White House Chanukah Party Guest List to be Cut in Half
As the White House prepares for its annual Chanukah party and candle-lighting, many previous attendees are going to find themselves left in the dark as the number of invitations is set to shrink to half of last year’s.
Though several Jewish leaders expressed understanding for the economic and other reasons behind the cut, they acknowledged that it would likely help feed feelings in some quarters of the American Jewish community that the White House is giving them the cold shoulder.
It comes as a different attempt at outreach to Jews - an appearance by President Barack Obama before the General Assembly of North American Jewish Federations last week - was cancelled so that the president could participate in a Fort Hood memorial service.
“I don’t know which people will be more upset about,” said one Jewish leader, comparing the disappointment of those who had expected to see Obama speak with those who wouldn’t be getting an invitation to the Chanukah celebration.
Given the current climate, the Jewish official continued, “The pressure on the White House to have the right people at the Chanukah party is going to be enormous.”
When asked about the decisions surrounding the guest list and its trimming, a White House spokesman responded that Obama “looks forward to celebrating Chanukah at the White House and having many members of the Jewish American community at that event.”
One Jewish organizational head apprised of the planning gave several reasons, however, for the decision to bring this year’s guest list down to some 400 names.
He noted that that number was approximately the same as George W. Bush invited in his first year in office, though the guest list swelled to twice that number over the course of his two terms. The Obamas want to have room for “natural growth” of the list over the next few years, he said.
Reducing the number will be a particular challenge, though, as the Republican Bush faced lower demand for tickets to start with. While there were only three Jewish Republican members of Congress in 2008, there are over 10-fold more Democratic ones now. And the number of Jews with strong ties to the Democratic Party is significantly larger that those close to the GOP.
Still, the Jewish official said, “They want it to be more intimate,” explaining that “the president and Mrs. Obama do not want to sit around for 800 photos.”
But the major factor he gave, as did others who spoke to The Jerusalem Post, was cost.
Given the current economic downturn, Jewish officials said the White House was loathe to be seen spending substantial sums on holiday parties.
The issue, they noted, was exacerbated by the need to serve kosher food, with one official calculating that this increased the price tag by 33 percent.
“A lot of people who were invited year after year will not necessarily understand that there’s a cost with having kosher food, and not understand why they’re not getting their photo with the president,” noted one Jewish leader.
And despite the expense of kosher food, another said that cutting down the guest list could be viewed as a snub by the Obama administration at a time when many American Jews are sensitive to White House slights.
“It fits the narrative that he doesn’t really give a hoot, but I don’t know that it’s fair that it fits in,” he said. “I think it’s simpler than that … in these recessionary times.”
But William Daroff, Washington director of the Jewish Federations of North America, said that size isn’t what matters.
“It’s not about how many people are in the doors. It about the fact that the event is happening,” he said.
“It speaks to our place as a Jewish community in the mosaic of American society that the leader of the free world, in the house that represents freedom and democracy around the world, has the front door wide open to the Jewish community, that we are celebrated as a people and a vital part of American society.”
Nathan Diament of the Orthodox Union expressed displeasure at those who would criticize the smaller number of invitations.
“The Jews are very good at complaining,” he said. “People shouldn’t complain. It’s very nice that President Obama is having a Chanukah party.
“People can choose to gripe about the guest list or any other aspect of it, but the fact is this White House is going to continue this practice, which is a lovely thing.”
And Rabbi Levi Shemtov, Chabad’s representative in Washington, said having a kosher spread is a key part of welcoming in the Jewish community as part of that tradition.
He described the spread as “the works,” including traditional Chanukah treats such as potato pancakes and sufganiyot.
Pointing to the food’s importance in the White House Chanukah ritual, he added, “People might think this way or that way on whatever issue, but everyone agrees on a good latke.”
{JPost/Matzav.com Newscenter}
13 Responses to “White House Chanukah Party Guest List to be Cut in Half”
2. Comment from 770
Time November 19, 2009 at 9:26 AM
I think the party should be held in Masbia (at all of the Locations) so the poor can have what to eat and show Ahavas Yisroel to all
3. Comment from posek hador
Time November 19, 2009 at 10:15 AM
I was invited to this party.Got the seat right next to Obama.
4. Comment from Anonymous
Time November 19, 2009 at 10:22 AM
lets not forget that president obama was the first president to delvier to the jewish people a very lengthy and thoughtful greeting before rosh hashana and yom kippur. while clinton and bush reguirgitated trite 3 sentence greetings via press release each year, obama produced a very long and well written video greeting.
so what if the list of the invited hockers to the chanukah party is a smaller group? obama is a true friend of american jewry.
5. Comment from Who Cares?
Time November 19, 2009 at 10:27 AM
Who needs a Chanuka party in the White House anyway? A Yid is not supposed to eat together at the same table with a goy and the whole concept of Chanuka “party” is not in the spirit of Chanuka, but, rather chukas hagoyim. I wouldn’t go if I were invited.
6. Comment from Normal
Time November 19, 2009 at 11:06 AM
It is very wise. Obama is against spending!HAHAHA! Kosher food costs 33% more, and he would get criticiised for it, what a joke. Toyotas are also cheaper then cadillac’s. Seriously, the fact the Obama has the nerve to not care about a possible affront to the Jewish community is the real story. Lets see this guy cut the Ramadan celebrations… lets see him stop literally bowing down to every dictator and arab king. Wake up Chevrah This Guy Could Not care less about us or about the Yidden in Eretz Yisroel. This is not a Latke issue at all…
7. Comment from Anonymous
Time November 19, 2009 at 11:12 AM
hey, after all
it was CLINTON who started the chanukah parties
and then w. bush who started the ramadan parties and then obama who started the seder pesach!
8. Comment from ccr
Time November 19, 2009 at 12:11 PM
Let’s see - is a Chanuka party with kosher food more or less expensive than a date trip to NYC?
9. Comment from Kol
Time November 19, 2009 at 12:13 PM
Hope they have Avy Schrieber and Kol Zimra again - check them out on You Tube from the Bush Chanukah Party!
10. Comment from Anon
Time November 19, 2009 at 12:14 PM
I guess another anti Jewish party.Remember he is a muslim……
11. Comment from icomeanon
Time November 19, 2009 at 1:57 PM
“Remember he is a muslim……”
I cannot understand how people still believe this. He is Christian - that’s a fact.
We need to show respect for the office. That does not mean we cannot disagree with policy or decisions, but calling President Obama a Jew-hater is a lie.
You cause a major Chilul Hashem with these attacks, and people need to speak out against people like you more often.
12. Comment from Irene
Time November 19, 2009 at 4:27 PM
Who says it’s a fact that he’s a Christian? What good Christian goes to a church who’s preacher says hateful things about America? I mean really? His father and step-father were both Muslim. He was raised in Indonesia as a young child. This is a Muslim land. If he’s a good Christian were you curious as to why his vacation started on Ramadan? I sure as heck was!! It’s embarrassing that Jews vote Democrat! Republicans do more for the state of Israel. Democrats do more to promote dependence on our government! Most Jews are not necessarily wealthy, but have a job and pride. FDR wasn’t our friend or he would have stopped the Gestapo sooner. He knew what was going on before Pearl Harbor was even bombed and did nothing! The ONLY reason he stopped the Germans was because it was for the USA’s benefit. It wasn’t to help the Jews. WAKE UP!
13. Comment from Help us get out of this
Time November 19, 2009 at 7:22 PM
Nathan Diament of the Orthodox Union expressed displeasure at those who would criticize the smaller number of invitations.
“The Jews are very good at complaining,” he said. “People shouldn’t complain. It’s very nice that President Obama is having a Chanukah party.
Mr. Diament with all due respect you are part of the problem. Firstly how dare you knock Jews in public. Secondly your unequivable support of this administartion gives them the cover they need from an Orthodox organization to behave the way that they do. Their disgraceful treatment of Israel and of Bibi is given a free pass because of your staunch support of their policy’s. My advice is to throw the whole party in the garbage and stay home in protest but you wont do that because your on the guest list and you like it that way. So lets agree that you should keep your comments to yourself.
1. Comment from who cares
Time November 19, 2009 at 9:23 AM
Who cares, would you want to be at the same table of Jew haters? I would not !!!!