Although we have eight nights of celebration instead of just the one, we Jews do not have nearly as many catchy Hanukkah-related pop songs. Year after year, Adam Sandler practically carries the Hanukkah song genre on his back with his legendary “The Chanukah Song.” If you’ve never heard it before, “The Chanukah Song” is basically a long list of Jewish celebrities.
But it’s been a hot minute since we’ve gotten an update — the OG song came out in 1994, and the latest edition is almost 10 years old. I’ll leave the rhyming to Sandler, but I will share my updated list of celebs you may not know have Jewish roots. And to spice things up, I’ll also dream up what each star would bring to my Hanukkah party.
- Timothée Chalamet: Gelt
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You definitely know about Timothée Chalamet’s outstanding performances in films like Call Me By Your Name and Dune, but you may not have known about his Jewish background— his mom is half-Russian Jewish and half-Austrian Jewish. His newest film, Wonka, premieres on the last night of Hanukkah. Because Timothée has spent so much time getting into the mindset of the wacky chocolatier, I think he would bring gelt to remind him of his beloved chocolate factory and manifest an equally gold and shiny Academy Award.
- Doja Cat: sufganiyot
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You Need to Know that Doja Cat is actually Jewish, too! Doja’s mom is of Ashkenazi Jewish descent. As a pop princess, Doja would definitely serve something sweet and fun: her sufganiyot would be the life of the party. Just like Doja loves to keep us guessing with her catchy lyrics and iconic music videos, these donuts are jelly-filled with surprises — just as long as I don’t spill jam on myself and Paint the Town Red!
- Gwenyth Paltrow: Hanukkah Candles
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If you’re a Gleek like me, you remember Gwenyth Paltrow as Holly Holliday—but you may be surprised to find out that Hanukkah could just be Gwenyth’s favorite Holliday. In addition to her father being Jewish, Gwenyth converted to Judaism in 2014. For all you non-Glee watchers out there (if you even exist), then you definitely associate Gwenyth with her infamous lifestyle brand Goop. Goop is no stranger to candles, so I could totally see Gwenyth bringing some Goop Hanukkah candles for my menorah.
- Andrew Garfield: Dreidels
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He’s not just our friendly neighborhood Spiderman — Andrew Garfield is also Jewish. Despite growing up in a non-religious household, Andrew said his Jewishness especially resonates. I don’t really know how I landed on this one, but I think Andrew is just a goofy guy who loves a silly little game. He would bring some dreidels; maybe they could even be Spiderman-themed (if those are a thing)!
- P!NK: Kugel
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P!NK is another celeb very connected to her Jewish identity. The singer has publicly expressed her Jewish pride on social media, like in this sweet video of her celebrating Hanukkah with her kids. P!NK made it pretty clear how she would Get the Party Started: she posted her mom’s kugel recipe on Instagram and even made it on TikTok Live. Kugel is one of my favorite Jewish dishes, so I may just have to Try P!NK’s recipe!
- Zoë Kravitz: Apple Sauce and Sour cream
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Not only is Zoë Kravitz another Jewish celebrity, but she is not the only one in her family. Born to singer Lenny Kravitz and actress Lisa Bonet, both of Zoë’s parents have Jewish ancestry. Zoë is one of my ultimate style inspirations (I’m literally obsessed with every one of these looks). I am confident she would do a great job at dressing up the latkes by bringing apple sauce and sour cream.
- Jake Gyllenhaal: Ketchup
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Reading this article was The Moment I Knew Jake Gyllenhaal would be lighting the menorah this Hanukkah. Raised in an interfaith household, Jake said he feels very connected to his Jewish heritage. Most Swifties know Jake as the man behind “All Too Well,” so he would bring something controversial and Re-e-e-ed: ketchup. Some enjoy noshing on ketchup-coated latkes, but I firmly believe ketchup and latkes should Never, Ever, Ever be eaten together.
- Troye Sivan: Latkes
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Timotheé Chalamet and Troye Sivan aren’t just connected by that SNL sketch: they are also both Jewish! Even though Ross Lynch caught most people’s eyes in the “One of Your Girls” music video, you can also spot Troye’s Star of David necklace if you look closely. I think Troye would want Something to Give Each Other and help me make latkes. We would fry those bad boys up in a lightning speed, latke-prepping Rush.
Here were the eight Jewish celebrities. Regardless of whether you are a “Hanukkah” or “Chanukah” speller, I hope you liked my little list a-LATKE. Happy Hanukkah!