This Jewish American Life: From touching family traditions to Hollywood legends, we shine a light on the cultural luminaries and stories of hope and resilience that have shaped the Jewish-American experience—one that reflects the history of an immigrant nation.

We’ve all heard the infectious Jewish party tune “Hava Nagila” (Let Us Rejoice), a standard at weddings, bar mitzvahs and even baseball games. But how did a song born out of Eastern European folk tradition become such a huge cultural phenomenon? Charting over 150 years of Jewish history, director Roberta Grossman delves into the origins, mystery and significance of this classic song and playfully examines its journey from religious folklore to universal popularity.