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Hanukkah at the White House
On Thursday, my husband Seth and I attended the White House Hanukkah party along with 100+ other Jewish guests from around the country. We saw friends from California, New Jersey and quite a few local friends. I wrote about the experience for the Forward:
As we left, the Marine Chamber Orchestra played an entire songbook of Jewish music, from Hava Negila to Dreidel, Dreidel, Dreidel. It was an incredible moment that brought me to tears.
I stood and watched the band. I took a peek at their sheet music, and marveled about how blessed American Jews are.
For many of those present last night, our recent ancestors arrived with little in their pockets and no grasp of the English language. They lived in tenements on the Lower East Side, toiling in factories, hoping to give their children and grandchildren a better life.
And a better life is what they gave us — nothing short of the American Dream.
In 2018, hundreds of American Jews were invited into the White House and served kosher food and drink. They enjoyed the music of the official White House musicians playing Jewish music.
The President himself — far from an ideal man, of this we are all aware — proudly spoke of how “the Jewish faith is so deeply woven into the fabric” of his family.
This country isn’t perfect, for Jews or anyone else, but for a precious few minutes, looking at the sheet music and seeing those in attendance dancing, it felt remarkably close.
The buffet room, which we never left because, well, obviously
One of the hallways – the only shot I could get without other people in it
The entrance with musicians and a selection of Kosher wines
One of my favorite moments was running into a friend of Seth’s family from his hometown of Lakewood, New Jersey. Rich Roberts is a philanthropist and started a synagogue in Lakewood that Seth had his pre-wedding party at, and where his father goes every Shabbat. After talking with Mr. Roberts for a while, Seth and I took a selfie, and I later realized Roberts was in the background.
We also took a photo under the Presidential Seal, which one of the staff members kindly offered to snap for us:
We also snapped a few Christmas-y shots, despite it being a Hanukkah party, the place was decked out for the season so beautifully:
Thanks for sharing. And Happy Hanukkah.
This was beautiful. Thank you for sharing the wonderment of the evening with us. It’s not difficult to feel isolated in the bogs of negativity these days, but gathering in such a place, with a community that understands the magnitude of the moment, renews the spirit. Happy Hanukkah!
Is that Michael Savage in the first photo?
I was thinking that it probably wasn’t, but I looked him up on wikipedia and his headshot says “White House … 24 April 2018”.
Did someone from Ladybrains get to babysit that night?
Happy Hanukkah.
Happy Chanukah!
Per POTUS-45’s remarks, the Jewish faith is woven so deeply into the fabric of the life of America writ large.
Per Caroline Glick in 2015:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_63GLG15hBo
Which is why I have no problem branding the Left in the US — in all its manifestations — as being by definition un-American; I wish we could/would all unabashedly, well, bash the Left ceaselessly in precisely these terms — our lives actually depend on it.
I saw an interview of someone that attended. The guy absolutely gushed about it.
Count me out of that project. I’ll bash them for being fascists or enemies of the people, but not for being un-American.
And it sort depends on how one defines “the Left” because if someone says, “I want to spend more money on K through 12 education and also on health care,” I would disagree with them on policy, but I wouldn’t call them un-American. I know a lot of people who could be considered, by some peoples’ definition “on the Left,” but they want America to be “better.” It’s just that they don’t realize the disadvantages of the policy ideas they support.
#7 The Reticulator
#8 HeavyWater
Don’t sell yourselves short: You recognize un-American Leftists when you encounter them.
I thought those two songs were the entire songbook of Jewish music, if you leave aside Adam Sandler and some song about making a latka “pat, pat, pat.” The list of Christmas carols written by Jews is much more impressive, starting with White Christmas.
I want to own a Jewish songbook…with parts for string quartet…
Have a Blessed Chanukah.
I wonder how many countries’ parliaments, palaces and political homes hosted a beautiful Hanukkah celebration amidst Christmas trees and holiday decor? How many presidents, kings, or other leaders gathered all and spoke about the Jewish history to the guests? I can’t think of any, other than the United States, the most free and most tolerant country still. If they did, it didn’t make the news. Thanks for sharing your experience that few ever get.
Chanukah Sameach, Bethany! What a beautiful celebration!
On a tangent, Good story on CBS Sunday Morning
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/anti-semitism-on-the-rise/
Great job @bethanymandel
I’m so glad I saw this.
One thing that just gets me about our system today, it seems like you’re stupid if you don’t get in on the racket of excess government. People don’t even think about it, but the moral dynamics are terrible. The Founders set up a system where individual honesty and productivity should pay off really well, and a million things take care of themselves. I’m not sure it’s like that anymore.
I was curious about what I could find:
Canadian Prime Minister Hosts First-Ever Chanukah Party at Ottawa Residence, December 10, 2010
https://www.chabad.org/news/photo_cdo/aid/1379795/jewish/Canadian-Prime-Minister-Hosts-First-Ever-Chanukah-Party-at-Ottawa-Residence.htm
…
Georgia’s Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili and President Giorgi Margvelashvili congratulated Jews on the holiday. Kvirikashvili attended today a concert celebrating Hanukah at the Tbilisi Opera and Ballet Theater last night. “Georgia has stronger ties with the Jewish nation than with any other nation in the world,” Kvirikashvili said.
http://agenda.ge/en/news/2016/3161
…
Raul Castro Celebrates Hanukkah With Cuban Jews
https://www.haaretz.com/jewish/1.5149892
…
Luminaries celebrate Chanukah in the Australian Capital Territory parliament
http://www.jwire.com.au/luminaries-celebrate-chanukah-in-the-act-parliament/
…
Prime Minister David Cameron hosted a reception in Downing Street to mark Chanukah 2014
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/chanukah-2014-david-camerons-speech-at-reception
Did Benjamin Disraeli celebrate Chanukah?
Even though I am a devout Christian, I wish you and your family good tidings. To paraphrase Jefferson, “it does not harm me whether my neighbor believes in 20 gods or one God”. I feel blessed where we live in a country that (mostly) still respects that sentiment.
That’s usually the sound engineer’s job.