ANALYSIS | "If the overall political environment remains in the Democrats’ favor — which would be consistent with the historical precedent of the opposition party gaining seats in the first midterm election of a new president — the House is likely to flip back to the Democrats’ control in 2027."

AIPAC spokesperson Marshall Wittmann said the group’s “grassroots members understand the stakes in the upcoming midterms and that is why they are deeply motivated and engaged to help elect pro-Israel candidates and defeat detractors.”

One of the co-founders of the Track AIPAC account and website that has gone viral in online anti-Israel circles is a former campaign staffer for a series of far-left lawmakers, she revealed in an interview on Wednesday. The group’s founders had previously remained anonymous.

As the organized left seeks to ride momentum from Mamdani’s win and grow its influence at the federal level, some emerging challengers are setting their sights on a handful of pro-Israel New York Democrats in the House — posing what is likely to be the first key test of its political credibility.

ANALYSIS | Beware the law of unintended consequences: President Donald Trump’s zeal to aggressively redraw maps in GOP-friendly states is looking like it will bring less of a political advantage to Republicans than originally expected. Read the full analysis by Josh Kraushaar:

Hillary Clinton said Trump’s peace plan for Gaza could be a “new moment of hope and possibility.” But it will only be successful if there is “a level of organization” applied to the implementation, a lesson that can be drawn from the Oslo process, she said, during a panel hosted at Columbia.

Former Rep. Elaine Luria, who was an outspoken voice in support of Israel and against antisemitism during her time in the House, announced a bid to reclaim the congressional seat she lost in 2022.

EXCLUSIVE | Major New York Jewish groups criticized former Assemblyman Michael Blake, who is running in the Democratic primary against Rep. Ritchie Torres, for featuring a clip of an influencer who supported the shooting of two Israeli Embassy employees in his campaign launch video.

Read today's #DailyKickoff: 🎯 Socialists set sights on Congress Full briefing 👇 ji.news/4dynr

Yonit Levi told Jewish Insider that the heart of the book is “that the kids really get what’s wrong and what’s right” — even when the adults in the room do not. Full story on "Don’t Feed the Lion:" ji.news/4dxh6

Sponsored by Robert Kraft’s Blue Square Alliance, Hillel International and the United Negro College Fund, the "Unity Dinner" brought together over 100 students in an effort to rebuild the Black-Jewish alliance of the Civil Rights Movement.

“Every single time, I am amazed at the discussion and how vulnerable people will be,” said Arielle Levy from Hillel International.

“It’s obviously a fictional book, but there are several real-life experiences that we’ve encountered, that I’ve encountered with some family members, going back several years ago, where antisemitism not only wasn’t really addressed,” Bianna Golodryga told Jewish Insider.

"The historic tendency of voters taking out their dissatisfaction on the party in power is alive and well, and is much more of a factor than the favorability ratings of the political parties." Read the full analysis by Josh Kraushaar:

“This type of thing is doable. The Jewish community has to understand the power of the ask, not minimize our ability to make the ask. People respond in a positive way. That’s the piece that I think is missing, the limited number of asks that are made,” said John Eaves, a professor at Spelman College

The official reason that more than 100 college students from across Washington gathered was for a formal dinner billed as an opportunity to build bridges between the Black and Jewish communities. But what really got the students talking was a breezy icebreaker: Is a hot dog a sandwich?

"Don’t Feed the Lion" by Bianna Golodryga and Yonit Levi is a novel targeted to middle school students, but with lessons, scenarios and parables that anyone who has experienced or witnessed discrimination — in any of its forms — will recognize.

Israel’s influential minister of strategic affairs, Ron Dermer, resigned from his post on Tuesday, three years after assuming the role.

After Oct. 7, journalists Bianna Golodryga and Yonit Levi found themselves navigating the challenge of how to speak to their children about antisemitism — and found no help to guide them. As a result, Golodryga said in an interview, “Yonit and I decided to try to write the book we couldn’t find.”

Michigan Democratic Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed sidestepped a question about Israel’s right to exist during an interview with the anti-Israel media outlet Zeteo last week.

ANALYSIS | With a week since the off-year gubernatorial elections in New Jersey and Virginia, a clear dynamic is emerging: Trump’s gains with nontraditional GOP voters — especially working-class Black and Hispanic voters and Gen Zers — are not translating into support for the Republicans this year.

In the wake of a global rise in antisemitism not seen in generations, World Jewish Congress President Ronald Lauder told some 250 attendees at the organization’s annual gala dinner that the “only” solutions are “creating more Jewish schools” and “taking the high ground in public relations.”

Israeli diplomats and experts have expressed concern as the U.S. seeks a two-year U.N. Security Council mandate for an international stabilization force in Gaza. @lahavharkov.bsky.social.bsky.social reports:

Senators offered a positive readout from a dinner meeting with Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa on Sunday evening prior to al-Sharaa’s summit at the White House with Trump. Attendees described the meeting as “open,” “moving” and “constructive.”

Read today's #DailyKickoff: 🥗 Syria Caesar sanctions on the White House menu Full briefing 👇 ji.news/4dt7q

“Yes, you can expect an announcement on Syria,” Trump said to reporters in the Oval Office. “We want to see Syria become a country that’s very successful. And I think this leader can do it. I really do.”

“This is a very, very divided time for the city, I think I can acknowledge that,” incoming NYC comptroller Mark Levine said during a reception at the annual Somos conference in Puerto Rico.

One well-connected Jewish attendee at the Somos conference cited the five stages of grief in characterizing the reactions among Jewish community leaders who had largely resisted engaging with Mamdani’s campaign.

Some Jewish community leaders who spoke with Jewish Insider at the Somos conference suggested they were willing to give Mamdani the latitude to follow through on areas where they are aligned, pointing to a sort of provisional detente in the aftermath of an emotionally fraught election.

Rep. Brian Mast met on Sunday with Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa, who is in Washington for a meeting with Trump. Mast said he confronted al-Sharaa over his terrorist past.

ANALYSIS | The firebombing of a hostage-release march in Colorado this summer triggered a wave of calls from lawmakers — particularly Republicans — for action to designate the Muslim Brotherhood as a terrorist organization. But so far, none of the efforts have come to fruition.

“We like to term Syria as a swing state," said Jasmine Naamou. "Syria is multi-layered. Syria is one of the only countries in the Middle East that is so complex... You have all different types of ethnicities present. And so Syria is very key in the region, because it can be swung either way.”

Jasmine Naamou and Tarek Naemo are a married couple who live in Florida and have a knack for social media and a willingness to strike up a conversation with anyone. They have become fixtures on Capitol Hill, pushing the message that the U.S. should lift sanctions and build stronger ties with Syria.

Read today's #DailyKickoff: 🤝 Shalom Al Sharaa — Trump to welcome Syrian leader today Full briefing 👇 ji.news/4dm2x

When Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa visits the White House on Monday, he will be the first Syrian head of state to do so, a long-anticipated meeting that could advance U.S. efforts to broker a potential security agreement between Syria and Israel.

Cornell agreed to conduct “annual surveys to evaluate the campus climate for students, including the climate for students with shared Jewish ancestry” as part of an agreement it reached with the Trump administration.

Hamas returned the remains of Lt. Hadar Goldin on Sunday, over 11 years after he was killed in battle in Gaza. Israel confirmed the body was Goldin’s through DNA testing, four hours after it was returned.

Judge Amul Thapar, a member of the 6th Circuit Court of Appeals and a member of Trump’s short-list for a Supreme Court nomination in his first term, pushed back on accusations of genocide against Israel at a Federalist Society conference on antisemitism.

Some experts warned that the deal could raise concerns in Israel that the U.S. is willing to make major defense deals with Arab nations without requiring normalization and over whether it will maintain its military edge.

Rep. Nancy Pelosi announced she would not seek reelection, ending a nearly 40-year career in Congress and earning plaudits across a wide spectrum of Jewish voices, from J Street to AIPAC and many in the San Francisco Jewish community who have worked with her since the 1980s.

“Yes, there has been a rise in antisemitism. But I think that the U.S. is not a country where the Jews have to be careful or look for another place to go. I’m a fan of magnificent America," former Sen. Rudy Boschwitz told Jewish Insider.

The Trump administration is weighing a multibillion-dollar sale of F-35 fighter jets to Saudi Arabia, a potential major policy shift that has stirred debate over the military balance in the region and Washington’s commitment to preserving Israel’s “qualitative military edge.”

Michael Blake, a former state assemblyman and eighth-place-finishing NYC mayoral candidate, announced a primary challenge to Rep. Ritchie Torres focused squarely on Torres’ support for Israel and ties to AIPAC. But Blake himself has an extensive history with AIPAC.

Sen. Ted Cruz called on his Republican colleagues to speak out against Tucker Carlson, arguing in a fiery Friday morning speech that they need to rise above their fear of alienating the popular conservative podcaster to denounce his platforming of antisemitism.

New York City’s leading Jewish security organization has prepared a new set of strategies to respond to policies that the city’s Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani might put into place that would affect public safety.

Former Minnesota Sen. Rudy Boschwitz, who turns 95 today, spoke to Jewish Insider this week about his life story, legacy and thoughts about our current political moment.

Read today's #DailyKickoff: 🥵 Hot water for Heritage boils Full briefing 👇 ji.news/4daw3

The story of how the hostage families came to learn their loved ones were coming home, told to Jewish Insider by key players.

A member of the task force told Jewish Insider that its members had not ruled out working with Heritage again if the organization improves. “We hope that one day we’ll be able to collaborate with Heritage again."

Sen. James Lankford, a co-chair of the Senate antisemitism task force, has been outspoken about rising antisemitism on the “New Right." When asked about Tucker Carlson, Lankford said that he “can say whatever he wants to … but we also have a protected right to be able to speak back.”