Although many Jewish nonprofits and charities have faced cutbacks because of the recession and the collapse of Bernard Madoff's ponzi scheme, the Washington lobbying and advocacy operations of such groups are, in some cases, either expanding or holding steady, reports The Jewish Daily Forward in its March 27 issue.

A relative newcomer, the left-leaning J Street Project, is planning to double its staff by the end of next year and is poised to hire four new staff members; fundraising is going strong at Stand With Us, a more traditional pro-Israel group on American college campuses; and the American Israel Public Affairs Committee is holding steady. Another article and an editorial in the publication examine the controversy over the role of the "Jewish lobby" in forcing the withdrawal of Charles Freeman as Obama's pick to head the National Intelligence Council.

Meanwhile, the Republican Jewish Coaltion just announced that new members to its board of directors include two prominent Washingtonians: Josh Bolten, former OMB director and chief of staff to President George W. Bush, and Phyllis Greenberg Heideman, managing partner at the law firm Heideman Nudelman & Kalik.

                                                                                                            -- Julie Kostertliz