In the battle for the No. 1 Christmas hit on the United Kingdom’s charts this season, rising British pop star Lauren Rose is being given an outside chance at outdoing challengers not with renditions of “Joy to the World” or “Silver Bells,” but with her own interpretation of the traditional Hebrew folk song “Hava Nagila.”

When representatives from Marble Hill Productions heard Rose’s demo, they immediately prepared to release the single “Hava Nagila (Baby Let’s Dance)” on December 17, in time for the high-profile holiday sales period. The song threw Rose, 17, into competition against the contestants from the popular television show “The X Factor,” Britain’s version of “American Idol.” The winner of that show will also release a single in time for Christmas.

Several British gambling Web sites gave Rose’s song a 1-in-66 chance of taking the top spot.

Interested in the Jewish ditty’s 100th birthday, this year, Rose initially revamped and recorded an English version of “Hava Nagila” as a Hanukkah present for her grandfather.

“I’ve grown up with my extended family celebrating both Hanukkah and Christmas, so if a Jewish song could be top of the Christmas charts, it would be a great way of bringing everyone together,” Rose said in a press release.

This is a moment of great uncertainty. Here’s what you can do about it.

We hope you appreciated this article. Before you go, we’d like to ask you to please support the Forward’s independent Jewish news this Passover. All donations are being matched by the Forward Board - up to $100,000.

This is a moment of great uncertainty for the news media, for the Jewish people, and for our sacred democracy. It is a time of confusion and declining trust in public institutions. An era in which we need humans to report facts, conduct investigations that hold power to account, tell stories that matter and share honest discourse on all that divides us.

With no paywall or subscriptions, the Forward is entirely supported by readers like you. Every dollar you give this Passover is invested in the future of the Forward — and telling the American Jewish story fully and fairly.

The Forward doesn’t rely on funding from institutions like governments or your local Jewish federation. There are thousands of readers like you who give us $18 or $36 or $100 each month or year.

Don't just read the Forward - invest in it. Make a matched gift today.

Support our mission to tell the Jewish story fully and fairly.

$120 $180 $360 OTHER AMOUNT