CEO Daniel S. Mariaschin made the Jewish Insider Daily Kickoff after attending Israel Ambassador Ron Dermer’s annual Rosh Hashanah reception.
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Scroll down or click below to read what Dermer had to say at the event and to see who else was in attendance.

SCENE LAST NIGHT: Israeli Ambassador Ron Dermer and Mrs. Rhoda Dermer hosted their annual Rosh Hashanah reception in a tent on the front lawn of their Maryland residence.

Highlights from Dermer’s remarks: “Like category 4 hurricanes, Israel should be an issue that brings people together, and tonight is a time to be grateful that Israel is an issue that brings people together… Rosh Hashanah is also a time to think about the year that was and the year to be. As for the year that was — this is hard for me to admit but for the first time in 69 years, Israel was actually more boring than America. For years I’ve been telling people that Israel is such an exciting place that Israelis actually go to Manhattan to unwind (laughter)… But today, Israel’s political system and hectic media environment have nothing on DC. So congratulations Washingtonians, and let me take this opportunity to recommend that all of you come to Israel for a little R&R over the Jewish holiday… It’s true that Israel is disappointed to have lost our title as the most exciting place on the planet but… Israel is looking forward to the year ahead.” 

Dermer on the Iran deal: “Israel hopes that the coming weeks will bring about a dramatic change in the trajectory of that deal that will ultimately either fix it or cancel it. Israel looks forward to working with the U.S. and its other allies to implement a tougher policy towards Iran in the months and years ahead.” 

On Taylor Force Act: “Israel hopes that the passage of the Taylor Force Act will finally send a message to the Palestinian Authority that the days when it is internationally acceptable to pay people to kill Jews are over.” 

SPOTTED in the big tent: Wolf Blitzer, Sam Feist, Danielle Heyman Feist, Veteran Affairs Secretary David Shulkin, Merle Bari, Jason Greenblatt, Josh Raffel, Abe Foxman, Ann Lewis, Loribeth Weinstein, Bob Cohen, Howard Friedman, Howard Kohr, Norm Eisen, Lindsay Kaplan, Sander Gerber, Nathan Diament, Boris Epshteyn, Lauren Tanick, Rep. Eliot Engel, Rep. Lee Zeldin, Mort Klein, Tom Rose, Ken Weinstein, David Milstein, Matt Nosanchuk, Shmuley Boteach, Aaron Keyak, Avi Goldgraber, Roger Hertog, Danny Ayalon, Rabbi Levi Shemtov, Henry Waxman, Janet Kessler, Yarden Golan, Cliff May, Evan May, Jason Isaacson, Eli Lake, Aaron David Miller, Max Weinberg, Ali Rogin, Josh Rogin, Noah Pollak, Daniel S. Mariaschin, Joel Mowbray, Stacy Burdett, Ron Kampeas, Nathan Guttman, Michael Wilner, Josh Lederman, Ron Prosor, Sarah Abonyi, Miriam Smallman.