Obama invites friends, aides for White House dinner to mark Passover

[onehandle]

Source: AP

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Barack Obama is inviting close friends and staff to a private White House meal Thursday to mark Passover, a signal that the new president intends to fulfill his promise that Jewish voters would have an ally.

Among the invited is Valerie Jarrett, one of Obama's closest advisers, and family friend Eric Whitaker, who is visiting from Chicago and attended a seder last year with the campaign. Michelle Obama and the family's two daughters also plan to attend.

snip...

The White House says the seder meal will be traditional, including matzo, bitter herbs, a roasted egg and greens in the family dining room in the executive mansion. The evening will feature the reading of the Haggadah, the religious text of the holiday. Passover began at sundown Wednesday. It celebrates the Jewish exodus from Egypt after 400 years of slavery.

White House aides say they believe this is the first president-hosted seder at the White House. President Bill Clinton's aides planned seders, but Clinton isn't known to have attended. Obama's move won quick praise from the National Jewish Democratic Council.

Read more: http://www.daily-jeff.com/news/article/4563325

[pepperbear]

1. why that Muslim Son of a Bitch! How dare he?!

[provis99]

2. cool. I wonder what they'll do when they bring in the pagans for Walpurgis Night?

[tavalon]

3. Nope, we want Samhain!

Woo hoo, Samhain at the White House this year!

I get what you're saying but notice that it is private. He's trying not to be political. What I don't think he quite has yet is how anything he does is political.

[Posteritatis]

13. I want that just to see the press struggle over how to pronounce it (nt)

[monmouth]

4. This must thrill the White House Chef and his staff. The Obamas are

so eclectic and unafraid to do new things. I just LOVE IT!!!!

[RamboLiberal]

5. Last Year-"Next Year to Jerusalem, Next Year to the White House"

It’s also a chance for the Obamas and several administration aides to look back on their own extraordinary journey over the last year.

A senior administration official explained that the Seder is a fulfillment of a vow that a small group of Obama campaign staff made during their Seder last year, on April 19.

Unable to go home for the holidays, the group of about 10 held an impromptu Seder in the basement of the Sheraton Hotel in Harrisburg, Pa., as the Obama campaign neared the end of its long primary campaign battle in the state. Then-Sen. Barack Obama participated in the Jewish ritual, along with a few friends who were traveling with him that day, a senior official said.

At the end of the ritual, after the traditional refrain “Next year in Jerusalem!” Sen. Obama and others in the group jokingly added, “Next year in the White House!”

So this year’s Seder “is meant not only to celebrate the holiday but also to reflect on all that has happened in our lives” since the Harrisburg Seder, the official said.

http://jvoices.com/2009/04/08/next-year-in-the-white-house/

[BoneDaddy]

6. It is totally possible to be Pro-Jewish yet Pro- Palestinian State

and Obama is doing what is necessary. The strange thing is that I tend to believe him. Sure, it is progressively expedient to do such a thing but I honestly believe that he "gets it", and what fucking refresher it is to see someone who has some fucking understanding.

[diane in sf]

7. I wonder what plagues he's including? We always include Repuglicans.

[classysassy]

8. A wonderfull

thing to do.Hello folks we are all Gods childrens,God bless us all.

[Kalyan]

9. Why am i sure ...

that the right-wing fundamentalists will find something to criticize about this move as well.

Edit: correction

[rollingrock]

10. Deja vu

separation between church and State doesn't seem to be in Bush's...err Obama's vocabulary.

[onehandle]

11. Yes. It is now required by law that you observe passover every year.

Go get your government issued Matza today or pay a fine.


:eyes:

[Danmel]

12. What does this have to do with separation of church and state?

Can he have a Christmas or Easter dinner with friends and family? Is this an establishment of religion or prohibition of free exercise?

I think it is totally appropriate- and the story of the Exodus- of deliverance from bondage, is certainly a story with resonance in the African American community.

Besides, his chief aide, David Axelrod and his Chief of Staff, Rahm Emmanuel are both Jewish and pretty observant. Gotta lighten up a bit there.

[rollingrock]

14. Yes, it is.

an establishment of religion.

'The evening will feature the reading of the Haggadah, the religious text of the holiday.'

He isn't even Jewish. Sounds like more pandering to the (in this case Jewish) fundies to me.

[Renew Deal]

15. You're confused

Are you saying that the government is forcing us all to become jewish?

[rollingrock]

16. No, you are confused

Where did I say that?

Bush never forced anyone to become Christian, but no one would argue that there was indeed an establishment of religion under the Bush administration.

[Renew Deal]

17. "an establishment of religion."

That's where you said it. You don't understand what that means.

[rollingrock]

18. Did Bush force anyone to become a Christian?

answer the question.

you have no idea what you're talking about.

[Renew Deal]

19. No

There was no establishment of religion under Bush either. It might have felt that way, but there wasn't. As far as knowing what we're talking about...

"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof;"

http://caselaw.lp.findlaw.com/data/constitution/amendment01

You don't have to acknowledge you were wrong. It's plainly obvious.

[rollingrock]

20. Office of 'faith-based initiatives'

Began under Bush, Obama intends to expand and strengthen the powers of the office.
A very dangerous move toward the establishment of religion in government.