Obama Taps Chief of Staff With Strong Ties to Jewish Community

Published on January 30, 2013

President Barack Obama named as his new chief of staff a security official, Denis McDonough, who has strong ties to the Jewish organizational community. McDonough, until now the deputy to National Security Adviser Tom Donilon, handled much of the National Security Council’s Israel-related traffic and has strong ties with Jewish groups. He addressed the Washington Institute for Near East Policy just weeks before the last presidential election.

Maury Weiner, Bradley Chief of Staff, dies at 82

By JewishJournal
Published on October 17, 2012

Maury Weiner, Los Angeles Mayor Tom Bradley’s first chief of staff and deputy mayor, who played key roles in several Bradley campaigns, died on Sept. 30. He was 82.

IDF Military chief: Israel must protect all Jews

Published on April 16, 2012

Israel must protect Jews around the world in addition to its own borders, IDF Chief of Staff Lt. - Gen. Benny Gantz said.

With Jack Lew’s appointment, community once again has a White House address

Published on January 10, 2012

President Obama on Monday announced that Jack Lew, currently his director of the Office of Budget and Management -- a Cabinet-level position -- would replace William Daley as White House chief of staff.

Report: Obama to name Lew to top White House slot

Published on January 9, 2012

President Obama reportedly will name Jack Lew to be his chief of staff. Lew, an Orthodox Jew, will replace William Daley, the Los Angeles Times reported on Monday.

Rahm Emanuel elected mayor of Chicago

Published on February 23, 2011

Former White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel was elected mayor of Chicago.

Judge rules Rahm Emanuel’s name can appear on Chicago ballot

Published on January 4, 2011

Rahm Emanuel cleared another hurdle in his bid for mayor of Chicago on Tuesday when a Cook County judge agreed with the city’s election board that his name should appear on the ballot.

Klain resigns as Biden’s chief of staff

Published on January 4, 2011

Ron Klain, Vice President Joe Biden's chief of staff, is resigning. "As my chief of staff in the White House, Ron has done an exceptional job of building my team, implementing my direction on top priorities, and providing invaluable counsel," Biden said in a statement Tuesday. "He has also played a key role in establishing the strong, positive relationship that exists between my staff and the President's team." This White House has been notable for the smooth relations between President Obama and Biden.

Rahm Emanuel is a fighting policy wonk with a Jewish soul [VIDEO]

By Ron Kampeas
Published on November 13, 2008

One thing Rahm Emanuel is not, all agree, is the president-elect's conciliatory signal to the Jewish community after a campaign fraught with worries that Obama would tip toward even-handedness in dealing with the Middle East

Rahm Emanuel, Obama’s pick for Chief of Staff, is tough, direct and wedded to his Jewish roots

Published on November 6, 2008

President-elect Barack Obama’s pick of Rep. Rahm Emanuel (D-Ill.) will put a tough, proven political operator at the center of a new Administration. It also raises the profile of a Chicago Jewish family firmly rooted in the worlds of Hollywood, medicine, politics . . . and Judaism.

Divide Surfaces on Handling Security

By Leslie Susser
Published on November 6, 2003

It's not every day that an Israeli army chief of staff calls in top journalists to express deep misgivings about government policy.

So when Lt. Gen. Moshe Ya'alon initiated a late October briefing to warn that the government's handling of Palestinian terrorism could provoke more intense Palestinian violence, the country sat up and took notice.

Ya'alon's critique reflected a deep divide between two schools of thought: the hard-liners, like Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz, who believe relentless military pressure can force the Palestinians to abandon terrorism for peace negotiations, and relative moderates, like Ya'alon and many of the Israel Defense Force's top generals, who maintain that Palestinian violence will only abate when serious political incentives are put on the table.