White House Welcomes 500 Guests For Hanukkah

The White House held its annual Hanukkah party on Wednesday night, on the sixth day of the Jewish holiday. After rumors that the party would be low-key this year, approximately 500 people attended. President Obama made brief remarks and greeted guests for 20 minutes, according to Politico.

Guests were treated to an a cappella choir performance by a group from the University of Maryland and a kosher, buffet-style dinner of lamp chops, sushi and potato pancakes.

So who made the guest list? Desiree Rogers was there, (wo)manning the door. But Rahm Emanuel didn't show up, although he did light the menorah last week. David Axelrod, Susan Sher, Tina Tchen, Jack Lew, Peter Orszag, Dan Shapiro, Stuart Levey and Eric Lesser turned up. Senators Joe Lieberman, Ben Cardin and Al Franken attended, along with Reps. Debbie Wasserman Schultz and Anthony Weiner, and other prominent members of the American Jewish community.

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Comments

[jillian222]

11:55 AM on 12/18/2009

It just puts my panties in a twist knowing that Lieberman practices a devout form of his Jewish faith and acts without humanity in his life's work. My grandparents taught us the rules of our Judaism when we were children and it seems to me that Lieberman is a contradiction in so many ways.

[mesioul]

01:10 PM on 12/18/2009

He is. There are bad examples and contradictions in every group.

[jillian222]

01:13 PM on 12/18/2009

Shalom, mesioul. You are quite right.

[lemondade]

09:30 AM on 12/18/2009

IT IS GOOD TO RECOGNIZE THE OTHER OFFICIAL HOLIDAYS OF OTHER CULTURES. FAIR IS FAIR.

[klondiker]

02:45 AM on 12/18/2009

What are "lamp chops"?

[jingles32]

03:35 PM on 12/19/2009

LOL! I saw that! hehe And "they," prof. writers and editors, et al, get paid to...make such mistakes; here on HP, as a poster, do so so results in you're being mocked, ridiculed, corrected and shunned! lol

[janemarple]

10:56 PM on 12/17/2009

So nice of the Obamas to have this party. Wish Joe Liebermann had been "busy". Lovely menu.

[aquarius64]

10:34 PM on 12/17/2009

Why is Desiree Rogers working the door, when a low-level Social Office staffer can do what she is doing? This is the third event since Crashergate she's doing this, after the Kennedy Center reception and the WH Christmas party for members of Congress (where Peter King attended). If people think she is not paying for that mess, think again.

[WilliamL]

09:03 AM on 12/18/2009

she have been working the door from the get go.

[aquarius64]

08:53 PM on 12/18/2009

Not on the night of Crashergate. She was showing off Commes des Garcons.

[mikebarden]

09:19 PM on 12/17/2009

Wasn't Jon onna them?
7 more hours till these downloads finish and I'm runnin' outta stories!

[myjs]

03:03 PM on 12/17/2009

The Bushes used to do the Menorah lighting in the Visitors' Foyer in the East Wing of the White House.
www.whitehousemuseum.org/east-wing/visitors-foyer.htm

The Obamas gave it a more prominent place - right in the front Entrance Hall/Cross Hall.

[ZachUMD]

05:25 PM on 12/17/2009

That's weird... I was there and I saw Rahm Emanuel. Why would they say he wasn't there?

[suec03]

02:12 PM on 12/18/2009

The short article says he was there for the Hanukkah menorah (hannukiah) lighting last week, but not present for Wednesday's Hanukkah dinner.