President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama have convened a Hanukkah celebration at the White House on the second night of the Jewish festival of lights.
Video: Celebrating Chanukah at the White House
President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama have convened a Hanukkah celebration at the White House on the second night of the Jewish festival of lights.
The celebration occurred in the East Room Thursday, where guests recited traditional prayers while lighting candles in a menorah lent by a congregation in New Orleans that was devastated by Hurricane Katrina. The president and first lady looked on as the candle-lighting ceremony took place.
The president called the story of Hanukkah “as simple as it is timeless.” In the Hanukkah story a small band of Jews rededicating a Jerusalem temple finds that a one-day supply of oil kindles a flame instead for eight.
kidush hashem
Wow! Such a small nation – such a big impact!
sad
the goyim respect our religion – but we dont! if we wold have said “Mr President this is how it is done according to halachah” he would have said no problem – there are some lessons we just never learn
Andrea Schonberger
I voted for Obama but this is so lame–there was a christmas tree in the room for crying out loud! Duh! Do us Jews really want that kind of recognition–lighting a menorah in that atmosphere?
As the Talmud teaches us
Unbelievable!
duh
#3 You say you voted for Obama as if you did a Great thing and now you are disappointed because he lit a menorah while having a Xmas tree in the room. This is what disappoints you?
CHT
Guys, you are so strange, don’t you understand that this is filmed on professional camera, why all those stuck out devices…
RG
no denying we live in a country that is all inclusive; xtians, jews, muslims, hindu…we all have a place here and there will always be evidence of our exsitence just as there is eveidence of theirs. So yah, there is a xmas tree in the whitehouse. and we should be happy there is a menorah too! stop complaining and start to see how lucky we are to be able to practice judaism w/o torture. DO WE LEARN NOTHING FROM THE MACABEES AND THE STORY OF CHANUKAH?!@. It is right in front of our faces and we still don’t see it. honestly folks, wise up,and stop delaying Moshiachs arrival. Freilechen Chanukah!
Yisroel
Y didn’t the Shemtov’s do it inside the whitehouse the same way they did it outside the whitehouse ? Whats going on here. Some1 with a Beard that represents the Rebbe should be lighting Candles. yes we love every yid but this should have been done by Lubavitch
ch
if only was a shlich there
WHy
Why didnt he thanks his wife!!
Andrea Schonberger
Dear #5, I’m sorry, I guess I should have explained my point a little more clearly. What irritated me is that a menorah is lit at all. Obama is not a Yid so why is does he participate in any kind of Chanukah celebration at all?–he’s a christian and I accept that, so of course I expect him to observe those holidays not any other religious ones. I just feel that lighting a menorah at the White House is not a compliment to the Jews.