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Hundreds of U.S. Jews gather in Washington to celebrate Obama inauguration
By Haaretz Service
Tags: Israel News, jewish world 

As President-elect Barack Obama dashed between multiple black-tie events on the eve of his inaugration Monday night, hundreds of Jews gathered in Washington for their own celebration.

The Jewish Community Inaugural Reception on Capitol Hill drew a crowd of some 800 attendees, including senators, lobbyists, senators and members of the public. Nobel laureate Elie Wiesl and actress Debra Winger were there to address the crowd as well.

Obama's senior adviser, David Axelrod, delivered a keynote address before the cheering audience, saying he felt an "enormous sense of pride and satisfaction and gratitude" when learning on election night that some 78 percent of American Jews had cast their ballot for Obama.
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The reception was a private event sponsore by nine Jewish American organizations: The National Jewish Democratic Council, the United Jewish Communities, the American Jewish Committee, the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations, AIPAC, NCSJ and the Jewish federations of New York, Chicago and Washington.

Meanwhile, the 56th presidential inauguration day began for Obama and Vice President-elect Joe Biden with a traditional morning worship service at St. John's Episcopal Church, across Lafayette Park from the White House. Bells pealed from the historic church's tower as Obama and his wife, Michelle, arrived.

The Obamas waved to bystanders, then entered the church to applause from about 200 people. The choir and congregation began singing the hymn, O God Our Help in Ages Past.

The Rev. Luis Leon welcomed the Obamas and said every president since James Madison, the country's fourth, has worshipped at the church at least once, some of them kicking and screaming.

The inauguration is scheduled to begin at noon D.C. time (7 P.M. in Israel), but festivities will not end until well after midnight, with dancing and partying at 10 inaugural balls.

Three rabbis representing the three major branches of American Judaism have been selected to recite a prayer at the inauguration along with dozens of clergy representing other faiths, according to officials familiar with the plans.

The Jewish clergy chosen to speak at the service are Reform Rabbi David Saperstein, Conservative Rabbi Jerome Epstein and Orthodox Rabbi Haskel Lookstein, sources said.

Most past presidents only had to choose from clergy of the American Protestant establishment for the inauguration services. Eventually, inaugural organizers added a priest or bishop to the ceremonies as the Catholic Church in the U.S. grew stronger. Rabbis were sometimes included.

In less than five years, Barack Obama rose from a little-known Illinois state lawmaker to the nation's highest office, persuading Americans that despite his relative inexperience, he could turn around the economy, end
the Iraq war and restore U.S. standing in the world.

A gifted, inspirational speaker, Obama has raised the hopes of millions as he outlined a new course for the United States. He has promised to emphasize diplomacy, seek global solutions to climate change, reject torture and shut down the Guantanamo Bay prison.

Obama's presidency puts Democrats firmly in charge of Washington. They will control both chambers of Congress and the White House for the first time since 1994.

Though the new president faces monumental challenges, but should face an
extended honeymoon as he takes over from Bush, who leaves Washington as one of the nation's most unpopular and divisive presidents.

The 43rd president's approval ratings, which soared after Sept. 11, plummeted over his handling of the Iraq war, his slow response to Hurricane Katrina and the economic meltdown.

Pre-inauguration polls show Americans believe Obama is on track to succeed and express confidence the new president can turn the economy around. But Obama has cautioned that recovery needs time, and that things will get worse before they get better.

Before noon, Obama will step forward on the West Front of the U.S. Capitol to take the oath of office from Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts. The 35-word declaration has been uttered by every president since the first, George Washington.

Obama - son of a Kansas-born white woman and a Kenyan born black father -
decided to use his full name - Barack Hussein Obama - for the swearing-in.

To the dismay of liberals, Obama invited conservative evangelical pastor and gay marriage opponent Rick Warren to give the inaugural invocation.
Obama's aides said his inaugural address would be short - under 20 minutes - and stress the twin themes of responsibility and accountability.

More than 10,000 people from all 50 states - including bands and military
units - were assembled to follow Obama and Biden from the Capitol along the 1.5 mile (2.4-kilometer) inaugural parade route down Pennsylvania Ave., concluding at a bulletproof reviewing stand in front of the White House.

The inauguration was expected to draw up to 2 million people. Security was unprecedented as Washington braced for logistical headaches with major streets and bridges into the capital closed.

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