Boro Park Residents Reflect on the White House Chanukah Reception

By Y.M. Lowy

The White House Chanukah Reception is a celebration of Jewish tradition and unity. For Boro Park attendees, it was a unique opportunity to engage with national leaders and take part in a prestigious event that honors our values and traditions.

Joel Rosenfeld of Bobov shared that the event featured heimish hechsher food and that the staff arranged a private room for Maariv - the historic Diplomatic Reception Room where FDR gave his fireside chats. This showcases the support and sensitivity the Biden House has towards the Jewish people.

Ezra Friedlander, CEO of the Friedlander Group reflected, “Being invited to the White House Chanukah reception as an identifiable Orthodox Chasidic representative with Glatt Kosher cuisine is a testament to the vibrancy of the Orthodox Jewish community and presents to me the opportunity to advocate on behalf of good causes with the officials in the room. To me, every time I enter the White House, it is a reminder of the 400 rabbis who traveled to Washington in 1943, attempting to meet with President Roosevelt to plead on behalf of the remnants of European Jewry who were being murdered daily, but were tragically rebuffed and not allowed to meet with him.”

He continued, “This is a non-partisan event, and I have attended these receptions in the Obama, Trump, and now Biden administrations and look forward to participating in the Trump administration, Bezras Hashem.”

Avi Greenstein, CEO of the BPJCC shared his reflections: “We live in a time where there is so much uncertainty in the world, and we often feel isolated. It is so moving that the White House has an event celebrating Chanukah. The long-lasting message is that the community will be represented and that the president is willing to work with us. The administration asked me to join his task force on combating terrorism, and the president mentioned this in his remarks. To see the president reaffirm his commitment to ensuring Jews can live without fear was deeply meaningful, especially in these dark times, and to hear this in the context of Chanukah was truly special.”

The Chanukah reception highlights the importance of fostering positive relationships with national leaders, strengthening the community’s voice in the wider conversation.