Hanukkah Gift Guide for Music History Nerds
Eight awesome reads for the budding Jewish ethnomusicologist in all of us.
If you’re anything like me—a music lover with a soft spot for Jewish history—you’ve probably spent way too many late nights listening and wondering, “How did this Jewish music get here? What does it mean? And why can you sing the words to the ubiquitous Adon Olam prayer to almost any song?”1 That’s why I’ve been deep in the archives, blending scholarship, song, and storytelling to bring you The Jewish Song Show podcast, debuting in 2025.
But with Hanukkah around the corner, I couldn’t resist sharing my own reading list for the past year. If you crave learning about the twist-and-turns of Jewish life through Jewish songs over the past 3,500 years, here’s a holiday shopping guide in the form of—what else?—parody lyrics to Hanukkah classics. Grab 44 candles, clean the wax out of yer Hanukkiah, get that Crisco simmering, and grab one of these kishke-stuffers for the music-chochem in your life.
1. Funny, It Doesn’t Sound Jewish by Jack Gottlieb
To the tune of White Christmas by Irving Berlin2, 1939:
I’m reading a book on Jewish tunes,
The kind you hear on Broadway nights.
With melodies so thrilling,
They keep the theaters filling,
But their Jewish roots are out of sight.I’m learning how so many Jewish hands,
Shaped music loved through all the land.
From Irving to Bernstein,
The genius is clear—
Funny, it doesn’t sound Jewish, but it’s here.
Why Buy It: Ever wonder how Jewish composers shaped the soundtrack of American pop culture? Gottlieb gives you the answer—and you’ll never hear Broadway the same way again. This wonderful 2004 book (and CD) is out-of-print, but available from several second-hand sellers, including Amazon. Find it here.
2. And You Shall Know Us by the Trail of Our Vinyl by Josh Kun & Roger Bennett
To the tune of The Dreidl Song by Grossman and Goldfarb, 1927:
I found a vinyl record, it’s kitschy, wild, and bold,
The stories in the artwork—Jewish pop tales retold.
A cover here, a record there, each one a hidden gem,
Spin Kun and Bennett’s vinyl trail; you’ll love discovering them!
Why Buy It: This book is a feast of Jewish nostalgia, history, and album art. Perfect for flipping through while giving your Barry Sisters LPs a spin. Find it here.
3. Discovering Jewish Music by Marsha Bryan Edelman
To the tune of “Light One Candle” by Peter Yarrow, 1982:
Devour one book now, for Jewish tunes,
From ancient chants to Broadway swoons.
Edelman guides, with knowledge so vast,
The history of music—from first to the last!
Why Buy It: Edelman strokes our inner-Idelson with this epic guided tour through Jewish music history. It’s accessible, fascinating, and the perfect gift for beginners and scholars alike. Comes with a CD. Find it here.
4. Fiddler on the Move by Mark Slobin
To the tune of “Ma’oz Tzur” (Rock of Ages) by Jasstrow and Gottheil (19th century):
All those fiddlers on the move, klezmer’s grand revival,
Slobin writes an thrilling tale, tracing its survival.
Global sounds and journeys make it all so worthy,
Shtetl grooves and new queer hues, Yiddish klez is here to stay.
Why Buy It: Mark Slobin dives into how klezmer went from old-world roots to modern cool. This book is a freilachen tantz. Find it here.
5. Popular Music and National Culture in Israel by Motti Regev & Edwin Seroussi
To the tune of “Who Can Retell? by Menashe Rabina.
The sounds of the land are now here at hand,
A new national culture.
Regev and Seroussi—they’ve got the key,
Pop and folk for a Zionist melody.
Why Buy It: This book is the definitive look at Israeli music’s evolution from the Histadrut to modern Israeli rock. If you love Shlomo Artzi, Ofra Haza, and Poogy, grab it. Get it here.
6. Singing the Land by Eli Sperling
To the tune of “Mi Yimalel” (Who can retell?) by Menashe Rabina:
Who can describe the songs of the land?
Sperling will show you, with history in hand.
Melodies rising, from fields and from dreams,
Israel’s story is told in its themes.
Why Buy It: Sperling explores how Israeli music—and its dissemination in Jewish American communities—played a pivotal role in establishing and supporting the Jewish state. Get it here.
7. White Christmas by Jody Rosen
To the tune of “Oy Hanukkah”:
White Christmas, White Christmas, a song so divine,
Rosen shows Irving Berlin’s festive design.
A Jewish immigrant wrote this great cheer,
The story is magic—it shines every year.
Why Buy It: Irving Berlin’s White Christmas isn’t just a song; it’s a story of Jewish genius helping define American holidays. Rosen tells it beautifully. Get it here.
everal second-hand sellers, including Amazon. Find it here.
8. Audiotopia by Josh Kun
To the tune of “Sevivon Sov Sov Sov” by L. Kipnis:
Audiotopia, hear how sounds collide,
Cultures meeting, mixing, more—let Josh Kun be your guide.
Jewish music, race, and tunes, a complex, vibrant land,
The harmony of history is always close at hand.
Why Buy It: Kun explores how music transcends boundaries, and Jewish musicians have been central to this story. A must for anyone who loves blending scholarship with deep grooves. Find it here.
Okay… I know this one is #9… let’s call it the shamash. As you’ll learn in a future Jewish Song Show episode, Irving Berlin is such a pivotal figure in telling the story of Jewish immigration from Europe and the creation of a new popular American musical culture, I couldn’t offer only one book about him.
9. God Bless America by Sheryl Kaskowitz
To the tune of “Al Hanisim” by Dov Frimer (1975)”
For all the songs that shaped this land,
Kaskowitz takes you by the hand.
God Bless America—a Jewish tale,
A patriotic tune that will never fail!
Why Buy It: How did the 20th century’s most prolific Jewish songwriter create America’s unofficial anthem? Kaskowitz uncovers the history, politics, and heart of Irving Berlin’s God Bless America. Get it here.
BONUS! Not much of bookworm? Like to read online? Join me in subscribing to cantor and Jewish musicologist, Matt Austerklein’s terrifically mind-blowing Beyond the Music blog. I feel a warm nerdy feeling all over when I read it each week!
So, there you have it—a Hanukkah gift guide that’s part parody, part scholarship, and 100% musical. Each of these books is playing an active role in the research and inspiration behind The Jewish Song Show podcast.
This year, gift the joy of Jewish music and history—because nothing says Hanukkah like a gevaldig deep dive into Jewish song. Stay tuned for The Jewish Song Show in 2025!
Happy reading and Chag Sameach!
The answer, of course, is iambic tetrameter.
Don’t think that “White Christmas” is a Jewish song? Read Jody Rosen’s book (in this post) and let’s talk.