Orthodox Jewish Group's Public Policy Staffer Has Obama Connections

A JTA article yesterday profiles Nathan Diament, Director of the Institute for Public Affairs of the Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America, and Diament's connections to President Barack Obama. Diament was a Harvard Law School classmate of Obama, and they regularly played basketball together as law students. During the Presidential campaign, Diament advised all the candidates, including Obama, on outreach to the Jewish community. A supporter of Presisdent Bush's faith-based initiative and frequent visitor to the Bush White House, Diament seems equally welcome by the Obama administration. He was one of a small number to attend Obama's private prayer service at St. John's Episcopal Church the morning of Inauguration Day.