Pictured in photo: Zeidman and father.

Zeidman, 22, was named White House liaison to the Jewish community last month, and has been tasked with selling Bush administration policies to Jews at a time when the president's approval ratings are at historic lows.

Zeidman's father, Fred, chairs the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Council and is a fund-raiser for President George W. Bush in the Jewish community. The younger Zeidman said he attended a lot of meetings with his father for the American Israel Public Affairs Committee and the Anti-Defamation League in Houston, and walked away with strong support for Israel and political activism.

"I've found the community to be quite receptive to our agenda, both domestic and foreign," he said. "They are willing to listen."

Zeidman replaces Jeffrey Berkowitz, an associate director of scheduling at the White House, who tried to balance both tasks for a year. Zeidman is a staffer at the White House Office of Public Liaison, and officials said he will have more time to devote to working with Jewish leaders, considered a full-time job in itself.

Zeidman is the fifth liaison to the Jewish community since Bush came to office in 2001.

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by Matthew E. Berger

JTA News and Features

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A new White House liaison
The son of the chairman of the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum has been chosen as the new White House liaison to the Jewish community.

Jay Zeidman, 22, has been working in the White House Office of Public Liaison since last summer, and will be taking over the Jewish portfolio, sources told JTA.

He coordinated a meeting with Jewish leaders at the White House last week. Jeffrey Berkowitz, who became the White House Jewish liaison last year, will now focus on his main job in the presidential scheduling office.

Zeidman´s father is Fred Zeidman, a Houston friend of President Bush who was named chairman of the museum in 2002 and led fund raising in the Jewish community for Bush´s re-election.

Jay Zeidman was the first Jewish student body president at Texas Christian University.

What do you think? Is this the best they could find--a 22 year old guy from Texas? How about a Jewish leader?