Uploaded April 2025 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
The Latke-Hamantash Debate has been a cherished UChicago tradition since 1946, rigorously questioning the merits of the festive foodstuffs of Hanukkah and Purim. For the past 78, years, the Latke-Hamantash Debate has reveled in ornate silliness while featuring prominent faculty, Nobel laureates and UChicago presidents. The tongue-in-cheek proceedings have inspired similar debates across the country, and even a book published by the University of Chicago Press. In 2025, members of the University of Chicago community argued for the superiority of potato pancakes versus cookies—this time, by asking the question “What's trending now?” The event, hosted by the University of Chicago Hillel, took place in the illustrious Rockefeller Memorial Chapel where UChicago Hillel had its first ever meeting in the 1940s. Presenters included Dr. Seth Himmelhoch, Chair of the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience; Dr. Sheila Jelen, Professor in the Divinity School; and Dr. Jon Rogowski, Professor Political Science and Faculty Director of MA programs in the Social Sciences. Rabbi Anna Levin Rosen, Executive Director of UChicago Hillel, moderated the debate. The Latke-Hamantash Debate is an initiative of the University of Chicago Hillel, generously underwritten by the Gemunder Family Foundation. Learn more about the Latke-Hamantash Debate at UChicago Hillel's website: uchicagohillel.org/latke-hamantash-debate.
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About #UChicago:
Since its founding in 1890, the University of Chicago has been a destination for rigorous inquiry and field-defining research. This transformative academic experience empowers students and scholars to challenge conventional thinking in pursuit of original ideas.
#UChicago on the Web:
Home: bit.ly/UCHICAGO-homepage
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University of Chicago on YouTube:
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***
ACCESSIBILITY: If you experience any technical difficulties with this video or would like to make an accessibility-related request, please email digicomm@uchicago.edu.
The Latke-Hamantash Debate has been a cherished UChicago tradition since 1946, rigorously questioning the merits of the festive foodstuffs of Hanukkah and Purim. For the past 78, years, the Latke-Hamantash Debate has reveled in ornate silliness while featuring prominent faculty, Nobel laureates and UChicago presidents. The tongue-in-cheek proceedings have inspired similar debates across the country, and even a book published by the University of Chicago Press. In 2025, members of the University of Chicago community argued for the superiority of potato pancakes versus cookies—this time, by asking the question “What's trending now?” The event, hosted by the University of Chicago Hillel, took place in the illustrious Rockefeller Memorial Chapel where UChicago Hillel had its first ever meeting in the 1940s. Presenters included Dr. Seth Himmelhoch, Chair of the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience; Dr. Sheila Jelen, Professor in the Divinity School; and Dr. Jon Rogowski, Professor Political Science and Faculty Director of MA programs in the Social Sciences. Rabbi Anna Levin Rosen, Executive Director of UChicago Hillel, moderated the debate. The Latke-Hamantash Debate is an initiative of the University of Chicago Hillel, generously underwritten by the Gemunder Family Foundation. Learn more about the Latke-Hamantash Debate at UChicago Hillel's website: uchicagohillel.org/latke-hamantash-debate.
➡ Subscribe: bit.ly/UCHICAGOytSubscribe
About #UChicago:
Since its founding in 1890, the University of Chicago has been a destination for rigorous inquiry and field-defining research. This transformative academic experience empowers students and scholars to challenge conventional thinking in pursuit of original ideas.
#UChicago on the Web:
Home: bit.ly/UCHICAGO-homepage
News: bit.ly/UCHICAGO-news
Facebook: bit.ly/UCHICAGO-FB
Twitter: bit.ly/UCHICAGO-TW
Instagram: bit.ly/UCHICAGO-IG
University of Chicago on YouTube:
youtube.com/uchicago
***
ACCESSIBILITY: If you experience any technical difficulties with this video or would like to make an accessibility-related request, please email digicomm@uchicago.edu.
