Yom Kippur as “networking bonanza”

Lisa Lerer at The Politico presents a nauseating, but not altogether misleading, slice of Jewish life in Washington, D.C. area during this time of the year. If you keep reading, you’ll find a discussion of Thomas Freidman, Dennis Ross, and William Safire that, but for my familiarity with the matter, I would have found particularly revealing.
Hat tip: Laura Mirengoff
UPDATE: The Politico piece reminds me of an old joke.
During the high holy holidays, the Rabbi of a prestigious congregation is moved at the end of his sermon to launch into a lengthy impromptu tribute to God. The Rabbi concludes his lavish praise by declaring, “in your great and awesome presence I’m nobody.” Inspired by these words, the president of the congregation, who is on the stage for the occasion, rises to offer similar praise, concluding with the same statement.
In the back of the synagogue, an ordinary worshiper, by now in an ecstatic state, stands up and extols the virtues of God. He too ends his passionate statement with the by-now obligatory words, “in your great and awesome presence I’m nobody.”
Whereupon the Rabbi turns to the president and says, “look who thinks he’s nobody.”
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