A Republican, Mormon U.S. Senator has teamed with an Arab American singer to record a song for Hanukkah.

Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah

Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, and singer Rasheeda Azar from Indiana, recorded “Eight Days of Hanukkah,” a cheerful pop ballad, in New York in October and released it through a Jewish online magazine ahead of the eight-day holiday.
Hanukkah ends on Saturday.

Known to have a penchant for songwriting outside of lawmaking, Hatch earlier this year wrote a tribute to the late Sen. Ted Kennedy, his friend and political rival.

Hatch is also known to have an affinity for Jewish people.

He wrote the song out of a desire to boost Hanukkah’s sparse song canon.

Azar’s role adds to the melting-pot character of the project.

“This song means more to me than most of the songs I have ever written,” Hatch told The New York Times.