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Dreaming of a White Hanukkah

Have you ever noticed that American might provoke anti-Semitism; they longed The 2003 film Elf may be the latest in the Christmas movies are bursting with Jewish to be “real Yankees,” according to Desser, American Jewish Christmas film genre. Ed talent? Take 1954’s White Christmas, one and preferred to project an idealized vision Asner, who grew up as one of the few Jews of the most beloved films because of its of an assimilated American people onto the in his Kansas City neighborhood, plays the eponymous song. The song’s writer was, screen. These “Jewish immigrants seemed irascible but warm-hearted Santa in this of course, Irving Berlin, the Siberian- to have a knack for creating this universalist holiday blockbuster. When asked how he born son of a cantor, who wrote some 451 dream factory,” remarks film producer Tom felt about portraying the white-bearded popular hits. He was in California and Teicholz. “They were in the entertainment symbol, Asner replied that he didn’t identify homesick for his family in New York when business, not the religion business.” Elf with Christmas, but with “a spirit of he wrote the “melancholy East European” At the same time, their romantic, togetherness, which is priceless.” tune in 1940, says Philip Furia, author of sentimental movies just so happened to Elfs writer David Berenbaum, some 40 Irving Berlin: A Life in Song. Although he remove Christ from Christmas. Philip years younger than Asner, loved watching didn’t celebrate Christmas as a child, he Roth summarized the situation in his Miracle on 34th Street on television during fondly recalled an Irish friend’s scrawny novel Operation Shylock: A Confession. His his childhood. When asked, “Why is a Christmas tree that “towered up to heaven” narrator observes, “God gave Moses the nice Jewish boy making a Christmas mov­ on the Lower East Side. 10 Commandments, and He gave to Irving ie? When is the Hanukkah film coming The Jewish credit roll doesn’t end with Berlin ‘Easter Parade’ and ‘White Christmas.’ out?” Berenbaum said bluntly, “Hanukkah Berlin. It’s no secret that the director, The two holidays that celebrate the divinity doesn’t have the same cinematic tradition Michael Curtiz, who also directed Casablanca-, of Christ—the divinity that’s the very heart as Christmas.” the three screenwriters, Norman Krasna, of the Jewish rejection of Christianity—and So far, Hollywood has produced only Norman Panama and Melvin Frank; and co- what does Irving Berlin do? Easter he turns one major Hanukkah feature film. Adam star Danny Kaye were Jews. Not surprisingly, into a fashion show and Christmas into a Sandler’s 2002 Eight Crazy Nights is an they gave the story a Jewish twist, interprets holiday about snow.” animated romantic comedy filled with David Desser, co-author of the book These secularized Christmas films are raunchy humor about sex, drugs and American Jewish Filmmakers. The movie can enjoyed by all. “A Christmas movie creates a farts. Sandler’s three variations of “The be seen as a tale of how a Jewish GI (Danny kind of calm, entertaining place where we can Hanukkah Song” have become favorites Kaye), becomes integrated into mainstream all have the kind of white Christmas we’d like among Jews and non-Jews alike: “Put on American life after the war through his to have,” 'Ieicholz says. “The snow is white; your yarmulke, here comes Hanukkah. friendship with his former captain, played the snow is falling; there’s no darkness; it’s all It’s so much funukkah, to celebrate by Bing Crosby, who “by then,” says Desser, happy: That’s reassuring. This is an example of Hanukkah.” But his film, which is a cult :x o “was the man perhaps most associated with a good assimilation, in which Jews became part classic to some and silly to others, can’t CD O kind of genial Christmas spirit.” of the American culture by making Christmas compete with the popularity of Christmas O The great Jewish film moguls of that era movies. We also became part of American movies. Don’t hold your breath waiting o o were well-known for avoiding subjects that culture by watching them.” for White Hanukkah.—JoanAlpert 2

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2009 / MOMENT 23