If it wasn’t a War on Hanukkah, it was seen as a war on Democratic Jewish members of Congress, including Rep. Adam Schiff of Los Angeles.
“The decision shocked some Jewish Democrats, who observed that previous presidents had invited members of the opposing party to religious holiday parties,” noted Newsweek.
Including Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, Congress has 30 Jews — two of them Republican.
Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-Fla.) told McClatchy New: “Why would you make partisan decisions about invitations that are entirely not partisan? Hanukkah is something that’s important to all Jews; the tradition is to invite the Jewish members of Congress.
Newsweek added: “In what appeared to be a conscious effort to exclude anyone who criticized his policies, Trump also failed to invite members of the Reform Jewish movement or any progressive Jewish activists to the Hanukkah party,” which was held just a day after Trump made the controversial decision to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.
But despite a dearth of decorations — or dreidels — Trump’s Jewish grandchildren (the kids of Ivanka Trump and her husband, Jared Kushner) lit a menorah.
Many on social media noted a Trump tweet rapping President Obama for holding a Hanukkah party days before the event.
But Trump saved money.
According to The New York Times: “This year, officials slashed the size of the annual reception, inviting around 300 guests to one soiree instead of hosting 1,700 over two parties as in the past.”
This year, Hanukkah starts at sundown Dec. 12.