Why Obama’s Jewish American Heritage Proclamation is Different from All Others

David Streeter — May 7, 2010 – 12:26 pm | Barack Obama | Separation of Church & State Comments (3) Add a comment

Josh Rolnick of the Neurotic Democrat blog (and a member of NJDC’s Board of Directors) makes an important point about President Barack Obama’s Jewish American Heritage Month proclamation – and why we should thank the President:

 

… President Obama has made a subtle, symbolic gesture in the other direction, showing truly uncommon sensitivity to the Jewish community.

Thanks to the New Jersey Jewish News for this story, which reports that President Obama removed the standard phrase “in the year of our Lord” from a proclamation welcoming May as Jewish Heritage Month.

As the newspaper reports, previous similar proclamations — by Obama, George Bush, and Bill Clinton — all included the standard line affixed at the end, pegging the missive’s date to the birth of Jesus Christ …

… Obama, in praising Jews for their unique contributions to American culture, took the extra step of taking it out this time.

Surely, this won’t sit well with the purists. I imagine the our-country-is-a-Christian-nation crowd will not be pleased. It may seem like a small thing, but it shows political courage.

The Jewish community should be more outspoken in acknowledging this, and in voicing appreciation.

 

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