| Author | Message | | Alpha | | Posted: Fri Apr 10, 2009 1:49 pm Post subject: Obama first president to attend a White House Seder |
| Obama will be the first U.S. president to attend a White House Seder.
Last night, the White House released President Obamas schedule for the remainder of the week, which included participation in the White House Seder on Thursday:
On Thursday, President Obama will participate in an event at the White House where he will discuss the need to enhance the quality of healthcare afforded to members of our Armed Forces and our Veterans. The Press Secretary will brief in the afternoon. President Obama and his family will mark the beginning of Passover with a Seder at the White House with friends and staff.
The Jerusalem Post notes that Thursdays event is believed to be the first White House Seder attended by an American president. Yesterday, Obama also issued an official White House letter with his warmest wishes to all celebrating the sacred festival of Passover. Chag sameach, he added. (HT: JMZ)
http://thinkprogress.org/2009/04/08/obama-seder/
Apr 8, 2009 5:45 | Updated Apr 9, 2009 0:31
Obama to host Seder Thursday night
By HILARY LEILA KRIEGER, THE JERUSALEM POST, WASHINGTON
US President Barack Obama will celebrate Passover Thursday night with staff and friends in what is believed to be the first White House seder attended by an American president.
Obama prays at the Western Wall on his visit to Israel.
Photo: AP [file]
The event was slipped onto the president's public schedule Tuesday night with little fanfare, following a letter signed by Obama earlier in the day wishing Americans who mark the day a "peaceful and relaxing holiday."
While presidential proclamations in honor of Passover have been common throughout the administrations of George W. Bush and Bill Clinton, this year's seder is believed to be the first of its kind.
"I'm really happy to hear about it," said Steve Rabinowitz, who once led a staff seder in the Clinton White House but didn't know of any White House seder in which the president had personally taken part before now. "It's been an extremely open White House to all faith communities, certainly including ours."
William Daroff, who runs the United Jewish Communities' Washington office, recalled that former president Franklin D. Roosevelt snuck out the back door of the White House in 1943 to avoid seeing rabbis marching out front to demand US action to save European Jews from the Nazis.
"Sixty-six years later the President of the United States is spending Thursday evening with his friends and family celebrating the liberation and
survival of the Jewish people," Daroff noted, calling the event "a testament to how far we have come as a Jewish people in America.
"Jews are a vital component in the mosaic that is American culture and society. Our welcome through the front door, and the dining room door, of the White House speaks to the inclusiveness of today's America and of President Obama," he said. "This night is indeed different from all other nights."
In his letter, Obama called the story of Jews' ascent from slavery to freedom in the Land of Israel as "among the most powerful stories of
suffering and redemption in human history," accompanied by rituals and symbols that indicate "the beauty of freedom and the responsibility it
entails."
He also said the holiday presented a message for all humankind. "As part of a larger global community, we all must work to ensure that our brothers and sisters of every race, religion, culture and nationality are free from bondage and repression, and are able to live in peace."
He concluded his letter with the traditional Hebrew greeting "chag sameach," or happy holiday.
Though Passover starts on Wednesday evening, Obama will be hosting the second seder, on Thursday night, apparently so that those in attendance can
celebrate with their families on the first night.
The guest list includes the president, First Lady Michelle Obama and their daughters, Malia and Sasha, as well as a dozen staff members and friends and their families. Most of them were on a campaign stop in Harrisburg, PA with then-senator Obama last year when the first night of Passover fell. According to the White House, Obama insisted on holding an impromptu seder, and this year invited those who were with him to celebrate together again.
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