People of all ages gathered at Neveh Shalom on Jan. 20 to witness the historic inauguration of Barak Obama

Generations experience inauguration together

By DEBORAH MOON

article created on: 2009-02-01T00:00:00

From preschoolers to seniors, dozens of people cheered, cried and rejoiced at Congregation Neveh Shalom as they watched the historic inauguration of President Barak Obama.

“A major event such as this should not be experienced alone, but in the fellowship of others,” said Neveh Shalom Rabbi Daniel Isaak in an email inviting the community to share the experience. “In many ways as Jews we can identify with the African-American experience, so Obama’s story is our story,” he explained at the gathering.

His wife, Carol Isaak, concurred: “This is our victory as well. We gave our time and our money and our lives (to the civil rights movement).”

Rabbi Isaak said that after President Bush’s solid support for Israel, many in the Jewish community had concerns about whether that support would continue with the next president.

“We have reason to believe our concerns are also the next president’s concerns,” Isaak said shortly before Obama was sworn in. “Not only Israel, but also caring for the underprivileged, healthcare and so many things at the top of the Jewish agenda are also at the top of Obama’s agenda.”

A few parents brought their preschoolers to view the inauguration, with at least two sitting attentively throughout the morning.

Betsy Rubin brought 5-year-old Emma to see the inauguration because “I wanted her to witness history and I wanted her to have as a memory that she watched this live.”

Eli Katz, 5, seemed enthralled by the show. His father Jeff, who also wanted his son to see the historic moment, said that Eli and his older sister had been very interested in the whole election process.

Michelle Caplan’s 9-year-old daughter Jennifer wasn’t in the crowd, but she still influenced how her mother viewed the event.

“It’s amazing to watch this through my children’s eyes,” said Caplan, “Jennifer said ‘There are a lot of things Martin Luther King couldn’t do and now Barak Obama can do them.’”

Caplan actually had a three-generation view of the event since her parents Ron and Barbara Blumenthal had tickets to the inauguration and sent their impressions to her during the morning: “We were witnesses to history certainly shared the enthusiasm of the crowd of two million.”

Throughout the ceremony people nodded, applauded and cried. Kleenex were passed freely about the room.

Julie Monahan sobbed numerous times.

“I voted for John McCain, but I know this is a day of history,” she said. “Sitting here with my friends, I’m so happy. My daughter is seeing history today. Praise be to God.”

As the ceremony concluded, Giselle Bawnick noted, “It was really necessary to share at a time when we are in a crisis and we need the support of each other. To have a president give us hope and faith based on intelligence and care and reasoning is very encouraging.”