Wednesday night Tammie and I went to the White House Hanukkah party. Security was thorough. We passed through two checkpoints at which guards checked our photo IDs against the guest list and then went through metal detectors.
It was a thrill to walk into the White House. As we entered the White House, Desiree Rogers, the White House Social Secretary, personally and individually greeted us. | 
Hanukkah at the White House
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Food and drink were served in both the East Room and the State Dining Room. Music was provided by a Jewish acapella group from the University of Maryland and members of the Marine Band.
The glatt kosher food included little latkes, lamb chops, chicken, and a sweets table. Guests moved from room to room chatting and eating, looking at portraits of the past presidents on the walls.
It was a lot of meeting and greeting. People were actively networking. Guests took photos with each other and political leaders. I had some conversations with connections that could help with the Fourth Day Initiative.
So who was there?
Many of the guests were Jewish members of government including Justice Ruth Ginsburg from the Supreme Court. From Congress there was Senator Al Franken, Senator Carl Levin, Congresswoman Jane Harmon and Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman-Schultz. From the White House staff, Rahm Emanuel and David Axelrod. I was particularly happy to see Dan Shapiro, who now has the Middle East portfolio on the National Security Council. Twenty years ago Dan was the Assistant Unit Head for Chalutzim at OSRUI.
Diplomats at the party included Israel's Ambassador to the U.S., Michael Oren, and Senator George Mitchell, the administration's special envoy to the Middle East.
There were Jews from the campaign including big givers like Lester Crown and grassroots activists like me.
The party also included Jewish machers as defined by the Council of Presidents of Major Jewish Organizations. Forty years ago, the American Jewish community formed the Council of Presidents in response to a request from the Nixon administration. The administration wanted one contact point for the Jewish community. The Council of Presidents continues to facilitate communication between the White House and the Jewish community. The members of this council and its financial supporters were at the party. Rabbi Eric Yoffie and Rabbi David Saperstein represented the Union of Reform Judaism. Similar people represented the other movements. I also met the leaders of AIPAC, the President of Hadassah and the President of National Council of Jewish Women.
My brother Ken was present as President of Ameinu, formerly known as the Labor Zionist Alliance, the LZA. Ken is also on the board of J Street. Ken has played an active role as a leader of those to the left within the Presidents Council. He introduced me to some of his fellow machers, most interestingly Morton Klein, of ZOA, the Zionist Organization of America.
Those of you who were at Etz Chaim last Sunday morning to hear Samantha Margolis speak will recall that she described AIPAC as supporting the Israeli government policy, whatever it is. She then spoke of groups with a particular point of view. Her examples were ZOA on the right and J Street on the left.
Mort Klein asked me about speaking at Etz Chaim. He said he likes to speak at Reform congregations, where most of the audience disagrees with him. I asked if he would appear together with Ken. He loved the idea, as did Ken. I will take this up with the Social Action Committee.
I certainly enjoyed the conversations with the machers and the politicians. My fellow Minnesotan, Al Franken was friendly. I had a good talk with Ambassador Michael Oren, not about politics, but about his books. He is the author of “Six Days of War.”
The Obamas and Vice President Biden joined the party for the candle lighting. After remarks by the President, the candles were lit by the family of a Commander in the U.S. Navy serving in Iraq. The candles were in a 19th-century silver menorah lent to the White House by the Jewish Museum in Prague. After the blessings everybody joined in singing Maoz Tzur.
There was no receiving line. According to this morning’s New York Times, this has been typical for the 17 holiday parties the Obama’s have hosted in the White House this December. After the candle ceremony they shook hands with those who pushed their way forward. Tall people with long arms had an advantage in reaching the President.
This was my second visit to the White House. My first visit was as a 14-year-old tourist in 1964. In 1964 I could not have dreamed that I would return as a rabbi to the White House, where an African-American president would preside over the lighting of Hanukkah candles.
Standing in the White House looking at the Hanukkah candles and the Obamas, I could not help thinking about my family. I thought about my grandparents and great grandparents who came to this country from Lithuania and worked in the needle trades as tailors and upholsterers.
I thought about the president's family and Michelle's family. I marveled at the country we have built, from sea to shining sea. I reflected on the powers and possibilities which democracy provide for us. I thought about how our words and our deeds can light the candles of hope.
Wednesday evening the President said, “Jews have lit the Hanukkah candles as symbols of resilience in times of peace, and in times of persecution - in concentration camps and ghettos; war zones and unfamiliar lands. Their light inspires us to hope beyond hope; to believe that miracles are possible even in the darkest of hours.”
It was a lot of meeting and greeting. People were actively networking. Guests took photos with each other and political leaders. I had some conversations with connections that could help with the Fourth Day Initiative.
So who was there?
Many of the guests were Jewish members of government including Justice Ruth Ginsburg from the Supreme Court. From Congress there was Senator Al Franken, Senator Carl Levin, Congresswoman Jane Harmon and Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman-Schultz. From the White House staff, Rahm Emanuel and David Axelrod. I was particularly happy to see Dan Shapiro, who now has the Middle East portfolio on the National Security Council. Twenty years ago Dan was the Assistant Unit Head for Chalutzim at OSRUI.
Diplomats at the party included Israel's Ambassador to the U.S., Michael Oren, and Senator George Mitchell, the administration's special envoy to the Middle East.
There were Jews from the campaign including big givers like Lester Crown and grassroots activists like me.
The party also included Jewish machers as defined by the Council of Presidents of Major Jewish Organizations. Forty years ago, the American Jewish community formed the Council of Presidents in response to a request from the Nixon administration. The administration wanted one contact point for the Jewish community. The Council of Presidents continues to facilitate communication between the White House and the Jewish community. The members of this council and its financial supporters were at the party. Rabbi Eric Yoffie and Rabbi David Saperstein represented the Union of Reform Judaism. Similar people represented the other movements. I also met the leaders of AIPAC, the President of Hadassah and the President of National Council of Jewish Women.
My brother Ken was present as President of Ameinu, formerly known as the Labor Zionist Alliance, the LZA. Ken is also on the board of J Street. Ken has played an active role as a leader of those to the left within the Presidents Council. He introduced me to some of his fellow machers, most interestingly Morton Klein, of ZOA, the Zionist Organization of America.
Those of you who were at Etz Chaim last Sunday morning to hear Samantha Margolis speak will recall that she described AIPAC as supporting the Israeli government policy, whatever it is. She then spoke of groups with a particular point of view. Her examples were ZOA on the right and J Street on the left.
Mort Klein asked me about speaking at Etz Chaim. He said he likes to speak at Reform congregations, where most of the audience disagrees with him. I asked if he would appear together with Ken. He loved the idea, as did Ken. I will take this up with the Social Action Committee.
I certainly enjoyed the conversations with the machers and the politicians. My fellow Minnesotan, Al Franken was friendly. I had a good talk with Ambassador Michael Oren, not about politics, but about his books. He is the author of “Six Days of War.”
The Obamas and Vice President Biden joined the party for the candle lighting. After remarks by the President, the candles were lit by the family of a Commander in the U.S. Navy serving in Iraq. The candles were in a 19th-century silver menorah lent to the White House by the Jewish Museum in Prague. After the blessings everybody joined in singing Maoz Tzur.
There was no receiving line. According to this morning’s New York Times, this has been typical for the 17 holiday parties the Obama’s have hosted in the White House this December. After the candle ceremony they shook hands with those who pushed their way forward. Tall people with long arms had an advantage in reaching the President.
This was my second visit to the White House. My first visit was as a 14-year-old tourist in 1964. In 1964 I could not have dreamed that I would return as a rabbi to the White House, where an African-American president would preside over the lighting of Hanukkah candles.
Standing in the White House looking at the Hanukkah candles and the Obamas, I could not help thinking about my family. I thought about my grandparents and great grandparents who came to this country from Lithuania and worked in the needle trades as tailors and upholsterers.
I thought about the president's family and Michelle's family. I marveled at the country we have built, from sea to shining sea. I reflected on the powers and possibilities which democracy provide for us. I thought about how our words and our deeds can light the candles of hope.
Wednesday evening the President said, “Jews have lit the Hanukkah candles as symbols of resilience in times of peace, and in times of persecution - in concentration camps and ghettos; war zones and unfamiliar lands. Their light inspires us to hope beyond hope; to believe that miracles are possible even in the darkest of hours.”
It is this message of Hanukkah that speaks to us no matter what faith we practice or what beliefs we cherish. Today, the same yearning for justice that drove the Maccabees so long ago invites all of us to rededicate ourselves to improving the lives of those around us, spreading the light of freedom and tolerance wherever oppression and prejudice exist.
