Noa Tishby invited married Hollywood stars Ashton Kutcher and Mila Kunis to participate in her YouTube series celebrating this year’s eight nights of Hanukkah. During the second night of Hanukkah at Tishby's home, the trio lit candles and shared their personal connections to Judaism and Hanukkah traditions.
They reflected on miracles and the significance of cultural identity as they celebrated together.
Tishby expressed her feelings about the purpose of the series, stating, “I feel very strongly that people are a little afraid to be Jewish right now, and we’re not going to let that happen.”
She continued, “This is what we're doing here; we're celebrating Jewish identity with Jews and non-Jews alike.”
Tishby has previously mentioned that she started the Hanukkah series in response to the global increase in antisemitism following the October 7 attacks, aiming to encourage Jews to embrace their identity rather than conceal it out of fear.
Connections to faith
During the discussion, Tishby asked Kutcher, who is not Jewish but is married to Jewish actress Kunis, what fascinates him about Judaism. He remarked, “I was an altar boy in the Catholic Church, and the whole concept in Christianity is like - be like Jesus, what would Jesus do? Well, if you want to understand what Jesus would do, you learn Judaism because that's what he learned.”
Kutcher also spoke about a connection he had with a Rabbi with whom he studied. He noted that when the Rabbi passed away, he uploaded his teachings to create a GTP, allowing him to continue "talking" to his Rabbi.
When asked what the couple loved about Hanukkah, Kutcher replied, “The thing we always talk about in our family around Hanukkah is the miracle.”
“It’s the miracle that the candle lasts eight days, but it’s really a function of how you invite miracles into your life.”
“If you want to have a miracle happen in your life, you create a miracle for someone else.”
Kunis shared her appreciation for the tradition and the communal aspect of lighting the candles. She also recalled her childhood in Russia, where her family had to keep their Jewish identity hidden.
“And then I came to America, and everyone’s talking about it - like it’s fine, guys!”
She continued, “I never thought about it until the current state of the world, where now I'm like, oh yeah, I get it.”
Kunis mentioned that she didn't feel the need to be proud of her Jewish identity until recently, given the shifting global atmosphere for Jews.
Tishby shared her own thoughts on the holiday, expressing her love for how light is “added” each night.
“Ma'alin ba-kodesh ve'lo moridin. You raise up the holiness, and you never take it down,” she said.
The evening concluded with the trio playfully debating which way the menorah should face, as they recited the blessing together and lit the candles.