Skip to main content

“First Friends” & Senior Staffers: Jewish Americans and the Modern Presidency

Zioness is thrilled to share our Presidents’ Day celebration of a fascinating discussion about the Jews who helped guide progress through their personal and professional access to modern American presidents.

While there has never been a Jewish President or Vice President of the United States, Jewish friends of and advisors to various presidents have occasionally played pioneering roles that ultimately changed the course of both Jewish history and American history.

Our conversation featured 3 extraordinary Jewish leaders who have spent a lot of time “in the room(s) where it happened”: Gary Ginsberg, former White House Counsel, lawyer, strategist, political operative and corporate adviser; Ann F. Lewis, former White House Communications Director and counselor to President Clinton, and DNC Political Director; and Ambassador Dennis Ross, former Special Assistant to President Obama, Special Advisor to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, and U.S. point man on the Middle East peace process under both Bush and Clinton. Watch the full conversation here!

Stay Updated