Sequester cuts White House Jewish heritage reception

WASHINGTON (JTA) — The White House will not hold a Jewish History Month event this year because of the sequester.

A White House official confirmed to JTA that the reception, which usually takes place toward the end of May, would not take place this year because of the congressionally mandated across-the-board budget cuts that kicked in last month.

Congress passed legislation creating Jewish American Heritage Month in 2006, and President Barack Obama hosted the first reception commemorating the month in 2010.

Jewish invitees usually include luminaries in the arts, sports and sciences, lawmakers, armed services personnel and the Israeli ambassador, as well as organizational leaders and political supporters of the president.

Citing the sequester, Obama also has cut White House tours and his own salary by 5 percent.