Hallmark fans were utterly charmed by “Hanukkah on Rye,” a delightful ending to Hallmark’s 2022 Countdown to Christmas lineup. Even now, a year later, fans are still talking about this movie. Starring the dazzling Yael Grobglas of “Jane the Virgin” and the ever-charismatic Jeremy Jordan from “Supergirl,” this film was not only a visual delight but a heartwarming experience rooted in reality.
🚨 Spoiler Alert! Proceed with caution.
“Hanukkah on Rye” transported viewers into the vibrant world of Jewish families, a tapestry spun from the threads of the screenwriter’s and a Hallmark executive’s family legacies. Julie Sherman Wolfe, the screenwriter for the movie, told Kveller that she drew on quite a few real-life moments to inspire scenes in the film.
The spirited bagel topping scene? Straight out of a playful debate with her husband from decades ago.
It was “basically verbatim from a conversation I had with my husband probably 20 years ago. We still fight about the proper order of toppings,” she joked.
And that whimsical Hanukkah song set to the melody of Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer? A nostalgic nod to her youthful days, crafting silly tunes with her cousin.
I wrote a "Hanukkah song" when I was 12 called "Reuben the Redhead Rabbi." It… wasn't good. #HanukkahOnRye @hallmarkchannel
— Julie Sherman Wolfe (@shermwolfe) December 19, 2022
Wolfe told Kveller that she came up with the idea for the movie while she was in New York City doing research for “A Holiday Spectacular,” which also aired on Hallmark.
Liz Yost, SVP of Original Programming for Hallmark, asked her if she had any ideas for a Hanukkah movie. A whirlwind discussion between the two about ancestors who undertook the brave voyage from Poland and Russia to the U.S. resulted in a mesmerizing narrative.
Yost shared a heartfelt letter penned by her grandmother, Bessie, chronicling her journey to Ellis Island on the illustrious S.S. Rotterdam in 1914. Bessie’s tales of forging friendships on that voyage proved to be the final piece in Wolfe’s creative puzzle.
“Our family histories were merged together and became the heart and soul of ‘Hanukkah on Rye,'” Wolfe shared.
On Twitter (now called X), Wolfe revealed that her own great-great-grandmother changed her name from Surah to Sara in 1917.
"Surah" was my great-great-grandmother's name, and she did, in fact, change it to "Sara" at Ellis Island in 1917. #HanukkahOnRye @hallmarkchannel
— Julie Sherman Wolfe (@shermwolfe) December 19, 2022
Even the idea for a West Coast Jewish deli was inspired by real-life. Wolfe said her mom’s family may not have been deli owners, but “they had the same work ethic and desire to find success in America!” And the deli’s name, Gilbert’s Deli, is after her grandmother on her dad’s side.
"Gilbert's Deli" is named after my grandmother on my dad's side. @hallmarkchannel#HanukkahOnRye #gilbertsdeli pic.twitter.com/H5N9KFbGGM
— Julie Sherman Wolfe (@shermwolfe) December 19, 2022
Fans loved the movie and still delight in the witty dialogue when it replays on Hallmark. In 2023, encores are scheduled for November 16 at 8 a.m. Eastern and October 31 at 4 a.m. Eastern.
Stephanie Dwilson has been working in entertainment journalism for more than a decade. She's led teams of writers covering top TV show franchises like The Walking Dead, Game of Thrones, Rick and Morty, and more. She's a veteran Hallmark journalist and runs a 60,000-member Facebook group dedicated to the genre.
Stephanie is a licensed attorney and she has a master's in science in science and technology journalism. You can reach her at [email protected].
