I did a double-take when I heard that President Obama was celebrating Hanukkah a bit early this year. He did so by hosting the lighting of the menorah, the traditional candelabrum, in the White House. “His” celebration was held on Dec. 8, but this year, the holiday doesn’t begin until the evening of Dec. 20.

“We’re jumping the gun just a little bit,” Obama said to over 500 in attendance. “The way I see it, we’re just extending the holiday spirit. We’re stretching it out.”

Those late-night comedian lines were his exact words. Were they displayed for him on his umbilical cord teleprompter? I don’t know. What I do know is that he slapped all Jewish people in the face with his condescending treatment of Hanukkah.

Obama carried on his premature “celebration” while recent Israel-baiting remarks by Defense Secretary Leon Panetta, the United States’ Belgium Ambassador Howard Gutman and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton were still eliciting stinging responses from pro-Israel groups. I must assume this was just a little of Obama’s rubbing it in to the Jewish crowd. Would he do this to the Muslims? Not exactly. He didn’t attempt to jump the gun on that one. His Iftar dinner at the White House was not held in January but on the date indicated by the Muslim calendar. Perhaps he has to watch his step with the Muslim brothers. After all, isn’t he getting a pass from them on his apostate status? According to Koranic law, he should have been exterminated once he converted from Islam to Christianity.

Obama’s message in his Hanukkah event did not contain any positive correlation between the victory of the Maccabees over the Seleucid Empire and those of Israel over its Islamist foes. No praise for the Jewish contributions to this country and to the world. His speeches to Muslims always boast and boost their dubious and fictional accomplishments. But to Jews, not much of a pat on the back. They’re just good for the bucks and votes.

How much more guff must we all take from this guy before Jews get the message? How many more verbal attacks on Israel and Benjamin Netanyahu, even going so low as to diss our holidays, before they start speaking out? I can’t wait.

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Alan Bergstein

Alan Bergstein comes to our pages as a Brooklyn native. Father of four, retired NYC Principal, Korean War Veteran, patriot and Jewish and Israel activist.

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