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Obama's Ramadan Dinner Included Prominent Jewish Guests
Tweet Share on Facebook September 2, 2009 Comment (22)By Dan Gilgoff, God & Country
Interesting that President Obama's Ramadan dinner last night included a handful of prominent Jews. Some Jewish leaders have complained that Obama's outreach to the Muslim world has included snubbing Israel and giving short shrift to certain Jewish concerns.
Jewish Americans as identified on the guest list last night:
Israeli Ambassador Michael Oren
Rabbi David Saperstein, director and counsel of the Religious Action Center for Reform Judaism
Nathan Diament, director of Orthodox Union's Institute for Public AffairsDiament and Saperstein are on Obama's Advisory Council on Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnerships.
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The Mind Behind Obama's Ramadan Dinner: George W. Bush
Tweet Share on Facebook September 1, 2009 Comment (28)By Dan Gilgoff, God & Country
Is the White House dinner tonight celebrating Ramadan and honoring the contributions of American Muslims the latest exhibit in President Obama's charm offensive toward the global Islamic community?
Sure, but it wasn't Obama's idea. Turns out that the Ramadan dinner was an innovation of George W. Bush, who hosted one every year he was in office and who also used the event to recognize the contributions of American Muslims.
Check out this Voice of America piece on Bush's final iftar, the nightly dinner at which Muslims break their Ramadan fast, in 2008:
This was the president's eighth Iftaar dinner in eight years at the White House. Mr. Bush gave thanks for the many ways that Muslim Americans enrich the lives of all Americans.
"One of the great strengths of our nation is its religious diversity. Americans practice many different faiths. We all share a belief in the right to worship freely. We reject bigotry in all its forms. And over the past eight years, my administration has been proud to work closely with Muslim Americans to promote justice and tolerance of all faiths," he said.
The president singled out some of those attending the Iftaar dinner, including those who have worked on America's space program as well as those who have made advances in health care and technology.
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