Doug Emhoffis opening up about his historic role as second gentleman of the United States, and as the first Jewish spouse of a president or vice president.
Speaking toPoliticoin a profile published Friday, the 57-year-old Emhoff — who is married to Vice PresidentKamala Harris— told the outlet his faith has played an unexpectedly large role in his duties as Second Gentleman.
“I went in anticipating: ‘Who is going to care that I’m Jewish?’ " he said. “I didn’t expect to feel the way I felt about being in this role.”
Indeed, Emhoff’s Jewish faith has played a large role in his public life since his wife came to office.
Last April, he celebrated Passover at the Virtual National Rainbow Seder with LGBTQ people.
Then, in November, helit the first candle at the National Menorah lighting ceremonyto celebrate the start of Hanukkah, using his speech to tout the need to address intolerance and hate against Jewish communities.
Doug Emhoff.Ron Sachs/UPI/Shutterstock
That same evening, Emhoff and Harris lit a menorah at their home at the Number One Observatory Circle in Washington, laterposting a photo of the moment on Twitter.
Speaking toPoliticothis week, though, Emhoff said he was never that religious growing up. It was only later in life that he realized his faith was unique. “Being an entertainment lawyer in Hollywood you’re kind of like, ‘Wow, wait, everyone is not Jewish?’ " he said.
Speaking toTIMEin November, Emhoff said life “changed on a dime, without any time to breathe or reflect,” when Harris was picked asJoe Biden’s running mate late in the summer of 2020.
“I’m doing things that I probably wouldn’t have done,” Emhoff told TIME — which, it seems, includes celebrating his heritage in unique ways:re-visiting his childhood temple,preppingfor Passover Seder andmaking matzowith Jewish students, as he did this Wednesday.
And while he left his more than three-decade career as an entertainment lawyer to join his wife in Washington, D.C., Emhoff has carved out a new identity for himself.
From left: Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff and Vice President Kamala Harris.Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images
“When you see a bunch of kids cheering for someone they see in this position who is Jewish,” he said toPolitico: “I was reflecting, 40 something years ago, if I was in this assembly and you told me there was going to be a Jew married to the vice president, I would have said, ‘There’s no way. There is just no way.’ "
Emhoff, who exited his firm ahead of the inauguration and joinedGeorgetown University Law Centerto teach an entertainment law course, has previously marveled at his circumstances.
Speaking toTodaylast June, he said he thinks about how he got to this point “every minute of every day.”
“And sometimes she and I will look at each other and just — I’ll say, ‘You’re the vice president of the United States,’ and she’ll say, ‘You’re the second gentleman of the United States.’ "
source: people.com
