Chanukah in the White House with the Pearl Family

Ruth and Judea Pearl -- parents of slain reporter Daniel Pearl -- light the family menorah in a ceremony at the White House 12/10/2007. Introduction by President George W. Bush.

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• chanukah
• danny
• pearl
• daniel
• judea
• bush
• white
• house
• candles
• menorah
• jjtsrf333

[Kehilah]

I wish you would have left in the section of Ruth Pearl telling the President her story or being a Jewish refugee from Iraq. That is so poignant and apropos to the whole meaning of Hanukah. I am assuming you are Ashkenazi? If so, why edit out the retelling of the Mizrahi narrative, which is so often ignored, especially by Ashkenazim. Please be fair, and return Ruth Pearl's telling of her own family's history of religious persecution at the hands of Iraqi Arab Muslims.

[jewishjournal]

Ruth's story is compelling; however the nature of a ten-minute YouTube limit on length requires some decisions be made that will not please all.

[helmrict]

You left out a lot of the ceremony -- the soulfull singing of the Zamir Chorale!

[jewishjournal]

Thanks for your comments!

Yes -- we cut a lot of Bush's rehash of the Chanukah story, some of Ruth Pearl, and all of Zamir after 'Maoz Tzur,' which I kept in because it is my favorite and they sing it so well.

The edits were made to focus on the Pearls' quest to spread the light, and on Danny's story -- a followup to the video I shot with them about a year ago.

[mybeautifulbailey]

Garuboias what are you talking about? What a back handed passive aggressive comment. Zionism is not terrorism, AND these sick unjust corrupt terrorists known as radical Islamists murdered Daniel for being an American first, then Jewish second. Will you be happy when Sharia Law infiltrates America? Like they are planning?

[1kkyu]

Daniel Pearl will live forever!

[deathstar367]

@decimator333 it would be unconstitutional to put any religous symbol in front of the white house mr nazi

[Garubolas]

What happened ti daniel is tragic but he was killed by terrorist or extremist. Not because he was Jewish, but because they believed coem from a family of zionists. He even roudly confirm ths by saying his grandpa has a road named after hims i Israel. Zionists are also another form of terrorism.

[keyboardplaya]

Garubolas,

I agree that Israel (AND Hamas) has been unjust to innocent people. Many American Jews feel that way. But just as Muslims are assumed to be terrorists, Jews are assumed to be Zionists. I want peace for all people.

But Daniel Pearl was just a journalist, not a member of the IDF. Was it okay for Timothy McVeigh to kill innocent people for a political cause? No.

It was not okay to kill Daniel Pearl, just because he was Jewish.

[keyboardplaya]

Just so you know, "decimator," there is everything from a Christmas tree to an Easter egg roll at the White House every year.

This is not a Star of David, it's a menorah. I think it should be okay to celebrate other holidays in the White House.

And maybe you're right. Maybe the Pearls are neocons planning a Zionist takeover.

Or maybe they just want to remember their murdered son.

[decimator333]

This stands as a vile reminder of who controls our government in the United States. It is a symbol of Jewish supremacism.

Of course the Jewish ACLU would go nuts over a cross placed in front of the White house.

[Garubolas]

what did the palestinaians do to deserve ethnic cleansing?

[lucylooter]

i appriciate channuka, but notice he is reading a script?

[keyboardplaya]

I have a copy of "I Am Jewish," which was published by Daniel's parents. It just doesn't make any sense. What did he do to deserve death?