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Obama White House powwow with American Jewish groups

As part of the White House effort to reach out to faith based and community groups and sustain support for his policies, President Barack Obama meets with representatives of American Jewish groups at the White House this afternoon. Domestic issues — health care, SCOTUS nominee Sonia Sotomayor, and the economy — will be on the ...

As part of the White House effort to reach out to faith based and community groups and sustain support for his policies, President Barack Obama meets with representatives of American Jewish groups at the White House this afternoon. Domestic issues -- health care, SCOTUS nominee Sonia Sotomayor, and the economy -- will be on the agenda, as well as Obama's policies to the Middle East, Iran and on curbing settlements. "It will be an opportunity to make support for his Middle East policies even greater," a representative of one group invited to attend said.

As part of the White House effort to reach out to faith based and community groups and sustain support for his policies, President Barack Obama meets with representatives of American Jewish groups at the White House this afternoon. Domestic issues — health care, SCOTUS nominee Sonia Sotomayor, and the economy — will be on the agenda, as well as Obama’s policies to the Middle East, Iran and on curbing settlements. "It will be an opportunity to make support for his Middle East policies even greater," a representative of one group invited to attend said.

Two left leaning groups, J-Street and Americans for Peace Now, have been invited to attend an Obama White House Jewish outreach powwow for the first time, another group rep attending noted. "Numerous meetings at the White House, first meeting with the President," J Street’s Jeremy Ben-Ami said. Among those expected to attend today’s 3pm meeting:

  • Jeremy Ben-Ami, executive director, J Street
  • Debra DeLee, president and CEO, Americans for Peace Now
  • Ira Forman, CEO, National Jewish Democratic Council
  • Abe Foxman, national director, Anti-Defamation League
  • Marla Gilson, Washington director, Hadassah
  • Malcolm Hoenlein, executive vice-chair, Conference of Presidents
  • Jason Isaacson, Washington director, AJCommittee
  • Kathy Manning, incoming chair, UJC
  • Nancy Ratzan, president, National Council of Jewish Women
  • Lee Rosenberg, president-elect, American Israel Public Affairs Committee
  • Stephen Savitsky, president, Orthodox Union
  • Alan Solow, chair, Conference of Presidents
  • David Victor, president, AIPAC
  • Andrea Weinstein, chair, JCPA
  • Rabbi Steven Wernick, executive vice-president, United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism
  • Rabbi Eric Yoffie, president, Union for Reform Judaism

U.S. Middle East peace envoy George Mitchell is expected to head back to Israel and the region the week after next, an administration official said yesterday to continue his work on comprehensive Middle East peace talks. Also expected to go on the trip is Mitchell deputy Fred Hof, who will be reportedly trying to get Israel-Syria peace talks off the ground.

 

Laura Rozen writes The Cable daily at ForeignPolicy.com.

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