The Most Jewish Kennedy

Each week, we select the most interesting Jewish obituary. This week, it’s that of Milton Gwirtzman, wise, trusted adviser to the Kennedy clan. He was an aide to Kennedys John, Robert and Ted, even helping the last, his Harvard classmate, deal with the Chappaquiddick fallout. He could also be a tough enforcer (what James Baker is to the Bushes). He also helped out in the campaigns of Adlai Stevenson, George McGovern, and Jimmy Carter, and also played a major role in a Holocaust reparations case that eventually saw the German government paying $8 billion in compensation to survivors. It is appropriate (if unsurprising) that a Jewish guy helped the United States elect its only non-Protestant president.

Milton Gwirtzman, Adviser to Kennedys, Dies at 78 [NYT]