Give yourself a gift: Jewish movies to watch all 8 nights

Eat your fill of latkes on Hanukkah and then collapse on the couch to watch a movie with some Jewish connection. Here are a few ideas to get you started on an eight-day Jewish movie marathon: 

Night 1: “Little Fockers”

The third installment of the “Meet the Parents” comedy saga is a phenomenal way to start the holiday for five reasons: Barbra Streisand, Barbra Streisand, Barbra Streisand, and the classic trope of neurotic Jewish family meets WASP family for the holidays, and chaos ensues.

(Available on Amazon Prime and YouTube)

Night 2: “An American Tail”

Steven Spielberg’s first animated production tells the story of plucky young Fievel Mousekewitz. The film opens with a Hanukkah celebration, where Papa Mousekewitz gifts Fievel his hat before they set sail for America. Oh yeah, and it’s a musical. Keep tissues nearby.

(Available on Amazon Prime and Netflix)

Night 3: “Full-Court Miracle”

I’m livid this Disney Channel Original Movie hasn’t reached the heights of “High School Musical” or “Cadet Kelly.” Based on a true story, this uplifting 2003 movie puts a modern-day spin on the story of the Maccabees, as a Jewish boys basketball team searches for a coach to lead them to victory.

(Available on Amazon Prime and YouTube)

Night 4: “Hitched for the Holidays”

Would any holiday season be complete without a Hallmark TV movie? This cheesy romance from 2012 depicts yet another Hanukkah-meets-Christmas, but with a twist: Julie finds a temporary boyfriend, Rob, to placate her Jewish mother for the holiday season (#relatable). Will the nice Jewish girl really fall for a Catholic schoolboy? Yes. Obviously. It’s a Hallmark TV movie.

(Available on Amazon Prime and YouTube)

Night 5:  TV specials

While not a movie, you can binge on these excellent holiday specials and skits all at once! Here is the absolute correct order in which to watch them: “Saturday Night Live,” “Hanukkah Harry”; Saturday Night Live,” Adam Sandler’s “Hanukkah Song”; “Friends,” “The One with the Holiday Armadillo”; “The OC,” “Best Chrismukkah Ever”; “A Rugrats Chanukah.”

Night 6: “Hanukkah the Movie”

Consider this the experimental day of Hanukkah. Give the gift of funding the Indiegogo for this bizarre Hanukkah-slasher film. Then go call your parents.

Night 7: “The Hebrew Hammer”

This Jewish sendup of blaxploitation films gives us the perfect Hanukkah hero. Or at least a Hanukkah hero.

(Available on Amazon Prime)

Night 8: “8 Crazy Nights”

You knew this one was coming. It sums up the last eight days: animation, basketball, Adam Sandler, Hanukkah and lots of grownup humor.

(Available on Amazon Prime and YouTube)

ELANA SPIVACK is a New York City-based writer.