Malcolm Hoenlein is arguably the most powerful Jewish official in the United States. He's easily accessible, but he conceals more than he reveals.
Malcolm Hoenlein looks like he might be your neighborhood doctor or accountant: elegant, but not flamboyant, refined rather than in-your-face. His day job is executive vice president of the Conference of Presidents of Major Jewish Organizations, a cumbersome title.
But in the halls of power and backrooms of political negotiation, he isn’t known by his title, but by his first name. “Malcolm,” they say. “Ask Malcolm,” “Call Malcolm,” say those in the know with a wink, passing around the name like some sort of master key to the Jewish community.
After welcoming me to the functional-but-generic conference room, Mr. Hoenlein speaks, using the diplomat’s gift of saying exactly what he means and no more. He takes a phone call on his old-style flip phone from someone in John Kerry’s office and, once he ends the call, responds to my inquisitive look with words that virtually roll off his tongue. “Can’t talk about that yet, sorry.”
Like the old money changers in Israel, who hung out shingles for furniture stores or falafel shops when their real currency had little to do with the objects on display, Mr. Hoenlein carries a title that tells you little about what he really does.
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