Christmas at Hogwarts was quite a magical season, at least in novelist J.K. Rowling’s imagination. Warm fires blazed in the hearths inside the school’s Great Hall and the ceiling was transformed into a dazzling mirage of falling snow.
But as Jewish people around the world prepared to celebrate Hanukkah, one Harry Potter fan from Chicago had a question — were there any Jews at Hogwarts?
For the answer, Benjamin Roffman went directly to the source — Rowling herself.
.@benjaminroffman Anthony Goldstein, Ravenclaw, Jewish wizard.
— J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) December 16, 2014
Anthony Goldstein was a part of Dumbledore’s Army and fought alongside his comrades at the Battle of Hogwarts.
When lighting a Hanukkah candle tonight, remember brave Goldstein!