The Jewish stories behind your favorite Christmas Songs
A surprising number of Christmas songs were composed by Jewish songwriters. Below are a number of them along with the surprising back stories.
“White Christmas”
This tribute to the Christian holiday was composed by Irving Berlin who was born Israel Baline in Russia. The Jewish Standard reported that Berlin’s daughter said that it was her father’s gratitude for America — the country that brought his family out of poverty — that fostered an appreciation for Christmas as an American family holiday. He praised the holiday in the US as his Christian neighbors’ celebrations on the Lower East Side were not marked by Christmas pogroms, as in his native Russia. Thus, he wrote “White Christmas” in 1947 as patriotic homage to this country and its distinctly American Christmas traditions.
The song was made famous when Bing Crosby sang it in the movie Holiday Inn. The movie was under production in December 1941 when the US was rocked by the Japanese assault on Pearl Harbor. Less than three weeks later, on the eve of Christmas, Bing Crosby sang the song on his radio show. The song took on special significance for soldiers leaving for war and their families.
This patriotic love for the US also led to Berlin composing “God Bless America” during the rise of the Nazi party in Germany. The song was intended as a prayer of protection for his family and for the America that had treated him so well.
“Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer,” “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree,” “A Holly, Jolly Christmas,” and “Silver and Gold”
These Christmas classics were all written by Johnny Marks who grew up in an affluent Jewish family in Mt. Vernon, New York. He formed the St. Nicholas Music company in 1949, where he wrote some of the most popular Christmas carols of the modern era. According to many sources, the “inspiration” for Rudolph’s prominent nose came from ostracism Marks experienced growing up as a Jew.
The real back story is that the song was inspired by a 1939 poem of the same name that was written by Mark’s brother-in-law Robert May, who hid his Jewish roots. May also came from an affluent family but they lost their wealth in the Great Depression. He was working as a low-paid copywriter for the Montgomery Ward Department Store company in early in 1939 when his boss told him to write a cheery Christmas story for kids that the stores could give away in the form of a free booklet to shoppers. He picked a deer as his hero because his 4-year-old daughter loved deer. His wife passed away soon after he penned the story which was a huge hit with holiday shoppers.
Montgomery Ward gave him the rights to the poem and it sold well in book form but it became a smash hit after Gene Autry recorded Johnny Marks’ song in 1949.
“Santa Baby”
Written by two Jewish composers, Joan Javits and Phil Springer, the song became famous when Eartha Kitt recorded the track in 1953. Kitt was an early and ardent supporter of Israel and frequently appeared at Israel Bond rallies.
The song was revived by Madonna in 1987. Madonna has studied Kabbalah and visited Israel. More attention followed when the song was used in the hit 1989 film “Driving Miss Daisy” which portrayed the warm friendship between an old Southern Jewish lady and her African-American driver. Ironically, it played behind a scene where Miss Daisy’s Jewish daughter-in-law annoyed the Jewish Miss Daisy by acting “like a Christian” when she threw a Christmas party.
Christmas (Baby, Please Come Home)
Written in 1963, by the Jewish songwriting team of Jeff Barry, the late Ellie Greenwich, and Phil Spector. The original and best known recording is by African-American singer Darlene Love, who performed it on the David Letterman Show episode closest to Christmas every year since 1986. In 2010, Rolling Stone magazine selected this song as the number one rock and roll Christmas song of all time, noting, “As Darlene Love told Rolling Stone, it took three Jews to write the greatest Christmas song of all time.”
“Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire”
Written by pop-jazz singer Mel Torme (nicknamed the “Velvet Frog”), this Christmas classic follows in the Jewish tradition of marking festivals by eating. Torme collaborated with Jewish lyricist Robert Wells to write the song that became famous in 1946 when sung by Nat King Cole.
“Let it Snow”
Composed by Lyricist, songwriter, and musician Sammy Cahn. Raised in the Jewish immigrant lower east side of Manhattan, Samuel Cohen partnered with Jewish composer Jule Styne. While considered by many to be a Christmas classic, the song does not actually mention Christmas.
“Walkin’ In a Winter Wonderland”
This classic was written by Jewish composer and conductor Felix Bernard, in collaboration with his non-Jewish colleague Richard B. Smith. Smith wrote the poem “Winter Wonderland” in 1934 while being treated in the West Mountain sanatorium for tuberculosis. Bernard composed the music as a tribute to his non-Jewish friend who tragically passed away one year after the song was published.
“It’s The Most Wonderful Time of the Year”
Written by Jewish duo George Wyle (born Bernard Weissman) and Eddie Pola (born Sidney Edward Pollacsek) in 1963, it became a hit when Andy Williams sang and produced it that same year.
I’ll Be Home for Christmas,
Music by Walter Kent (born Walter Maurice Kaufman), and words by Buck Ram (born Jewish and named Samuel Ram).
“Silver Bells”
Another Jewish duo, Ray Evans and Jay Livingston produced this Christmas classic.
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