September 17, 2008 | 7:06 pm

Streisand opens Obama fundraiser with Talmud lesson

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Barbra Streisand at Obama fundraiser

When Barbra Streisand took to the stage to sing at a Sept. 16 fundraiser for presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama, she opened not with a song, not with a joke, but with . . .Talmud.

According to an eyewitness report from an ardent Obama-ite, the star, who played a male yeshiva student in Yentl, recalled for the assembled Democratic elite of Hollywood a lesson she learned, oh, a few years ago as a child in Hebrew school: “To save one life is to save the world.”

As the eyewitness told Hollywood Jew:

“It was a thrill of a lifetime to attend tonight’s reception for who I hope will be the 44th President of our United States.

“There was a huge crowd at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel…Phil and I had amazing seats because as those of you who know my husband know that when he sees a sign that says “Do not enter” he actually reads it as “Phil enter here”  so we ended up sitting in the VIP section in the front row just to the left of the stage.

“Ben Harper sang and played his guitar but of course he was the warm up act for none other than…BARBRA STRIESAND!!!  She began by talking about the TALMUD!!! (Honestly and truly, I kid you not)

“She recalled how she was a child in Jewish religious school where she learned that, ‘To save a life is to save the world’ and that Barack has dedicated his entire life to improving the lives of others.  She went on to say that Obama gives us faith in the promise of the American Dream.  She then sang ‘make someone happy’ and ended it singing:

‘We know Barack is the answer…he’ll make us all so very happy…and the world will be happy too…’

“She said she gets so upset to hear that the McCain/Palin ticket says they are about change… ‘What change?’ she asked ‘From bad to worse?’

“Other songs followed and then…

“It was time for Obama to speak and speak he did…about how our country is SO off track and how we must reclaim it for the sake of our children…he pointed out that we are now living the reverse of the American Dream where this generation is not living as well as our parents did…he spoke about how America needs to be the light in the world again…he is without doubt articulate, poised, and most importantly…PRESIDENTIAL!

“He said he is asked how is able to remain so calm when the race is so close and he says he has faith in the American people that come election day they will not choose to continue down the same destructive path we are on and they will in fact vote for a real change…to end the futile war in Iraq/to improve the economy/to make health care affordable for all Americans/to vote for women’s rights/civil rights and for a better more optimistic life for all!

“Barack ended by saying we all need to pitch in these last 48 days before the election…perhaps canvass in Nevada where the race is so close…encourage people to register to vote…do your part to encourage people on the fence to vote for real change!