Actress Gwyneth Paltrow recounts Hanukkah traditions, from childhood to the present

Noa Tishby and Gwyneth Paltrow reflected on connections to Judaism, with Paltrow expressing her gratitude for being able to grow up with different faiths.

By JERUSALEM POST STAFF DECEMBER 26, 2024 05:14

Actress Gwyneth Paltrow attends the 10th amfAR Gala in Los Angeles, California, US, October 10, 2019. (photo credit: MARIO ANZUONI/REUTERS)

Jewish-American actress Gwyneth Paltrow lit candles with Noa Tishby to mark the first night of Hanukkah, which the latter announced in a post to social media on Wednesday. 

In the video, posted to X/Twitter and Instagram, Tishby asks Paltrow about her Jewish heritage and holiday traditions that she was raised with and continues to practice to this day. 

Paltrow shared her holiday memories growing up, saying, "I think my most favorite [memory] was, I go back to being at my grandparent's house on Long Island, and getting the Hanukkah gelt. I have such a strong memory of the gold round coins and my brother and I tearing into them."

She also shared with Tishby that her favorite Hanukkah food are latkes, and that she makes them for her family every year. 

Paltrow and her family celebrate the holiday by lighting the hanukkiah, saying, "We bring in the light, and ever since they [her children] were little, they'd sit on the floor and close their eyes, and I'd give them their presents."

Happy Hanukkah and Merry Christmas, everyone. I’m so excited to light candles for the first night of Hanukkah with @GwynethPaltrow. Watch along as she shares incredible stories about her heritage and her amazing holiday traditions. Tune in everyday at 11am ET throughout… pic.twitter.com/rxhNOxGCIF

— Noa Tishby (@noatishby) December 25, 2024

She also discussed her interfaith upbringing, as Paltrow was raised by a Christian mother and a Jewish father. "I grew up in a time in the 70s when interfaith marriages were still kind of a big deal. And so it was really hard for both my parents that they were marrying each other, and it was a bit scandalous...nobody was happy about it."

Paltrow discusses special connection to her Jewish family

Tishby and Paltrow also reflected on connections to Judaism, with Paltrow expressing her gratitude for being able to grow up with different faiths. "I always felt an incredible pull to my Jewish family. I still do. And just the traditions, the warmth, the unconditional love, the food, the yelling, the family. The community. I'm still close to everybody on that side of my family."

The actress also shared with Tishby that her father's side of the family descended from 17 generations of rabbis and that their last name used to be "Paltrowicz."

The video concluded with Paltrow and Tishby lighting the first candle to mark the first night of Hanukkah and singing the blessing. 

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Paltrow has previously posted about the hostages held by Hamas on her social media, including after the murder of the six hostages on August 31. In one post, she wrote, "To the families of each hostage whose life was stolen, I have thought of you every day for 11 months, but today I send you my heart."