Rahm Emanuel had a serious message about mutual responsibility to make, in a pithy, punchy speech before he helped light the “national menorah” this evening on the Ellipse in front of the White House.
Still, the White House chief of staff being Rahm couldn’t resists a couple of one-liners.
Rabbi Levi Shemtov, who directs American Friends of Lubavitch, rushed in a thanks to the performers before calling Emanuel to the stage.
“The U.S. Air Force Band, the Three Cantors and Dreidl Man,” Emanuel said after taking the microphone, “sounds a little like the title of a Fellini movie.”
Emanuel went on to make the lessons of Chanukah a paradigm for the collective responsibility for those not able to defend or care for themselves — Tikkun Olam.
“Standing up for what is right, even when it is hard, is not a job for some other people, some other time,” he said. “It is a job for all of us.”
And still, expounding on the holiday miracle, he couldn’t resist a dig at his former habitat, Congress.
“The oil lasted longer than anyone expected, kind of like the health care debate,” he said.
Chanukah started Friday evening this year, which meant that Rahm was in the unenviable position of having to light three of the candles from the wind-blown crane he shared with Shemtov, Shemtov’s father Rabbi Abraham Shemtov, a secret service agent and a photographer.
This involved stretching to extend the shamas to the far end of the candelabra — Shemtov was ready with a cigarette lighter when the shamas blew out — to the oohs and ahhs of a thrilled and apprehensive crowd.
Well, apprehensive, except maybe for Emanuel’s wife, Amy Rule, who laughed and took pictures while her husband held on for dear life.
The event, dubbed the “national menorah” by President Ronald Reagan in the 1980s, filled all 4,000 free seats — and then some — despite mud-soaked fields.
And add one more miracle to the Chanukah canon: Drizzling rain, which plagued the DC area over the weekend, stopped just before the festivities started.
Broadcast ended. Watch the rerun:
Photos by Israel Bardugo
Can anyone point me to the actual comments Rabbi Shemtov made? I was told it was excellent but can’t find the text of his comments anywhere. Thanks
go das and presser!!!! so proud, so proud!!!!
Did you see the look of happiness on the audience’s faces when the menorah was being lit? It was uplifting!!
mazeltov #5 to you, your family and to the Jewish people. grammaxine
go presser and hadasa!
there’s PRESSER! and my big sis haddassah!!! i luv u guys!!! love chanie from the 9th grade 🙂
Good Job Levi!
From the Schwartz family
Yehuda Meir and Co
where’s obama????
the kid is a benhiyoun, he won the esssay contest and read it at the ceremony
I am speechless. What a Kidish Hashem! What a nachas to the Rebbe! Hashem, Look at this dira b’tachtonim the shluchim are doing. AD MASAI! Mashiach Now!
Hi CMG i feel so good for you your poem is so asom
It was such a Kiddush HaShem and Kiddush the Rebbe and Lubavitch! This is all the Shemtov family is interested in. Like father like sons.The apples don’t fall far from the tree…They have a real example to follow!
the rebbe must be proud after an event like this
Yaasher Koach levi for for once again putting together an event that shows the world what lubavitch is about. may others learn from you!
Thank you Levi for such a incredible Kiddush Hashem. You are amazing in all your peulos. Please keep it up!
Rabbi A. Shemtov, you’re an ispiration and exaple of a true chossid and bar poel amogst many other thing. may g-d give you many good and happy years to come!
YOU ROCK!!!!!!!!!! it was beautiful!
Rabbi Levi & Nechama Shemtov you are in inspiration!
HI SHAINA ALSO!!!!!!
P.S I NEVER KNEW YOU WENT ON COLLIVE!
BOTH YEARS THERE WAS SOMEONE WHO WON FROM CHICAGO!
Good Job Yisroel!!! Beautiful Pictures!
WOOOWWWW
go sruly gr8 job
good job levi b! impressive!
That boy in the pic with Ram Emanuel looks like a Benchiyoun.
Sruley Duchman you look wonderful and Dov Ber you scare me with the spear.
We are so so so proud of you! Your essay was beautiful, and you spoke so confidently and eloquently.
From you cousins in Crown Heights.
hi shaina
MUSHKA GOLDMAN YOU READ YOUR POEM TO ME THE BEST BEST BEST BEST BEST BEST BEST BEST BEST BEST BEST BEST BEST BEST BEST Poem in the whole entire world!!!! I am extremly proud of you!!!!!!!! GO YOU
1. THAT WAS MY BROTHER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
levi benhiyoun from chicago IL.
he won the contest and went to DC. with my parents!!
Mushka Goldman – u rock!!!
We are so proud of you, Mushka!! Much Nachas to Zaidy and Bubby Hecht and family!
Good job to the boy who wrote his essay on “what Chanukah means to me”
what a kiddush hashem!
i wished i could have been there!