8 videos for 8 nights of Hanukkah 2019
I’ve never seen Jewish music as just entertainment. It’s a tool we can use to connect to our higher values, to each other, and to ourselves. And these days. Hanukkah is Ground Zero for Jewish music, culture, and creativity.
Here are this year’s best new Hanukkah videos for this year, as ranked on Bagels.TV.
Six13 – A Star Wars Hanukkah
Everything Six13 does is excellent. As with their Queen tribute Bohemian Chanukah last year, every a capella note hits perfectly. Hanukkah’s candle lighting blessings fit perfectly into the famous Star Wars intro, and things get even better from there.
2. Nissim Black – Eight Flames
I’m glad I didn’t compile this list before Hanukkah. Nissim Black’s Hanukkah rap only came out around the time I was lighting the third candle, but I’m really glad we didn’t miss it. Nissim is a former gangsta rapper from Seattle who converted and became a Hasid living in Jerusalem, and this song is really powerful.
3. James Corden and Boyz II Menorah– A Week and a Day
Okay, James Corden, you can be Jewish too. The Late Late Show host teams up with a group called Boyz II Menorah to record a, umm, sexy Hanukkah love song. I mean, “sexy” in a James Corden jelly donut sort of way. Be prepared for lines like “Girl, Baruch Ata I don’t know how you do it” or you might spit up your latkes.
4. Shefita – Mi Yemalel
Israelis remember Shefita from last year’s Eurovision auditions, where her oddball Arabic diva routine came in third place in the final episode. Love her or hate her, this short rendition of a classic Hanukkah song will make you want to get up and shake your tuchus.
5. Ari Goldwag – For the Light
6. Quarter 2 Africa – Or & Esh
7. Yerachmiel and Einat – Biron Song and Praise
8. Reuven Garber – Maoz Tzur
This list has a big asterisk: One of our top choices, the Maccabeats’ excellent new parody Pan Fry, was blocked by YouTube at the time of this writing due to copyright infringement. We hope that will be cleared up soon.
That’s all for our top Hanukkah 2019 videos. Check Bagels.tv for more great videos, or catch up with some of our favorite classics from earlier days at this time:
- The Yeshiva Boys Choir – “Daddy Come Home”
- Nefesh B’Nefesh: Eight Days
- Those Were The Nights (of Chanukah)
- Adam Sandler’s Chanukah Song (and parts 2, 3, and 4)
- Nefesh B’Nefesh: Nefesh B’Nefesh Hanukkah Flash Mob
- Hanukkah Song – Dance Spectacular – Elliot Dvorin
- I Gotta Feeling Hanukkah – The Fountainheads
- Michelle Citrin – Hanukkah Lovin’
- Hanukkah Clips from TV and Movies
Hanukkah sameach!