In an interview with Tablet Magazine, Joshua Bolten, 58, the second Jewish chief of staff in the history of the White House, offers a rare glimpse into the presidency of George W. Bush.
Former WH Chief of Staff: President Bush Didn’t Enjoy Shliach’s Matzah – But Ate It Anyway
In an interview with Tablet Magazine, Joshua Bolten, 58, the second Jewish chief of staff in the history of the White House, offers a rare glimpse into the presidency of George W. Bush.
He says his Jewish faith was well-received by the White House, and recalled that President and Mrs. Bush “were always very interested in Jewish heritage and Jewish faith and were very receptive when we had ideas like lighting the menorah in the White House and serving the first truly kosher meal there.”
According to Bolten, the White House kitchen had never been made kosher until the former First Lady did so for an event with the United States Holocaust Museum in Washington. Mrs. Bush also always made sure that other foods, besides the traditional pork ribs, were available for Bolten at campaign and staff gatherings.
Every year before Pesach, Bolten brought a piece of hand-made shmurah matzo that he had received from his rabbi, Yossie Dubrowski of Chabad of North Tampa, to the President. “And I can’t say President Bush liked it—he would always say, ‘Gosh, it’s dry!’—but every year he was proud to eat it,” Bolten said.
Bolten also infused the Oval Office with the miracle of Chanukah. “I don’t know if people know, but for Hanukkah every year at the senior staff meeting, I handed out dreidels and gelt and then instructions on how to play,” he said. “And so for the rest of the week, probably dozens of important White House decisions were made based on a spin of the dreidel.”
Of his time spent in the halls of government, Bolten reflected, “It’s a calling. I’ve always felt that way about government service. I think it’s the responsibility of citizens, especially Jews, to take up the calling when they have the opportunity.”
Bolten served in the Bush administration from 2006 to 2009. He now runs an international consulting firm and serves on the boards of a number of nonprofits, including service as the vice-chairman of the board of the United States Holocaust Museum in Washington.
Mendel
That’s mesiras nefesh!
michal john smith
good job for bush
Impressed
I think that’s great. I feel good about Mr. and Mrs. Bush, having read this information. And I’m impressed. Furthermore, thanks to Mr. Bolten for being there in such a positive and respectful way. We need more examples of intelligent modelling in government.
Home Cooking
Sounds like my wife’s cooking. Doesn’t taste all that good but we eat it anyway.
and so whats the news
Wooopy
read that last quote
“…probably dozens of important White House decisions were made based on a spin of the dreidel.”
umm…. lol i dont like the sound of that hahah :-P
um hello
he ate it for political reasons as the headline strongly suggests LOL geez, this is not news at ALL.
Milhouse
#7, Um, hello, it wasn’t publicised; nobody knew about it until now. So what political reason could he possibly have had? W Bush, like Romney, is a real mench, and does things because they feel right, not because it looks good. They often do things for people that nobody finds out about until much later, if ever. One can’t possibly imagine 0bama doing anything like that without a camera crew along.
vote Romney!
i agree with #7. So true about Obama! Get him out of the white House !
um hello #8
you’re so partisan and in your bubble of ignorance, get a life, stop trolling crownheights.info! we have had enough of you! goodbye!
Not A Democrat
Obama would probably make some nasty remark about the “Jew Crackers” to his Muslim or Radical friends…vote this guy out of the White House!!
Cookie
Number 4!!!!! That’s why my brithers took over the cooking in their homes. L’chaim
Milhouse
#10, Who is this “we” you’re talking about? You and the mouse in your pocket? Are you even Jewish? I wrote nothing but the obvious truth: Bush and Romney are both real menchen, who help people because that’s what decent people do, whereas 0bama is not a mench, and won’t even help his own brother if there’s nothing in it for him. Everyone knows this, even you; you just don’t like people to talk about it.