Obama Passover Seder: How The White House Seder Came To Be Tradition

New York Times:

The day had been long, the hour was late, and the young men had not been home in months. So they had cadged some matzo and Manischewitz wine, hoping to create some semblance of the holiday.

Suddenly they heard a familiar voice. "Hey, is this the Seder?" Barack Obama asked, entering the room.

Read the whole story: New York Times

Comments

[poliscibabe]

11:35 PM on 03/29/2010

As a child some family friends invited my family to share their Seder. It continues to be one of the milestones in my spiritual life. Besides the fact it was the Ten Commandments come to life - it was validation that the struggles of African-Americans are echoed in the struggle of mankind - not a small thing for an African-American young girl. I'm so very glad that my President and his family and staff can join together and participate in an ancient ritual that continues to be relevant today.

[GenosseJoe]

08:16 PM on 03/29/2010

"If I forget thee, O Jerusalem, let my right hand forget her cunning." ( Psalm 137 )

[littlebrowngirl]

11:32 AM on 03/29/2010

I think it is great that even though many of these guests are not Jewish they have respect for the traditions of other religions.

Also it is great that they are giving their children a well rounded education about th traditions of other cultures.

Bravo to the Obamas.

[Midnightrain]

11:22 AM on 03/29/2010

Goodness, I love this president.

What a brilliant man, and truly genuine. A class act through and through.

[tea leaf reader]

10:05 AM on 03/29/2010

The theme of freedom from slavery clearly resonated in the White House. How fabulous! As I saw this I was observing the yahrzeit of Three Mile Island, March 28, 1979, falling one day before Passover this year, and I was reminded that we are enslaved to the fantasy of cheap unlimited energy, reading "Passover Nuclear Pharaohs" online today at www.examiner.com/x-20678-Albuquerque-Judaism-Examiner . Uranium ore mining and milling contaminated the Southwest US, and now they want to start it up again with the myth that nuclear power is safe, cheap and clean. Why go with another non-renewable fuel when we have all the unlimited free energy available to us in solar? Why indeed - you can only make money on scarcity. . .

[MANK]

09:26 AM on 03/29/2010

The biggest ponzi scheme I know is the money flowing into the pockets of the US Congress.

[billbb]

01:59 AM on 03/30/2010

The old "we're powerless." argument. No, you're not. The last election showed that. If you don't like what's going on, why are you just whining about it here? Make a difference. Change things, if you can.

But - do not blame others if they don't like your ideas or philosophy. Realize that you are as likely to produce dumb ideas as any other human being. If the majority does not go for it, maybe you were wrong. But, right, wrong, or other, majority still rules. Don't like that, and what you need is a nice banana republic to take over where you can dictate your ideas on others, no matter how goofy or stoopid.

This current batch of Republicans talks about unfairness and activist judges all the time - when they lose. Otherwise, they are absolutely dependent on them, as with the 2000 election, Franken vs. Coleman, etc. A tip for you Rethugs: if you want to have people see you as STRONG and MORAL, stop acting like a bunch of whiny, selfish crybabies when you don't get your way. I didn't let my kids get away with that when they were little, why should I put up with it from you?

[Ljilja]

09:11 AM on 03/29/2010

To celebrate each others holidays is a sign or respect and acceptance. In this world full of anger, it touches me deeply when there is a sign of affirmation.

http://graciouslivingdaybyday.com/

[eppyramot]

09:05 AM on 03/29/2010

I am sitting here in Jerusalem about 4.5 hours to go to the Seder and I am trying to figure out how Obama and his coterie of Jewish enablers are going to square the cognitive dissonance of the fact that for the millenia of the diaspora the Seder ends "next Year in Jerusalem" because the desire was to regain sovereignty over Jerusalem and Obama's implicit rewriting of history with the "Palestinian" arabs over the idea that there is such a thing as East or West Jerusalem.

http://www.mcclatchydc.com/2008/01/19/24962/more-jerusalem-arabs-seek-israeli.html

Now that we regained sovereignty over Jerusalem the world has gone crazy supporting a people that is not indigenous to this area and which on the contrary has benefited by our return. (In private ask how many East Jerusalem Arabs really want to be part of a Palestinian state if you take a random sample you find a minority).

Each generation Paro takes a different form, it appears this year we have both. The Iranian Dictator is the one who hates us to death, and the current US Pres loves us to death.

I don't want love or hate just let my people go, if my erstwhile co-religionists and countrymen want to abrogate their heritage so be it, but don't sell out those who take ours seriously.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jerusalem_in_Judaism

Chag Sameach

[eddiesengola]

12:21 PM on 03/29/2010

I think you may believe in the ideology that Israel belongs to Israel biblically, but I would like you to read Juan Cole below who has a different persepective which shows that East Jerusalem doesn't belong to Israelis. Also get to know who Dr Norman is and why he is fighting for the independence of Palestinians.

The Unmaking of the Palestinian Nation
by Juan Cole
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2010/03/16-6

Jewish girl tries to criticise Dr. Norman Finkelstein
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A5drXEXkf9s

[Michele Himmel]

09:03 AM on 03/29/2010

Nice gesture on the Obama`s part. What struck me though was

"the President and First Lady simply do not serve themselves"

Must be hard for former WH inhabitants to adjust to being mortal again after they leave. Can`t even imagine the life of privilege they lead.

[elizlucinda]

08:09 AM on 03/29/2010

I see the President is on the damned if you do...damned if you don't..... train again.....

I respect the President for trying to be inclusive. Perhaps some of the naysayers on here could try doing the same thing

[jerryatthebeach]

08:07 AM on 03/29/2010

Oppressed or be Oppressed, This is how it has been throughout history, leaders and followers. Suffrage can empower you or make you weak. It's a personal choice. Slavery was a way of life in history, it's not part of our modern society. This whole thing of pity me, because my ancestors were slaves I find ridiculous.

[madatnewsmedia]

08:16 AM on 03/29/2010

And who is asking for pity? And what the f**k do you know about slavery? I think your comment is ridiculous!

[Shashi0224]

08:54 AM on 03/29/2010

There is no request for pity. The holiday is a celebration of freedom.

Shame to show off your ignorance.

[GenosseJoe]

07:15 AM on 03/29/2010

I wonder how many Jews in America are ready to sell Jerusalem for a Seder.

[Shashi0224]

08:55 AM on 03/29/2010

We are ready to work for peace rather than arrogance, how's that for a Seder hope?

[GenosseJoe]

07:58 PM on 03/29/2010

Seder is about Jews going settle into the Land of Israel.

It is definitely not celebrating audacity and arrogance of Pharaoh forbidding them to build houses in Jerusalem.

[brooklyncitizen]

01:38 AM on 03/29/2010

What's particularly good is that it sets an example for the girls to be respectful and inclusive. A lesson that cannot be overstated in light of the behavior of folks that never learned it. (GOP and Tea Partiers).

[KellyRyan]

03:13 AM on 03/29/2010

Agree with you brooklyn. One of the things I've enjoyed about Obama is that he held the role of a community organizer. Once in this position, one continually looks for ways in which to increase a co-operative spirit within a diverse group.

[bklynsparrow]

12:51 AM on 03/29/2010

I support Israel's right to exist- I do not support what the government is doing these days. I think they are playing a dangerous game and are behaving remarkably stupidly. And far more Jews feel as I do than most people think. One thing I am absolutely certain of- Obama is not anti-Israel. And I would be very disappointed if he were to pander to either side- Israeli or Palestinian. What I am glad to see is Obama doing exactly what a POTUS should be doing- looking out for our interests and if that means getting tough with Bibi, so be it. Despite supporting Israel, I know not a single American Jew who would put our country second or Israel first.

But attending a seder is simply a way of acknowledging just one of the many immigrant groups that make up this country. Obama < I think, is the kind of man who will go out of his way to promote unity- whether by a seder, an easter service or a prayer at Ramadan. He is the President of us all, and a visionary. If the rest of us can live up to the example he sets, we'll be a better country and a wiser people.

[OrionGal]

01:17 AM on 03/29/2010

I agree whole heartedly - me thinks Obama has it correct in bringing *ALL* of us together.

He is defiinitely 'leading by example' and I love that about him.

I luv my President :-)

[MelanieMatthias]

12:51 AM on 03/29/2010

Our President is just too cool! I love him!
He is remarkable, calm, brilliant, funny and wonderful. I love how he understands that each person's spirit and belief is important and matters. I don't know anyone more understanding than him.

[PaticaDeGato]

06:21 AM on 03/29/2010

Oh my! You and a picture of Obama should get a room, pronto.

[Shashi0224]

08:56 AM on 03/29/2010

I agree with you completely. I am so proud of our President! I love him and his entire family. They are just what America needed after the horror, the nightmare, of bush.