saint
28th April 2011, 12:32 PM
The warm-and-fuzzy story behind Obama's Passover tradition goes like this: Somewhere along the President's campaign trail in 2008, three low-level staffers (a baggage handler, an advance man, and a videographer) gathered for an impromptu seder in a hotel basement. Obama walked in and said "Hey, is this a seder?" and then joined the bewildered trio for some Manischewitz and matzo. (Obviously this wasn't the President's first bread of affliction, since he capped the service with an insider's joke: "Next year in the White House!")
Now the seder is a White House tradition, organized by that same baggage handler, Eric Lesser, who is now director of strategic planning for the White House Council of Economic Advisers. Chefs at the executive mansion stock up on schmaltz, Sasha and Malia ask the four questions, and (we assume) the adults get loose enough to sing Dayenu and spill wine on the tablecloths while reciting the plagues. 'Cause that's what people do.
Isn't that adorable and inclusive? Maybe. But it sparked a debate here at BA.
POINT
Listen, I dig an open-border policy, but I'm conflicted about this. You go to a seder in Brooklyn these days and there are all these people just "there to learn." Passover is not a hipster dinner party. If you didn't have to go to Hebrew school, and you didn't have to struggle through a Torah portion at the height of puberty, then I say--politely--get your own holiday. --Adam Rapoport, Editor in Chief
Read More http://www.bonappetit.com/blogsandforums/blogs/badaily/2011/04/the-warm-and-fuzzy-story-behin.html#ixzz1KqdcWMoe
http://www.bonappetit.com/blogsandforums/blogs/badaily/2011/04/the-warm-and-fuzzy-story-behin.html
Now the seder is a White House tradition, organized by that same baggage handler, Eric Lesser, who is now director of strategic planning for the White House Council of Economic Advisers. Chefs at the executive mansion stock up on schmaltz, Sasha and Malia ask the four questions, and (we assume) the adults get loose enough to sing Dayenu and spill wine on the tablecloths while reciting the plagues. 'Cause that's what people do.
Isn't that adorable and inclusive? Maybe. But it sparked a debate here at BA.
POINT
Listen, I dig an open-border policy, but I'm conflicted about this. You go to a seder in Brooklyn these days and there are all these people just "there to learn." Passover is not a hipster dinner party. If you didn't have to go to Hebrew school, and you didn't have to struggle through a Torah portion at the height of puberty, then I say--politely--get your own holiday. --Adam Rapoport, Editor in Chief
Read More http://www.bonappetit.com/blogsandforums/blogs/badaily/2011/04/the-warm-and-fuzzy-story-behin.html#ixzz1KqdcWMoe
http://www.bonappetit.com/blogsandforums/blogs/badaily/2011/04/the-warm-and-fuzzy-story-behin.html