I really-really-really wanted to like this movie. I knew it would be a Hallmark film - a bit saccharine and low budget, but that was okay.
(spoilers below)
Things I liked: the Hebrew was great. The large menorah in the town square was heart-warming (I often go to the Boston Common lighting). The menorah gift was truly artistic, and the Jewish characters weren't caricatures. I *loved* the dreidel collection; some of those pieces were stunning. The dreidel game brought back sweet memories.
Things that I didn't like: Hanukkah isn't the Jewish Christmas. It's a minor holiday that's been amped up so that we have something of our religion to hold onto during a tidal wave of Christmas culture. But face it, this was a Christmas movie. The Hanukkah decor was Christmas decor with Jewish symbols. The large family gatherings- a la Christmas - may exist in some Jewish communities, but in my experience, these aren't especially common. I can't reconcile the constant cultural fusion in the spirit of dicovering Christina's roots. There are so many ways to discover one's Judaism, celebrating a hollywood-fusion-mishmosh just seemed too weird. But maybe my NYC/Boston Jewish life is too sheltered.
And the VERY WORST PART is that I can't stop thinking of "chocolatkes." They sound like a shonda, but I'll let you know, I'll be making them tonite :-)
All things considered, I'm glad that Hallmark made this film. Maybe in the future, they'll make more Jewish-themed movies. But this was a good start. I just wish I liked it more.
(spoilers below)
Things I liked: the Hebrew was great. The large menorah in the town square was heart-warming (I often go to the Boston Common lighting). The menorah gift was truly artistic, and the Jewish characters weren't caricatures. I *loved* the dreidel collection; some of those pieces were stunning. The dreidel game brought back sweet memories.
Things that I didn't like: Hanukkah isn't the Jewish Christmas. It's a minor holiday that's been amped up so that we have something of our religion to hold onto during a tidal wave of Christmas culture. But face it, this was a Christmas movie. The Hanukkah decor was Christmas decor with Jewish symbols. The large family gatherings- a la Christmas - may exist in some Jewish communities, but in my experience, these aren't especially common. I can't reconcile the constant cultural fusion in the spirit of dicovering Christina's roots. There are so many ways to discover one's Judaism, celebrating a hollywood-fusion-mishmosh just seemed too weird. But maybe my NYC/Boston Jewish life is too sheltered.
And the VERY WORST PART is that I can't stop thinking of "chocolatkes." They sound like a shonda, but I'll let you know, I'll be making them tonite :-)
All things considered, I'm glad that Hallmark made this film. Maybe in the future, they'll make more Jewish-themed movies. But this was a good start. I just wish I liked it more.