The Psagot wine served at the White House seder sent Israel-haters into a frenzy, disparaging Jews who live in Judea and Samara as “colonizers” and “illegal settlers.
By United with Israel Staff
The White House held a model Passover seder on Thursday, a day before the actual holiday, calling it the “The People’s Seder” and streaming it on the White House YouTube page.
Israeli blogger David Lange of Israellycool.com pointed out in a post on his site that the wine of choice at the seder left Israel-haters “seething.”
The “easy-to-miss detail” appeared in a photo posted by Vice President Kamala Harris’ husband, Doug Emhoff.
The photo indicated that kosher wine from the Psagot vineyard in Samaria was being served at the seder.
In addition to producing award-winning wines, Psagot is known for hosting a tribute event in October 2021, attended by former Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Israeli leaders from Judea and Samaria, honoring former U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo “in appreciation of his efforts to strengthen the Jewish communities in the region,” TPS reported at the time.
“In 2019, the winery dedicated a special wine in Pompeo’s name in honor of his declaration of the U.S.’ recognition of the legality of the Jewish communities in Judea and Samaria,” added TPS.
Anti-Israel activists frequently claim Jews have no right to live in Judea and Samaria, despite the fact that it served as the breadbasket for the Jewish people and represents the biblical heartland. Around half a million Jewish Israelis currently live there, in thriving communities.
Upon seeing Psagot wine in the photos of the White House seder, anti-Israel mouthpieces took to Twitter to insult Jews who live in Judea and Samara as “colonizers” and “illegal settlers,” ignoring the fact that Jews are in fact indigenous to this region.
At the White House seder itself, the Jewish people’s flight from slavery in Egypt and journey to the Land of Israel, where Psagot wine is now made, was celebrated.
“Ever since I was a kid, I’ve been inspired by the story of Exodus, whose retelling serves as the heart of our Seder experience. And I know I’m not alone,” Emhoff said a the seder. “Generations of my ancestors and many of yours have turned to the redemptive promise of the Passover narrative as a source of hope. To endure prejudice, persecution and pogroms. To survive expulsions and to seek emancipation. To believe in a possibility of a promised land and to know it’s not beyond your reach.”
“Actress and Jeopardy host Mayim Bialik, introduced the four questions, which were recited by children from The Shefa School—a New York-based day school for students with language-based disabilities,” reported JNS.
“We’re at a time in history yet again where the story of exile and exodus is upon us as the world watches a war play out in Ukraine, a country where many of my own ancestors and many of our ancestors fled just a few generations ago,” Bialik said.