Rabbi Dr. Ari Berman, President of Yeshiva University, Modern Orthodox Jewry's flagship institution of higher education, will give one of the benedictions for President-elect Trump's inauguration on January 20.
Rabbi Berman will be joined in giving benedictions by Imam Husham al-Husainy of the Karbalaa Islamic Center, Senior Pastor Lorenzo Sewell of the 180 Church Detroit, and Reverend Father Frank Mann of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Brooklyn, New York.
The giving of a benediction at a Presidential inaugural began with the second inaugural of President Franklin Roosevelt in 1937. It was given by Father John A. Ryan, a Catholic Professor of the Catholic University of America.
The first Jewish prayer was given at the inauguration of President Harry Truman in 1949 by Reform Rabbi Samuel Thurman of the United Hebrew Congregation in St. Louis, Missouri.
President Dwight Eisenhower's first inaugural was given a Jewish prayer by Reform Rabbi Abba Hillel Silver in 1953, and his second inaugural was given one in 1957 by Conservative Rabbi Louis Finkelstein.
Reform Rabbi Nelson Gleuck gave the Jewish inaugural prayer at the inauguration of John F. Kennedy in 1961, and Reform Rabbi Hyman Judah Schachtel did so for the inauguration of President Lyndon Johnson in 1965.
Reform Rabbi Edgar Magnin gave the Jewish inaugural prayer at President Richard Nixon's first inaugural in 1969, and Conservative Rabbi Seymour Siegel gave one at Nixon's second inaugural in 1973.
Jews did not give an inaugural prayer for President Jimmy Carter's inaugural or President Ronald Reagan's first inaugural. His second inaugural included a prayer by Reform Rabbi Alfred Gottschalk.
No Jewish prayers were given for the inaugurations of Presidents George HW Bush, Bill Clinton, George W Bush, or Barack Obama.
Rabbi Marvin Heir was the first Orthodox Rabbi to give a benediction or prayer at a presidential inaugural at President Donald Trump's first inaugural in 2017. Now Rabbi Dr. Berman will give the second in a week's time.
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