For President Obama, a Brand New Yarmulke From Lipa Schmeltzer
Image by Courtesy of Lipa Schmeltzer
By Rukhl Schaechter May 20, 2016
Hasidic pop star Lipa Schmeltzer recently delivered a pair of newly-designed silver yarmulkes for President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle.
The gift was the culmination of a promise he had made to the First Couple last Hanukkah, after the annual candlelighting ceremony at the White House, where the singer had been invited to perform.
As President Barack Obama thanked him for the performance, Lipa, apparently moved by the moment, quickly introduced himself, adding that he’s known as “the Jewish Lady Gaga” and that he would like “to make him a gold and silver yarmulke”, whereupon Obama quipped: “Oh good, well let us know, man! I’ve been looking for a gold and silver yarmulke!”
Afterwards, Schmeltzer was suddenly struck with the magnitude of what he had done. “Here I had made a promise to the President of the United States, so I knew I had to keep my word,” he told the Forverts.
Michelle Obama’s spokesperson, who had overheard the exchange between Schmeltzer and the President, requested that the singer be sure to make one for the First Lady as well. Schmeltzer agreed.
Since then, Schmeltzer worked hard to design the yarmulkes, with the help of a Brooklyn company, “Best Embroidery.” In the end, though, he chose to use only silver.
On May 12, Israeli Independence Day, Schmeltzer finally returned to the White House and presented the two silver yarmulkes to the Liaison to the Senior Advisor.
He also donated a framed poem of thanksgiving to the First Couple which he had written for the occasion.
“I feel honored to be able to present them with a poem of mine, but, unfortunately, I forgot to sign it,” Schmeltzer said, and added, grinning: “But it doesn’t matter. I’ll autograph it the next time I see the President and First Lady, when they invite me for dinner.”
Rukhl Schaechter is editor-in-chief of the Forverts.
This is a moment of great uncertainty. Here’s what you can do about it.
We hope you appreciated this article. Before you go, we’d like to ask you to please support the Forward’s independent Jewish news this Passover. All donations are being matched by the Forward Board - up to $100,000.
This is a moment of great uncertainty for the news media, for the Jewish people, and for our sacred democracy. It is a time of confusion and declining trust in public institutions. An era in which we need humans to report facts, conduct investigations that hold power to account, tell stories that matter and share honest discourse on all that divides us.
With no paywall or subscriptions, the Forward is entirely supported by readers like you. Every dollar you give this Passover is invested in the future of the Forward — and telling the American Jewish story fully and fairly.
The Forward doesn’t rely on funding from institutions like governments or your local Jewish federation. There are thousands of readers like you who give us $18 or $36 or $100 each month or year.
Support our mission to tell the Jewish story fully and fairly.
