Who is Rahm Emanuel (Barack Obama’s new Chief of Staff)? For starters, he’s Jewish. He, his wife Amy, and their three children attend the Anshei Sholom B’nei Israel modern Orthodox Synagogue in Chicago. His father, Benjamin Emanuel, was born in Jerusalem and was active in the Irgun, a radical Zionist group. Rahm himself holds strong views on Israel. Here’s an excerpt from Moment’s 2007 piece by Richard Dunham on Emanuel: “He’s a profane bundle of contradictions: a former dancer with the political instincts of Tony Soprano, a political junkie who genuinely regrets time away from his wife (who converted to Judaism) and beloved children, and a devoutly religious street brawler who can trade expletives with the best of them, including his rabbi. University of Virginia political scientist Larry Sabato has dubbed Emanuel the Jewish LBJ.’” Click here for the...

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