Ivanka and Jared Zero In on D.C. Synagogue
Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner Image by Getty Images
By Nathan Guttman December 19, 2016
First daughter Ivanka Trump and her husband Jared Kushner are in the midst of the timeless Jewish tradition of “shul shopping” – the painful process of finding the right synagogue when moving to a new town.
And for the Modern Orthodox couple about to relocate soon from New York to Washington D.C., there aren’t that many options.
According to Politico there is already a clear front runner in the race: Kesher Israel in Georgetown, a synagogue whose pews have been occupied by many Orthodox Jewish politicos, most famously former senator Joe Lieberman.
Kesher, as it is known by congregants, offers a big attraction for congregants who do not drive on the Sabbath and on holidays – it is conveniently located in the heart of Georgetown, one of Washington’s most prestigious neighborhoods, and not far from downtown and the White House, where Ivanka’s dad will be living after January 20.
It was infamously home to Rabbi Barry Freundel, who was convicted of peeping on dozens of women in the synagogue’s mikvah. The congregation is currently led by interim rabbi Avidan Milevsky who is also a professor of psychology.
Kesher’s president Elanit Jakabovics would not comment on the possibility of having the Trump-Kushner family join her synagogue, stating that “congregant interactions are private.”
If the couple does join, they’re bound to face some awkward moments given the synagogue’s liberal-leaning congregants. Some of them, such as columnist Leon Wieseltier and former Obama ethics czar Norm Eisen, have spoken out publicly against Donald Trump.
The Trump-Kushner couple could also look at a couple of other Modern Orthodox synagogues the DC area has to offer, but these, including Ohev Sholom and the Kemp Mill synagogue, will require moving to the outskirts of town.
Contact Nathan Guttman at [email protected] or on Twitter @nathanguttman
I hope you appreciated this article. Before you go, I’d like to ask you to please support the Forward’s award-winning journalism this Passover.
In this age of misinformation, our work is needed like never before. We report on the news that matters most to American Jews, driven by truth, not ideology.
At a time when newsrooms are closing or cutting back, the Forward has removed its paywall. That means for the first time in our 126-year history, Forward journalism is free to everyone, everywhere. With an ongoing war, rising antisemitism, and a flood of disinformation that may affect the upcoming election, we believe that free and open access to Jewish journalism is imperative.
Readers like you make it all possible. Right now, we’re in the middle of our Passover Pledge Drive and we need 500 people to step up and make a gift to sustain our trustworthy, independent journalism.
Make a gift of any size and become a Forward member today. You’ll support our mission to tell the American Jewish story fully and fairly.
— Rachel Fishman Feddersen, Publisher and CEO
Join our mission to tell the Jewish story fully and fairly.
Our Goal: 500 gifts during our Passover Pledge Drive!
