Graphic by Angelie Zaslavsky

By Talya Zax December 6, 2015

This is our fourth pop-Hanukkah song of the week (sixth overall), and I have to say it took me a few views to warm up to this one. But, wow, is it rich.

Filmmaker Erez Cohen teamed up with Manhattan Jewish Experience and a cappella groups Six13, A.K.A. Pella and The Y Studs for “A One Direction Hanukkah – Epic Party Mashup.”

We have to start with the fashion. I mean, I was pretty convinced from the title that this video was going to feel like celebrating Hanukkah with the Jewish frat on campus.

But it’s like, the cool Jewish frat house. The sheer variety of nutty Hanukkah clothing on display really confirmed that, including:

• More Hanukkah sweaters, ironic and otherwise, than I imagined existed.
• Hanukkah onesies.
• Hanukkah man scarves.
• Hanukkah neckties.
• Hanukkah bowties.
• And dreidel leggings.

The costumes department on this one deserves a Hanukkah Music Video Award.

One other relevant observation: Hanukkah can be effectively celebrated in a colorfully vandalized tunnel, which is a tradition of which I was unaware and in which I am eager to partake.

FIVE STARS: This video has it all: excellent videography, excellent fashion, and even a Mensch on a Bench. Alas, One Direction’s angst is inescapable. And thanks to them I’ll be spending my holiday writing sad poems about how Hanukkah doesn’t understand me and will never love me for, like, who I am.

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