. 7.
Differences: Nimrode Pantz, a local lawyer and Tsav 8 organizer, acknowledged to JI that the Tsav 8 rally was delivering a harsher message than the JCRC event, saying that may reflect “a difference between American Jews and Israelis — we know them for what they are, and we want to call them out for what they are…. We’re not trying to sugarcoat anything.”
Worthy Reads
The Academy at a Crossroads: In The New Yorker, Harvard professor Jeannie Suk Gersen explores the on-campus challenges of free-speech policy and academic freedom. “To demonstrate that it is against antisemitism, Harvard may face pressure to expand its definitions of discrimination, harassment, and bullying, so as to stifle more speech that is deemed offensive. In order to resist such pressures, the university needs to acknowledge that it has allowed a culture of censoriousness to develop, recommit itself to academic freedom and free speech, and rethink D.E.I. in a way that prizes the diversity of viewpoints. Though some argue that D.E.I. has enabled a surge in antisemitism, it is the pervasive influence of D.E.I. sensibilities that makes plausible the claim that universities should always treat anti-Zionist speech as antisemitism, much in the way that some have claimed that criticizing aspects of the Black Lives Matter movement — or even D.E.I. itself — is always discrimination. The post-Gay crisis has created a crossroads, where universities will be tempted to discipline objectionable speech in order to demonstrate that they are dedicated to rooting out antisemitism and Islamophobia, too. Unless we conscientiously and mindfully pull away from that path, academic freedom — which is essential to fulfilling a university’s purpose — will meet its destruction.” [NewYorker]
Twin Horrors: For CNN, Mirjam Beit Talmi Szpiro, who fled Nazi Germany on the Kindertransport shortly before her parents were killed in the Holocaust, reflects on having survived the Oct. 7 terror attacks in Israel. “But I should not have had to experience such horrors twice. No one should have to experience them once. So, for me, this Holocaust Memorial Day is different. It does not just represent the past, but also the present. The flames of Kristallnacht may have gone out, but other fires, lit on October 7, have again burned homes and lives and dreams. It is our job to put out those fires. But it is also our job to remember the destruction they caused, and to work to rebuild what was lost. This time, I am not helpless. And this time, I am not hopeless. I will return home. I planted a tree in my garden just days before the attack and I will return to tend to it. And, in my heart of hearts, I know my grandchildren will yet eat from its fruit.” [CNN]
Bibi on the Brink: The New York Times’ Serge Schmemann, the paper’s former Jerusalem bureau chief, suggests that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is unfit to lead the country. “The problem is not necessarily Mr. Netanyahu’s hawkish stance, which is shared by many Israelis enraged by the barbaric Hamas raid. It is Mr. Netanyahu’s confusion of leadership with political survival, with the widespread perception that he opposes any negotiated settlement and any American advice or mediation not because he really believes they run counter to Israelis’ interests, as he claims, but because appearing to stand up to ‘American pressure’ and portraying the Gaza war as a far broader conflict about a Palestinian state and Iran serve his political ends. That, at least, appears to be what a majority of Israelis believe, even those who might otherwise align with the prime minister’s insistence on trying to fully eradicate Hamas. According to a political poll taken in late December, only 15 percent of Israelis wanted him to stay in office after the war ended.” [NYTimes]
Beijing Bloc: In The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Institute’s Michael Singh warns of Chinese efforts in the Middle East aimed at destabilizing the U.S. “A China that aimed to replace the U.S.-led international order with one of its own devising might see the Gaza conflict as an opportunity to act. The Brics bloc of emerging economies — Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa —or the Shanghai Cooperation Organization could organize a peace effort. China’s navy could escort container ships through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait after, say, a stern phone call from Beijing to Tehran. A China interested in being the region’s go-to diplomatic broker would be cultivating Benjamin Netanyahu’s government, which is ideologically at odds with the Biden White House, in hopes that Jerusalem might turn to Beijing as an alternative patron.” [WSJ]
Around the Web
End Game: The New York Timesdoes a deep dive into the different avenues being pursued to end the Israel-Hamas war, as negotiators near a potential agreement that would see the release of the hostages in exchange for an extended pause. A statement from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that “significant gaps” remained, but praised the progress that had been made.
Under the Radar in Riyadh:Axiosreports on a meeting of senior officials from Jordan, Egypt, the Palestinian Authority and Saudi Arabia in Riyadh earlier this month to discuss day-after scenarios in Gaza.
Calendar Check: Secretary of State Tony Blinken is meeting this morning with Qatari Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani in Washington.
Arms to Turkey: After approving Sweden’s accession to NATO, Turkey appears likely to finally receive congressional approval for its long-sought purchase of F-16 fighter jets, with key committee leadersannouncing Friday that they plan to release their holds on the sale.
Moscow Mules: Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) suggested that some activist calls for a cease-fire are originating from Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Hits on Houthis: Reps. Ro Khanna (D-CA) and Warren Davidson (R-OH) led a letter with more than two dozen of their House colleagues to the White House telling President Joe Biden that he must seek congressional authorization for further strikes on Houthi targets.
Graham on the Go: Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) was in Israel over the weekend for meetings with top officials including Foreign Minister Israel Katz and Defense Minister Yoav Gallant.
Top Brass: Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. CQ Brown spoke to ABC News’ Martha Raddatz in one of his first interviews since ascending to the military’s top job.
Gone Dutch: Rep. Dutch Ruppersberger (D-MD) announced his retirement from Congress after 11 terms.
Lieberman’s Take: For Fox News, former Sen. Joseph Lieberman (I-CT), the first Jewish candidate on a presidential ticket, reflects on the surge in antisemitism in the country.
Zuckerberg Weighs In: Mark Zuckerberg led a virtual event on Friday in support of Sam Lessin, a venture capitalist who is mounting a bid to sit on Harvard’s Board of Overseers.
Campus Confrontation: A Palestinian-American student at the University of Central Florida was arrested after a heated altercation in which he threatened to shoot three Jewish students.
Admin Action: NYU suspended an adjunct professor who was filmed downplaying the Oct. 7 terror attacks and telling students that they lived in a “Zionist” city.
D.C. Attack: Chabad Georgetown’s Rabbi Menachem Shemtov was assaulted by a Lyft driver in Washington, D.C.
Shown Hand:The New York Times reports on the fallout after a lobbyist for New York Mets owner Steve Cohen, who is looking to open a casino in Queens, sent an errant email to a rival casino interest.
Modern Perspective: In Tablet magazine, Margo Roth rereads The Merchant of Venice with an eye toward antisemitism in the wake of the Oct. 7 terror attacks.
Cash Concerns: A rape crisis center in Toronto was notified it is at risk of losing funding from Ottawa’s Ministry of Community and Social Services for hosting an event tied to an anti-Israel protest.
Mea Culpa: Sky News issued an on-air apology after anchor Belle Donati drew criticism for an interview with Israeli MK Danny Danon in which Donati compared the situation in Gaza to what she flippantly called the “voluntary relocation of many Jewish people during the Holocaust.”
Family Found: A Polish-born Israeli man who was orphaned as a child during the Holocaust was identified through DNA testing and reunited with relatives in the U.S.
Bibi Interview: In The Wall Street Journal, Tunku Varadarajan interviews Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu about his military aims and relationship with the White House.
Sunday Scene: Twelve Israeli cabinet ministers and 15 MKs, including some from Netanyahu’s Likud party, attended a conference on Sunday calling to resettle Gaza with Israelis, despite mass opposition from the Israeli public. Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said that Israel “will settle and be victorious with God’s help,” while National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir said it was “time to return home” to the communities that Israel evacuated in 2005.
Suspected Terror Attack: An IDF soldier was injured in a car-ramming attack in Haifa; the assailant then left his car and attempted to attack other soldiers with a hatchet.
Health Hazard: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s on-the-ground response to the Israel-Hamas war was delayed over concerns from the World Health Organization over impartiality given U.S. support for Israel.
Tunnel Trouble: The Wall Street Journal looks at the IDF’s efforts to destroy Hamas’ elaborate underground tunnel network, as Israeli and U.S. officials confirmed that roughly 80% of the system remains intact.
Unexpected Source: Hamas reportedly used thousands of unexploded Israeli munitions that had previously been used against the terror group in its attacks against Israel.
Death Penalty: Iran executed four people whom the Islamic republic accused of spying for Israel.
Tehran Triumph: Tehran announced the successful launch of three satellites using a launcher that had previously failed.
Pic of the Day
New York-based photographer Gillian Laub poses with Holocaust survivor Dr. Aliza Erber in front of New York’s Brooklyn Bridge, onto which Erber’s likeness and thoughts have been projected as part of the Live2Tell project, eJewishPhilanthropy‘s Haley Cohen reports.
Live2Tell uses photography, video and first-person interviews by Laub and her team to document the testimony of the last living Holocaust survivors and projects the messages onto more than 25 New York City public landmarks including the Williamsburg Bridge, Whitney Museum, West Side Highway and Midtown Ferry Terminal.
Read more about the installation in eJewishPhilanthropy here.
Birthdays
Israeli multi-platinum record producer and songwriter specializing in pop, hip hop, dance and electronic music, Yonatan “Johnny” Goldstein turns 33…
Rabbi, mohel, author and public speaker, Rabbi Paysach Krohn turns 79… First woman ordained by the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College, Sandy Eisenberg Sasso turns 77… Singer and songwriter, he is a two-time gold medal winner in the Maccabiah Games (1985 and 1989) in fast pitch softball, Steve March-Tormé turns 71… Regional director in the Houston office of the American Jewish Committee, Randall Czarlinsky… Louisiana resident, Jerry Keller… CEO of the Westchester Jewish Council, Elliot Forchheimer… Senior writer for JCCs of North America, a.k.a. Jane the Writer, Jane E. Herman… Actress known for her role as Amy MacDougall-Barone on the TV sitcom “Everybody Loves Raymond,” Monica Horan turns 61… Physician and an author of four New York Times best-selling books, he is a professor of medicine and engineering at USC, Dr. David Agus turns 59… Former speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, Paul Ryan turns 54… Founder of multiple tech firms, Sam Lawrence turns 54… Robyn Cooke Bash… Writer and occasional Bollywood film actor, he is known for his writing of the popular Jewish children’s comic book series Mendy and the Golem, Matt Brandstein turns 52… Senior director and global lead of APCO Impact, Denielle Sachs… Former president of the Jewish Federation of Greater Houston, now a D.C.-based philanthropic consultant, Kari Dunn Saratovsky… Israeli actress, model and television host, Yael Bar Zohar turns 44… Chair of the American Institute in Taiwan (the de facto U.S. embassy in Taiwan), Laura Rosenberger turns 44… Associate at Booz Allen Hamilton, Yasha Moz… U.S. Representative (D-MA) since 2021, Jake Auchincloss turns 36… Software engineering analyst at Blackrock, Martha Baumgarten… Swimmer for Israel at the 2016 and 2020 Summer Olympics, Andrea (Andi) Murez turns 32…
Recent Daily Kickoff Newsletters
