5 Christmas Songs That (maybe) You Didn't Know Were Jewish!

[peddlestools]

Unless you've heard me talk about this ad nauseum every holiday season, you may not know that some of the best Christmas songs you know and sing were written by Jewish songwriters. The film and music industries were some of the few places Jewish Americans could get a job without facing quite as much antisemitism. There wasn't exactly a market for

Comments

[afeelingunacted]

Hahahaha the real Jewish conspiracy is we made all your Christmas songs!

[therearewords]

But wait

[picturemegone]

Great post

one of my faves written by Sammy Cahn & Jule Styne

[colossusx]

Not including Irving Berlin would put me on Santa's naughty list.

come through, copywriting

[tillychar]

ooh interesting post! i knew about irving berlin but not the others. also had no idea that version of silver bells was from a movie first.

[eronanke]

I once heard on a podcast that because Jewish kids (especially 2nd generation Americans) experienced Christmas as a cultural event, from a defined distance which didn't include a practical religious experience attached to it, they were best able to find and highlight the most important icons and images of Christmas, and condense the experience into the best songs about the *feeling* of Christmas rather than the actions and responsibilities of Christmas.

[peddlestools]

my dad was a first generation american! his parents came over from eastern europe (russia and poland) and met in the bronx.

he was really into hollywood musicals, which is how i learned he idolized danny kaye as a youth.