By COLlive reporter
About 30 guests, including senior White House Officials and a member of the Cabinet, joined for a traditional Pesach (Passover) Seder at the White House.
It was organized with help from American Friends of Lubavitch (Chabad) in Washington, DC – led by Rabbi Levi Shemtov.
The Seder, while not the first ever, might just be the first completely Glatt Kosher for Seder to be held in the complex on Passover itself (starting after nightfall), COLlive.com has learned.
Signature Caterers, part of the The Shalom Group, provided delicious traditional foods for the four-course meal. There was Shmurah Matzah, the round hand-baked traditional type, in abundance.
Presiding over the special event, held in the beautiful Indian Treaty Room, was Rabbi Menachem Shemtov, Director of Special Programs and Development for American Friends of Lubavitch (Chabad), with assistance by his sister Shoshana Shemtov.
United States Secretary of Veterans Affairs, Dr. David Shulkin, along with senior White House staff and officials from the National Economic Council, White House Counsel, Communications, Public Liaison and other departments participated.
A group photo was taken moments before sunset. A discussion with explanations of the Seder was provided between sunset and nightfall, at which time the kiddush prayer was made and the Seder proceeded.
This evening, @WhiteHouse staff held a Passover Seder, marking first night of Passover. pic.twitter.com/ag9y7jmKfD
— Sean Spicer (@PressSec) April 11, 2017
The seder was held in the Indian Treaty Room of the Eisenhower Executive Office Building, continued a custom begun by President Barack Obama.
President Donald Trump did not attend, but he did offer Pesach greetings via Twitter. “Happy Passover to everyone celebrating in the United States of America, Israel, and around the world. #ChagSameach,” the tweet read.
The president’s Jewish family members, son-in-law Jared Kushner and daughter Ivanka Trump reportedly spent the first days of the holiday at a Passover event in British Columbia, Canada, Jewish Insider reported.
During #Passover, we reflect on the significance of the exodus from Egypt and celebrate the great freedoms we enjoy today! #ChagPesach pic.twitter.com/x2sOSXdWm1
— Ivanka Trump (@IvankaTrump) April 11, 2017
Obama attended personally all Seders. Trump and his family ignored it. The orthodox son in law and daughter were in B.C. Spicer and most of the cabinet are ultra right, hate Jews.
I feel like THROWING UP!!!
It is prohibited to prepare food on yom tov for non-Jews.
Also, many people are machmir to use non-mevushal wine for the sedarim, which WOULD become treif if handled by a non-Jew.
You Trump haters are a deluded bunch. You continue to call him anti-Jewish and a Hitler. Trump has proven over and over again in his 100 days of office that he is a TRUE friend of the Jewish people and the Jewish nation. You all need to get real and quick and stop repeating the Libtard mantra. Your messages of hate have no place here. Save it for your political hate bashing elsewhere. One might actually think you are a bunch of haters…. George
Obamas Seder wasn’t on pesach
we are blessed with Trump in the white house and it’s time every single yid realizes and admits this.
to those who insist on finding fault with anything and everything Trump dies STOP your nitpicking and start thanking G-d for sending the Donald to us. Trump is the only one that was able to withstand the evil lies of george soros and friends.
And stop making an issue over a harmless statement made by spicer… I cringe when I read the garbage spewed against him.
I am embarrassed for my people.
Since when is it not?? They don’t make everything chometz by being there! Am Ha’aretz!
I so agree with #15 !
Awesome menachem!!
Good to see you here 🙂
YES OBAMA WENT TO THE SEDER AND THEN STABBED ALL JEWS-ISRAEL IN THE BACK! HE IS THE BIGGEST FAKER- LIAR THERE IS!!!! EVERYTHING IS POLITICS, HE HATES THE JEWS, CHRISTIANS !!! LOVES THE MUSLIMS!
The article says the Kushners went to a Pesach retreat in British Columbia.
The article says the seder was completely glatt kosher. Since when is it kosher to have non-Jews at the seder?
The picture of the Kushners is deceiving people. They were not even at the Seder! They are vacationing in Canada at the Four Season hotel. No Trump family member attended. If they hate D.C. So much they shouldn’t be there. In Florida every weekend playing golf costing us 3 million a weekend.
Ur awesome!!!:):)
Where Rabbi DovBer Pinson and Rabbi Ephrayim Mintz are scholars in residence. The program is operated by Reb Shchneur Wineberg, Sheliach in Vancouver.
I don’t need the president to do us a BIG favor and attend the sader un kosher a week before Pessach and then tell us and the world what Israel should do, and it’s all for he loved Israel so much, go TRUMP.
Not at the White House seder!
Beautiful to see the whole kushner family celebrating Passover together ! Chabad is the best
First time in many years the president did not attend. I guess it would not play well with his alt-right base of Jew-haters.
Sean Spicer, need I say more?
Did the children recite in Hebrew or Chinese?
well where’s trump, our so-called jew friendly president? For the past eight years, former President Barack Obama hosted a seder dinner, becoming the first U.S. president to celebrate Passover on an annual basis in the White House. He actually attended!!
You would think the government has the money to buy normal chairs
Go Menachem and Shana!!