If not for a few hanging chads in Florida at the turn of the millenium, America may have gotten its first Jewish vice president. The passing of Senator Joe Lieberman calls to mind a different era in American politics when the nation’s biggest concern was how to spend the budget surplus and the idea of a Jew on the ticket was at the very least novel if not controversial. In a charming dotcom era anachronism, the Washington Post reported that “Within 48 hours of his announcement, half of the 14,000 postings on AOL chat rooms contained antisemitic slurs.” Contrast that with Bernie Sanders whose Jewish identity was a comparative non-issue in his 2016 and 2020 runs for the White House.
To be clear, Joe Lieberman was not the first person of Jewish descent to run for one of the highest offices in the land. That honor belongs to Barry Goldwater, not exactly the most committed shul-goer given that he was an acolyte at the church his family attended in Phoenix. When Goldwater ran for president in 1964, the comedian Mort Sahl remarked “I always knew that the first Jewish president would be Episcopalian.” Born to a Jewish father and Christian mother, Goldwater shared that growing up in Arizona his father’s religious identity never came up. “It was only on entering the power circles of Washington that I was reminded I was a Jew.”
It is safe to assume Joe Lieberman never had to be reminded of his Jewish identity. A member of DC synagogue Kesher Israel in Georgetown, Joe Lieberman was widely known inside the Beltway as a person of deep religious conviction. In his 2011 book “The Gift of Rest: Rediscovering the Beauty of the Sabbath” he wrote how on Friday nights he would walk the roughly four miles from the Capitol to his home in Georgetown after a late vote so as not to violate Shabbat — to the bemusement and admiration of Capitol police. He brought his own dishes to restaurants, modified the menu to suit his dietary requirements and ensured kosher wine was available. On a trip to Israel once, he earned the ire of lifelong friend John McCain by bringing him into a Shabbat elevator that stopped on every floor.
Regardless of his politics, which as a moderate were always a bit tough to pin down, Joe Lieberman demonstrated that American Jews did not have to leave their heritage at the door to succeed in Washington. Quite the opposite, the principled nature Lieberman took to his religious practice endeared him to members across the aisle. His long career in public service and near victory that would have put him one heartbeat away from the Oval Office inspired an entire generation of Jews that they too could ascend the absolute apex of American politics.
As to who served on Senator Lieberman’s staff, a certain then Chief of Staff to President Obama once made a memorable quip that landed in the pages of The New Yorker. In the early days of the administration, the misfit trio known as the ‘Three Amigos’ of Senators John Kerry, Lindsey Graham and Joe Lieberman were attempting to persuade the Executive Branch to help pass a climate change bill. At their meeting with the gatekeeper, Rahm Emanuel, Lieberman introduced his aide, Danielle Rosengarten. “Rosengarten working for Lieberman,” Emanuel said. “Shocker!”
Sending our deepest condolences to the Liebermans on their loss. May his soul be bound up in the bond of eternal life and the family comforted among the mourners of Zion and Jerusalem.
Services
Kabbalat Shabbat
Friday, March 29th
Services: 6:00pm
Dinner by reservation: 7:00pm
Kabbalat Shabbat
Friday, April 5th
Services: 6:00pm
Dinner by reservation: 7:00pm
Shabbat HaChodesh – Parshat Shmini
Kiddush open for sponsorship
Saturday, April 6th
Services: 10:00am
Kiddush: 12:00pm
Kabbalat Shabbat
Friday, April 12th
Services: 6:00pm
Dinner by reservation: 7:00pm
Kabbalat Shabbat
Friday, April 19th
Services: 6:00pm
Dinner by reservation: 7:00pm
Passover Day 1
Tuesday, April 23rd
Services: 10:00am
Kiddush Seder Leftovers: 12:00pm
Friday Night Dinner Reservations can made on our website: https://jccjapan.jp/shabbat-meals-sign-up/
Events
Passover Seder – First Night
Monday, April 22nd
Start: 18:00
https://jccjapan.jp/passover/
Passover Seder 2
Tuesday, April 23rd
Start: 18:00
https://jccjapan.jp/passover/
Stay tuned for film screenings, cooking classes and lectures
If you have an idea for an event or a topic you would like to share with others, please visit our website: https://jccjapan.jp/event-committee-inquiry/
Announcements
Passover reservations are open! Catch the early bird discount before it flies away. Please see our website for details: https://jccjapan.jp/passover/
The JCC welcomed 200+ people at our Purim Party this past Saturday night. Thank you to our Megillah readers for your melodic precision. We deeply appreciate the efforts of Tal, Ayako, Lena, Izaki-san, Nakasone-san and everyone who helped make the evening so special including of course the incredible Jinta-la-Mvta who kept the party going and Baird Beer who kept the brews flowing. An additional debt of gratitude is owed to the Karp Family for your generous sponsorship of the night’s festivities.
The JCC observes the yahrzeits of two pillars of our community this Shabbat, Shaul Eisenberg and Kazuko Harris. Without the former, we wouldn’t have a building. Without the latter, we wouldn’t have kept it. May their neshamot have aliyahs in shamayim.
Habitat for Humanity hosts their Gala Dinner at Happo-en on Tuesday night, April 16th. JCCers Cecilia Melin and Liu Epstein serve on the board of this very worthy cause and invite all who to attend to sign up on the event page: https://habitatjp.org/en/charitygala2024
Yiddish Club with Jack Halpern: Please contact Jack at jack@cjki.org if you are interested to join. All levels are welcome, from beginner to advanced. Much more than just language, the club’s monthly meetings explore Yiddish culture as well.
Shabbat Tzav – Shabbat Parah
Candle Lighting: 5:42pm
Havdala: 6:39pm