Jewish community leaders, clergy, elected officials and professionals from across the Commonwealth gathered on December 14 at the Executive Mansion for an early Hanukkah celebration. Only the third such party held at the Mansion, Governor Terry McAuliffe and his wife Dorothy welcomed guests to their home on Capitol Square.
Designed by Alexander Parris, the Executive Mansion is the oldest occupied governor’s home in the United States, having served Virginia governors and their families since 1813.
Offering a warm welcome to more than 100 members of the Jewish community, the Governor and his wife introduced their daughter Mary, just back from more than a year in Israel, after planning to stay for only one semester.
While the Governor did not mention it as he didn’t want to take away from the festivities of the evening, word spread quickly of his sign on earlier in the day to the American Jewish Committee’s ‘Governors Against BDS’ campaign, becoming the 35th governor to sign on to their initiative.
Jewish members of Virginia’s legislature in attendance included Senator Adam Ebban and Delegate Eileen Filler- Corn. Also in attendance was longtime Virginia House of Delegates member, Alan Diamonstein and former mayor of Newport News, Joe Frank.
“Governor McAuliffe is a truly great leader, a passionate advocate for Virginia and a strong supporter of Israel and our Virginia-Israel Advisory Board,” says Jay Klebanoff, United Jewish Federation of Tidewater’s president.
“The Governor has traveled to Israel seeking and promoting Virginia-Israel business opportunities. He has also signed on to AJC’s initiative as a Governor against BDS. This was the third Hanukah party hosted by Governor McAuliffe and he is the first governor in Virginia history to formally celebrate Hanukah at the Governor’s Mansion. That says a lot,” says Klebanoff.
Visit the CRC’s Facebook page at www. facebook.com/CRCUJFT to send a thank you note to Governor McAuliffe for signing on to the AJC’s Governors Against BDS initiative or contact Wendy Weissman, assistant CRC director, at 965-6107 or WWeissman@ujft.org.
– Robin Mancoll