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Washington - A Blessing for Obama From the American Jewish Community |
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Part of the scroll of blessings from the US Jewish community.
Shlomo Perelman, owner of judaism.com, has spent the past six months assembling a prayer scroll for the president, made up of over 3,000 personalized blessings that constituents submitted between December 26 and January 31.
The idea came to Perelman after he heard about a gift presented to president-elect Abraham Lincoln by the head of the Jewish community of Chicago in 1861 - an American flag on which tailor Abraham Kohn had embroidered the opening verses of the Book of Joshua, including the words "be strong and of good courage."
Perelman thought a similar gift should be presented to Obama from the American Jewish community.
"From its conception, the project had nothing to do with politics or policy," Perelman said in a press release. "It is about the spiritual components of leadership, and the intangible benefits of blessings and prayer."
The blessings for Obama were assembled into a 15-meter scroll of canvas and wood donated by Perelman's associates at The Studio in Old Jaffa and artist Michal Meron. Perelman said presenting the blessings in this way is a "perfect synthesis of Jewish medium and message."
Men, women, children, families, and schools from all around the US submitted blessings to be included in the scroll.
The first-grade class at Solomon Schechter Day School in Albuquerque, New Mexico, contributed: "Baruch Atah [Hashem (God)], who will help protect us all, especially Israel & our friends there. May you stay healthy, eat well & have fun. We Love You!"
A contributor from Los Angeles said: "Mazel tov. We have taken the first step towards change. Prayers for you, your family and our country."
When asked by a Jerusalem Post reporter if he thought feelings for Obama had changed among the American Jewish community in light of recent remarks about Israeli settlements, Perelman said, "I'm sure they have. No president can maintain the high approval level for very long." However, he said sentiments for a particular president do not affect the way the Jewish community prays for the security and prosperity of their country.
"Yesterday I went to Shabbat services in the Touro Synagogue in Newport, Rhode Island, the oldest synagogue in the US," he said. "The prayer for the government was said, without first polling the congregants for their personal political opinions. This is the way it has been done for hundreds of years."
The scroll's dedication page displays Jeremiah's 3,000-year-old advice to the Jewish people: "Seek the peace and welfare of the nation in which you live, and pray for it to God, for through its peace you shall find peace." The second panel displays a "Prayer for our Country" in both Hebrew and English, and another panel bears the signatures of 30 Jewish members of Congress.
Personal prayers are available for viewing at www.judaism.com/scroll. Names have been removed for privacy on the online version.
In honor of American Independence Day on July 4, Web site viewers can download a free and full-color Prayer for our Country commissioned by judaism.com.
"On behalf of everyone who participated, we all continue to pray that, with God's help, President Obama will be blessed with the wisdom to make the right decisions for our country," Perelman said.
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Read Comments (28) — Post Yours »
1
Jun 29, 2009 at 04:20 PM Anonymous Says:
Please make sure Obama understand this is NOT from all Jews. Respect and blessings are earned!!!
2
Jun 29, 2009 at 04:17 PM Elections Have Consequences Says:
What a bunch of wackos who cant see the trees from the forest or whatever the expression is! Derech Ha'teva he is the among the worst things that could happen to the USA so far. They should be offering t'filos to HKB"H so that Obama doesn't do all the mishiga things he is doing and wants to do.
3
Jun 29, 2009 at 04:10 PM gevaldig Says:
this is such a nice gesture...i am sure it will improve his support of israel (hahahaha...not.... it wont CHANGE a thing)
4
Jun 29, 2009 at 04:00 PM Chuchem Says:
What's with these naive people is he a king? I know he thinks of himself as the Messiah, these people will pretty soon find out that he is no friend of Jews.
5
Jun 29, 2009 at 04:45 PM azoy Says:
“ What a bunch of wackos who cant see the trees from the forest or whatever the expression is! Derech Ha'teva he is the among the worst things that could happen to the USA so far. They should be offering t'filos to HKB"H so that Obama doesn't do all the mishiga things he is doing and wants to do. ”
If it was for president bush, you wouldnt be calling them whackos.
praying for this country and for the success of its leaders is helpful and beneficial to us all. grow up!
6
Jun 29, 2009 at 04:44 PM Anonymous Says:
what a kiddush hashem!
Mi kiamcha yisroel!!!
7
Jun 29, 2009 at 04:58 PM rivkie Says:
I dont think we should sending blessings to a man who works against Israel! What kiddush Hashem is that??
8
Jun 29, 2009 at 04:56 PM FVNMS Says:
“ If it was for president bush, you wouldnt be calling them whackos.
praying for this country and for the success of its leaders is helpful and beneficial to us all. grow up! ”
That's exactly the point - nobody ever did this with Bush because nobody was smitten like a childish, silly kitten with Bush. We Jews are known for our no-nonsense view of the world. There is a growing bumper crop of morons out there who are going to change this.
9
Jun 29, 2009 at 05:50 PM Anonymous Says:
Your all being foolish. Jacob gave gifts to Eisau.
Is it any wonder that jewish youth is hurting sooo much?? You only have negativity about anything. Every post in the comments is filled with negativity.
Grow up and learn to find the good in our great Gods world instead of digging up the negatives and maybe your youth will have a better chance.
10
Jun 29, 2009 at 05:28 PM reader Says:
“ Please make sure Obama understand this is NOT from all Jews. Respect and blessings are earned!!! ”
RIIIIIGHHT! why not just thank them and shut up. My shul says the prayer for the welfare of the leaders of this cvountry regardless of who is in charge or which party it is because it is in our own best interests to pray for this great country of ours and its leaders.
If this was done in the first month of the buish administration you would probably be singing its praises and saying what a wonderful idea it is.
11
Jun 29, 2009 at 05:26 PM anonymous Says:
“ If it was for president bush, you wouldnt be calling them whackos.
praying for this country and for the success of its leaders is helpful and beneficial to us all. grow up! ”
The whackos and idiots are right here on VIN we are lucky that we live in such country maybe they would enjoy Ukrainia or Russia or maybe the ayatollas in Iran
12
Jun 29, 2009 at 05:53 PM Anonymous Says:
Your all being foolish. Jacob gave gifts to Eisau.
Is it any wonder that jewish youth is hurting sooo much?? You only have negativity about anything. Every post in the comments is filled with negativity.
Grow up and learn to find the good in our great Gods world instead of digging up the negatives and maybe your youth will have a better chance.
13
Jun 29, 2009 at 07:05 PM frummentsh Says:
These same liberal jewish idiot's grandparents were smitten with the same schoolboy crush on FDR, they used to call him "Rosenfeld"....he showed them by refusing to bomb the railway tracks leading to Auschwitz.
14
Jun 29, 2009 at 07:00 PM mom Says:
Jews MUST pray for the country we live in. No matter
15
Jun 29, 2009 at 07:00 PM Bunimfrombrooklyn Says:
A kidush Hashem it is
maybe it'll help toward this Barack pulling for Israel
any way it's not Barack who runs the world
ONLY the Eibishter
16
Jun 29, 2009 at 06:56 PM harav shach tzodaik Says:
“ I dont think we should sending blessings to a man who works against Israel! What kiddush Hashem is that?? ”
How is he working against Isreal???
More than half of the
Israelis believe in a two state solution. He is advocating a left left-wing approach than Labor.
Just because a president of the USA does not carry the Likud line does not mean he is against Israel.
He is the first American President to tell the Pali's that if they ever want to see statehood they first have to turn off the propoganda that is taught in schools and stop claiming to want peace while they are Washington while inciting violence back home.
Besides, it is the DUTY of EVERY JEW to pray for the success and well- being of the American gov't.
And here is a news-flash for you: He won. The Republicans lost. Now get over it. Being Orthodox doesn't mean voting Republican any more than it means voting Democrat.
17
Jun 29, 2009 at 08:17 PM Anonymous Says:
“ That's exactly the point - nobody ever did this with Bush because nobody was smitten like a childish, silly kitten with Bush. We Jews are known for our no-nonsense view of the world. There is a growing bumper crop of morons out there who are going to change this. ”
WRONG. He was "oh the best friend israel ever had" from day one in office. what an absolute FARCE that turned out to be.
18
Jun 29, 2009 at 08:16 PM Anonymous Says:
“ I dont think we should sending blessings to a man who works against Israel! What kiddush Hashem is that?? ”
how does he work agaINST ISRAEL? HE IS A GREAT FRIEND OF THE STATE OF ISRAEL. his policies so far are no different than president bush! its exactly the same (just reported diffferently by the biased media)
19
Jun 29, 2009 at 10:01 PM Elections Have Consequences Says:
“ how does he work agaINST ISRAEL? HE IS A GREAT FRIEND OF THE STATE OF ISRAEL. his policies so far are no different than president bush! its exactly the same (just reported diffferently by the biased media) ”
Why would the "biased" media report such bad things about the obamanation??? He has APobama, NBCobama, CBSobama, ABCobama lapping up all the hypocrisy he speaks yet they would report untruth about the messiah?
20
Jun 29, 2009 at 10:17 PM Elections Have Consequences Says:
“ How is he working against Isreal???
More than half of the
Israelis believe in a two state solution. He is advocating a left left-wing approach than Labor.
Just because a president of the USA does not carry the Likud line does not mean he is against Israel.
He is the first American President to tell the Pali's that if they ever want to see statehood they first have to turn off the propoganda that is taught in schools and stop claiming to want peace while they are Washington while inciting violence back home.
Besides, it is the DUTY of EVERY JEW to pray for the success and well- being of the American gov't.
And here is a news-flash for you: He won. The Republicans lost. Now get over it. Being Orthodox doesn't mean voting Republican any more than it means voting Democrat. ”
"More than half of the Israelis believe in a two state solution. " Seemingly you are incorrect more and more. This is not the polls most of us are seeing and reading. They 'may' have been willing to hear of this however there has never been a real move towards peace by the Arabs. The whole thing is a major joke to them. Remember it was the Izzies who ALWAYS bent over backwards for the sake of "peace" for for what reason? So the Arabs could continue to preach hatred on a daily basis? So the Arabs could keep sending animals into Yiddishe areas so they could blow themselves up in the name of alla zennin meshiga?
As far as being the "first American President to tell the Pali's that if they ever want to see statehood they first have to turn off the propoganda that is taught in schools and stop claiming to want peace while they are Washington while inciting violence back home," I dont know where you have been but I certainly recall Prez Bush 43 saying that or something VERY close to that. Remember it was the oysvorf Clinton who seemed to meet with Arafat Yemach Sh'mo every week but GWB wouldnt even pay him any attention. On a side note I still think the best thing Clinton did for Arafat was (according to Ken Starr's report) to give him a cigar... v'hamayvin yovin!
"It is the DUTY of EVERY JEW to pray for the success and well- being of the American gov't." Any t'fila in any lefty siddur I've seen doesnt say anything about standing behind your president lapping up his excrement like a puppy dog. BH in this country we are able to speak out when we think the President is doing something incorrect. Of course the left would like to take that right away.
"And here is a news-flash for you: He won. The Republicans lost. Now get over it." OK so lets say we sat there from 2000 till 2008 learning from the best hearing how the left was just always over it without ever claiming anything about stolen elections etc. So now let me tell you something YOU ARE A TYPICAL LEFT WINGED LIBERAL HYPOCRITE!!
21
Jun 29, 2009 at 10:43 PM harav shach tzodaik Says:
“ "More than half of the Israelis believe in a two state solution. " Seemingly you are incorrect more and more. This is not the polls most of us are seeing and reading. They 'may' have been willing to hear of this however there has never been a real move towards peace by the Arabs. The whole thing is a major joke to them. Remember it was the Izzies who ALWAYS bent over backwards for the sake of "peace" for for what reason? So the Arabs could continue to preach hatred on a daily basis? So the Arabs could keep sending animals into Yiddishe areas so they could blow themselves up in the name of alla zennin meshiga?
As far as being the "first American President to tell the Pali's that if they ever want to see statehood they first have to turn off the propoganda that is taught in schools and stop claiming to want peace while they are Washington while inciting violence back home," I dont know where you have been but I certainly recall Prez Bush 43 saying that or something VERY close to that. Remember it was the oysvorf Clinton who seemed to meet with Arafat Yemach Sh'mo every week but GWB wouldnt even pay him any attention. On a side note I still think the best thing Clinton did for Arafat was (according to Ken Starr's report) to give him a cigar... v'hamayvin yovin!
"It is the DUTY of EVERY JEW to pray for the success and well- being of the American gov't." Any t'fila in any lefty siddur I've seen doesnt say anything about standing behind your president lapping up his excrement like a puppy dog. BH in this country we are able to speak out when we think the President is doing something incorrect. Of course the left would like to take that right away.
"And here is a news-flash for you: He won. The Republicans lost. Now get over it." OK so lets say we sat there from 2000 till 2008 learning from the best hearing how the left was just always over it without ever claiming anything about stolen elections etc. So now let me tell you something YOU ARE A TYPICAL LEFT WINGED LIBERAL HYPOCRITE!!
”
Give it a rest already. No matter what the man ever does you will hate him because Mark Levin and Rushbo told you to hate him.
As for my being a typical left wing whatever, I actually voted for John McCain and I still believe he would have been a better president.
None of that excuses a yid running off his potty-mouth about the president of our country.
He won. Pray for his success. Disagree with him if you must, but for Gd's sake do it with a little dignity.
He is not advocating anything that every Israeli gov't for the last 20 years has not advocated.
He has done nothing that merits the disgrace you have heaped on him, on the office of the presidency and this great country.
His job, to which he was elected by a more than solid majority, requires him to put the interests of the USA ahead of all other considerations. In many ways, I believe he has completely failed to do so and will likely pay a price for that at the polls. Failing to serve the interests of another country should not be a factor in considering him a successful or failed president.
22
Jun 29, 2009 at 10:42 PM Avrohom Abba Says:
Mr. Obama finds time to demand that Israel families should stop building houses, yet, he can't find the time to tell iran to stop the manufacturing of nuclear weapons?
23
Jun 29, 2009 at 11:18 PM Boruch Says:
“ RIIIIIGHHT! why not just thank them and shut up. My shul says the prayer for the welfare of the leaders of this cvountry regardless of who is in charge or which party it is because it is in our own best interests to pray for this great country of ours and its leaders.
If this was done in the first month of the buish administration you would probably be singing its praises and saying what a wonderful idea it is.
”
Well, bush was an advocate of the homeland of the Jewish people, whereas Obama...
24
Jun 29, 2009 at 11:24 PM Milhouse Says:
“ If it was for president bush, you wouldnt be calling them whackos.
praying for this country and for the success of its leaders is helpful and beneficial to us all. grow up! ”
And yet, by some strange coincidence, it wasn't for President Bush. And you know very well that if McCain were president now, this project would not have been undertaken. I wonder why that is.
25
Jun 30, 2009 at 05:27 AM Anonymous Says:
“ Mr. Obama finds time to demand that Israel families should stop building houses, yet, he can't find the time to tell iran to stop the manufacturing of nuclear weapons? ”
He hasn't demanded an end to Iran's nuclear weapons program???
Have you been living in a cave for the last few months?
Amazing how blinded people can be by uncontrolled hatred.
26
Jun 29, 2009 at 11:29 PM Anonymous Says:
“ Well, bush was an advocate of the homeland of the Jewish people, whereas Obama... ”
He was? that's news. Bush was terrible to Israel. In fact, Obama policy is the same as bush - its even tamer by comparison. Obama is continuing bush's legacy and policies.
27
Jun 30, 2009 at 08:17 AM harav shach tzodaik Says:
“ And yet, by some strange coincidence, it wasn't for President Bush. And you know very well that if McCain were president now, this project would not have been undertaken. I wonder why that is. ”
Perhaps they are doing it as a counter-balance to all the frum people who complain and spew their raw hatred for President Obama every time his name is mentioned.
The same people who complained that his visit to a concentration camp was just for show would have been yelling if he went to Germany ym"s and didn't even bother to pay respect at a concentration camp.
If I were President Obama and read the frum blogs I'd say to hell with all of you (c"v), no matter I do or say it osn't good enough for you so I'll go court the anti-Isreal voters instead (again, c"v, lo liftach peh lasoton).
28
Jun 30, 2009 at 02:02 PM ivan Says:
what an idiot!