On a recent “Ellen DeGeneres Show,” Adam Sandler spoke fondly of his famous Chanukah Song that he performed on Saturday Night Live in the show’s heyday back in 1994.
On the occasion of the song’s 25th anniversary, he told DeGeneres, “That’s a long time for one song,” and “If there are any other Jewish people out there who want to write a new one, that’d be great. I’d love to share the Hanukkah spirit with you.”
Rabbi Levi Hodakov, Director of Chabad of Clearwater, Florida, took Sandler up on his offer.
The song he composed is 98% new and 2% Sandler.
The rabbi of the local branch of the world’s largest Jewish organization rewrote the song and performed a variation live at his community’s Mega Chanukah Celebration.
The song received rave reviews from the community, with one participant texting Hodakov, “Your song this year was amazing,” and another commenting, “I loved it!”
He says he spent several hours writing the lyrics in the weeks leading up to Chanukah. He hopes the song will put a smile on people’s faces and give young Jews more pride in who they are.
“If people put on their yarmulke and do one more mitzvah, it’s all worth it!” Hodakov stated. “Hopefully, Adam Sandler will like the new version and perform it next year here in Clearwater” Hodakov joked.
You can read Hodakov’s full lyrics below, sung to the tune of Sandler’s original.
Put on your yarmulke here comes Chanukah
So much funukah to celebrate Chanukah
Chanukah is the Festival of Lights
Instead of one day of presents we have eight great nights.
When you feel like the only kid in town without a big green tree,
Here’s a list of people who are Jewish just like Moses, Judah the Maccabee, and me
Actor Seth Rogen has started learning to speak Yiddish
And Revlons Ronald Perelman, on Friday night makes Kiddush
They say Presidential hopeful Bernie Sanders, lights the Menorah
But next year in the White House Michael Bloomberg hopes to dance the Hora
Mayim Bialik enjoys eating a good piece of Kugel
So does William Shatner and the two guys who founded Google
The late Elie Wiesel used to wrap Tefillin
and so does the great singer Bob Dylan
Facebook’s Mark Zuckerberg is giving away his money
and on Rosh Hashana, Adam Sandler dips his apple in his honey
Tampa Bay Rays Owner Stuart Sternberg is a member of the tribe
And we can count the Lightings Jeff Vinik on our side
First Lady Melania Trump, NOT a Jew,
But Ivanka, Jared and kids all are poo poo poo
On Passover Howard Stern, the 4 questions does ask
So does Gal Gadot in her Wonder Woman mask
Comedian Jackie Mason is short and very funny
And Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin has his signature on all our money
Former Ambassador Nikki Haley, isn’t Jewish yet
But if she ever changes her mind, I’ll teach her the Alef Bet
Ben Shapiro, Mark Levin and Dennis Prager too
Are all a bunch of very proud Jews
Actress Mila Kunis Shabbat candles does light
And President Trump wishes, Congressman Adam Schiff would go fly a kite
World famous Judge Judy is a very nice Jewish maidel
And Harry Potter star Daniel Radcliffe knows how to spin the Dreidel
Senator Chuck Schumer has a Mezuzah on his door
But Paula Abdul, has more than four
We have three of six on the Supreme Court bench
That’ll be Ginsburg, Kagan & Steven Breyer the Mentch
I hope you weren’t offended, I hope you’re not upset
The entire song was sung in jest
After 8 days of latkes and donuts, you may need a new belt
But remember Chabad of Clearwater needs your gelt
From New York to Clearwaterkah get up and celebrate Chanukah
because now it’s time to light the giant Menorah
Happy Chanukah!