- Top five musical suggestions for your Hanukkah party:
1. “Woody Guthrie’s Happy Joyous Hanukkah” by The Klezmatics. Woody Guthrie’s second wife and three of his children were Jewish, and he wrote some fine Hanukkah songs in his day. The youngest of these children, Nora, approached The Klezmatics and asked them if they would write music for Guthrie’s Hanukkah lyrics. The result is nothing short of spectacular.
2. “Barenaked for Hanukkah” by The Barenaked Ladies, an EP featuring three songs, including a rousing version of “Hanukkah O Hanukkah.”
3. “Mr. Hankey’s Christmas Classics.” This “South Park” soundtrack features two of the funniest and most offensive Hanukkah songs ever, and they are definitely for adult ears only. Key tracks: “The Lonely Jew on Christmas” and “Dreidel, Dreidel, Dreidel.”
4. “Gods of Fire: Hanukkah Gone Metal.” Truly glorious. If Ronnie James Dio were Jewish, this is how he would have sounded.
5. “The Latke Song” by Debbie Friedman: A kid’s favorite with a disco beat. Shake your tuchus to this one!
6. Honorable Mention: “The Chanukah Song Parts I, II, and III” by Adam Sandler. The now classic Hanukkah song first performed on “Saturday Night Live” in 1994. It just isn’t Hanukkah until I hear this tune. is just an added bonus.”
- Top five Hanukkah TV and movie moments:
1. “A Rugrats Chanukah.” The Jewish answer to “A Charlie Brown Christmas,” this TV special tells the story of Hanukkah via the toddler heroes of “Rugrats.” In 1999, “TV Guide” said of it: “The babies acting out their own version of the story is enough to entertain a child of any religious denomination, so learning the historical meaning behind latkes and dreidels is just an added bonus.” As Tommy Pickles would say, “A Macababy’s gotta do what a Macababy’s gotta do.”
2. “The Night Hanukkah Harry saved Christmas.” You definitely don’t want to miss Jon Lovitz as beloved Hanukkah Harry from “Saturday Night Live” on hulu.com or nbc.com. “On Moische, on Herschel, on Schlomo!”
3. The Hebrew Hammer. When Hanukkah is under attack, only the Hebrew Hammer can come to everyone’s rescue and save the holiday. As a latter-day Judah the Hammer, this film’s antihero downs shots of “Manischewitz, straight up” before disposing of the bad guys. A clever parody of the blaxploitation movies of the early 1970s, this flick will provide ample laughs as you and your family members digest your holiday latkes.
4. “Can I Interest You in Hanukkah” sung by Jon Stewart to Stephen Colbert on “A Colbert Christmas.” In 2008, comedian Stephen Colbert was serenaded by Mr. Stewart — to great comedic effect — on the “joys” of Hanukkah, with lyrics such as: “It’s not my least unfavorite time of year.”
5. “Shalom Sesame: Hanukkah at Bubbe’s.” Muppets and menorahs — really all you need for silly holiday fun.
