WASHINGTON — Two parts celebration, two parts work and one part learning came together this week as Jewish Democrats prepared to walk with President Clinton across the bridge to the 21st century.
From elegant fetes with lavish spreads to free events on the National Mall, visitors and locals transformed the nation’s capital into one big party.
Braving subfreezing temperatures, many activists attended a reception honoring Jewish members of the Clinton team.
Secretary of Agriculture Dan Glickman and Assistant Secretary of Commerce Stuart Eizenstat were among the dignitaries who gathered at the District of Columbia Jewish Community Center for an inaugural bash.
Even as guests focused on Clinton’s second term, current events and the 1998 elections crept to the fore as over 350 activists noshed on lox and kugel.
“Welcome to Super Sunday,” joked David Hermelin, a senior member of the Clinton-Gore Jewish Leadership Council, which sponsored the gathering.
“All I want to say is, `Separate checks,'” he continued, alluding to maximizing giving under campaign finance laws.
The breakfast party included many calls for continued activism.
Glickman asked “every organization, every Jewish organization to take another step forward to outreach to Jews.”
This prompted Dr. Ruth Westheimer to take the microphone.
“When you talk about outreach, I want every person here who’s not married, never been married or divorced to find someone and let me know, OK?”
Not all guests followed the sex therapist’s next call to hug those next to them.
On a more serious note, national security adviser Sandy Berger turned to recent developments in the Middle East.
“We meet today for a second inaugural having had four of the most productive years in the history of the U.S.-Israel relationship.”
Berger called last week’s agreement to transfer most of Hebron to Palestinian self-rule “a very significant and important step forward in the peace process.”
Berger hailed the Jewish Democrats for supporting Clinton.
“This group knows it played a very big role in the successful re-election of the president,” he said.
In another impromptu briefing, Eizenstat, assigned by the president to work on restitution of Jewish property, told the gathering, “We’re going to continue to focus the spotlight” on restitution issues to “close the last sad chapter of World War II in a way that this community and the American population will be proud of this administration.”
When the partying was done, many hosts focused on informally raising money for the 1998 congressional campaign.
“I started raising money for 1998 the day after the election,” said Monte Friedkin, national chairman of the National Jewish Democratic Council and a leader in recruiting support for the Clinton-Gore campaign.
This prompted Stan Chesley, another Jewish leader for Clinton-Gore, to add, “If we rest, we should be ashamed of ourselves. There are too many issues for Jews in America.”
Across town, activists from the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, the pro-Israel lobby, honored members of Congress.
True to its bipartisan roots, AIPAC invited Rep. Steven Schiff (R-N.M.) to speak.
Schiff said, “Let’s make sure we keep it bipartisan after these festivities.”
The AIPAC gathering also included one of the first stops for its former president and chairman of the board, Steve Grossman, who was tapped last week to be the national chairman of the Democratic National Committee.
Senators and members of the House gathered with AIPAC activists. The mood was festive as Sen. Joseph Lieberman (D-Conn.) said, “We’ve got a lot to celebrate.”
Freshman Rep. Brad Sherman (D-Woodland Hills), still adjusting to the capital’s cold weather, said jokingly that his first act in Congress would be to move the inauguration to his home district in the San Fernando Valley.
With the flesh-pressing over and the big givers and party activists boarding buses to the inaugural gala at the U.S. Air Arena, free festivities swelled on the Mall.
The U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum hosted a series of lectures on “Visions of the 21st Century” as part of the inauguration’s “American Journey.”
Before a standing-room-only crowd, Nobel laureate Elie Wiesel, calling for remembrance, drew a standing ovation.
“Our children are so special, because they are our heirs,” Wiesel said. “They question us. We must try to answer them.”
Our answers are important because “what we say to them” is how “they will answer their children,” Wiesel added.
“Remember. If we remember, the next century” will “advance an extraordinary measure of hope.”
The Middle East found its way into the Holocaust Museum as well, as dozens wished U.S. special Middle East coordinator Dennis Ross “mazel tov” and flashed him the “thumbs up” for his work negotiating the Hebron agreement.
“I’m here because of what it represents,” said Ross, who was with his family. “Elie Wiesel is a hero of mine.”
It was then once again time for celebration as hundreds of Jewish Democrats and leaders of Jewish organizations fanned out across Washington to dance the night away at the 14 inaugural balls.