AIPAC’s first woman president in a decade to stress diversity

AIPAC’s first woman president in a decade to stress diversity

Lillian Pinkus, who took the organization’s reins this week, laments Washington’s ‘polarized,’ ‘divisive’ politics

American Israel Public Affairs Committee President Lillian Pinkus in Washington, DC. (YouTube screen capture)

By JTA March 21, 2016, 6:11 am

http://www.timesofisrael.com/aipacs-first-woman-president-in-a-decade-to-stress-diversity/

WASHINGTON — AIPAC’s first woman president in a decade said making the pro-Israel lobby more diverse will be a priority.

Lillian Pinkus, from Dallas, assumed the post during the American Israel Public Affairs Committee’s annual policy conference in Washington, DC, which runs from Sunday through Tuesday.

Pinkus, a child of Holocaust survivors, will be the first woman to lead the lobby since 2006, when Bernice Manocherian ended her presidency. Manocherian was preceded by Amy Friedkin, whose 2002-04 presidency was the first time a woman led the group. Terms run two years, and ex-presidents generally continue as chairs of the national AIPAC board for another two years.

This week’s conference will emphasize diversity, with a corridor lined with poster-size photos of black, Hispanic and Christian AIPAC members.

“We need to grow the number of people who are involved in AIPAC and we need to grow the number of people that are involved in pro-Israel politics,” Pinkus told the Texas Jewish Post last week.

Pinkus also said one of her challenges would be overcoming the polarization in Washington.

“I don’t think it’s a secret to anyone that our political environment today is perhaps more polarized and more divisive than at any other time in recent memory,” she told the Post. “So working in a bipartisan manner becomes difficult and challenging in that environment.”

A major challenge for AIPAC this conference is that Republicans and Democrats have yet to agree on a bill that would enhance scrutiny of the Iran nuclear deal reached last year.

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Wendy Senor Singer was the head of Jerusalem office for AIPAC, is married to Saul Singer, and Daniel S. Senor’s sister.

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Michael J. Gerson was a director at the International Rescue Committee, and a member of the United States Holocaust Memorial Council.

Amy Friedkin is a member of the United States Holocaust Memorial Council, the president of Israel21c, and was the president of AIPAC.

Eric A. Benhamou is a co-founder for Israel21c, and was a director at the New America Foundation.

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Daisy M. Soros is George Soros’s sister-in-law, and a leader’s council member for the Breast Cancer Research Foundation.

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Carolee Friedlander is a director at the Breast Cancer Research Foundation, and a trustee at the Museum of Arts and Design.

Jeffrey Manocherian is a trustee at the Museum of Arts and Design, and Bernice Manocherian’s son.

Bernice Manocherian is Jeffrey Manocherian’s mother, and was the president for AIPAC.

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William D. Zabel is the chair for Human Rights First, and was George Soros’s divorce lawyer.

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Tom A. Bernstein is a director at Human Rights First, and the chairman for the United States Holocaust Memorial Council.

Amy Friedkin is a member of the United States Holocaust Memorial Council, the president of Israel21c, and was the president of AIPAC.

AIPAC is a U.S.-based lobby group for Israel.

Shimon Peres was the president of Israel, and is a friend of Haim Saban.

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James S. Crown is a member of the Commercial Club of Chicago, the vice chairman for the Aspen Institute (think tank), and a director at the General Dynamics Corporation.  

Lester Crown is a member of the Commercial Club of Chicago, the VP for the Crown Family Foundation, was a lifetime trustee at the Aspen Institute (think tank), and a director at the General Dynamics Corporation.  

Crown Family Foundation was a funder for the Friends of the Israel Defense Forces.

Newton N. Minow is the president of the Crown Family Foundation, a member of the Commercial Club of Chicago, and a senior counsel at Sidley Austin LLP.

Michelle Obama was a lawyer at Sidley Austin LLP.

Barack Obama was an intern at Sidley Austin LLP.

Sidley Austin LLP is the lobby firm for Israel.

AIPAC is a U.S.-based lobby group for Israel.

Morris J. Amitay was an executive director at AIPAC, and a lobbyist for the General Dynamics Corporation. 

John M. Keane is a director at the General Dynamics Corporation, and a contributor for Fox News.

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Daniel S. Senor is a contributor for Fox News, Wendy Senor Singer’s brother, and was a guest on Morning Joe.

Wendy Senor Singer is Daniel S. Senor’s sister, married to Saul Singer, and was the head of Jerusalem office for AIPAC.

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James S. Crown is the vice chairman for the Aspen Institute (think tank), a member of the Commercial Club of Chicago, and a director at the General Dynamics Corporation.  

Lester Crown was a lifetime trustee at the Aspen Institute (think tank), a director at the General Dynamics Corporation, is a member of the Commercial Club of Chicago, and the VP for the Crown Family Foundation.

Crown Family Foundation was a funder for the Friends of the Israel Defense Forces.

Newton N. Minow is the president of the Crown Family Foundation, a member of the Commercial Club of Chicago, and a senior counsel at Sidley Austin LLP.

Michelle Obama was a lawyer at Sidley Austin LLP.

Barack Obama was an intern at Sidley Austin LLP.

Sidley Austin LLP is the lobby firm for Israel.

AIPAC is a U.S.-based lobby group for Israel.

Morris J. Amitay was an executive director at AIPAC, and a lobbyist for the General Dynamics Corporation.