The invitation to the White House Chanukah reception sports a Christmas tree.
The picture features a horse pulling a Christmas tree on a wagon traveling in front of the White House. The wagon bears a sign reading “White House Christmas Tree 2008,” the New York Post reported.
The president and first lady host an annual Chanukah reception for leaders of the Jewish community.
“Mrs. Bush is apologetic,” Laura Bush’s spokeswoman, Sally McDonough said. “It is something that just slipped through the cracks.”
An invitation featuring a menorah given to the White House during the Truman administration was to be sent out, UPI reported.
The Orthodox Union dismissed the gaffe as overblown.
“To make this — or any President’s — gracious hospitality the subject of jest is chutzpah of the highest order,” said an entry on the O.U. blog.
Help ensure Jewish news remains accessible to all. Your donation to the Jewish Telegraphic Agency powers the trusted journalism that has connected Jewish communities worldwide for more than 100 years. With your help, JTA can continue to deliver vital news and insights. Donate today.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
