A Joke to Start the Week - "Good Genes"

During our week of Jewish humor lectures and comedy programs at the Berkshire Hills Eisenberg Adult Vacation Center, we shared the role of guest lecturer with Mark Levy, a California-based performer and teacher of Jewish music for 30 years at temples, synagogues, JCCs, elder hostels and other Jewish groups.

Mark's classes and lecture topics include Fiddlers on the Stage! - Ten Jewish Violinists, Music of the Bible, Klezmer 101, The Classics from Rossi to Bernstein, Songs of the Jewish Labor Movement, and A Century of Jewish Humor in America.

We got Mark to sit on the lawn next to Lake Copake and tell us some of his favorite jokes. We captured a few and we've been sharing them with you.

Here's the setup for today's joke: A guy goes to the doctor and gets some tests done. The doctor comes out with a chart in about 45 minutes. And then...

Enjoy!

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"Soon By You" Orthodox Singles Comedy Releases Third Episode - "The Shabbat Meal"

Back in May we posted the pilot episode of Soon By You, a new web comedy series that depicts the joys and challenges of Orthodox Jewish dating for young professional singles in New York City. In July we posted the second episode.

Your reactions to the comedy were very positive, and so we have been watching for new episodes to show up. This week the third episode, The Shabbat Meal, was released, and we're sharing it with you today.

In the pilot episode titled The Setup, a rabbinical student named David accepts a blind date at a restaurant in Manhattan’s Upper East Side. While there he accidentally sits down across from Sarah Feldman, a free-spirited artist with whom he instantly connects, but that's not his date. Through a series of different events he’s eventually led to the “right” girl, also named Sarah, a larger than life superficial-type character, who is so caught up with ordering food and herself to actually catch the nuances and humor of his excuses that led him to be late.

This situation leads to a not-so-typical romantic encounter with David and Sarah F, who take short breaks from their respective dates to meet at the back of the restaurant, where they dream up mural ideas and finish each other’s sentences. It’s an example of a matchmakers' worst nightmare and how chemistry leads the way to a potential match. Get ready to cry, laugh, be amused, and, watch the "fun" filled life of Orthodox dating.

In the second episode, The Follow Up, David loses Sarah F's phone number. With the help of his roommate, Z, he is willing to do anything to find her. Two new characters are introduced and we spend more time with the original four characters.

In the third and latest episode, David goes to great lengths to see Sarah F again. Meanwhile Ben faces his first conflict between work and faith.

Our guess is that we will be following these characters through a series of romantic adventures, that is if the filmmakers find sources of funds to continue producing the series.

Enjoy!

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A Taste of Jerusalem: Shalom Aleichem and Lecha Dodi During Kabbalat Shabbat at the First Station

We're heading into our first Shabbat back home after spending a month of holidays in Jerusalem. It's been a great month and we've enjoyed sharing some tastes of this great city with you. 

We're working our way back to our mix of jokes, music, fun, unusual news items, Jewish Traces in Unexpected Places and Unexpected Traces in Jewish Places, but with Shabbat starting tonight, we'll share just one more Taste of Jerusalem.

This is a taste of Kabbalat Shabbat, not the usual Friday night evening service, but a bonus afternoon musical pre-Shabbat service that's been taking place each week at First Station Jerusalem, the outdoor mall, event and dining center that opened in 2013.

Residents and tourists alike come here to celebrate a musical welcome to Shabbat. For the secular population, it's their Shabbat experience, and for the observant it's a pleasant way to set the stage for traditional services and Shabbat dinner at nightfall.

Enjoy!

(A SPECIAL NOTE FOR NEW EMAIL SUBSCRIBERS:  THE VIDEO MAY NOT BE VIEWABLE DIRECTLY FROM THE EMAIL THAT YOU GET EACH DAY ON SOME COMPUTERS AND TABLETS.  YOU MUST CLICK ON THE TITLE AT THE TOP OF THE EMAIL TO REACH THE JEWISH HUMOR CENTRAL WEBSITE, FROM WHICH YOU CLICK ON THE PLAY BUTTON IN THE VIDEO IMAGE TO START THE VIDEO.)

Throwback Thursday Comedy Special: Alan King Reminisces About His Son's Bar Mitzvah Haftorah

We hope you had a joyful month of holidays. Now that Rosh Hashana, Yom Kippur, and Sukkot are behind us, we're back to our usual mix of jokes and funny happenings around the world. 

Mondays are reserved for a Joke to Start the Week, Fridays for a Shabbat-related post, and Thursdays for reaching back in time for a classic comedy post. The other days? Whatever we think is funny or nachas-producing.

On this Throwback Thursday we're reaching back to an episode of The Johnny Carson Show when Johnny interviewed Alan King and Alan reminisced about the time his son had difficulty learning the Haftorah for his Bar Mitzvah.

Enjoy!

(A SPECIAL NOTE FOR NEW EMAIL SUBSCRIBERS:  THE VIDEO MAY NOT BE VIEWABLE DIRECTLY FROM THE EMAIL THAT YOU GET EACH DAY ON SOME COMPUTERS AND TABLETS.  YOU MUST CLICK ON THE TITLE AT THE TOP OF THE EMAIL TO REACH THE JEWISH HUMOR CENTRAL WEBSITE, FROM WHICH YOU CLICK ON THE PLAY BUTTON IN THE VIDEO IMAGE TO START THE VIDEO.) 

Unexpected Traces in Jewish Places: Nations March in Jerusalem to Support Israel

Every year, tens of thousands of Israelis and Christian believers from around the world participate in the annual Jerusalem March, a festive parade that takes place in the middle of the week-long Sukkot holiday (the Feast of Tabernacles).

It begins in the afternoon and participants include representative groups from different countries and organizations, dance ensembles, street artists, marching bands, IDF soldiers and others.

The Jerusalem March has evolved since its founding in 1955 when it was a four day march around the time of Passover that was attended by a small number of IDF soldiers and a few dozen local civilians.

Following the founding of the Christian Embassy in Jerusalem in 1980, Christian believers began joining the march and over time it has become a tradition for thousands of Christians from around the world to participate while holding banners showing their love for the Jewish people and the State of Israel, wishing locals a happy holiday and giving bystanders little trinkets, such as flags from their home countries, and candies.

We went to the finish line in Gan Sacher to record some of the marchers in their native costumes carrying the flags of their countries and singing songs in support of Israel.

Enjoy!

(A SPECIAL NOTE FOR NEW EMAIL SUBSCRIBERS:  THE VIDEO MAY NOT BE VIEWABLE DIRECTLY FROM THE EMAIL THAT YOU GET EACH DAY ON SOME COMPUTERS AND TABLETS.  YOU MUST CLICK ON THE TITLE AT THE TOP OF THE EMAIL TO REACH THE JEWISH HUMOR CENTRAL WEBSITE, FROM WHICH YOU CLICK ON THE PLAY BUTTON IN THE VIDEO IMAGE TO START THE VIDEO.)

A Taste of Jerusalem: Sukkot Oktoberfest at the First Station

Originating over 200 years ago in Munich, Germany, the annual Oktoberfest is best known as a celebration of beer, food, and music that’s gradually spread to all corners of the globe.

This year, Jerusalem had its first full-scale Oktoberfest celebration during Sukkot at the First Station, with everything from traditional beer tents and live music to Bavarian beer and food.

During Chol Hamoed Sukkot, Jerusalemites came out in large numbers to sit at the long, wooden, communal tables, to enjoy some giant beers, sausages and pretzels and listen to live music.

Join us for another in our series of video Tastes of Jerusalem as we shop, drink, enjoy the music, and mingle with the residents and visitors to this lively city during the holiday season.

Tonight is Shemini Atzeret and Simchat Torah in Israel, both days wrapped into one. The diaspora observes two days of Yom Tov on Monday and Tuesday. We'll be back blogging again on Wednesday.

Enjoy and Chag Sameach!

(A SPECIAL NOTE FOR NEW EMAIL SUBSCRIBERS:  THE VIDEO MAY NOT BE VIEWABLE DIRECTLY FROM THE EMAIL THAT YOU GET EACH DAY ON SOME COMPUTERS AND TABLETS.  YOU MUST CLICK ON THE TITLE AT THE TOP OF THE EMAIL TO REACH THE JEWISH HUMOR CENTRAL WEBSITE, FROM WHICH YOU CLICK ON THE PLAY BUTTON IN THE VIDEO IMAGE TO START THE VIDEO.) 

A Taste of Jerusalem on Sukkot: Adon Olam Becomes Street Theatre in Zion Square

When it comes to spontaneous street theatre in Jerusalem, Zion Square, at the bottom of Ben Yehuda Street is ground zero. And during the intermediate days (Chol Hamoed) of Sukkot and Pesach, Zion Square is where some of the best singers and performers show up to give the passing crowds a good show.

This week we have had quite a show, and we captured performances that we'll be happy to share with you in the coming days, even after the Sukkot holiday is over.

The video below of Adon Olam, the concluding song of the Shabbat morning service, turned into a spontaneous combination of music and dance this week. We know who the guitarist and violinist are, but the lady in gray who suddenly joined the duo with an unexpected dance routine remains a mystery to us.

The singer/guitarist and violinist, known as The Rabbi and Gypsy Lady, are regular performers in Kikar Zion (Zion Square) and also on stage in clubs and theaters around Israel. Rabbi Tomer Peretz's day job is as a teacher of Torah and Talmud, but he is also a singer, composer and guitarist. His musical partner is Alexandra Kanarit. This "Gypsy Lady" is a violinist and composer from the Ukraine.
 
Enjoy and Shabbat shalom!


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A Taste of Jerusalem: Music, Merchandise, and Giant Puppets at Sukkot Street Fair

Sukkot is an amazing time of year to be in Jerusalem, and that's where we are this week. With most schools closed for the entire week, the streets and parks are teeming with children and their parents attending the special events that have been planned to keep them in a happy holiday mood.

During this Sukkot week we'll be running a series of blog posts to share this mood with you and give you a taste of Jerusalem.

Today we'll start with a few minutes that we captured on the first intermediate day of Sukkot at an evening street fair in the German Colony. 

Every year the art fair, with street theater performances, exhibits, music concerts, central stages, art workshops, food stands, caricaturists, outdoor musicians, public dances, exhibitions and more is held all along Derech Beit Lechem.

You'll be with us as we walk past vendors of clothing, housewares, and gifts, food stands, and groups of performers including singers and giant papier mache puppets.

Enjoy!

(A SPECIAL NOTE FOR NEW EMAIL SUBSCRIBERS:  THE VIDEO MAY NOT BE VIEWABLE DIRECTLY FROM THE EMAIL THAT YOU GET EACH DAY ON SOME COMPUTERS AND TABLETS.  YOU MUST CLICK ON THE TITLE AT THE TOP OF THE EMAIL TO REACH THE JEWISH HUMOR CENTRAL WEBSITE, FROM WHICH YOU CLICK ON THE PLAY BUTTON IN THE VIDEO IMAGE TO START THE VIDEO.)

YidLife Crisis in London Pt. 2 - Britishkayt: Think Yiddish, Drink British

We've been following the Canadian comedy duo of Jamie Elman and Eli Batalion as they travel the world in search of funny situtations involving Yiddish culture, language, and food.

Their web series, YidLife Crisis, was recently nominated for a Canadian Screen Award for best original digital media series.

They have taken their act on the road, performing a live version of their show in Krakow, Tel Aviv, Toronto, Montreal, Los Angeles and Birmingham, England.

The pair has also received a prestigious grant from the Natan Fund and have created a series of five travelogues featuring their impressions of Tel Aviv. In February we posted their funny Valentine’s Day episode guest staring Mayim Bialik.

We've been touring London with Jamie and Eli in two blog posts in the last two months. Now we're back with part 2 of their Britishkayt series: Think Yiddish, Drink British.

In this episode Jamie and Eli talk with Leon Silver of the East London Central Synagogue about changing demographics, the Jewish origin of Fish & Chips, and good Scotch whisky.
Enjoy! 

(A SPECIAL NOTE FOR NEW EMAIL SUBSCRIBERS:  THE VIDEO MAY NOT BE VIEWABLE DIRECTLY FROM THE EMAIL THAT YOU GET EACH DAY ON SOME COMPUTERS AND TABLETS.  YOU MUST CLICK ON THE TITLE AT THE TOP OF THE EMAIL TO REACH THE JEWISH HUMOR CENTRAL WEBSITE, FROM WHICH YOU CLICK ON THE PLAY BUTTON IN THE VIDEO IMAGE TO START THE VIDEO.)

Boys Town Jerusalem Welcomes Sukkot with Song

When the holiday videos start to arrive, we're sure that the boys of Boys Town Jerusalem are busy singing and creating their musical contribution to the yom tov spirit. We have posted their videos for Passover, Rosh Hashana, and Chanukah. 
  
This year Boys Town Jerusalem has put together a special Sukkot Song - Vesamachta Bechagecha (Be happy on your holidays). 

On this holiday we leave the comfort and security of our homes and go into the sukkah, showing our faith in God for protection and sustenance. 

In Jerusalem this week, we see the sukkot going up on every street and on the sidewalks next to the restaurants that are constructing them for the convenience of their customers.

Established in 1948, Boys Town Jerusalem has become one of the country's largest and most respected educational institutions since its establishment in 1948 to provide a home and education for young immigrants to the newly-created State of Israel.
 
We hope you enjoy the video. We'll be in shul tomorrow for the first day of Sukkot in Jerusalem and we'll be back with more Jewish humor on Wednesday.


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