“He was greeted with a massive welcome celebration”: Did Tom Hanks Become a Jew and Move to Israel? Viral Video Has Internet Stumped
David Craig
Updated on April 03, 2026
A video depicting Tom Hanks dancing in a Rabbi’s attire has gone viral, along with comments claiming that he has converted to Judaism and relocated to Israel. However, it has been confirmed that the viral video is fake news, as it actually originates from an older 2014 video.
In the original video, Hanks attended the marriage function of Justin Bieber’s Jewish manager and showcased his dance moves. In the midst of a significant political scandal, various false news stories are circulating on the internet, defaming several celebrities.
Debunking The Viral Video Of Tom Hanks
An X user, who goes by @TheOfficial1984, posted a video of Tom Hanks that quickly went viral for all the wrong reasons. In the video, the Forrest Gump actor is seen wearing a Rabbi costume and dancing at a Jewish function. The user claimed in the captions that Hanks had converted to Judaism and fled to Israel following the release of Jeffrey Epstein’s client list.
🚨BREAKING🚨 Tom Hanks converts to Judaism and flees to Israel following the release of the Epstein client list.
Sources say he was greeted with a massive welcome celebration upon his arrival.
— 1984 (@TheOfficial1984) January 3, 2024
The user also shared that Hanks received a grand celebration upon his arrival in Israel. However, it was revealed that the video was taken out of context, as other X users pointed out below the viral post. According to a 2014 Times of Israel article, the video was originally posted online by Justin Bieber when Hanks attended the wedding of Bieber’s manager, Scooter Braun.
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In the video, Hanks danced to Montell Jordan’s 1995 classic, This Is How We Do It, at Braun’s wedding ceremony with Yael Cohen. The yarmulke and tallit were worn for cultural purposes and shouldn’t confuse fans, as Hanks converted only once in his life to his wife’s faith, the Greek Orthodox Church. The ceremony was also attended by other celebrities, including Ed Sheeran, Sophia Bush, and Carly Rae Jepsen.
Tom Hanks Has Been A Target Of Previous Fake News Incidents
Tom Hanks has faced false allegations on multiple occasions, with some netizens attempting to portray him as a p*dophile. He came under brutal social media criticism for allegedly calling a young girl “s*xy baby” at a beauty pageant. However, the clip showing the incident was taken out of context from a parody show on Jimmy Kimmel Live!. A fact-check report by the Associated Press later debunked this misinformation.
In another case of fake social media news, Hanks was falsely accused of flying on Jeffrey Epstein’s private jet. When the flight logs were leaked to the media, many users claimed that the Philadelphia actor was among the passengers. However, a fact-check conducted by Reuters found that neither his name nor his initials appeared on any of the log documents.
The attacks against Tom Hanks and several other celebrities have escalated, particularly in anticipation of the release of a list containing more than 150 names of Epstein’s clients by a New York court.
