‘We can never lose hope’: Biden’s message to Jewish community at his final White House Hanukkah party
Plus: Watch a livestreamed video from the Monday night event
Joe Biden and second gentleman Doug Emhoffm during a Hanukkah reception at the White House on Dec. 16. Photo by Samuel Corum/Sipa/Bloomberg via Getty Images
By Jacob Kornbluh December 17, 2024
WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden, at his final White House Hanukkah reception, urged Jewish leaders and supporters to hold onto hope during these challenging times for the Jewish community.
“Throughout my life, rabbis, Jewish friends, and colleagues have always been there for me and my family, especially during tough times,” Biden said in his six-minute speech. “They’ve taught me so much about the optimistic spirit of the Jewish people. Above all, they taught me one thing: We can never lose hope — hope, hope, hope.”
“My final Hanukkah message to you as president,” Biden continued, “is to hold onto that hope. Shine your light. Shine the light of optimism, and above all, keep the faith.”
Biden also spoke about his support for Israel and his commitment to secure a hostage-ceasefire deal. The U.S., Israel and Hamas indicated in recent days that they are close to finalizing a deal before Jan. 20, 2025, when President-elect Trump retakes power. “I’ve gotten over 100 hostages out,” Biden said. “I will not stop till I get every single one of them home.”
Thanking Biden for being an ally to the Jews
The atmosphere at the event, held in the East Room of the White House, struck a delicate balance between celebration and reflection. The nearly 800 guests — including Jewish members of Congress, community leaders, philanthropists, supporters, and journalists — gathered to mark the festival of lights a bit early — the first night this year coincides with Christmas — while also bidding farewell to a president who had been a steadfast ally.
“On behalf of all present, on behalf of American Jewry — with one voice and one heart, we are here to say: ‘We love you and we will miss you!’” said Rabbi Elliot Cosgrove of Manhattan’s Park Avenue Synagogue, who was honored this year to light the menorah. “Thank you for the legacy you leave for all of us — of empathy, civility, and being a mensch that is the heart of our great nation.”
Doug Emhoff, the second gentleman, spoke of the mezuzahs he and Vice President Kamala Harris affixed on their residence, the Shabbat meals they’ve hosted, and the students they invited over for Rosh Hashanah. Emhoff also spoke movingly about his 2023 trip to Poland, to visit his ancestral homeland. He concluded by thanking Biden for spearheading the implementation of the nation’s first-ever strategy to counter antisemitism. Anne Neuberger, the deputy national security adviser, who introduced the president, noted that Biden flew to Israel “to pay a shiva call” in the days after the Oct. 7 attack. He inspired people “to lead with dignity, integrity and faith and to spread their light in the darkness”
“As a community,” she said, “our deep appreciation, Mr. President, is more than words can ever say.”
A sense of finality, the White House menu, Hunter Biden and a hora dance
For many in the room, the event symbolized not just the end of Biden’s presidency, but perhaps a final farewell to the White House for at least the next four years under a second Trump administration. As they waited in line for security checks and mingled in the hallways, Democrats and leaders of liberal Jewish organizations privately acknowledged the sobering reality that this might be their last invitation to this treasured tradition.
But that didn’t stop them from savoring the moment.
At the center of the room, and in an adjacent side hall, stood the familiar, lavish buffets — though this year’s spread featured a few notable changes. Missing were the signature lamb chops, a beloved hallmark of past White House Hanukkah celebrations. In their place were an array of sushi rolls, perfectly seared filet mignon, meatballs, potato and sweet potato latkes, and trays of sufganiyot — custard and jelly-filled donuts.
Biden lit the menorah, the first to be permanently displayed at the White House, made of the original wood from the White House building. “To make clear,” he said, “that the history and the vibrancy of Jewish life is woven into the fabric of life in America — and it’s permanent.”
Once the ceremony was complete, a crowd gathered in anticipation for the customary rope line, where the president would make his way along the barrier to meet and greet guests. But this year, there was a noticeable change. Instead of Biden directly walking through the crowd, a double rope barrier had been set up between the president and the public. VIP guests and lawmakers were given special access on one side, while the rest of the crowd stood behind the ropes, unable to interact directly with the president. Despite the change, the president still made his way along the rope line, schmoozing and taking selfies with the dignitaries, while smiling and waving at some enthusiastic supporters who shouted, “We love you, Joe.”
Emhoff broke through the buffer zone and walked along the ropes to greet and shake hands with the guests.
Among those snapping selfies was Hunter Biden, the president’s son, who received a presidential pardon earlier this month following his conviction for tax evasion and lying on a gun license application. Hunter was accompanied by his Jewish wife, Melissa Cohen Biden.
On the far side of the hallway, a small group of Jewish Democrats spontaneously began a lively hora dance. Meanwhile, the White House Jewish liaison moved through the crowd, letting Orthodox men know that a minyan for Ma’ariv, the evening prayer, was being assembled in a nearby space.
The history of White House Hanukkah parties
The event continued a tradition that was begun in 2001 by George W. Bush, and has significantly expanded over the past two decades. An invitation became a symbol of prestige and prominence within the Jewish community. It begins with the egalitarian line forming outside the White House, where guests wait patiently and schmooze — sometimes for hours — as the Secret Service prepares to open the gates, and ends with brief interactions with the president — and sometimes a selfie — over the rope line.
During Obama’s second term, the White House hosted two separate Hanukkah parties to accommodate the growing list of invitees.
In Trump’s first year in office, the White House didn’t invite any Democratic members of Congress, nor Jewish leaders who differed with Trump on policy issues. The event became more of a rally, with the crowd chanting “four more years” and “Trump, Trump, Trump.” In 2018, the White House invited all Jewish members of Congress. Trump became the first president to skip a Hanukkah reception since the tradition started after his reelection loss in 2020, though he briefly appeared at the stairs going up to his residence, and addressed the crowd in his overcoat.
Biden’s Hanukkah receptions have been more modest and less partisan. They were scaled back to a single evening gathering. Biden’s first Hanukkah event was the smallest gathering of Jewish leaders since the Bush years, limited to a crowd of 150 due to the coronavirus pandemic.
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