WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris and their spouses held a “family” celebration of Hanukkah at the White House Wednesday, with the first Jewish spouse of a vice president, second gentleman Doug Emhoff, joining in lighting the menorah.
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Speaking to more than 150 guests, including Jewish community leaders, Cabinet members, lawmakers and the new Israeli ambassador to the U.S., Michael Herzog, Biden sought to draw parallels between his presidency and the eight-day commemoration of the rededication of the temple in Jerusalem by the Maccabees.
“Whether it’s in the temple of Jerusalem or the temple of our democracy, nothing broken or profaned is beyond repair, nothing,” Biden said. “We can always build back better, perhaps build back brighter.”
Acknowledging his history-making role as he joined Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and Jewish leaders to light the menorah marking the fourth night of Hanukkah, Emhoff said, “Jewish values are American values.”
The event provided the first taste of the administration’s pared-down holiday plans amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and the new threat of the omicron variant. The guests, all wearing masks, sat shoulder to shoulder in the East Room for the event, which did not include the customary reception of food and drink afterward.
Instead, guests were given individually decorated and wrapped cookies prepared by the White House kitchen to mark the holiday as they left the bedecked residence.
The menorah chosen for the occasion was the Liberty Bell menorah, designed by Holocaust survivor Manfred Anson. It is on loan to the White House from the National Museum of American Jewish History.
I heard the satmar district leader schwartz went $$
Some of the mitzvos that the Syrian Greeks tried to abolish were bris milah and family purity. Emhoff said, “Jewish values are American values.” it is a Jewish value to keep the Torah and not intermarry. He should leave his wife.
I feel a lack of cultural sensitivity shown by the Bidens displaying an asherah bush at a so called Hannuka event.
On the other hand, with the Crown Heights Sect implying to the courts (Allegheny v ACLU) that Chanuka is a non-sectarian winter season celebration/commemoration of of of what…. Anyway, based on court rulings, a menorah next to a fir tree is either not religious or just another obsolete symbol that has come to symbolize winter festivities.
For what its worth, the Greeks were against limiting our religion to one Gd. They would have been fine allowing the “avodah” to continue as long as their “tamai” gods were represented in the Mikdash.
How do you feel. Is Chanuka a week commemorating all the ideas of the Al Hanisim? Is it the Jewish version of the winter holidays? Do you feel proud when you see a Menorah under a Douglas Fir? How about a Menorah next to a tree with a sign saying “celebrating liberty”? How about a Menorah in a window with family admiring it? How about a Menorah in a window decorated with dreidel decals?
How do you feel?
This auver botel goy is out to lunch. the onlysemblance his administration has to Channukarh is that he has caused the price of oil & gas to skyrocket just like the price of olive oil in israel around channukah is fetching preimium prices.
It’s so nice to see all those masks! Good role models!