Maybe I'm a Bitchy Jew
But I don't understand why the Obamas were having a Passover seder in the White House. They're not jewish. I heard that one of them has a relative who is a rabbi, but everything I've read on the O's seder fails to mention that rabbi hosting or attending.
Judiasm is a religion. A real one, with beliefs and everything. It's not a lifestyle to try on. It's not a club to join just because you like the uniform (or the food, in this case). My parents have hosted seders for years, and invited nonjews. There was the Italian couple whose husband worked with my dad. My mom packed up the extra hard boiled eggs and gave them to the wife as she was leaving, to use for Easter. In high school my Italian friend came to a seder. My brother's indian friend came to one. When I first moved out to San Francisco I hosted a Rosh Hashanah dinner and invited my Irish Catholic roommate.
So it's not that non-jews should be shunned from celebrating jewish holidays. It just strikes me as really fucking weird for a bunch of non-jews to get together to do something jewy. Yes, matzah ball soup is awesome, but you don't have to do a seder to eat some, you can just get it at the nearest kosher deli or make it yourself.
I'd be more impressed with the Obamas if they cut out the White House Easter Egg Hunt. But I won't hold my breath, since we all know separation of church and state doesn't really exist.
Judiasm is a religion. A real one, with beliefs and everything. It's not a lifestyle to try on. It's not a club to join just because you like the uniform (or the food, in this case). My parents have hosted seders for years, and invited nonjews. There was the Italian couple whose husband worked with my dad. My mom packed up the extra hard boiled eggs and gave them to the wife as she was leaving, to use for Easter. In high school my Italian friend came to a seder. My brother's indian friend came to one. When I first moved out to San Francisco I hosted a Rosh Hashanah dinner and invited my Irish Catholic roommate.
So it's not that non-jews should be shunned from celebrating jewish holidays. It just strikes me as really fucking weird for a bunch of non-jews to get together to do something jewy. Yes, matzah ball soup is awesome, but you don't have to do a seder to eat some, you can just get it at the nearest kosher deli or make it yourself.
I'd be more impressed with the Obamas if they cut out the White House Easter Egg Hunt. But I won't hold my breath, since we all know separation of church and state doesn't really exist.
Labels: A Lonely Jew, Obama, Rage Against the Green
posted by Green at 4/10/2009 09:13:00 AM
7 Comments:
I thought that was really weird too, but just assumed I was missing something. Like, maybe Bush did it all those years and I just wasn't paying attention. I mean, I'm all for being inclusive, but it seemed like a big gesture to make for someone not involved in the religion.
"Mr. Obama is not Jewish, but White House officials say that while traveling through Pennsylvania during the campaign last year, he surprised his aides by joining an impromptu Passover dinner held by campaign workers in a ballroom of a Harrisburg hotel, so he decided to treat the group to a dinner this year in his new surroundings." So he has Jewish aides, it sounds like. I don't think he was appropriating Jewish tradition - but he was hosting a dinner for others close to him who are Jewish. Kind of like, when you are married into a Christian family and you host a Christmas dinner or Easter Sunday brunch for your Christian relatives?
Yes, I know, Seder is specifically a religious meal... but when there's so much hatred and segregation and religious wars still going on out there, embracing each other's religious traditions seems like a nice gesture for a president to do.
Yeah, no, sorry. Because if you marry into a christian family and host a Christmas dinner for your christian relatives those people are your FAMILY. They are not your COWORKERS. Also, you are not PUBLICIZING it, to show what a great "team player" you are to your new family.
I'm sorry, I love you Mama Nabi, but completely disagree. I would see this differently if Mr and Mrs O (with or without kids) went to a seder that was actually hosted by a jewish family, in a jewish home. A huge part of judaism has to do with customs and traditions.
It just really comes across as a photo op to me.
Maybe I was in DC for too long, and I am decidedly WASP-y, but it's not uncommon for the White House to host celebrations and dinners for various religions and cultures. Essentially the thinking seems to be that it's America's old mansion owned by tax dollars, so all kinds of Americans should get to use it for their holidays. And since the President and First Lady live there, they act as hosts.
As for the publicity, the President's daily schedule is published to the press every evening and this was just another item on the schedule, albeit one that got a lot of media attention. Like it or not, everything from swingset buying to taking off a jacket becomes a photo op when a President is involved.
I'm willing to humbly agree to disagree, though.
(And I will be in SF May 16-20 if you're up for coffee, lunch, or somesuch, my treat, if you're in town).
I kind of agree with Mama Nabi and Eleanors Trousers, although I agree it is totally taking advantage of a photo op too. Quite timely as well, since Obama has been publicly disagreeing with Israel on the Iran issue. He needs to stay on their good side, while doing so.
I don't know why he did it but I know I have Christian relatives that have hosted Seder dinners for years. I always thought it was strange myself because I knew it was a Jewish thing but they considered it an important rite in their own religion as well. I'm sorry I don't remember which denomination they were but maybe some branches of Christians celebrate it too? Or maybe my relatives are just nuts (actually that last one is true, but they did this with a huge group from their church so they weren't the only ones in on it).
Maybe he did it for Rahm. Or, as my grandmothers say - he did it because he's trying to hide that he's really a Muslim, because he is, and he's going to take over the world and make us all pray to Allah and they already have concentration camps set up for those of us who refuse. Ahh, my crazy grandmothers. Got to love them.
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