Saturday, April 7, 2012

The White house 2012 Seder.


The White House on Friday night released the Seder photo at top with the caption "President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama host a Passover Seder Dinner for family, staff and friends, in the Old Family Dining Room of the White House, April 6, 2012." Photo by Pete Souza/White House.

The White house 2012 Seder.(OF).As Jews everywhere marked the first night of Passover, President Obama hosted the final Seder of his first term in office at 6:30 PM on Good Friday. Joined by First Lady Michelle Obama and daughters Malia and Sasha in the Old Family Dining Room, the President welcomed 16 guests, who were "friends and staff," according to the White House. The Seder was the President's fourth in the White House, and the largest since he began the tradition in 2009, a carryover from the 2008 campaign trail. The President and First Lady were each seated in the center on opposite sides of the table, as can be seen in the photo, above, released by the White House."Led by Jewish members of my staff, we’ll retell the story of the Exodus, listen to our youngest guest ask the four questions, and of course, look forward to a good bowl of matzo ball soup," President Obama said of his Seder plans in his first-ever video message for Passover, released on Thursday. "The story of that first Exodus has also inspired those who are not Jewish with common hopes, and a common sense of obligation. So this is a very special tradition." In keeping with Seder tradition, there was a pillow placed on each guest's chair, to symbolize the Israelites reclining in freedom after being released from the bondage of slavery in Egypt. The President did not wear a yarmulke, nor did his nephew Avery.Robinson who was seated between the Obama girls (he's the son of Mrs. Obama's brother Craig Robinson, who was not present). The six other male guests all wore kipot, including former White House videographer Arun Chaudhary, who was seated beside the President. He was one of the original aides who joined Mr. Obama's first Seder in 2008 during the Pennsylvania Primary, when the traditional Passover phrase "Next year in Jerusalem" was replaced with "Next year in the White House."Sasha, age ten, would be the "youngest guest" charged with asking the four questions, the answers of which explain the evening's main question: Why is this night different from all other nights?Read the full story here.

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