Obama invites friends, aides to White House Pesach seder

President Barack Obama and his wife Michelle hosted a private seder in the White House yesterday, fulfilling a campaign-trail promise he made a year ago.

The guest list included a group of around 10 aides who, unable to go home for the holiday last year, held an impromptu seder in the basement of the Sheraton hotel in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, as the Obama primary campaign drew to a close in the state.

At the end of the seder, after the traditional refrain of "Next year in Jerusalem," Obama and others in the group jokingly added, "Next year in the White House," an official said.

The informal seder was conducted by Eric Lesser, 24, personal aide to senior adviser David Axelrod. Lesser worked during the New Hampshire primary.

White House videographer Arun Chaundhary - a constant presence on the trail - also landed invites for his family.

Also invited were Valerie Jarrett, one of Obama's closest advisers, and family friend Eric Whitaker, who is visiting from Chicago and attended a seder last year with the campaign.

Obama's personal aide Reggie Love, Michelle Obama's deputy chief of staff Melissa Winter, personal aide Dana Lewis and associate social secretary Samantha Tubman all received invites.

The White House chefs prepared traditional Passover seder fare, including matza, bitter herbs, a roasted egg and greens in the family dining room in the executive mansion, the White House said.

The evening also included reading the Haggadah, the religious text of the hsoliday.

The event was lauded by the National Jewish Democratic Council as the nation's first White House seder.