On Capitol Hill this week, where House Speaker Mike Johnson convened a bipartisan pre-Hanukkah celebration, Rabbi Levi Shemtov noted that when the menorah is lit at such an event, it’s purely a symbolic gesture — the actual blessing is reserved for the actual holiday.
That prompted a knowing chuckle from a number of us present; at the White House the night before, after all, there was no such concern.
Instead, at that celebration, President Biden, his wife Jill and Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff lit the menorah and those assembled recited all the traditional blessings, despite the fact that Hanukkah doesn’t even begin until next week.
It wasn’t just a misstep but an offense to faithful Jews.
... And though a relatively small offense, it’s nonetheless representative of how Democrats have treated the Jewish community: as a mere photo-op prop that is manhandled and cast aside the moment the cameras disappear.
... Post-election, the Republican Jewish Coalition reported that Donald Trump’s biggest gains among Jews came from religious voters, and that up to half of New York’s Jewish community voted for the president-elect.
The tale of the two Hanukkah parties suggests why: Democrats throw a party featuring token Jews like Emhoff, who seemed totally unfamiliar with the holiday’s melodies and prayers.
...His wife, Vice President Kamala Harris, who pretended to be a friend to Israel while campaigning (even as she repeatedly blasted the Jewish state for defending itself) didn’t even bother showing up.
...To add more salt to the wound, Emhoff had the chutzpah to praise the Biden administration’s disastrous handling of antisemitism, even as a new House report revealed the White House’s utter failure to crack down on it since Oct. 7.
On the other hand, Johnson made sure to bring in a rabbi qualified to oversee the ceremony and handle it with respect and dignity.
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