Behind the Scenes at the Obama Seder

NOTE: we live in a time of much hatred, name calling and "my side" versus "your side". Sad. That said, if I'm not wrong, Barack and Michelle Obama were the first President and First Lady to host Seder at the White House and they do it every year. In fact, the tradition started on the Obama campaign trail. You may have an opinion or two, but it sure is nice to see the President at the seder table. 

Why this night was different from all others:  A hyper-contemporary menu of gourmet holiday foods and a #Passover #selfie tweeted from inside the seder by former presidential aide Arun Chaudhary... 
Washington, DC - With rain pouring down and high winds ripping the newly opened magnolia blooms off the historic trees surrounding the White House, President Barack Obama andFirst Lady Michelle Obama on Tuesday evening welcomed 21 guests--friends and current and former staffers--for their sixth annual Passover seder.
  
The closed-to-press dinner made with beloved family recipes offered by the guests and some elaborate specialties created by the White House chefs--beef brisket, seared salmon, Tuscan kale, wilted spinach, and quinoa were part of the mix--began at 6:30 PM in the Old Family Dining Room, an intimate, yellow-walled dining room on the State Floor. 

"On Tuesday, just as we have every year of my presidency, my family will join the millions taking part in the ancient tradition of the Seder," Mr. Obama said in his Passover message.  

"We will enjoy the company of friends and loved ones, retell a timeless story, and give thanks for the freedom we are so blessed to enjoy."

Mr. Obama is the first President to mark Passover at the White House, and most of his guests on Tuesday--including former Senior Advisor David Axelrod, Senior Advisor Valerie Jarrett, Chicago friend Dr. Eric Whitaker, and former bodyman Reggie Love--have previously attended his seders.  Jarrett and Whitaker sat side by side at the head of the table.

Wearing a dark suit and no yarmulke, Mr. Obama sat in the center of his guests, across the antique mahogany table from Mrs. Obama, who wore a black and white jersey print dress, her hair pulled into a bun.  Click to Keep Reading