The Maccabeats – All About That Neis – Hanukkah

Hanukkah is always, as it should be, a great time to have a great time. It’s arguably the most delicious of the Jewish holidays. There’s a very visible, public element to Hanukkah (“pirsumei nisa” in the traditional sources) which has become part of the popular culture. And it certainly helps that the Hanukkah narrative has the all the elements of their modern Hollywood blockbusters: a victorious underdog, intense political drama and infighting, and a last-minute day-saving supernatural miracle.

But why do we eat these foods? Why do we light those candles? Why do we tell this story reminiscent of a Ridley Scott movie? In the words of this year’s song, a parody of Meghan Trainor’s “All About That Bass:” faith, family, freedom we celebrate for eight nights.

The new single from the Maccabeats song’s chorus carries a double meaning: “All About That Neis, No Oil” reflects the miracle of insufficient oil lasting for eight nights, but it also speaks to the core of the holiday – how it’s about the story and message of the neis (miracle) much more than it’s about eating oily foods.

We hope you enjoy this year’s video, and that you’ll grab the track on iTunes or CDBaby!