Fierce Political Adversaries Find Common Ground

Over 150 Congressional staffers and Members of the House and Senate gathered in the prestigious Mike Mansfield Room of the US Capitol to for the annual Capitol Hill Chanukah Celebration.

In addition to enjoying delicious hot latkes and donuts, dreidels, menorah kits and superb refreshments, there was a unique moment during the menorah lighting ceremony when two senior leaders, fierce political adversaries seemed to find some common ground.

Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL), Chair of the Democratic Party, joined House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-VA), the most senior Jewish official in Congress in history and a Republican, at the podium for the lighting.

Many at the event commented how these two public figures are rarely if ever even seen at the same place, let alone joining together.

The uplifting reception was also somewhat bittersweet, as it marked the departure from Congress of two long-time staunch advocates of Israel and the Jewish people, Senator Joe Lieberman (I-CT) and Congresswoman Shelley Berkley (D-NV).

In addition, there was a special feature. Gen. Eliezer Shkedy, CEO of El-Al airlines, who arrived from Israel especially for this event, offered an opportunity for those in attendance to inscribe a letter in the unique Jewish Unity Torah scroll being written by the airline. He said, “I take these words of Torah written here to Israel, and I wish to leave words of the Torah here as well”, whereupon he presented two copies of a special edition Tanach for use by Member of Congress.