Jewish musician Jack Antonoff just rocked the Taylor Swift universe.
Last week, Antonoff honored the release of “You’re Losing Me (From the Vault)” with an Instagram story featuring a photo of the Princess of Pop (recently crowned TIME Magazine’s 2023 Person of the Year). In it, Taylor seems to be snacking on some raisins in between recording sessions and looks super cozy in a sweater.
“you’re losing me is out today,” the Bleacher’s frontman wrote in the caption. “a very special track from the midnights sessions that’s finally st[r]eaming! written and recorded at home on 12/5/21 right after taylor ate these raisins.”
For Swifties, Jack Antonoff’s seemingly innocuous comment disrupted the generally accepted timeline of Taylor Swift and ex-boyfriend Joe Alwyn’s breakup. (The news of their split broke in April of this year, but we now know that “You’re Losing Me,” which references a long-term relationship ending, was written in 2021.) In short, it’s huge news.
But for us here at The Nosher, Antonoff’s post was exciting for a completely different reason: Her sweater exudes Jewish food nostalgia.
If you look closely at the photo, you’ll notice that Taylor isn’t wearing just any old knit. She’s wearing a Rachel Antonoff rainbow cookie sweater – a burnt orange garment featuring an image of the Italian-style confection on the front. (And before you ask, yes, fashion designer Rachel Antonoff is Jack’s older sister.)
It’s worth noting that while rainbow cookies aren’t technically Jewish (and aren’t technically cookies), they are beloved by the Jewish community.
“As with many foods born in New York City when Irish, Italian and Jewish immigrants were all living side by side, they have been adopted by Italian bakeries and Jewish delis alike — and they are beloved by (most) all,” editor Shannon Sarna wrote for The Nosher in 2017.
And so, for Rachel Antonoff, rainbow cookies hold a very specific nostalgia for Jewish cultural events. “There’s something about a rainbow cookie that feels like your grandmother’s house or a comforting shiva,” she told Food52 in April of this year, referencing the Jewish mourning practice.
So you heard it here first, folks! In 2021, Taylor Swift wore a sweater with shiva vibes. (Maybe because she was sitting shiva for her relationship with Joe Alwyn?!) Regardless, our biggest takeaway here is that Taylor rocked the shiva-inspired style and Rachel Antonoff’s rainbow cookie sweater looks good enough to eat.
