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In a controversial statement, President Joe Biden claimed he was "raised in the synagogues" in Delaware, on Thursday, September 14, 2023, ahead of Rosh HaShanah, the Jewish New Year that began on Friday. Addressing the rabbis, he alleged:
"I, you might say, was raised in the synagogues of my state. You think I’m kidding, I’m not."
Biden named three rabbis, including a current one at the Beth Shalom congregation in Wilmington, Delaware, calling it a "home of countless friends for me."
According to the New York Post, in the 80-year-old's memoir, Promises to Keep, there is no mention of Beth Shalon or any other synagogue. Any uses of the words Jew or Jewish in the book have been in relation to history and politics. Additionally, his 2017 book, Promise Me, Dad, too doesn't contain many references to Judaism.
The 46th President had previously claimed he was "sort of raised" by the state's Puerto Rican community, despite there being less than 2000 Puerto Ricans living in Delaware when he was launching his career. Biden had not mentioned any significant connections with the community in the past.
Needless to say, the internet was quick to troll him for his claims, and one user even called him a real Renaissance man.
Netizens criticize Joe Biden for synagogue claims, say he has made a career of lying
As news of Biden claiming to be raised on synagogues spread, internet users were quick to criticize him for inflating personal connections for political gains. Many expressed disappointment at being constantly lied to. They shared some sarcastic quips and joked about his past claims.
Past claims by Joe Biden that sparked controversies
In addition to Thursday's statement, the Delaware native has made several other claims which reportedly have very little to zero evidence.
He claimed he was involved with civil rights activism and even arrested while fighting in the moment. In 1987, he stated he was not as involved.
In 2021, he told Jewish leaders he remembers spending time and going to the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh in 2018. At the time, 11 people were murdered in the worst anti-Semitic attack in the United States. However, the institution discredited that claim saying he never visited.
The same year he alleged that his first job offer came from a local wood and lumber business called Boise Cascade, which the company denied.
Biden has not addressed the current controversy.
