The Hebrew Hammer

The Hebrew Hammer is a film that was released in 2003. It stars Adam Goldberg, Judy Greer, Andy Dick, Mario Van Peebles, and Peter Coyote. The plot concerns a Jewish superhero known as The Hebrew Hammer who must save Hanukkah from the evil son of Santa Claus who wants to destroy Hanukkah and make everyone celebrate Christmas. The film parodies blaxploitation films; and features Melvin Van Peebles in a cameo as "Sweetback". Director Jonathan Kesselman has jokingly dubbed it the first "Jewsploitation", or the first Jewish exploitation film ever credit report. The film premiered at the Sundance Film Festival, and appeared at several other film festivals, Jewish and otherwise, during 2003. It had a limited theatrical run in late 2003, but the majority of its viewings came from a series of showings on Comedy Central in December of that year. This version of the movie was edited for television: all profanities were bleeped, and some scenes were cut. The DVD, released on November 16, 2004, contains the uncut version, which is rated R insurance. The movie begins with a flashback to a young Mordechai Jefferson Carver, who will grow up to become the Hebrew Hammer, sitting on a stoop, holding his baseball hero Sandy Koufax character lunch box. At school, Mordechai is tormented by his fellow students and his teacher for being a Jewish child in a Christian school, and celebrating Hanukkah while everyone else celebrates Christmas. After school, Mordechai walks down the street, only to see signs in all the store windows saying that Jews aren't welcome. Depressed, he lies down on the sidewalk, and spins his dreidel to cheer himself up... only to have it crushed under the foot of a mocking Santa who gives Mordechai the finger banks. Mordechai can do nothing but glare furiously at Santa as he walks away.