Washington – President Barack Obama is marking Hanukkah as a story of “faith over doubt.”
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Obama, first lady Michelle Obama and Vice President Joe Biden convened a Hanukkah celebration at the White House Thursday in an early celebration of the Jewish Festival of Lights.
Obama said the Hanukkah story was about “right over might, faith over doubt.” In the Hanukkah story, a small band of Jews rededicating a Jerusalem temple found that a one-day supply of oil kindled a flame instead for eight.
The president noted “our unshakeable support and commitment to the security of the nation of Israel.”
Hanukkah begins at sunset on Dec. 20. Obama joked that everyone needs to be “careful that your kids don’t start thinking Hanukkah lasts 20 nights instead of eight.”
Looks like a Xmas party.
There two things that bothered me the first is why celebrate Chnukah nearly two weeks early? It seems somewhat disrespectful and dismissive of Judaism. The other issue why didn’t someone in protocol tell the First Lady Sleeveless would be inappropriate?
I wonder if he would be celebrating Xmas early too..
this is just to get it out of the way huh?
Every time I look at this man, I still can’t believe he is actually running this nation…it still didn’t register that he is our President.
Nice Xmas party with a Menorah to adorn the room…Like he said, he’s always ready to celebrate and have a party.
I can’t resist re-posting this comment from “PinnyMeir” from a previous article:
“Had he been around at the time, Obama would have urged acceptance of Greek rule, and willingness to compromise on the issues of Bris Milah, Shabbas, and Rosh Chodesh. The Maccabee’im would have been considered ‘Ultra-right wing religious fanatics’.
If he REALLY had any understanding of what Chanuka is truly about, he wouldn’t touch it with a 10 foot shamash, – I mean pole!” – Excellent comment!
I never thought of it from such an angle, but it really is some food for thought. It’s ironic how all the politicians speak about “light over dark”, “spiritual victory”, etc. Had they really understood what they were talking about….
On the other hand, we really should be grateful that the President who holds the most powerful office on earth is publicly recognizing our holidays, such things haven’t happened very often in our history – Thank you!
“Z’rizim L’Hakdimin L’Mitzvos” …..
the rabbi in the last picture is Shliach of Chabad Rabbi Levi Shemtov
Poor Prezzy. This cut into his vacation. Oh, I forgot. There is no vacation to Hawaii. That was cancelled. Too bad they couldnt reschedule this to when it really was Chanuka.
How much do you want to bet that the same people who are attacking Obama for having the Chanukah reception at the White House, would be exactly the same people who would attack Obama for NOT having a Chanukah reception at the White House?
It wasnt long ago when leaders of nations exterminated Jews . Now a leader of a nation aknowledges us and respects us by “throwing a party”, we are up in arms. What is wrong with us?
I totally fail to see why anybody is complaining about this. White House events are planned many months in advance, and whoever scheduled this clearly did not have access to a Hebrew calendar, and just assumed that Chanukah comes up sometime early in December as it did last year. They did not realize that last year was an “iber yor” which pushed Chanukah back to the end of December.
I don’t know about you but I was BORN HERE! I am an AMERICAN JEW, I have lost friends who served in the military, I have family throughout the criminal justice system (police, detectives etc.) I fly my American and Israeli flags proudly. I am NOT A GUEST HERE! This is MY country too and my children’s country & their children’s country…I love America and want to make it a better place. That is EXACTLY what makes America the melting pot she is. We as Jews have brought our customs, language, foods, holidays and peaceful co-existence with us and are a part of this country. Yes there is anti-semitism, racism, sexism and many more hate filled reasons to fight each other, they will be there long after we are gone unfortunately. Stop feeling like we are visitors here…we are NOT! Good Shabbos.
You know, it is very, very difficult for a foreigner, looking in on the US political scene, to understand just what your current President can do to keep Jewish Americans happy.
If he had held Eid celebrations with American Moslems, if he had held Xmas parties at the White House, but had NOT commemorated Chanuka, *then* you would have had grounds for a valid complaint.
Really, rabossai, what does it matter whether he holds his (symbolic) celbration now, or in two weeks time? The key word – for any who might have missed it – in the last sentence was s y m b o l i c .
Shabbat shalom.