Mort Klein of the ZOA tells me he’s heard from others troubled by the sequencing in President Barack Obama’s inauguration address – "Christians and Muslims, Jews and Hindus – and non-believers."
Time will tell whether he has a case, but, meantime, here’s Obama speaking in his first TV interview as president to al-Arabiya, the Saudi-owned station, part of his outreach to the Muslim world:
And so what I want to communicate is the fact that in all my travels throughout the Muslim world, what I’ve come to understand is that regardless of your faith — and America is a country of Muslims, Jews, Christians, non-believers — regardless of your faith, people all have certain common hopes and common dreams.
Okay, now Muslims are on top! But! Jews come next! What does all of this mean? Has the president been boning up on his Maimonides?
And what happened to the Hindus?
Help ensure Jewish news remains accessible to all. Your donation to the Jewish Telegraphic Agency powers the trusted journalism that has connected Jewish communities worldwide for more than 100 years. With your help, JTA can continue to deliver vital news and insights. Donate today.