Bidens, Harris, Emhoff mark Hanukkah at White House

WASHINGTON – President Joe Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris and their spouses marked a “family” solemnisation of Hanukkah astatine the White House Wednesday, with the archetypal 2nd man and Jewish spouse of a vice president, Doug Emhoff, joining successful lighting the menorah.

Speaking to much than 150 invited guests, including Jewish assemblage leaders, Cabinet members, lawmakers and the caller Israeli ambassador to the U.S. Michael Herzog, Biden sought to gully parallels betwixt his presidency and the eight-day commemoration of the rededication of the Temple by the Maccabees.

“Whether it’s successful the temple of Jerusalem oregon the temple of our democracy, thing breached oregon profane is beyond repair, nothing," Biden said. "We tin ever physique backmost better, possibly physique backmost brighter.”

Acknowledging his history-making relation arsenic helium joined Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and Jewish leaders to airy the menorah marking the 4th nighttime of Hanukkah, Emhoff said, “Jewish values are American values."

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The lawsuit provided the archetypal sensation of the administration's pared-down vacation plans amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and the caller menace of the omicron variant. The guests, each wearing look masks, sat enarthrosis to enarthrosis successful the East Room for the event, which did not see the customary reception of nutrient and portion afterward.

Instead, guests were fixed individually decorated and wrapped cookies prepared by the White House room to people the vacation arsenic they near the bedecked residence.

The menorah chosen for the juncture was the Liberty Bell menorah, designed by Holocaust subsister Manfred Anson. It is connected indebtedness to the White House from the National Museum of American Jewish History.

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