Obama will be the first U.S. president to attend a White House Seder.

[kpete]

Source: Think Progress

Obama will be the first U.S. president to attend a White House Seder.

Last night, the White House released President Obama’s schedule for the remainder of the week, which included participation in the White House Seder on Thursday:

On Thursday, President Obama will participate in an event at the White House where he will discuss the need to enhance the quality of healthcare afforded to members of our Armed Forces and our Veterans. The Press Secretary will brief in the afternoon. President Obama and his family will mark the beginning of Passover with a Seder at the White House with friends and staff.

The Jerusalem Post notes that Thursday’s event is “believed to be the first White House Seder attended by an American president.” Yesterday, Obama also issued an official White House letter with his “warmest wishes to all celebrating the sacred festival of Passover.” “Chag sameach,” he added. (HT: JMZ)



Read more: http://thinkprogress.org/2009/04/08/obama-seder/

[KittyWampus]

1. I hope they have a place for both Elijah AND Miriam

:)

[babylonsister]

2. Nice touch! nt

[KittyWampus]

4. the symbolism of being enslaved, leaving Egypt, wandering in the desert...

if only more DU'ers were willing to explore the depths of traditions like this.

[underpants]

3. Just about to post this

pretty cool

[FailureToCommunicate]

5. Mazel tov

[Seeking Serenity]

6. Although I have zero problems with this, I wonder where the "church (temple)/state separation"

absolutists are.

Or is that indignation reserved only for similar things that involve Christianity?

[FredStembottom]

9. That opposition applies only.....

... to the establishment of an official state religion. I am an absolutist on that.

Welcoming representations of all sorts of religions, at least to me, is a more effective, more humane, counter-balance to such an establishment than a scouring of all things religious from the White House.

And if atheists enjoy time-honored rituals of some sort (which seems oxymoronic!) than those should be there, too.

In other words, honoring other religions at the White House is more subversive to the Right's fever-dream of establishing Christianity as America's official religion than an outright ban on all religious activity would be. Such a ban just empowers the persecution/martyr aspects of that dream.

And I've had enough of that!

[Seeking Serenity]

11. I understand, and I agree

But there are those (I remember from around inauguration time) who were asserting that ANY mix of religion and government was unconstitutional.

I guess that really only does apply to Christianity.

[FredStembottom]

12. Well.........

......I am against prayers being a part of the Inaugural myself. That puts the "official" into "state", to me.

But allowing the White House to "showcase" various millenia-old traditions and participate in a variety of ceremonies is diplomatic and healthy.

(Basically, we agree, Seeking - but I like to sort the details of this kind of thing!):hi:

[No Elephants]

15. Inauguration is a public event. A seder where the man lives is not at all comparable.

[roguevalley]

25. I am five thousand percent against estab. a religion, but not against religious

and observance. Nice thing. Mazel tov!

[FloridaJudy]

10. Oh ferheavensake

The POTUS can attend any religious ceremony he likes - just like the rest of us.

I think it's a charming gesture myself. He's not pretending to be Jewish, just honoring their tradition.

[No Elephants]

14. The man is attending a seder in his HOME. I have less than no problem with ANY religion practiced

in the home or in the church. Prayers in courtrooms, on school property, etc. are an entirely different story.

Apples and oranges.

[Submariner]

7. But Obama's a Muslim communist-socialist with Marxist tendencies

and other bad stuff, and on top of that they forgot to mention he's Black! How can all this be? I guess I will have to tune in to Billo and Sean for a Rove update. :smoke:

[Cha]

19. You'll just have to add..

Seder attender to his resume.

[sabra]

8. very nice - can't wait to see the RW spin this one... :-)

[RebelOne]

17. Here's the take on it from the RaptureReady fundies.

www.rr-bb.com/showthread.php?t=88137

[stillcool]

13. I think there is good to be found...

in every culture, every religion, and every human being. I love reading about different traditions, unique to a certain sect of people, often in a certain time period, and how it began. The symbolism of food in ritual celebrations fascinates me, especially the Chinese. The different gods people have worshiped, and the thread that connects them all through the ages. Too bad we don't use that common thread to connect, rather than focus on the worthiness of a different culture, belief, way of life, than our own. I guess that's life.

[goclark]

27. Claps fpr ypur post ~

:applause:

[applegrove]

16. Cool.

[fjc]

18. Yep. Sounds anti-religious to me all right.

;-)

[SeeHopeWin]

21. A Moslim doing this? They hate Jews!!!

WTF?:sarcasm:

[SeeHopeWin]

20. Praise the Lord!

[pink-o]

22. Good thing my Bubbe isn't around to make her "pound" cake

..which without leavening we used to call the "300-pound" cake.

Bloody thing sits in your tummy like a slice of brick. Hope Rahm advises our prez to nosh lightly on the desserts.

[roguevalley]

26. sounds yummy, pink-o LOL!

[NYC Liberal]

23. From "Osama could never understand the joy of Hanukkah" to this in 8 years.

[Tangerine LaBamba]

24. A White House seder?

I seriously doubt this has ever taken place in the White House.

I think it's very cool. President Obama looks really cute in a yarmulke............

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_TxtOpAB0ckU/SI1OPm7nS_I/AAAAAAAAAMs/TeIau-936oM/s400/Obama+Yarmulke.jpg