Hanukkah (additionally spelled Chanukah) is a yearly Jewish vacation commemorating the rededication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem, in addition to the miracle by which the cruse of oil used to gentle the Temple’s menorah lasted eight nights, as a substitute of 1. Not like with different winter holidays, Hanukkah motion pictures are severely underrepresented, and TV episodes do not fare a lot better.
Luckily, there are a number of TV specials that not solely have a good time the vacation, but additionally ship laughs, smiles, and an general wonderful viewing expertise. Higher but, these episodes span numerous age teams and genres, that means there’s certain to be one thing for the entire household to get pleasure from collectively.
8
“The One with the Vacation Armadillo”
Pals (Season 7, Episode 10)
- Launch Date
-
September 22, 1994
- Seasons
-
10
Pals is a well-loved sitcom about six pals residing in an residence in Manhattan. In the course of the vacation episode “The One with the Vacation Armadillo,” one of many pals, Ross (David Schwimmer) is decided to show his son, Ben, about Hanukkah. After Ben turns into upset that Santa will not be coming, Ross decides to shock him with a Santa swimsuit, solely to study the shop is out. As a substitute, he buys an armadillo costume and begins to inform Ben about Hanukkah.
When one other pal, Chandler, exhibits up in his personal Santa swimsuit, Ben’s consideration begins to waver—till “Santa” means that they each take heed to the Vacation Armadillo inform his story.
Hanukkah in a Christmas World
Ross’s battle rings true to many who’ve tried to take care of their vacation celebrations inside a world obsessive about Christmas. There’s nothing improper with this Christmas pleasure, however it could really feel just like the default. In that sense, Ben’s response to “actual” Santa is smart, however his later eagerness to study extra about his father’s tradition (and his personal) is heartwarming and inspiring.
7
“Heck of a Hanukkah”
Even Stevens (Season 1, Episode 15)
- Launch Date
-
June 17, 2000
- Forged
-
Christy Carlson Romano
, Shia LaBeouf
, Nick Spano
, Tom Advantage
, Donna Pescow
, A.J. Trauth
, Margo Harshman
, Fred Meyers
, Lauren Frost
, Jim Clever
, Steven Anthony Lawrence
, Kelli McCarty - Seasons
-
3
Even Stevens starred a younger Shia LaBeouf as Louis Stevens. The present usually involved his relationship along with his household or him moving into hassle, and the episode “Heck of a Hanukkah” focuses on each. Longing for presents, Louis finds after which opens them in secret, solely to by accident drop them out the window after making an attempt to cover them. Now grounded for Hanukkah, and pondering his household can be higher off with out him, Louis embarks on an It is a Great Life-esque journey to a world by which he was by no means born.
Hanukkah Meets Christmas
The references to It is a Great Life, an explicitly Christmas film, are a enjoyable solution to tie the 2 celebrations collectively. Moreover, the episode delivers humor alongside some really candy moments, and the general lesson about household is an effective one for all youngsters to listen to.
6
“A Blue’s Clues Competition of Lights”
Blue’s Clues (Season 3, Episode 4)
- Launch Date
-
June 29, 1995
- Forged
-
Traci Paige Johnson
, Aleisha Allen - Seasons
-
6
Blue’s Clues follows the adventures of a pet named Blue and her human pal—who has modified a number of occasions over time—as they seek for clues and remedy mysteries. Within the episode “A Blue’s Clues Competition of Lights,” Blue and one in all her pals, Josh, play Blue’s Clue’s so as to discover out which particular visitor is becoming a member of them for Hanukkah.
Easy and Profitable
A easy story, this one is nice for households with younger youngsters, however it could nonetheless be loved by older viewers. The scenes by which the characters take part in Hanukkah traditions, corresponding to enjoying with dreidels and making latkes, are particularly enjoyable.
Notably, throughout an earlier episode, “Blue’s Large Vacation,” there was one other nod to Hanukkah when one of many characters, Orange Kitty, was seen celebrating along with her human pal, Sam.
Associated
Why Hallmark’s Eight Items of Hanukkah is Definitely worth the Watch
Persevering with its custom, Hallmark is making an attempt to wrap its vacation method round Hanukkah. The query is, will it land or fall flat on its dreidel?
5
“A Christmas Story”
The Goldbergs (Season 3, Episode 10)
- Launch Date
-
September 24, 2013
- Seasons
-
10
The Goldbergs was based mostly on the real-life childhood of sequence’ creator, Adam F. Goldberg. Already rife with Jewish humor and experiences, the present featured a number of Hanukkah-centered episodes, the very best of which was “A Christmas Story.”
Paradoxically titled, “A Christmas Story” started with matriarch Bev (performed by Wendi McLendon-Covey) expressing jealousy over the vacation traditions of her neighbors, the Kremps. She then makes an attempt to unfold the Hanukkah spirit by inventing a brand new vacation, Tremendous Hanukkah, which is basically Christmas however with blue and silver wrappings (and a Hanukkah bush). Horrified, Pops (performed by the late George Segel) tries to cease her, and in the long run, she comes to understand that the Kremps’ vacation is not good, both, and that her actual traditions are value embracing.
One in every of Many Nice Hanukkah Episodes
That is removed from the one Goldbergs Hanukkah episode value including to your checklist. Another episodes that point out or highlight the vacation embody “The Goldbergs Han Ukkah Solo,” “We Did not Begin the Fireplace,” and “Hanukkah on the Seas.” Every of those episodes introduced one thing new and attention-grabbing to the sequence whereas staying firmly rooted within the vacation celebration.
4
“The Hanukkah Story”
The Nanny (Season 6, Episode 10)
The Nanny
- Launch Date
-
November 3, 1993
- Forged
-
Charles Shaughnessy
, Fran Drescher
, Maurice LaMarche
, Daniel Davis
, Lauren Lane
, Nicholle Tom
, Benjamin Salisbury
, Madeline Zima
, Ann Morgan Guilbert
, Rachel Chagall
, Renée Taylor
, Lainie Kazan
, Céline Dion
, Joyce Brothers
, Michael McKean
, Dina Merrill
, Jane Seymour
, Blanche Rubin
, Ian Buchanan
, Burt Bacharach
, Corbin Bernsen
, Roger Kern
, Catherine Oxenberg
, Donna Dixon
, Derek Webster
The Nanny tells the story of the nasally, trendy Fran High quality, performed by Fran Drescher, who works as a nanny for the prosperous Sheffield household. After a number of seasons, Fran and Maxwell Sheffield (performed by Charles Shaughnessy) notice their love for one another and marry. The episode “The Hanukkah Story” marks their first vacation collectively as husband and spouse, however issues begin off on a nasty notice when Maxwell plans a enterprise journey in the course of the first evening of Hanukkah. Finally, he realizes he’d quite be with Fran for the vacation and tries to get again to her, solely to drive off the highway, get caught, and must depend on a restricted quantity of fuel to remain heat.
Jewish Pleasure
The Nanny as an entire is a celebration of Jewish tradition, usually that includes Yiddish, mentions of Jewish meals, and references to different Jewish holidays. On this episode, the fuel in Mr. Sheffield’s automotive lasts for eight hours as a substitute of 1, just like how the oil throughout Hanukkah lasted eight days. It is a cute element that does loads for the episode, as do the flashbacks displaying how Maxwell and Fran used to have a good time the vacations.
3
“The Finest Chrismukkah Ever”
The O.C. (Season 1, Episode 13)
- Launch Date
-
August 5, 2003
- Seasons
-
4
Ryan Atwood, performed by Ben McKenzie, strikes to The O.C. to reside with the prosperous Cohen household after his mother kicks him out. Many of the episodes centered on Ryan making an attempt to adapt to his new upper-class setting whereas constructing relationships along with his new adopted household, together with brother Seth (Adam Brody). In the course of the episode “The Finest Chrismukkah Ever,” Ryan is uncovered to the distinctive Cohen custom of mixing Christmas and Hanukkah celebrations. Whereas not overly wanting to take part, attributable to a tumultuous Christmas previous, Ryan winds up becoming a member of the Cohens for a number of the festivities, implicitly realizing that he can grow to be a part of theirs any more.
A Actual-World Spin on the Vacation
Many Jewish youngsters in interfaith or intercultural houses rejoiced at this episode, because it mixed their two worlds collectively. They’d much more to sit up for when later seasons of the present as soon as once more celebrated the vacation. Although Chrismukkah did not take off to the diploma Seth had hoped, it is nonetheless celebrated by real-world folks right now, a lot in the identical means as Seinfeld’s Festivus.
Associated
The Finest Jewish Comedy Motion pictures
Jewish comedy is virtually second to none, from stand-ups like Jerry Seinfeld and Lenny Bruce to filmmakers like Mel Brooks and Sascha Baron Cohen.
2
“My Mother, Greg’s Mother and Josh’s Candy Dance Strikes!”
Loopy Ex-Girlfriend (Season 1, Episode 8)
- Launch Date
-
October 12, 2015
- Seasons
-
4
Rebecca Bunch, performed by Rachel Bloom, is the titular Loopy Ex-Girlfriend who strikes to West Covina for a shot at love along with her ex-boyfriend, Josh, performed by Vincent Rodriguez III. Rebecca is stricken by emotional and psychological well being points, and her mom, Naomi (Tovah Feldshuh), solely makes them worse.
Within the episode, “My Mother, Greg’s Mother and Josh’s Candy Dance Strikes!,” Naomi involves spend Hanukkah with Rebecca, who lies about reaching nice success since transferring to California. Towards the top of the episode, Naomi learns that Rebecca is not telling the reality, and the 2 have a heart-to-heart dialog (…no less than as a lot as Naomi can).
Stereotypical however Relatable
That is removed from the one episode of Loopy Ex-Girlfriend centered on Jewish tradition, however it is among the finest. Whereas stereotypical, there are actually Jewish mothers like Naomi, and her different character traits—and wonderful tune—make her general pleasurable to look at. Rebecca’s battle to impress her and to talk out towards her can also be relatable, and it might later inform a number of different episodes of the present.
1
“A Rugrats Chanukah”
Rugrats (Season 4, Episode 1)
A Rugrats Chanukah
- Launch Date
-
December 4, 1996
- Forged
-
Christine Cavanaugh
, Elizabeth Each day
, Kath Soucie
, Cheryl Chase
, Michael Bell
, Melanie Chartoff
, Jack Riley
, David Doyle
, Fyvush Finkel
, Tress MacNeille
, Ron Leibman
, Alan Rachins
, Alan Rosenberg
, Bruce Younger Berman - Runtime
-
24 minutes
The Rugrats sequence adopted the adventures of infants Tommy, Chuckie, Phil, and Lil, in addition to Tommy’s cousin, Angelica. In the course of the episode, “A Rugrats Chanukah,” the infants discovered a part of the story of Hanukkah earlier than going to see Tommy’s Grandpa Boris as Judah in a play. Upon listening to that Boris’s former rival, Shlomo, can be enjoying the Greek king, the infants started calling him the “Meanie of Chanukah” and vowed to defeat him. Finally, Shlomo and Boris reconciled and Boris advised the infants the remainder of the story.
A Good Gentle
Already identified for its Passover particular, “A Rugrats Chanukah” was a welcome addition to the sequence, and for a lot of Jewish folks, it was their first expertise seeing the vacation depicted on-screen. At present, the episode remains to be remembered fondly, and it is a fantastic solution to introduce youngsters to the vacation or to honor it as an grownup.
As Shlomo stated, “A menorah is just like the night-light of our folks. In occasions of darkness, it shines on the world.” This episode and those earlier than it additionally shine brightly, reminding viewers that illustration issues, and variations ought to be celebrated.