The White House Hanukkah Party is an annual reception held at the
White House
The White House is the official residence and workplace of the president of the United States. It is located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C., and has been the residence of every U.S. president since John Adams in ...
and hosted by the
U.S.
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territori ...
President
President most commonly refers to:
*President (corporate title)
* President (education), a leader of a college or university
* President (government title)
President may also refer to:
Automobiles
* Nissan President, a 1966–2010 Japanese ...
Jewish
Jews ( he, יְהוּדִים, , ) or Jewish people are an ethnoreligious group and nation originating from the Israelites Israelite origins and kingdom: "The first act in the long drama of Jewish history is the age of the Israelites""The ...
festival of
Hanukkah
or English translation: 'Establishing' or 'Dedication' (of the Temple in Jerusalem)
, nickname =
, observedby = Jews
, begins = 25 Kislev
, ends = 2 Tevet or 3 Tevet
, celebrations = Lighting candles each night. ...
. The tradition was established in 2001, during the administration of
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush (born July 6, 1946) is an American politician who served as the 43rd president of the United States from 2001 to 2009. A member of the Republican Party, Bush family, and son of the 41st president George H. W. Bush, he ...
. The guest list includes hundreds of American Jewish politicians, organization heads, and school and
yeshiva
A yeshiva (; he, ישיבה, , sitting; pl. , or ) is a traditional Jewish educational institution focused on the study of Rabbinic literature, primarily the Talmud and halacha (Jewish law), while Torah and Jewish philosophy are st ...
deans.Bachrach, Rachel. "10 Questions for Rabbi Levi Shemtov". ''
Mishpacha
''Mishpacha'' ( he, משפחה, : Family) - Jewish Family Weekly is a Haredi weekly magazine package produced by The Mishpacha Group in both English and Hebrew.
History
The Mishpacha Publishing Group was founded in 1984 with the publication ...
'', 12 December 2012, pp. 92–93.
The reception has become one of a number of ways the president recognizes the holiday, along with a proclamation/message, and participation by the president or a member of his staff in the lighting of the National Menorah (''Hanukkiyah'', special 9-branch Hanukkah candelabra) on the National Mall. Additionally, in 1996, 2004 and 2009, the
United States Postal Service
The United States Postal Service (USPS), also known as the Post Office, U.S. Mail, or Postal Service, is an independent agency of the executive branch of the United States federal government responsible for providing postal service in the U ...
Pre-White House story: George Washington and Hanukkah
Although the truth of the story is impossible to prove, there is an account about
George Washington
George Washington (February 22, 1732, 1799) was an American military officer, statesman, and Founding Father who served as the first president of the United States from 1789 to 1797. Appointed by the Continental Congress as commander of ...
and the meaning of Hanukkah that has become part of American lore:
The historical source for the above story is a second-hand account, but is nonetheless fairly credible. In December 1778, General George Washington had supper at the home of Michael Hart, a Jewish merchant in Easton,
Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania (; ( Pennsylvania Dutch: )), officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a state spanning the Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes regions of the United States. It borders Delaware to its southeast, ...
. It was during the Hanukkah celebration, and Hart began to explain the customs of the holiday to his guest. Washington replied that he already knew about Hanukkah. He told Hart and his family of meeting the Jewish soldier at Valley Forge the previous year. (According to Washington, the soldier was a Polish immigrant who said he had fled his homeland because he could not practice his faith under the Prussian government there.) Hart's daughter Louisa wrote the story down in her diary. The story has been quoted by several Jewish historians, including Rabbi I. Harold Sharfman in his 1977 book, ''Jews on the Frontier''.
Early years: Christmas at the White House, but not Hanukkah
For two centuries after the time of the story about George Washington and Hanukkah,
Christmas
Christmas is an annual festival commemorating the birth of Jesus Christ, observed primarily on December 25 as a religious and cultural celebration among billions of people around the world. A feast central to the Christian liturgical year ...
was the only winter religious holiday officially recognized by the White House. In 1923, President Calvin Coolidge began lighting an official
White House Christmas Tree
The White House Christmas Tree, also known as the Blue Room Christmas Tree, is the official indoor Christmas tree at the residence of the president of the United States, the White House. The first indoor Christmas tree was installed in the White ...
, and also delivered the first formal presidential message for the holiday. In 1927, his proclamation included the statement that, "Christmas is not a time or a season, but a state of mind". Focusing on the holiday's message, he continued, would guarantee that "there will be born in us a Savior and over us will shine a star sending its gleam of hope to the world".
President
Franklin D. Roosevelt
Franklin Delano Roosevelt (; ; January 30, 1882April 12, 1945), often referred to by his initials FDR, was an American politician and attorney who served as the 32nd president of the United States from 1933 until his death in 1945. As the ...
continued the White House tradition of treating Christmas as if it were a holiday celebrated by all Americans, declaring that Christmas was a national holiday "because the teachings of Christ are fundamental to our lives". His successor,
Harry S. Truman
Harry S. Truman (May 8, 1884December 26, 1972) was the 33rd president of the United States, serving from 1945 to 1953. A leader of the Democratic Party, he previously served as the 34th vice president from January to April 1945 under Franklin ...
, did the same, using his Christmas message as an opportunity to ask Americans to "put our trust in the unerring Star which guided the Wise Men to the Manger of Bethlehem". However, although he may never have spoken about Hanukkah, Truman was historically linked to the holiday, at least indirectly, when in 1951,
Prime Minister of Israel
The prime minister of Israel ( he, רֹאשׁ הַמֶּמְשָׁלָה, Rosh HaMemshala, Head of the Government, Hebrew acronym: he2, רה״מ; ar, رئيس الحكومة, ''Ra'īs al-Ḥukūma'') is the head of government and chief exec ...
David Ben-Gurion
David Ben-Gurion ( ; he, דָּוִד בֶּן-גּוּרִיּוֹן ; born David Grün; 16 October 1886 – 1 December 1973) was the primary national founder of the State of Israel and the first prime minister of Israel. Adopting the nam ...
made an official presentation of a Hanukkah menorah to Truman and the people of the United States.
Even President
John F. Kennedy
John Fitzgerald Kennedy (May 29, 1917 – November 22, 1963), often referred to by his initials JFK and the nickname Jack, was an American politician who served as the 35th president of the United States from 1961 until his assassination ...
described Christmas as an important time for citizens of all religions, without addressing the importance of Hanukkah to the Jewish community, when he declared in 1962 that "Moslems, Hindus, Buddhists, as well as Christians, pause from their labors the 25th day of December to celebrate the birthday of the Prince of Peace", and that "there could be no more striking proof that Christmas is truly the universal holiday of all men".
Early White House–Hanukkah links
Jimmy Carter
James Earl Carter Jr. (born October 1, 1924) is an American politician who served as the 39th president of the United States from 1977 to 1981. A member of the Democratic Party, he previously served as the 76th governor of Georgia from 1 ...
was the first president who officially recognized Hanukkah, when in 1979 he walked from the White House to Lafayette Park to deliver brief remarks as he lit the new National Menorah erected by the Jewish group, Chabad-Lubavitch. Based on his sensitivity to Hanukkah, his next annual Christmas message was carefully worded, with greetings "to those of our fellow citizens who join us in the joyous celebration of Christmas". Since then, every president has participated in a menorah-lighting ceremony to recognize Hanukkah, and directed the Christmas message to those citizens who celebrate that holiday. Joshua Eli Plaut's book ''A Kosher Christmas: 'Tis the Season to Be Jewish''," (Rutgers University Press, 2012) cites President Jimmy Carter's daily diary entry detailing his lighting of the shamash candle on the menorah in the presence of the Chabad Rabbi. Se www.akosherchristmas.org
In 1983, President Ronald Reagan visited the Rockville, Maryland
Jewish Community Center
A Jewish Community Center or a Jewish Community Centre (JCC) is a general recreational, social, and fraternal organization serving the Jewish community in a number of cities. JCCs promote Jewish culture and heritage through holiday celebrations ...
and offered remarks after the Hanukkah menorah was lit, and in 1984, on the eve of Hanukkah, he hosted a visit to the White House by a delegation of rabbis from the
Orthodox Jewish
Orthodox Judaism is the collective term for the traditionalist and theologically conservative branches of contemporary Judaism. Theologically, it is chiefly defined by regarding the Torah, both Written and Oral, as revealed by God to Moses on M ...
organization, American Friends of Lubavitch. The group later recounted that they were surprised that, when the time had come for them to depart, President Reagan invited them to remain a little longer so that he could tell them a story about a rabbi serving as a Navy chaplain. He recounted the story of Rabbi
Arnold Resnicoff
Arnold E. Resnicoff (born 1946) is an American Conservative rabbi who served as a military officer and military chaplain. He served in Vietnam and Europe beforeLester Westling, "All That Glitters: Memoirs of a Minister," Global Publishing Servic ...
, whose
kippa
A , , or , plural ), also called ''yarmulke'' (, ; yi, יאַרמלקע, link=no, , german: Jarmulke, pl, Jarmułka or ''koppel'' ( yi, קאפל ) is a brimless cap, usually made of cloth, traditionally worn by Jewish males to fulfill the c ...
(skullcap) had to be discarded after the
1983 Beirut barracks bombing
Early on a Sunday morning, October 23, 1983, two truck bombs struck buildings in Beirut, Lebanon, housing American and French service members of the Multinational Force in Lebanon (MNF), a military peacekeeping operation during the Lebanese ...
because it was covered in blood after being used to wipe the faces of wounded Marines; whereupon a
Catholic
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...
chaplain, Fr. George Pucciarelli, tore a piece of his camouflage uniform off, to be used as a temporary replacement for the kippa. Reagan thanked the group in an official February 12, 1985, White House letter to Rabbi
Abraham Shemtov
Abraham Shemtov (born February 16, 1937) is a Chabad-Lubavitch rabbi and a shaliach ("emissary") of the Lubavitcher Rebbe Menachem Mendel Schneerson.
He is chairman of the board of Agudas Chasidei Chabad, the movement's umbrella organization, ...
, the organization's national director, ending with the prayer: "May the light of the menorah always be a source of strength and inspiration to the Jewish people and to all mankind". Reagan also began to use the term " Judeo-Christian heritage" more and more during his presidency, and in a radio address on December 26, 1987, spoke of the link of both Hanukkah and Christmas "as two religious observances that go to the heart of America's Judeo-Christian heritage".
Later, President George H.W. Bush would "proudly display" the menorah he received as a gift from the Synagogue Council of America, a group representing the major denominations and movements of American Judaism. He also attended a Hanukkah party for staff in the Executive Office Building, in 1991.
Gifts aside, it was not until the administration of President
Bill Clinton
William Jefferson Clinton ( né Blythe III; born August 19, 1946) is an American politician who served as the 42nd president of the United States from 1993 to 2001. He previously served as governor of Arkansas from 1979 to 1981 and agai ...
that a president actually hosted a menorah-lighting ceremony in the White House. In 1993, he gathered a dozen or so school children for a ceremony in the Oval Office. The event made the news because the ponytail on one of the girls, 6-year-old Ilana Kattan, briefly started smoking when it touched one of the flames from the candles – but Clinton used his hands to "snuff out" the smoke. Clinton also joined Israeli president
Ezer Weizman
Ezer Weizman (; he, עֵזֶר וַיצְמָן ''Ezer Vaytsman''; 15 June 1924 – 24 April 2005) was the seventh President of Israel, first elected in 1993 and re-elected in 1998. Before the presidency, Weizman was commander of the Israeli Ai ...
for a Hanukkah candle-lighting ceremony in Jerusalem, December 13, 1998.
Under Clinton, some Jewish leaders were among the guests at the White House Hanukkah menorah lightings. In 1996, during his administration, the first United States postage stamp honoring Hanukkah was issued, and was the first stamp to be a joint-issue between the United States and
Israel
Israel (; he, יִשְׂרָאֵל, ; ar, إِسْرَائِيل, ), officially the State of Israel ( he, מְדִינַת יִשְׂרָאֵל, label=none, translit=Medīnat Yīsrāʾēl; ), is a country in Western Asia. It is situated ...
.
First official White House Hanukkah Party
The first official White House Hanukkah Party was held on December 10, 2001, under the leadership of President
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush (born July 6, 1946) is an American politician who served as the 43rd president of the United States from 2001 to 2009. A member of the Republican Party, Bush family, and son of the 41st president George H. W. Bush, he ...
, using a 100-year-old Hanukkah menorah that the White House borrowed from the Jewish Museum of New York. Bush had hosted many annual Christmas parties, stressing the religious importance of that holiday beyond its significance as a national holiday. At the same time, he began hosting a separate Hanukkah party for leaders of the Jewish community. He stressed that many presidents had participated in Hanukkah candle-lighting ceremonies, but that this occasion was the first time that the ceremony had been carried out as part of a larger, official community celebration, reception, and observance of the holiday in the White House. While previously, candles had been lit in the Oval Office, this was the first time in American history that the celebration would take place in the White House residence.
In his remarks, Bush stated that this residence, the White House, might be a "temporary home" for him and for his wife, Laura, but that "it's the people's house" – and "it belongs to people of all faiths". Bush also noted that 2001 had been a year of "much sadness" for America and for Israel – and that they had grieved together. "But as we watch the lighting of this second candle of Hanukkah, we are reminded of the ancient story of Israel's courage, and of the power of faith to make the darkness bright". He then went on to pray for a "better day" – "when this Festival of Freedom may be celebrated in a world free from terror".
Other White House Hanukkah Parties hosted by President George W. Bush
2004
Bush continued the tradition of White House ceremonies and receptions for Hanukkah, expanding both the guest list and preparations for the event. For example, after an embarrassing incident in 2004 when non- kosher foods were mixed up with some special kosher foods that had been brought in for the occasion, the Hanukkah party in 2005 began the tradition of kashering the White House kitchen so that all foods served at the party would be kosher. According to Rabbi Levi Shemtov, director of the American Friends of Lubavitch and head of the team that kashers the White House kitchen for the annual Hanukkah party, the ovens are first scrubbed clean by
Marines
Marines, or naval infantry, are typically a military force trained to operate in littoral zones in support of naval operations. Historically, tasks undertaken by marines have included helping maintain discipline and order aboard the ship (refle ...
or
Navy
A navy, naval force, or maritime force is the branch of a nation's armed forces principally designated for naval and amphibious warfare; namely, lake-borne, riverine, littoral, or ocean-borne combat operations and related functions. It in ...
personnel employed by the White House, and are then heated to to to render them kosher. Servingware – including "hundreds of platters, thousands of pieces of silverware and other small items, and lots of stands and serving pieces" – are also kashered for the event.
One Hanukkah activity involving the president's staff that might have been a "first" was OMB director
Josh Bolten
Joshua Brewster Bolten (born August 16, 1954) is an American lawyer and politician. Bolten served as the White House Chief of Staff to U.S. President George W. Bush, replacing Andrew Card on April 14, 2006. Previously, he served as the Director o ...
's reading of two Hanukkah bedtime stories over the White House website, as part of a special series of stories set up by First Lady Laura Bush. A number of other individuals, including Mrs. Bush herself, former First Lady
Barbara Bush
Barbara Pierce Bush (June 8, 1925 – April 17, 2018) was First Lady of the United States from 1989 to 1993, as the wife of President George H. W. Bush, and the founder of the Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy. She previously w ...
, and a number of cabinet members took part in this program, with Bolten's selection as the reader of the Hanukkah stories was presumably linked to his religious affiliation.
2005
In 2005, another first for the White House Hanukkah celebration. During the White House Menorah lighting in the family residence, President Bush lit one of the candles on the Menorah during the ceremony, making him the first U.S. President to do so. Up until that year and since, invited Jewish guests have been the designated "lighters." In 2005, Rabbi Joshua Skoff of Cleveland, Ohio, along with his wife Ilana, and children Jared and Eden, were to light the candles, which they did. In the moment, however, Rabbi Skoff spontaneously invited President Bush to light one of the candles, and he agreed. The photo of the President of the United States lighting the Hanukkah Menorah became the most publicized moment of the event. This was also the first Hanukkah ceremony held in advance of the holiday, due to Presidential plans to be away from Washington during the actual Hanukkah holiday later in the month. In his comments, Rabbi Skoff joked that his children were excited "to observe the 25 days of Hanukkah."
2007
In 2007, President George W. Bush and Laura Bush invited Ruth and
Judea Pearl
Judea Pearl (born September 4, 1936) is an Israeli-American computer scientist and philosopher, best known for championing the probabilistic approach to artificial intelligence and the development of Bayesian networks (see the article on beli ...
, parents of slain ''
Wall Street Journal
''The Wall Street Journal'' is an American business-focused, international daily newspaper based in New York City, with international editions also available in Chinese and Japanese. The ''Journal'', along with its Asian editions, is published ...
'' correspondent
Daniel Pearl
Daniel Pearl (October 10, 1963 – February 1, 2002) was an American journalist who worked for ''The Wall Street Journal.'' He was kidnapped and later decapitated by terrorists in Pakistan.'
Pearl was born in Princeton, New Jersey, and rais ...
, to light the menorah that once belonged to Daniel's great grandparents, Chaim and Rosa Pearl, who brought it with them when they moved from Poland to Israel in 1924 to establish the town of Bnei Brak.
"While reporting in Pakistan in 2002" the president said, "Daniel was kidnapped and murdered by terrorists. His only crime was being a Jewish American – something Daniel Pearl would never deny. In his final moment, Daniel told his captors about a street in Israel named after his great-grandfather. He looked into their camera and he said: 'My father is Jewish, my mother is Jewish, I am Jewish.' These words have become a source of
inspiration for Americans of all faiths. They show the courage of a man who refused to bow before terror, and the strength of a spirit that cannot be broken".
"By honoring Daniel, we are given the opportunity to bring forth hope from the darkness of tragedy – and that is a miracle worth celebrating during the Festival of Lights".
2008
In 2008, Bush announced to the guests that he had cut short his farewell trip to Iraq and Afghanistan to ensure he was present for the final Hanukkah party during his administration. For the candle-lighting, he introduced Yariv Ben-Eliezer, grandson of
David Ben-Gurion
David Ben-Gurion ( ; he, דָּוִד בֶּן-גּוּרִיּוֹן ; born David Grün; 16 October 1886 – 1 December 1973) was the primary national founder of the State of Israel and the first prime minister of Israel. Adopting the nam ...
, and
Clifton Truman Daniel
Clifton Truman Daniel (born June 5, 1957) is an American writer and public relations executive who is the oldest grandson of former United States President Harry S. Truman and First Lady Bess Truman. He is a son of the late E. Clifton Daniel Jr ...
, grandson of President Harry Truman, to light the historic Hanukkah menorah that Ben-Gurion had presented to Truman in 1951. Bush linked the holiday and Israel in his remarks, explaining that:
One small gaffe that reached the press was the fact that the invitations to the Hanukkah party, sent to Jewish leaders throughout the United States, included the image of a horse-drawn cart pulling a Christmas tree to the White House. The White House staff quickly called it a regrettable oversight, and apologized. Press secretary Sally McDonough explained that it was a "staff mistake" to use the same image on all holiday reception invitations, and that First Lady Laura Bush "is apologetic". McDonough added that the invitations would be re-sent, using the image of the menorah Ben-Gurion presented to Harry Truman as the illustration for the new invitations.
White House Hanukkah Parties hosted by President Barack Obama
2009
President
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II ( ; born August 4, 1961) is an American politician who served as the 44th president of the United States from 2009 to 2017. A member of the Democratic Party, Obama was the first African-American president of the ...
continued the tradition of a White House Hanukkah Party established by his predecessor. However, favoring smaller and more intimate receptions, he invited fewer members of the Jewish community than had Bush, a decision that stirred up some controversy – especially when invitees noted that the invitations made no specific mention of Hanukkah, instead inviting guests to a "holiday reception". But many leaders and pundits called the criticism ''
chutzpah
Chutzpah () is the quality of audacity, for good or for bad. It derives from the Hebrew word ' (), meaning "insolence", "cheek" or "audacity". Thus the original Yiddish word has a strongly negative connotation but the form which entered English ...
'' (audacity), with one article in ''
The Huffington Post
''HuffPost'' (formerly ''The Huffington Post'' until 2017 and sometimes abbreviated ''HuffPo'') is an American progressive news website, with localized and international editions. The site offers news, satire, blogs, and original content, and ...
'' stating that Obama ought to be applauded, not attacked, as he and his administration continued efforts to govern in a bipartisan and inclusive manner; this Hanukkah party was just one positive reflection of this trend.
For the 2009 Hanukkah party, the White House had made arrangements to use a sterling silver Hanukkah menorah on special loan from the Jewish Museum in
Prague
Prague ( ; cs, Praha ; german: Prag, ; la, Praga) is the capital and List of cities in the Czech Republic, largest city in the Czech Republic, and the historical capital of Bohemia. On the Vltava river, Prague is home to about 1.3 milli ...
, at the request of the First Lady. She had toured Jewish historic sites in Prague in April 2009 during her husband's official state visit. The menorah was crafted by
Viennese Viennese may refer to:
* Vienna, the capital of Austria
* Viennese people, List of people from Vienna
* Viennese German, the German dialect spoken in Vienna
* Music of Vienna, musical styles in the city
* Viennese Waltz, genre of ballroom dance
* V ...
silversmith Cyril Schillberger in 1783. At the candle-lighting ceremony, candles were lit by two young children of a Jewish soldier deployed in Iraq.
One "first" for President Obama was the fact that his 2009 Hanukkah message was issued in both English and
Hebrew
Hebrew (; ; ) is a Northwest Semitic language of the Afroasiatic language family. Historically, it is one of the spoken languages of the Israelites and their longest-surviving descendants, the Jews and Samaritans. It was largely preserved ...
versions. The message recalls the Hanukkah story of Jews who fought for religious freedom against seemingly overwhelming odds, noting that the lesson for everyone is "that faith and perseverance are powerful forces that can sustain us in difficult times and help us overcome even the greatest odds".
Other members of President Obama's staff – and other U.S. leaders at all levels of government – continued to participate in official Hanukkah ceremonies in the tradition of previous administrations. For example, in 2009, White House Chief of Staff
Rahm Emanuel
Rahm Israel Emanuel (; born November 29, 1959) is an American politician and diplomat who is the current United States Ambassador to Japan. A member of the Democratic Party, he previously served two terms as the 55th Mayor of Chicago from 2011 ...
participated in the lighting of the menorah on the National Mall.
2010
The 2010 White House Hanukkah Party was held on Thursday evening, December 2, and featured a Hanukkah menorah salvaged from Congregation Beth Israel, then in
Lakeview, New Orleans
Lakeview is a neighborhood of the city of New Orleans. A subdistrict of the Lakeview District Area, its boundaries as defined by the City Planning Commission are: Allen Toussaint Boulevard to the north, Orleans Avenue to the east, Florida Boulev ...
sushi
is a Japanese dish of prepared , usually with some sugar and salt, accompanied by a variety of , such as seafood, often raw, and vegetables. Styles of sushi and its presentation vary widely, but the one key ingredient is "sushi rice," also ...
and potato
latke
A latke ( yi, לאַטקע ''latke''; sometimes romanized ''latka'', lit. "pancake") is a type of potato pancake or fritter in Ashkenazi Jewish cuisine that is traditionally prepared to celebrate Hanukkah. Latkes can be made with ingredients ot ...
s, and the entertainment included a solo
saxophone
The saxophone (often referred to colloquially as the sax) is a type of Single-reed instrument, single-reed woodwind instrument with a conical body, usually made of brass. As with all single-reed instruments, sound is produced when a reed (mouthpi ...
rendition of ''
Ma'oz Tzur
"Ma'oz Tzur" ( he, מָעוֹז צוּר, Māʾōz Ṣūr) is a Jewish liturgical poem or ''piyyut''. It is written in Hebrew, and is sung on the holiday of Hanukkah, after lighting the festival lights. The hymn is named for its Hebrew incipit, w ...
'' ("Rock of Ages"), by saxophonist
Joshua Redman
Joshua Redman (born February 1, 1969) is an American jazz saxophonist and composer. He is the son of jazz saxophonist Dewey Redman (1931–2006).
Life and career
Joshua Redman was born in Berkeley, California, to jazz saxophonist Dewey Redman ...
, and other Hanukkah melodies performed by the
United States Marine Band
The United States Marine Band is the premier band of the United States Marine Corps. Established by act of Congress on July 11, 1798, it is the oldest of the United States military bands and the oldest professional musical organization in th ...
.
President Obama's remarks included his observation that the Hanukkah message of rededication is an important reminder to people of all faiths:
In every corner of the world, Jews have lit the Hanukkah candles as symbols of resilience in times of peace, and in times of persecution – in concentration camps and ghettos; war zones and unfamiliar lands. Their light inspires us to hope beyond hope; to believe that miracles are possible even in the darkest of hours. It is this message of Hanukkah that speaks to us no matter what faith we practice or what beliefs we cherish…it invites all of us to rededicate ourselves to improving the lives of those around us, spreading the light of freedom and tolerance wherever oppression and prejudice exist.
2011
The 2011 White House Hanukkah Party took place on the night of December 8, 2011 – one week before the start of the holiday on the
Jewish calendar
The Hebrew calendar ( he, הַלּוּחַ הָעִבְרִי, translit=HaLuah HaIvri), also called the Jewish calendar, is a lunisolar calendar used today for Jewish religious observance, and as an official calendar of the state of Israel. ...
. President Obama and his wife, and Vice President Joe Biden and his wife, feted approximately 550 invited guests, including
Ruth Bader Ginsburg
Joan Ruth Bader Ginsburg ( ; ; March 15, 1933September 18, 2020) was an American lawyer and jurist who served as an associate justice of the Supreme Court of the United States from 1993 until her death in 2020. She was nominated by Presiden ...
,
Associate Justice
Associate justice or associate judge (or simply associate) is a judicial panel member who is not the chief justice in some jurisdictions. The title "Associate Justice" is used for members of the Supreme Court of the United States and some sta ...
Michael Oren
Michael Bornstein Oren (Hebrew: מיכאל אורן; born Michael Scott Bornstein; May 20, 1955) is an American-born Israeli historian, author, politician, former ambassador to the United States (2009–2013), former member of the Knesset for ...
,
Israeli Ambassador to the United States
The office of the Israeli Ambassador to the United States of America is the ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary from the State of Israel to the United States of America. It is generally regarded as the most prestigious position in the Isr ...
. The lighting of the menorah was performed with a menorah crafted in a
displaced persons camp
A refugee camp is a temporary settlement built to receive refugees and people in refugee-like situations. Refugee camps usually accommodate displaced people who have fled their home country, but camps are also made for internally displaced peop ...
, donated by the Jewish Museum of New York. The program featured a performance by The West Point Jewish Chapel Choir and strictly kosher food, including "Sushi Rolls, Caramelized Pearl Onions, Shitake Mushrooms, Pine Nut Herb Crusted Lamb Chops and Homemade Sufganyot".
President Obama joked that the premature celebration of Hanukkah should not lead children to "start thinking Hanukkah lasts 20 nights instead of 8". In reference to Hanukkah, President Obama went on to say, "We never need an excuse for a good party." On a more serious note, he said:
This year, we have to recognize the miracles in our own lives. Let's honor the sacrifices our ancestors made so that we might be here today. Let's think about those who are spending this holiday far away from home – including members of our military who guard our freedom around the world. Let's extend a hand to those who are in need, and allow the value of
tikkun olam
''Tikkun olam'' ( he, תִּיקּוּן עוֹלָם, , repair of the world) is a concept in Judaism, which refers to various forms of action intended to repair and improve the world.
In classical rabbinic literature, the phrase referred to leg ...
to guide our work this holiday season. This is also a time to be grateful for our friendships, both with each other and between our nations. And that includes, of course, our unshakeable support and commitment to the security of the nation of Israel.
2012
The 2012 White House Hanukkah Party was held on the sixth night of Hanukkah, Thursday evening, December 13, 2012. More than 500 American Jewish leaders attended the reception in the Grand Foyer of the White House. Rabbi Larry Bazer, a Jewish military chaplain stationed in
Afghanistan
Afghanistan, officially the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan,; prs, امارت اسلامی افغانستان is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central Asia and South Asia. Referred to as the Heart of Asia, it is bordere ...
the previous Hanukkah, was given the honor of lighting the sixth candle of Hanukkah on a 90-year-old menorah rescued from a Long Island synagogue battered by
Hurricane Sandy
Hurricane Sandy (unofficially referred to as ''Superstorm Sandy'') was an extremely destructive and strong Atlantic hurricane, as well as the largest Atlantic hurricane on record as measured by diameter, with tropical-storm-force winds spann ...
. In his remarks, President Obama noted:
Last Hanukkah, Rabbi Bazer – and he happens to be the Joint Forces Chaplain for the Massachusetts National Guard—was four months into his deployment in Afghanistan, and he lit a custom-built electric menorah in the central square of Camp Phoenix in Kabul. As the only rabbi in Afghanistan at the time, he spent every night of Hanukkah with a different group of soldiers, reminding them of the Maccabees' perseverance, and bringing them faith to guide their challenging work.
The press reported that Obama's nomination of Senator
Chuck Hagel
Charles Timothy Hagel ( born October 4, 1946)Secretary of Defense was one of the hot topics of conversation at the party, as was the
fiscal cliff
The United States fiscal cliff refers to the combined effect of several previously-enacted laws that came into effect simultaneously in January 2013, increasing taxes and decreasing spending.
The Bush tax cuts of 2001 and 2003, which had been e ...
set to go into effect in January 2013.
White House Hanukkah Parties hosted by President Donald Trump
2017
President
Donald Trump
Donald John Trump (born June 14, 1946) is an American politician, media personality, and businessman who served as the 45th president of the United States from 2017 to 2021.
Trump graduated from the Wharton School of the University of P ...
continued the tradition of a White House Hanukkah Party established by his predecessors. The 2017 event was held on December 7, five days in advance of Hanukkah. Trump was accompanied to the East Room reception by his wife
Melania
Melania is a feminine given name that derives from the Greek word (melania) meaning "black, dark".
People named Melania include:
* Melania the Elder (350–410), a Christian saint and an influential figure in the ascetic movement
* Melania the ...
Jared Kushner
Jared Corey Kushner (born January 10, 1981) is an American businessman and investor. He served as a senior advisor to 45th U.S. president Donald Trump, his father-in-law. Since leaving the White House, Kushner founded Affinity Partners, a pri ...
, and the couple's three children, who, Trump noted, are Jewish. Vice President Mike Pence and his wife
Karen
Karen may refer to:
* Karen (name), a given name and surname
* Karen (slang), a term and meme for a demanding woman displaying certain behaviors
People
* Karen people, an ethnic group in Myanmar and Thailand
** Karen languages or Karenic l ...
, Secretary of the Treasury Steven Mnuchin, Secretary of Veterans Affairs
David Shulkin
David Jonathon Shulkin (born July 22, 1959) is an American physician and former government official. In 2017, Shulkin became the ninth United States Secretary of Veterans Affairs and served under President Donald Trump. He was the Under Secretar ...
, special Middle East envoy
Jason Greenblatt
Jason Dov Greenblatt (born 1967) is an American lawyer. He was the executive vice president and chief legal officer to Donald Trump and The Trump Organization, and his advisor on Israel. In January 2017, he was appointed as an Assistant to the Pres ...
, and US Supreme Court JusticeStephen Breyer, were also in attendance. The guest list was much smaller than previous Obama receptions: about 300 people were invited. Most of the guests were Republican supporters; none of the 30 Jewish Democrat members of Congress were invited.
Reform
Reform ( lat, reformo) means the improvement or amendment of what is wrong, corrupt, unsatisfactory, etc. The use of the word in this way emerges in the late 18th century and is believed to originate from Christopher Wyvill's Association movement ...
Jewish leaders and "progressive Jewish activists" who had been critical of Trump were also omitted from the invitation list. Trump asked a
Holocaust survivor
Holocaust survivors are people who survived the Holocaust, defined as the persecution and attempted annihilation of the Jews by Nazi Germany and its allies before and during World War II in Europe and North Africa. There is no universally accep ...
, Louise Lawrence-Israels, to address the gathering.
Trump's grandchildren lit a single candle on the menorah without saying the blessings, as the holiday had not yet begun. Entertainment included a girls'
yeshiva
A yeshiva (; he, ישיבה, , sitting; pl. , or ) is a traditional Jewish educational institution focused on the study of Rabbinic literature, primarily the Talmud and halacha (Jewish law), while Torah and Jewish philosophy are st ...
choir. The main topic of conversation was U.S. recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of the Israel, which Trump had just announced a day earlier. Trump said in his remarks, "Well, I know for a fact there are a lot of happy people in this room".
2018
The 2018 White House Hanukkah Party was held on December 6. It had been scheduled for December 5, but was postponed for the state funeral of former President George H. W. Bush. The event comprised two receptions, one at 3 p.m. and another at 7 p.m., in order to accommodate a larger guest list. Following criticism of the absence of Congressional Democrats from the 2017 reception, invitations were extended to all Jewish members of Congress. Other attendees included U.S. envoy to Israel
Ron Dermer
Ron Dermer ( he, רון דרמר, born April 16, 1971) is an American-born Israeli political consultant and diplomat serving as the Israeli Minister of Strategic Affairs. He previously served as the Israeli Ambassador to the United States from ...
and tycoon
Sheldon Adelson
Sheldon Gary Adelson (; August 4, 1933 – January 11, 2021) was an American businessman, investor, political donor and philanthropist. He was the founder, chairman and chief executive officer of Las Vegas Sands Corporation, which owns ...
.
At the afternoon reception, Trump honored eight Holocaust survivors. At the evening reception, he honored
Andrew Pollack
Andrew Scott Pollack (born February 18, 1966) is an American author, school safety activist, and entrepreneur whose daughter Meadow was one of the 17 murdered victims in the Stoneman Douglas High School shooting in 2018.
Pollack is among the St ...
, father of student Meadow Pollack, one of the victims of the 2018 Stoneman Douglas High School shooting. Trump stated that the menorah was being lit in Meadow Pollack's memory. During his remarks, Trump noted that the date marked the one-year anniversary of the United States' official recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. In other remarks, he remembered the murder of 11 Jews in a Pittsburgh synagogue in October, saying that "we reaffirmed our solemn duty to confront anti-Semitism everywhere… emust stamp out this vile hatred from the world".
In November 2019,
CNN
CNN (Cable News Network) is a multinational cable news channel headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, U.S. Founded in 1980 by American media proprietor Ted Turner and Reese Schonfeld as a 24-hour cable news channel, and presently owned by ...
reported that Trump and his lawyer, Rudy Giuliani, had been photographed at the 2018 White House Hanukkah Party with Russian–American businessmen
Lev Parnas
Lev Parnas (born February 6, 1972) is a Ukrainian-born American businessman and associate of Rudy Giuliani. Parnas, Giuliani, Igor Fruman, John Solomon, Yuriy Lutsenko, Dmytro Firtash and his allies, Victoria Toensing and Joe diGenova wer ...
and
Igor Fruman
Igor Fruman (born 1966) is a Soviet-born American businessman. He is an associate of Rudy Giuliani who, along with Lev Parnas, allegedly aided in a search in Ukraine for detrimental information on U.S. President Donald Trump's political opponen ...
; Parnas had posted the picture on his Twitter page. Afterwards the four reportedly repaired to a private room where Trump allegedly asked them to help with a scheme to coerce the Ukrainian government to investigate Joe Biden and his son Hunter. When Parnas and Fruman were arrested in October 2019, Trump stated that he did not know the two men.
2019
The 2019 White House Hanukkah party was held on December 11, a week and a half prior to the holiday, in the East Room of the White House. Trump was joined by his wife Melania; daughter Ivanka, son-in-law Jared Kushner, and their three children; Jared's father
Charles Kushner
Charles Kushner (born May 16, 1954) is an American real estate developer, former federal inmate, and disbarred former attorney. He founded Kushner Companies in 1985.
In 2005, he was convicted of illegal campaign contributions, tax evasion, a ...
and his family; Vice President Mike Pence and his wife Karen; Secretary of the Treasury Steve Mnuchin, Secretary of the Interior
David Bernhardt
David Longly Bernhardt (born August 17, 1969) is an American lawyer who served as U.S. Secretary of the Interior from 2019 to 2021 during the presidency of Donald Trump. From 2017 to 2019, he served as the deputy secretary of the interior. Befo ...
, US Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Anti-SemitismElan Carr, former Special Representative for International Negotiations Jason Greenblatt, Israeli Ambassador to the United States Ron Dermer, and Jewish members of Congress. Other guests included Sheldon and Miriam Adelson, Harvard professor of law
Alan Dershowitz
Alan Morton Dershowitz ( ; born September 1, 1938) is an American lawyer and former law professor known for his work in U.S. constitutional law and American criminal law. From 1964 to 2013, he taught at Harvard Law School, where he was appoin ...
, and
Robert Kraft
Robert Kenneth Kraft (born June 5, 1941) is an American billionaire businessman. He is the chairman and chief executive officer (CEO) of the Kraft Group, a diversified holding company with assets in paper and packaging, sports and entertainment ...
, owner of the New England Patriots. Trump also asked evangelical Christian leader Robert Jeffress to speak, lauding him as a "tremendous faith leader".
As in 2018, both afternoon and evening receptions were held. Entertainment included a Jewish a cappella group and a 20-musician orchestra playing traditional Hanukkah songs.
During the afternoon reception, Trump signed an
executive order
In the United States, an executive order is a directive by the president of the United States that manages operations of the federal government. The legal or constitutional basis for executive orders has multiple sources. Article Two of t ...
that mandates government offices to view
Judaism
Judaism ( he, ''Yahăḏūṯ'') is an Abrahamic, monotheistic, and ethnic religion comprising the collective religious, cultural, and legal tradition and civilization of the Jewish people. It has its roots as an organized religion in t ...
as a race or nationality, not just a religion, and withhold federal funding under
Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964
The Civil Rights Act of 1964 () is a landmark civil rights and labor law in the United States that outlaws discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, and national origin. It prohibits unequal application of voter registration requi ...
to colleges and universities that allow discrimination against Jewish students. The order is seen as a way to stop Israel boycotts on American college campuses. Trump stated at the reception, "As president, I will always celebrate and honor the Jewish people, and I will always stand with our treasured friend and ally, the State of Israel".
2020
The 2020 White House Hanukkah party was held on December 9, the day before the start of the Hanukkah holiday, in the East Room of the White House. As in previous years, afternoon and evening receptions were held, with 100 attendees at each gathering. Neither reception had a Hanukkah menorah-lighting ceremony, but the White House band entertained guests. Trump did not attend the afternoon reception, but made an appearance at the evening event.
U.S. Secretary of the Treasury
The United States secretary of the treasury is the head of the United States Department of the Treasury, and is the chief financial officer of the federal government of the United States. The secretary of the treasury serves as the principal a ...
Steven Mnuchin was the most senior official at the afternoon reception; other attendees included Special Representative for International Negotiations
Avi Berkowitz
Avrahm "Avi" Berkowitz (born November 4, 1988) is an American attorney and political adviser who served as the Assistant to the President and Special Representative for International Negotiations from 2019 to 2021. He was an advisor to Jared Kushn ...
and
Zionist Organization of America
The Zionist Organization of America (ZOA) () is an American non-profit pro-Israel organization. Founded in 1897, as the Federation of American Zionists, it was the first official Zionist organization in the United States. Early in the 20th centur ...
chairman of the board Mark Levenson.
Held indoors in the midst of the
COVID-19 pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identi ...
, most attendees wore masks but social distancing was not enforced. Trump and White House Chief of Staff
Mark Meadows
Mark Randall Meadows (born July 28, 1959) is an American politician who served as the 29th White House chief of staff from 2020 to 2021. A member of the Republican Party, he also served as the U.S. representative for North Carolina's 11th c ...
did not wear masks. Several invitees opted not to attend due to the pandemic, including Harvard professor of law
Alan Dershowitz
Alan Morton Dershowitz ( ; born September 1, 1938) is an American lawyer and former law professor known for his work in U.S. constitutional law and American criminal law. From 1964 to 2013, he taught at Harvard Law School, where he was appoin ...
In addition to continuing the tradition of the White House Hanukkah Party, the Obamas hosted and attended the White House Passover Seder, the first Passover Seder conducted by a sitting US president in the White House. The Seder was an annual event for all eight years of Obama's presidency.
Additionally, on May 27, 2010, the Obamas hosted the first White House reception for
Jewish American Heritage Month
Jewish American Heritage Month (JAHM) is an annual recognition and celebration of American Jews' achievements and contributions to the United States of America during the month of May.
President George W. Bush first proclaimed the month on Apr ...
(JAHM), an annual, month-long recognition (during May) of the contributions of the Jewish community to American society. The commemoration of JAHM was begun by President George W. Bush, but without a special White House reception linked to its observance.