By COLlive reporter
Traditions are meant to be kept and so President Barack Obama honored a recent tradition of hosting a Chanukah celebration at the White House.
Obama, first lady Michelle Obama and Vice President Joe Biden held the event in the grand foyer for some 550 guests which included Jewish Senators, Congress people, rabbis, activists and donors.
Guests were treated to an all-kosher menu, including dill and vodka Scottish, smoked salmon and roulade of chicken breast, AP reported.
And as tradition goes, the task of supervising the koshering of the White House kitchen was given to Rabbi Levi Shemtov, Director of American Friends of Lubavitch, in cooperation with the Rabbinical Council of Greater Washington.
Shemtov, his wife Nechama and his father, Rabbi Abraham Shemtov, Chairman of the umbrella Agudas Chassidei Chabad International were warmly greeted by the President and Biden who is a long-time friend.
Also in attendance was R’ Chanina Sperlin, a Brooklyn Jewish activist and Executive Vice President for Governmental Affairs for the Crown Heights Jewish Community Council.
In his remarks, Obama said: “This Hanukkah season, we remember a story so powerful that we know it by heart … even us gentiles.”
“This is also time to be grateful for our friendships, both with each other and between our nations, and that of course includes our unshakable support and commitment to the security of the nation of Israel,” Obama said to applause.
In reference to the early celebration, he joked that everyone needs to be “careful that your kids don’t start thinking Chanukah lasts 20 nights instead of eight.”
Did someone go by last year’s calendar or something? Do many x-ians say Merry xmas to others 2 weeks before that holiday? I don’t know….something feels a bit “off”. A joke about whiskers to Chabad men? It could be construed as a light joke, but would he ever joke about a Muslim’s whiskers? Whom does he respect, and whom does he take seriously? I just wonder.
May the early celebration serve as a “heads-up” to all the Jews in America that Chanukah is around the corner, and even the President (sort of) celebrates the holiday, that this encourage Jews who would have not otherwise celebrated, or who would have given thought to celebrating it “next year” upon noting the White House Chanukah party, that this year they are being reminded early enough that instead of thinking of celebrating “next year” and forgetting, that they celebrate this year. May the increased celebration of Chanukah bring additional strength to klal Yisroel and add to our zechusim in this… Read more »
so if a republican had done this ie newt or perry you would be praising them to high heaven. WOULDINT YOU!!??
We are blessed to have such a fine Shliach representing Chabad in DC!
Sure Obama is on the Jews side.He’s always in arguments with the prime minister of israel which already proves he’s against us!
at least the MACCABEATS blessed the crowd with their awesome talent http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oHwyTxxQHmQ
He wants to get on the Jews side so we will also re-elect him. FAT CHANCE!!! G”LUCK OBAMA!!
That relationship just goes to show the way Rabbi Shemtov (Sr.) has operated in Washington all these years; they’ve known each other for about 30 years, Mr Biden was just a senator of the State of Delaware, and they would meet on the train on the way to DC (as Senator, Biden commuted every day on the Amtrak). Fast-forward and the year is 2008 and Biden becomes VP, and voila, Chabad has a friend in high places.