Passing over Pessah
Passing over Pessah
Obama to host late Passover seder this year
President to be in Saudi Arabia on first and second night of holiday, will hold event next week
Former US president Barack Obama and former first lady Michelle Obama host a Passover seder dinner at the White House, April 3, 2015. (Pete Souza/The White House)
President Barack Obama will host a Passover seder this year, but not on either of the nights it is required according to Jewish custom.
A spokeswoman told JTA that Obama will host the seder next week following his return from travel overseas.
Obama will be in Saudi Arabia on the first and second nights of Passover, Friday and Saturday, attending a regional cooperation summit.
Obama joined a seder organized by campaign staffers in Pennsylvania during the hard-fought 2008 primary season, when he first ran for president. Since then, he has made it a custom to hold one in the White House, and include among his guests Jewish staffers and backers.
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