Israel's Shalva Band Sings "God Bless America" at IAC Summit

On Saturday night December 7, Israel's Shalva Band gave an emotional performance of God Bless America at the Israeli American Council (IAC) Summit at the Diplomat Beach Resort in Hollywood, Florida. 

The IAC's mission is to unite Israelis who moved to America with the Jewish State. Attendees spent Thursday through Saturday discussing the most “pressing matters in Diaspora Jewish affairs.” 

The band originally began as a music therapy group started by Shalva, the Israel Association for the Care and Inclusion of Persons with Disabilities. 

They previously made it to the finals in The Rising Star competition leading to representing Israel at Eurovision, but they dropped out because they would have had to violate Shabbat to perform.

At the Summit, President Trump prefaced his introduction of the Shalva Band with a tribute to Irving Berlin, who wrote God Bless America in 1918 and revised it to the current form in 1938. After the performance, they showered him with hugs.

Enjoy!

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White House Hosts Two Hanukkah Parties to Light the Fifth Candle

Yesterday President Trump and First Lady Melania Trump hosted an afternoon and an evening Hanukkah party at the White House. All Jewish members of Congress were invited and the fifth candle was lit at each party, by a chaplain and by a Chabad rabbi.

The party included songs sung by the Y-Studs, the Yeshiva a cappella group whose songs we have posted here on Jewish Humor Central.

The president's remarks focused on our relationship with the State of Israel, recognition of Jerusalem as Israel's capital, and the swift opening of the new United States Embassy.

Welcoming Ivanka and Jared Kushner, he said "I'm also proud that the Jewish faith is so deeply woven into the fabric of my family. It's a great honor."

Each of the parties lasted more than an hour, and the full videos are available on YouTube. We'll include the links below so if you have the time you can watch both of them. If you're not inclined to spend so much time with them, here is a short version of one of the parties.

Happy Hanukkah and Shabbat shalom!

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FULL VIDEO OF THE HANUKKAH PARTIES BELOW:

Chanukah Comes Early to the White House

Tonight Jews around the world will light the first Chanukah candle as the eight-day holiday begins.

A year ago we posted the Hanukkah candle lighting ceremony at the White House presided over by then President Barack Obama. 

This year Chanukah came early as President Donald Trump presided over a party to light the Chanukah menorah and celebrate the announcement a day earlier that the United States recognizes Jerusalem as Israel's capital.

The White House Hanukkah Party is an annual reception hosted by the U.S. President and First Lady to recognize and celebrate the Jewish festival of Hanukkah. The tradition was established in 2001, during the administration of President George W. Bush. 

At the White House party, attended by many friends and supporters of Israel, the candle lighting by President Trump's Jewish granddaughter Arabella Kushner was led by Rabbi Meir Soloveichik, the Rabbi of Congregation Shearith Israel in New York City, the oldest Jewish congregation in the United States.

He is the great nephew of Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik, the late leader of American Jewry who identified with what became known as Modern Orthodoxy. 

Because it was a few days before Chanukah, the blessing for lighting the candle was not said. Instead Rabbi Soloveichik said the first blessing, Shenatan michvodo l'basar vadam (Who bestows power and distinction upon flesh and blood), a blessing said when in the presence of a head of state. The second blessing was the Shehecheyanu.

The 7 minute version of the event appears below. You can see the full 21 minute version by clicking here.

We wish you a happy Chanukah from Jerusalem. Enjoy!

A SPECIAL NOTE FOR NEW EMAIL SUBSCRIBERS:  THE VIDEO MAY NOT BE VIEWABLE DIRECTLY FROM THE EMAIL THAT YOU GET EACH DAY ON SOME COMPUTERS AND TABLETS.  YOU MUST CLICK ON THE TITLE AT THE TOP OF THE EMAIL TO REACH THE JEWISH HUMOR CENTRAL WEBSITE, FROM WHICH YOU CLICK ON THE PLAY BUTTON IN THE VIDEO IMAGE TO START THE VIDEO.