Image by getty images

Jewish notions of religious freedom so informed the American ethos that it is “is fair to say that Jewish heritage is American heritage,” Vice President Joe Biden said at a menorah lighting in front of the White House.

Biden, attending the event Tuesday organized by American Friends of Lubavitch, cited the work of Emma Lazarus, the Jewish poet whose words are inscribed on the Statue of Liberty, and George Washington’s letter to the Newport, R.I., Jewish community, which quoted from the Book of Micah in promising Jews religious freedoms.

“The central Jewish notion of religious freedom, of safety in your land, of being treated with dignity in your own community, not only led to the creation of modern Israel but it also formed the bedrock of the United States of America,” Biden said. “Jewish values are such an essential part of who we are that it is fair to say that Jewish heritage is American heritage.”

Forwarding the News

Thoughtful, balanced reporting from the Forward and around the web, bringing you updated news and analysis each day.

Terms(Required)

I agree to the Forward's Terms of Service and Privacy Policy

Email(Required)

Biden noted at the event that he was missing candle lighting at the home of his daughter, Ashley, who is married to a Jewish physician, Howard Krein.

President Obama, in a separate Hanukkah message, said the holiday’s meaning was one of overcoming “seemingly insurmountable odds.”

“The miracle at the heart of Hanukkah – the oil that lasted for eight nights instead of only one – reminds us that even when the future is uncertain, our best days are yet to come,” he said in a statement.

The lighting of the so-called National Menorah on the ellipse in front of the White House was launched in 1979.

It kicks off a week of parties in Washington, including at the White House and in Congress, both on Wednesday.

The Forward is free to read, but it isn’t free to produce

I hope you appreciated this article. Before you go, I’d like to ask you to please support the Forward.

Now more than ever, American Jews need independent news they can trust, with reporting driven by truth, not ideology. We serve you, not any ideological agenda.

At a time when other newsrooms are closing or cutting back, the Forward has removed its paywall and invested additional resources to report on the ground from Israel and around the U.S. on the impact of the war, rising antisemitism and polarized discourse.

Readers like you make it all possible. We’re near the end of our Passover Fundraising Drive, and we have a very ambitious goal of $127,000 by April 21.

This is a great time to support independent Jewish journalism you rely on. Make a Passover gift today!

—  Rachel Fishman Feddersen, Publisher and CEO

Make a Passover Gift Today!

$90 $180

$360

Other amount