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Title: A Senator’s Gift to the Jews, Nonreturnable
Source:
NYT
URL Source: [None]
Published: Dec 9, 2009
Author: Mark Leibovich
Post Date: 2009-12-09 22:07:37 by Prefrontal Vortex
Keywords: None
Views: 241
Comments: 8
By MARK LEIBOVICH WASHINGTON — The canon of Hanukkah songs written by Mormon senators from Utah just got a little bigger. Senator Orrin G. Hatch, a solemn-faced Republican with a soft spot for Jews and a love of Barbra Streisand, has penned a catchy holiday tune, “Eight Days of Hanukkah.” The video was posted Tuesday night on Tablet, an online magazine of Jewish lifestyle and culture, just in time for Hanukkah. Known around the Senate as a prolific writer of Christian hymns and patriotic melodies, Mr. Hatch, 75, said this was his first venture into Jewish music. It will not be his last. “Anything I can do for the Jewish people, I will do,” Mr. Hatch said in an interview before heading to the Senate floor to debate an abortion amendment. “Mormons believe the Jewish people are the chosen people, just like the Old Testament says.” In short, he loves the Jews. And based on an early sampling of listeners, the feeling could be mutual. “Watching Orrin Hatch in the studio, I said to myself that nothing this great will ever happen to me again,” said Alana Newhouse, the editor-in-chief of Tablet. Set against a bouncy synthesizer beat, the song begins: “Hanukkah, oh Hanukkah, The festival of light/ In Jerusalem, The oil burned bright.” Adding to the project’s only-in-America mishmash is that the song is performed by Rasheeda Azar, a Syrian-American vocalist from Indiana. But Mr. Hatch is the song’s unquestioned prime mover, or macher. He is featured in the video, sitting stoic in the studio, head bobbing slightly, donning earphones and contributing backup vocals. The song’s contagious refrain goes: “Eight days of Hanukkah, Come let’s celebrate. Eight days of Hanukkah, Let’s celebrate tonight, Hey!” At one point, Mr. Hatch unbuttons his white dress shirt to expose the golden mezuzah necklace he wears every day. Mezuzahs also adorn the doorways of his homes in Washington and Utah. Mr. Hatch keeps a Torah in his Senate office. “Not a real Torah, but sort of a mock Torah,” he said. “I feel sorry I’m not Jewish sometimes.” The genesis of “Eight Days of Hanukkah” came a decade ago. Mr. Hatch was considering a run for the presidency in the campaign eventually won by George W. Bush (Mr. Hatch wound up writing a song for Mr. Bush’s second inaugural, titled “Heal Our Land”). He was discussing his love of songwriting with the writer Jeffrey Goldberg, a well-known mensch-about-town in Washington with a longtime grievance against “the general lameness of Hanukkah music.” (As a columnist for The Jerusalem Post years earlier, Mr. Goldberg had organized a “write-a-new-song-for-Hanukkah contest” that attracted 200 entries, most of them — in his estimation — “dreck.”) He asked Mr. Hatch if he would write a Hanukkah song. The senator said he would, but never did. Mr. Goldberg, who now writes for The Atlantic, mentioned the decade-old promise in his blog last year a few days before Christmas. A day later, Mr. Hatch sent him an apologetic e-mail message that included the first five stanzas of “Eight Days of Hanukkah.” “I am willing to serve as a Semitic song muse for any United States senator,” Mr. Goldberg said. “God forbid any of the Jewish senators write a Hanukkah song.” Mr. Hatch enlisted his collaborator, Madeline Stone, a Jewish songwriter from the Upper West Side of Manhattan who specializes in Christian music. “I’m a pretty liberal Democrat,” Ms. Stone said. “But it became more about the music and the friendship for me and Orrin.” The song was recorded in October at a studio in Manhattan. Mr. Hatch speaks of “Eight Days of Hanukkah” as a gift to the Jewish people. “This song means more to me than most of the songs I have ever written,” he said. “People need to know the story of Hanukkah. It was a miracle.” He said his ultimate goal would be for his idol, Ms. Streisand, to perform one of his songs. “It would be good for her and good for me,” Mr. Hatch said, while acknowledging that given her outspoken liberalism, that union might require another miracle.
A Senator’s Gift to the Jews, Nonreturnable
Published: December 8, 2009
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#1. To: Prefrontal Vortex (#0)
I'll take the man at his word and be forewarned.
_________________________________________________________________________ Anyone got that verse? Anyone got the verse where it says Abraham was a jew? Please post. Like so many mindless zombies who parrot the business about Jews being the "Chosen People," Asshat Orrin has never stopped to think about exactly what that's supposed to mean. It does NOT mean that Jews are to be treated like gods or receive special favor or privileges. If it meant that, then Jesus wouldn't have excoriated the Jewish religious leaders throughout the New Testament. The Jewish leaders of today appear to be far more evil than those in Jesus' time (largely because they have much more power), but US politicians just can't seem to kiss their asses enough. Fucking bastards.
_________________________________________________________________________ I feel sorry he isn't either. What a nut!
God is always good!
Impossible ! Abraham (previously named Abram) was never a "Jew" ... as a descendant of Eber he may have been a Hebrew, and since he came from Ur (of the Chaldees) he was Sumerian/Chaldean. 34 Which was the son of Jacob, which was the son of Isaac, which was the son of aAbraham, which was the son of Thara, which was the son of Nachor, 35 Which was the son of Saruch, which was the son of Ragau, which was the son of Phalec, which was the son of Heber, which was the son of Sala, 36 Which was the son of Cainan, which was the son of Arphaxad, which was the son of aSem, which was the son of Noe, The "term" Jew has been used to confuse the masses. If a "Jew" ever existed amongst the Hebrew people (Israelites) they would have been a rogue element of one tribe descended from Judah or the term may describe residents of Judea. Jesus actually pointed out some of the (Jews) Pharisees (todays Rabbis) as children of the devil at John 8. For whatever reason the scriptures are persistent in stating that Jesus could not walk amongst the Jews for fear of his life being taken before the proper time.
Doing what's right isn't always easy but it's always right.
A patriotic American would unscrew Hatch's head and shit in it.
Life is a tragedy to those who feel, and a comedy to those who think.
Anyone got that verse? The Old Testament states the opposite. bible.cc/isaiah/65-15.htm / http://kingjbible.com/isaiah/65.htm Chosen people status was passed on to the Christians. John 15:14 Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you. 15 Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you. 16 Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain:[see *** below] that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you. http://kingjbible.com/john/15.htm King James Bible 1 Peter 2:9 But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light; "...People's New Testament 2:9 But ye are a chosen generation. An elect race (Revised Version). God's chosen race, like ancient Israel. Christians are now the chosen people (Isa 43:21)....." *** Matthew 21:19 And when he saw a fig tree in the way, he came to it, and found nothing thereon, but leaves only, and said unto it, Let no fruit grow on thee henceforward for ever. And presently the fig tree withered away. Luke 13:6 He spake also this parable; A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard; and he came and sought fruit thereon, and found none. 7 Then said he unto the dresser of his vineyard, Behold, these three years I come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and find none: cut it down; why cumbereth it the ground? "...Geneva Study Bible {2} He spake also this parable; A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard; and he came and sought fruit thereon, and found none. (2) Great and long suffering is the patience of God, but yet he eventually executes judgment. People's New Testament 13:6-9 Had a fig tree planted. A common fruit in Palestine. It represents here the Jewish nation. Found none. The nation did not glorify God by fruitfulness in righteousness...." To reiterate: To the Jews: Let no fruit grow on thee henceforward for ever. To the Christians: John 15:16 Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: Fini. ============================= p.s. We're making progress. I just received a newsletter from a Baptist church which I had to drop out of because they were teaching Jewish fables. I sent them a letter telling them where to do some research on the Israel of God. In the newsletter, one of the biggest offenders wrote, "we are God's chosen people"!!! Hallelujah, I think they've seen the light.
"...as long as there..remain active enemies of the Christian church, we may hope to become Master of the World...the future Jewish King will never reign in the world before Christianity is overthrown - B'nai B'rith speech http://www.biblebelievers.org.au/luther.htm / http://bible.cc/psalms/83-4.htm
Jesus actually pointed out some of the (Jews) Pharisees (todays Rabbis) as children of the devil at John 8. The Old Testament states the opposite. Chosen people status was passed on to the Christians. Thank you, thank you.
_________________________________________________________________________ (((ping)))
_________________________________________________________________________“Anything I can do for the Jewish people, I will do,” Mr. Hatch said
"This man is Jesus,” shouted one man, spilling his Guinness as Barack Obama began his inaugural address. “When will he come to Kenya to save us?”
-Schweizerische Schuetzenzeitung (Swiss Shooting Federation) April, 1941
#2. To: Prefrontal Vortex (#0)
“Mormons believe the Jewish people are the chosen people, just like the Old Testament says.”
"This man is Jesus,” shouted one man, spilling his Guinness as Barack Obama began his inaugural address. “When will he come to Kenya to save us?”
-Schweizerische Schuetzenzeitung (Swiss Shooting Federation) April, 1941
#3. To: Prefrontal Vortex (#0)
“Not a real Torah, but sort of a mock Torah,” he said. “I feel sorry I’m not Jewish sometimes.”
#4. To: X-15 (#2)
Anyone got that verse? Anyone got the verse where it says Abraham was a jew? Please post.
#5. To: noone222 (#4)
#6. To: X-15 (#2)
“Mormons believe the Jewish people are the chosen people, just like the Old Testament says.”
#7. To: noone222, llTheKings'HorsesWontDoIt (#4)
Impossible ! Abraham (previously named Abram) was never a "Jew" ... as a descendant of Eber he may have been a Hebrew, and since he came from Ur (of the Chaldees) he was Sumerian/Chaldean.
"This man is Jesus,” shouted one man, spilling his Guinness as Barack Obama began his inaugural address. “When will he come to Kenya to save us?”
-Schweizerische Schuetzenzeitung (Swiss Shooting Federation) April, 1941
#8. To: AllTheKings'HorsesWontDoIt (#7)
"This man is Jesus,” shouted one man, spilling his Guinness as Barack Obama began his inaugural address. “When will he come to Kenya to save us?”
-Schweizerische Schuetzenzeitung (Swiss Shooting Federation) April, 1941
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