The Politics of Pesach

 Lots of Pesach fodder from politicos as we head into the holiday.

Pride of place, though, goes to the Newt Gingrich campaign, the only campaign to respond to JTA’s call for accounts of how Jewish staffers plan to spend the holidays.

This comes from Adam Savader, the special assistant to the chief operating officer:

This year, as every other year, I will join my family in New York at our Seder dinner table. Three generations of my family will recount the story of Exodus, how our people were once slaves in Egypt and how we were freed. We will share our holiday dinner with Christian friends from here and abroad who yearn to learn more about Judaism.   As we tell the story, each person at the table  will have the opportunity to be involved.  We will eat the ceremonial foods,  say prayers and sing songs as we celebrate our freedom as a people and as Americans.  I have chosen to work at Newt 2012 because Newt is committed to running a substantive and solutions oriented campaign that is dedicated to these freedoms and liberties as well as repealing Obamacare, lowering gas to $2.50 a gallon, and instructing the state department to move the United States’ embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to  Jerusalem.

In fairness, the Romney campaign told us it would be wiser to contact them closer to (or even after) the event, because celebrations are often held on the fly during campaigns. So we’ll likely be making another round of calls during Hol HaMo’ed.

A celebration on the fly in 2008 was part of the message from Jarrod Bernstein, the White House Jewish liaison:

Starting tomorrow night, the Jewish community in the United States, Israel, and throughout the world will come together to celebrate the holiday of Passover. President and Mrs. Obama will join them, continuing their tradition of hosting a small Seder at the White House. By now, the story of how that tradition began has been told and retold, but in the spirit of Passover, I’ll tell it again: In April of 2008, the President and his staff were on the trail in Pennsylvania in the midst of a long primary campaign. Weary from a long day of work and away from their families, a small group of staffers came together to hold an impromptu Seder. When then-Senator Obama got wind of the Seder, he gathered some other staff and friends and decided to join. At the end of the Seder, the President followed the traditional “Next year in Jerusalem” declaration with a pledge of his own – “Next year in the White House.” Each year since, he has followed through on that promise. This year, he also added a new touch, a video message to Jews everywhere wishing them Chag Sameach as they continue their own traditions or start new ones this Passover.

Here’s Obama’s Passover message:

I’ve asked, and yes, it’s the Maxwell House Hagadah, again. No response from the Obama campaign, though.

Other Passover well-wishers in our Inbox include Sen.. Rob Portman (R-Ohio), who might be vice president, and Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-Minn.), who wanted to be president. Their statements are below the jump.

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Rob Portman:

As sunset falls tonight and Passover begins, Jane and I want to wish you and your family a Chag Sameach.

As Ohioans gather at Seders with family and friends, we recall the Exodus from Egypt, and its promise of redemption from slavery into liberty.

We also are thinking of our commitment to our friends in Israel, who face great security challenges to their freedom.” 

Michele Bachmann:

A Happy Passover Greeting To All My Many Friends In The Pro-Israel Community; 

As millions around the world begin to celebrate the feast of Passover at sundown on Friday, April 6, it is important to remember why this celebration exemplifies God’s mercy on His people. When the children of Israel cried out to the Lord because of their great suffering at the hands of the Egyptians, we know "God looked upon the children of Israel, and God acknowledged them (Exodus 2:25)."God responded with 10 plagues sent to do unimaginable damage on Egypt in order to deliver His people. 

When the first nine plagues did not soften the heart of Pharaoh, the Lord sent his tenth and final plague: the slaughter of the first-born males in each family. By believing and obeying specific instructions from the Lord, the Israelites were spared this horrific plague and ultimately the destruction led to their freedom from Egyptian tyranny. God foretold the liberation of the children of Israel when he told Moses "I am the Lord; I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, I will rescue you from their bondage (Exodus 6:6)." 

These promises to the ancient Israelites were near to my heart as I grew up, which is why I took the first opportunity to go to Israel when I was a young woman. The day after I graduated from high school in 1974, I took a flight to Israel. I went to work for the summer on Kibbutz Be’eri near Beer Sheva. Aside from the beauty of the country and deep cultural and spiritual appreciation of the Jewish people, the experience gave me a clear realization: Israel is under a constant external threat. During my time, we worked on the kibbutz from four in the morning until noon, and at all times we were accompanied by soldiers carrying machine guns. While we were working, they were making sure there were no land mines in the fields. As a recent high school graduate, I knew very little of the complex geopolitical threat that Israel faced from all sides of its borders. Today, Israel still faces those threats and more. For this reason, the United States must declare, in no uncertain terms, that it is our policy to utilize all military strength to support and defend our strongest ally in the Middle East, Israel. 

On March 4 of this year, President Obama made the case that diplomatic sanctions are working in Iran. His words, "Now is the time to let our increased pressure sink in, and to sustain the broad international coalition we have built,"point to the need to let diplomacy take its course. These are powerful words and I certainly commend both the Bush Administration and the Obama Administration for the increasing economic sanctions on Iran. However, has any evidence surfaced that these sanctions are hindering the development of a nuclear weapon? If Iran had years instead of months, sanctions would certainly be advisable under the circumstances. Unfortunately, report after report seems to lend credence to the fact that Iran is growing dangerously close to having nuclear capability. 

Furthermore, there are those that wrongly believe that Iran can be contained or that Iran is strictly Israel’s problem. Make no mistake; a nuclear Iran threatens the safety and security of a region that directly affects the interests of the United States. If Iran were to obtain a nuclear weapon, many surrounding Arab states, including Saudi Arabia and Jordan, will most likely do everything in their power to obtain one that begins a deadly nuclear arms race. Additionally, Iran has made clear through their intrusion into our own hemisphere that they will not only provide support to rogue nations south of our border, they could also provide secrets of nuclear capability. Just imagine the devastation of a nuclear Cuba or Venezuela. 

To Israel, the threat is real and very close. Just over 950 miles away from Jerusalem (roughly the distance by air from Washington D.C. to Miami) is Tehran and their fanatical leadership. The chilling escalation of tensions between Israel and Iran leaves the United States with but two choices: stand with our long time democratic ally or marginalize their position leaving them even more vulnerable to attack. I write this not to express the obvious, but to urge the American public to stand up and demand that our elected officials clearly explain their policies on stopping a nuclear Iran. 

The President mentioned "too much loose talk of war"in his March 4 speech. I recognize some may wrongly see this as a call for military action against Iran. Nothing could be further from the truth. Military action should only be utilized when all diplomatic means have been exhausted. However, even with rapid implementation of sanctions on every aspect of the Iranian economy, I am concerned that Iran has more than enough capabilities to not only complete a nuclear weapon, but to use it, if necessary. 

In the 38 years since I worked in Israel, I have been privileged to visit the country many times. I always return with a stronger reality and greater concern for Israel’s safety and security. However, having returned just two weeks ago from an House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence trip to the country, and having met privately with numerous Israeli leaders including Prime Minister Netanyahu, the dangers our great friend Israel faces today are more acute and more serious than ever. 

Friends, feel assured and confident this Passover Holiday, I pledge to do everything in my power to protect and secure one of our most precious allies, the great State of Israel. 

A Happy Healthy Pesach,

Congresswoman Michele Bachmann