President Joe Biden is hosting a White House reception Monday to mark Hanukkah, celebrating the holiday as he has continued to denounce rising antisemitism in the U.S. and abroad amid the ongoing Israel-Hamas war.
Quick Read
- White House Hanukkah Reception: President Joe Biden is hosting a reception at the White House to mark Hanukkah, amidst his administration’s efforts to combat rising antisemitism.
- Attendees: President Biden, First Lady Jill Biden, and Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff will be present at the reception.
- Duration of Hanukkah: The Hanukkah celebration continues through Friday.
- National Strategy to Counter Antisemitism: In May, the Biden administration announced a comprehensive strategy to tackle antisemitism, involving over 100 actions.
- Rise in Antisemitism: Antisemitism has escalated since the Hamas attack on October 7, which led to the ongoing conflict in Gaza.
- UN’s Warning and Call for Ceasefire: U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned of a humanitarian crisis in Gaza and called for an immediate ceasefire.
- Biden Administration’s Efforts for Truce: The U.S. supported a temporary ceasefire and continues to push for peace, though the conflict persists.
- Doug Emhoff’s Role: Emhoff, the first Jewish spouse of a U.S. nationally elected leader, highlighted the isolation and pain felt by American Jews during a Hanukkah menorah lighting ceremony.
- Resignation of University of Pennsylvania President: Liz Magill resigned following controversy over her responses regarding antisemitism during a congressional hearing.
- Concerns in U.S. Universities: Universities are facing criticism for allegedly not protecting Jewish students adequately, especially in the context of global antisemitism and the Gaza conflict.
The Associated Press has the story:
Biden to host Hanukkah ceremony at WH amid fears about rising Antisemitism
Newslooks- WASHINGTON (AP)
President Joe Biden is hosting a White House reception Monday to mark Hanukkah, celebrating the holiday as he has continued to denounce rising antisemitism in the U.S. and abroad amid the ongoing Israel-Hamas war.
The president, first lady Jill Biden and second gentleman Doug Emhoff will attend the reception. Hanukkah continues through Friday.
The Biden administration in May announced what it called the first-ever national strategy to counter antisemitism. That laid out more than 100 actions, including a series of steps to raise awareness and understanding of antisemitism and the threat it poses around the U.S.
Still, antisemitism has only intensified in some quarters since the Oct. 7 attack by Hamas and other militants sparked Israel’s ongoing war in Gaza, which faces heightened criticism for the mounting Palestinian death toll. United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has warned of an impending “humanitarian catastrophe” in Gaza and urged its members to demand an immediate humanitarian cease-fire.
The Biden administration supported a since-expired, temporary pause in the fighting as Hamas released some of the hostages it held in Gaza, and is pushing for another truce — but the fighting continues in the meantime.
The husband of Vice President Kamala Harris, Emhoff is the first Jewish person to be the spouse of one of the country’s nationally elected leaders. Last week, he presided over the lighting ceremony of a massive menorah in front of the White House to mark Hanukkah’s first night, saying then that American Jews are “feeling alone” and “in pain.”
On Saturday, Liz Magill, the president of the University of Pennsylvania, resigned amid pressure from donors and criticism over testimony at a congressional hearing where she was unable to say under repeated questioning that calls on campus for the genocide of Jews would violate the school’s conduct policy.
Universities across the U.S. have been accused of failing to protect Jewish students amid rising fears of antisemitism worldwide and fallout from the war in Gaza.
