Obama on Rosh Hashanah

For Jews all over the world the high holiday period kicked off with Rosh Hashanah on Wednesday night. The holiday period concludes with Yom Kippur a week from tonight, ending next Saturday at sundown. The White House has posted what it dubs a Rosh Hashanah greeting (text here, video below), following up on Obama’s pre-Rosh Hashanah conference call with 1,000 American rabbis.

Such greetings have been devalued by Obama’s inflation of the celebration currency. Just before Rosh Hashanah, the White House posted Obama’s greeting to the Islamic Society of North America (video here). Obama congratulated ISNA on “the myriad of ways the American Muslim community and specifically ISNA leadership, has served as an effective partner in promoting inter-religious initiatives in the U.S. and religious freedom for minorities around the world.” Christians have of course been feeling the love big time at the hands of ISNA’s friends in Egypt.

The greeting is also devalued by Obama’s use of the occasion for his own petty partisan purposes. For Obama, Rosh Hashanah is an occasion to wage political war by other means. Among other things, Obama instructs Jews on the meaning of Rosh Hashanah, asserting that “we must continue building an economy that gives all people willing to work hard a fair shot at a middle-class life.”

Aargh! In me, Obama’s greeting induces a very uncelebratory rage. “I don’t take my judgment from you!” Hey, where is Anthony Weiner when you need him?

Thanks, Mr. President. I’ll be repenting for the next week.

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