* Netanyahu urges U.S. Jews to help avert "bad deal"

* Prospects for interim accord causes U.S.-Israeli friction

* Israeli cabinet minister to lobby members of U.S. Congress (Adds Netanyahu comments to Jewish leaders from US, Canada)

By Jeffrey Heller

JERUSALEM, Nov 10 (Reuters) - Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu took his case against a nuclear accord with Iran directly to the U.S. public on Sunday, denouncing "a very bad deal" that he feared the Obama administration was pursuing.

Negotiators from world powers will resume talks with Iran in 10 days after failing late on Saturday to reach agreement on an initial proposal to ease international sanctions against Tehran in return for some restraints on its nuclear programme.

Israel is sceptical of any move to reduce sanctions without first eliminating what it sees as a danger that Iran could build a nuclear weapon. Tehran denies pursuing any such ambition.

On CBS television's Face the Nation on Sunday, Netanyahu said the proposed interim agreement, as "described to us by American sources", would have allowed Iran to maintain its capability to enrich material for nuclear bombs.

A member of Netanyahu's security cabinet, Naftali Bennett, plans to travel to the United States this week, and is expected to voice Israel's concerns to dozens of members of Congress, where support for Israel is traditionally strong.

In Jerusalem, Netanyahu urged hundreds of supporters attending an assembly of the quasi-governmental Jewish Agency, many of them from the United States, to help him avert what he called a "bad and dangerous deal" emerging with Iran.

"You are our partners, you are our brothers and sisters, and we are one big Jewish family. Like all families we have to face challenges together, that's what families do," Netanyahu said.

"Do you want that?" he asked the audience, referring to what he called a possibility that Iran could some day fire missiles tipped with nuclear warheads at the United States.

Many in the audience shouted back "no".

"Well, do something about it, we are," Netanyahu said.

"It is time now to speak up, all of us, all of us have to stand up now and be counted," he said.

Talks between Iran and six world powers in Geneva failed to clinch the interim deal on Saturday after France hinted it came short of neutralising the threat of an Iranian nuclear bomb.

Supporters of the proposed accord say it would have been only a first step towards a more comprehensive agreement. Most sanctions would be left in place and any easing could be reversed if Iran did not continue to cooperate.