- Hallmark’s new Hanukkah movie “Eight Gifts of Hanukkah”Airs December 3, 2008 at 8 p.m. ET.
- It is the story of Sara Levin, an optometrist who receives gifts each night of Hanukkah from a secret admirer.
- While the script and dialogue aren’t particularly interesting, Hallmark’s Hanukkah-focused first movie is noteworthy.
Hallmark has been incorporating Hanukkah plotlines to its Christmas movies for the past few years with releases such as “Love, Lights, Hanukkah!” (2020), “Holiday Date,” “Double Holiday” (2019).
This year’s Hallmark holiday movies include 41. “Eight Gifts of Hanukkah”This is the channel’s first Hanukkah-focused film.
‘Eight Gifts of Hanukkah’ hits all the clichés of Hallmark’s Christmas movies
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This is what Hallmark would make if they made a Hanukkah movie. There is an inherent cheesiness to their holiday offerings — upon learning the premise, you know exactly what to expect, and it’s part of the appeal. However, the movie’s unpredictability and fluent dialogue makes it hard to dislike. “Eight Gifts of Hanukkah”Feel indistinguishable with the rest of Hallmark’s Christmas catalog.
Inbar Lavi plays Sara Levin, an optometrist who is reentering the dating scene after becoming single. While she is trying to keep her ex away from Jewish Community Center committee meetings, she manages to attract several suitors. “Mazel Ball” Hanukkah dance. Daniel Myers, her childhood friend (Jake Epstein) is watching. “Degrassi: The Next Generation”), secretly pines for her.
A secret admirer leaves a thoughtful gift on Sara’s doorstep each night of Hanukkah. Although the film attempts to hide the identity of the mysterious man, it is easy to identify. The identity of the suitor was obvious to me, and he is revealed to us halfway through the movie. However, I was surprised by his eighth gift.
The film’s Jewish content, while accurate, lacks depth.
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For a Hallmark movie, the Jewish cadences are surprisingly true to life. As she enters Daniel’s house, Sara touches the mezuzah, a ritual item attached to Jewish doors. She refers her to her “bubbe”(Yiddish is for grandmother) and asks whether her suitors were “beshert”(Yiddish “meant to be”). The cast delivers a true guttural “ch”Toasting sounds good “L’chaim!” (“to life!”). I was particularly impressed by the fact that Sara’s niece Zoe aspires to become a Rabbi when she grows up. The children’s Hanukkah toys hunt event for children is not unlike Easter. There are also gratuitous references made to pastrami and rye.
Epstein and Levin have great chemistry. They bring life to a script that was otherwise dull. Hallmark deserves credit for casting two Jewish actors to roles in which Judaism is central. These films include “On the Basis of Sex”Felicity Jones plays Ruth Bader Ginsburg in the movie, “Disobedience”Rachel McAdams portrays a closeted ultra-Orthodox women, Questions raisedThe dynamics of nonJewish actors performing Jewish roles. Sarah Silverman, comedian, even called the phenomenon “Jewface”Listen to an episode of her September podcast.
I am still waiting for a mainstream Hanukkah film in the same vein that Netflix’s. “Happiest Season,”with complex characters and higher stakes. The list of Hanukkah-themed movies and TV episodes is short. “Eight Gifts of Hanukkah”It is a significant holiday movie milestone which indicates a positive shift towards more diverse stories.