Jay Zeidman

Jay Zeidman, former White House liaison to the Jewish community, was "recruited" in January 2007 by presidential hopeful Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) "to help with finance and fundraising operations as well as with Jewish outreach." 

Zeidman, named in April 2006 by President George W. Bush as White House liaison to the Jewish Community, was tasked with "explaining and promoting the Bush administration's policies to the Jewish community and helping the community to communicate its views to the White House." 

Previously, Zeidman had worked in the White House Office of Public Liaison since summer 2005. 

"Zeidman’s father, Fred Zeidman, is a Senior Director of Governmental Affairs in the Washington, DC, office of the Greenberg Traurig law firm. He also serves as Chairman of Emerge Capital Corp in Houston, Texas. Fred Zeidman has been active in Republican politics for many years and is chairman of the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Council. The elder Zeidman is also a fund-raiser for Bush in the Jewish community." 

Profiles
"Zeidman joined the White House staff after graduated from Texas Christian University near Dallas in 2005. He majored in economics and was the TCU student body president. Although Zeidman is younger than most other White House staffers, his superiors have placed confidence in him to complete the task of informing the Jewish community of changes in policy. Former community liaison Noam Neusner said of Zeidman, 'Jay is rightfully judged on his skill and not on his age. This White House values people who show a capacity for organization, judgment, skill — and he’s got all those things.'"

Related SourceWatch Resources

 * John McCain

Profiles

 * Jay Zeidman in the Jewish Virtual Library.
 * "Meet White House Liaison Jay Zeidman," Hillel.org, August 18, 2006.

Articles & Commentary

 * Matthew E. Berger, "Bush New Jewish Liaison 22," JTA Wire Service (Jewish Times), April 10, 2006.
 * Steven C. Clemons, "White House Calls on Jewish Groups to Line Up Behind John Bolton," The Washington Note, July 21, 2006.
 * texas toad, "Who Is Fred Zeidman and Why Should You Care?" The North Texas Liberal Blogspot, July 22, 2006.
 * Tom Barry, "Israel's Man at the UN," IRC Online, July 26, 2006.
 * Jennifer Siegel, "McCain Lines Up N.Y. Money Men, Raising Pressure on Rudy Giuliani," The Jewish Daily Forward, January 5, 2007.
 * Ron Kampeas, "As candidates enter 2008 race, they begin courting Jewish support," Global News Service for the Jewish People, January 23, 2007.