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President Obama to host Passover Seder at the White House again
| Some of his best friends are Jews, so he can't possibly be an antisemite (or Jew-hater, the crass old term it was invented to replace). The New York Times headline: Next Year in the White House: A Seder Tradition |
So begins the story of the Obama Seder, now one of the newest, most intimate and least likely of White House traditions. When Passover begins at sunset on Monday evening, Mr. Obama and about 20 others will gather for a ritual that neither the rabbinic sages nor the founding fathers would recognize.
In the Old Family Dining Room, under sparkling chandeliers and portraits of former first ladies, the mostly Jewish and African-American guests will recite prayers and retell the biblical story of slavery and liberation, ending with the traditional declaration "Next year in Jerusalem." (Never mind the current chill in the administration's relationship with Israel.)
| Chill indeed. It wouldn't be polite at a ceremonial dinner to discuss who chose to turn down the thermostat to nearly zero on the Kelvin scale. Especially given that the object of that chill was not permitted to eat at that table. |
No one led the proceedings; everyone took turns reading aloud. Mr. Obama had brought Reggie Love, his personal aide, Ms. Jarrett and Eric Whitaker, another close friend, all African-American. Jennifer Psaki, the traveling press secretary, and Samantha Tubman, a press assistant, filtered in. Neither had ever been to a Seder, but they knew the Exodus story, Ms. Psaki from Catholic school and Ms. Tubman from childhood Sundays at black churches.
They peppered the outnumbered Jews at the table with questions, which the young men sometimes struggled to answer. "We're not exactly crack Hebrew scholars," said Mr. Lesser, now an assistant to Mr. Axelrod.
| This, my dears, is what pets look like, not equals. Equals aren't required to perform for the edification and amusement of others, they're allowed their little moments of privacy. |
Posted by: trailing wife 2010-03-28 |
