By COLlive reporter
Senior White House administration officials and staffers celebrated the holiday of Purim on Thursday at the White House.
Leading the event was Rabbi Levi Shemtov, Executive Vice President of American Friends of Lubavitch and Shliach to Washington, DC.
A highlight of the event was when President Donald Trump’s son-in-law and senior advisor Jared Kushner offered to recite the blessing and read the beginning of the Megillah, the JTA reported.
A White House official said Kushner joined about 40 people for the reading Thursday in the White House.
Also present were Ivanka Trump, Kushner’s wife and also a senior adviser to her father, Jason Greenblatt, the chief negotiator on the Israeli-Palestinian peace plan team that Kushner helms, Elan Carr, the State Department envoy monitoring anti-Semitism and Assistant Treasury Secretary David Eisner.
The event included reading the Megillah and telling the story of the miracle of Purim, brief remarks, and Kosher refreshments for all to enjoy, fulfilling the customs of feasting on the holiday.
“Blessed that I was able to hear the Megillah and celebrate the holiday of Purim today in the White House. So proud to be able to serve our incredible country,” tweeted Jason Greenblatt.
Raised in an orthodox Jewish family, Kushner was “flawless in the reading, we were very impressed,” Rabbi Shemtov told the JTA.
Blessed that I was able to hear the #Megillah and celebrate the holiday of #Purim today in the @WhiteHouse. So proud to be able to serve our incredible country. 🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/a0flI2sypZ
— Jason D. Greenblatt (@jdgreenblatt45) March 21, 2019
A video? would love to hear him read
Jared you are the man and thank you Mr President Trump
A kiddish Hashem
Thanks for sharing this!
Who layened the rest of the megillah?
That’s really amazing!!
Remind Jared and all those who are trying to make Israel give up more land for “peace”
That it was tried and did NOT succeed
Remember Gaza!!!!!!!!