Editor's Notes: The man who decides which Jews the president hears - comment
Six rabbis were invited to the Oval Office before Rosh Hashanah. The interesting question isn’t who they are, but who picked them.
A private plane, owned by a Satmar philanthropist, departed from New York on Thursday morning. Onboard were two men whose identities most American Jews would struggle to recognize: one led a movement that views the State of Israel as a religious error, while the other defended New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani against allegations of antisemitism.
They were en route to the Oval Office, where they met with a man most American Jews have never heard of: Martin Marks. Marks is a 43-year-old Special Assistant to the President and Director of Jewish Engagement. He personally arranged the delegation's presence in the White House, a decision made in the week leading up to Rosh Hashanah.
Marks' unique background includes a bachelor's degree from Johns Hopkins University, a master's degree from New York University, and a career that has seen him write for prominent publications and work on Jewish outreach for the Trump campaign. Despite his extensive resume, Marks has not garnered widespread recognition within the organized American Jewish world.
Written by urgent.news from Jerusalem Post's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
