In his closing speech of his Middle East tour, Joe Biden spoke extensively of his special connection to Israel's leaders and his visits to the State of Israel – from the days of Golda Meir, through Rabin, to Netanyahu, Bennet, and Lapid.
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Nobody told us about the president's special family connection to the Jewish People: all the Biden children have married Jews.
The eldest son, Beau, who passed away several years ago after battling cancer, married a Jewish woman by the name of Hallie Olivere. Both their children, Natalie and Robert, are Jewish by halacha [Jewish law]. Son Hunter is currently married to Melissa Cohen, a South African Jewess. Hunter also tattooed the Hebrew word Shalom [meaning "peace"] on his arm, to express empathy with his wife's tattoo. Hunter and Melissa have one child, also he is Jewish. His name: Beau, named after his deceased uncle. The younger daughter Ashley also married a Jew, Howard Crane. The US media reports that at their wedding Biden even joked that his dream has now come true and he has a Jewish son-in-law who is a doctor.
The story of the Biden family mirrors the family stories of the US political elite in recent years. Vice President, Kamala Harris, is married to a Jew, Douglas Emhoff, who is the first Jew in American history who is married to a vice president. Ms. Harris does not have children of her own and she has adopted her husband's Jewish children. Former President Donald Trump also has a Jewish son-in-law, Jared Kushner and he married Ivanka, who also converted to Judaism. Chelsea Clinton, daughter of Hilary and Bill, is married to a Jew, Marc Mezvinsky.
The collection of these names is no coincidence. US presidents' Jewish Mishpucha mirrors the complex story of this Jewry: on the one hand a phenomenal success, while, on the other, some would call it assimilation
The US Jewish community has reached the peak of American politics. There might not be a Jewish president in the foreseen future (first let's see Americans vote in a woman for president…), but in 2000 Joe Lieberman was almost elected as Vice President (to Al Gore). American Jews have succeeded in integrating into the general society and their marriages to the leading elite prove that the latter regards them as suitable and respectable spouses.
On the other hand, this story shows how commonly mixed marriages are among American Jews. More than 50% of American Jews marry non-Jews. I don't want to start an argument if and how we can ensure significant Jewish continuity under such circumstances, but from a Jewish-Israeli standpoint, this is a challenge that is difficult to achieve.
So, we are facing a complex reality. Our Jewish brethren in the USA are at the peak of their success, but only time will tell what the outcome of this success will be.
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