Jewish Traces in Unexpected Places: Welcoming Shabbat with Adon Olam in Papua, Indonesia

There is a spark of Jewish life in some of the cities in Indonesia, the largest Muslim country in the world.

Indonesian Jews face the challenge of declaring a religion on their government ID cards. Every citizen over the age of 17 must carry a card, which includes the holder's religion. Indonesia only recognizes six religions: Islam, (non-Catholic) Christianity, Catholicism, Buddhism, Hinduism and Confucianism. It does not officially recognize Judaism and other religions.

An estimated 20,000 descendants of Jews still live in Indonesia, though many are losing their historical identity. Since most of Indonesian Jews are actually Jews from Southern Europe and Middle East Area, languages which are spoken by Indonesian Jews are Indonesian, Malay, Arabic, Hebrew, Portuguese and Spanish. 

There are few synagogues and few congregants, but Shabbat and Jewish holidays are celebrated in some Indonesian cities, such as this group singing Adon Olam to bring in the Shabbat in Papua (a city on the western side of the island, not to be confused with Papua New Guinea which occupies the eastern side.)

Enjoy and Shabbat shalom!

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: Sid Caesar and Imogene Coca in The Bus to Riverdale

Today's nostalgia trip takes us back 64 years to 1954 and a classic episode from Your Show of Shows, the 90 minute weekly sketch comedy series featuring Sid Caesar, Imogene Coca, and Howard Morris.

This episode shows the talent of Howard Morris, who is less well remembered today than the rest of the cast of Your Show of Shows, but only because he stood in the company of giants like Sid Caesar,  Imogene Coca (and Carl Reiner, who is not in this sketch).

In this episode, Sid and Imogene are waiting for their bus in a bus station when Howard approaches them and asks which bus goes to Riverdale. The ensuing chaos is a prime example of the ensemble comedy that made the program a must to watch every week.

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    #TBT

Remembering Neil Simon, Master Playwright of Comedy and Middle Class Life

Neil Simon, who died on Sunday at 91, was one of the United States' most prolific and commercially successful playwrights. Whether delivering humor or drama, Simon possessed a rare understanding of the frictions his audience experienced in their most intimate relationships. 

Simon was best known for his many comedies and slices of Jewish middle class life, including The Odd Couple, Brighton Beach Memoirs, Biloxi Blues, and Lost in Yonkers. He was also part of the writing team for Sid Caesar's Your Show of Shows, together with fellow writers Mel Brooks, Carl Reiner,and other famous comedy greats.

Many tributes to Simon have been published and posted over the last few days. Today we're sharing one in which PBS reporter Jeffrey Brown looks back at his career, with insight from Washington Post theater critic Peter Marks.

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.

The Jews are Coming - Noah is Sued by Gilgamesh Lawyer (Parody)

In 2014 Israeli satire on TV took a bold step forward with the airing of a new series of sketches called HaYehudim Ba'im (The Jews Are Coming).
Written by Natalie Marcus and Asaf Beiser, the show asks questions about everything, from the Bible to Ben Gurion to the Ashkenazi leadership. Their approach is to  go into the texts and make you think. They say that they give all their subjects a critical look, but they're not attacking, just giving the story a fresh, modern look.

The series ran for three seasons on Israeli TV, all in Hebrew. Some of the half-hour episodes were divided into video clips and published on YouTube with English subtitles. We found a few new ones and we'll continue to share them with you. Today we're posting a parody that reimagines the scene where Noah tells his sons that God spoke to him and told him to build an ark to survive the flood that is coming to destroy all mankind.

In the parody, Noah is served with a summons by a lawyer representing Gilgamesh of Mesopotamia, the fifth king of the city of Uruk and author of the best seller Epic of Gilgamesh. Noah is being sued for copyright infringement because his flood story is the same as that detailed in the Gilgamesh book.

This video clip, like all the others in the series, may offend some readers who are not open to satirical interpretations of the scriptures and satirical views of Jewish life through the ages, but we believe that there's a place for humor everywhere and we hope you'll find the satire amusing.

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 Joke to Start the Week - "Two Antennas"

It's another Monday, and time to share another Joke to Start the Week. We're still processing some of the classic jokes that we collected from the volunteer joke tellers who vacationed last month at the Berkshire Hills Eisenberg Adult Vacation Center in Copake, New York. The season has ended, but the happy memories linger on.

Retired accountant Ted Klein had as much fun telling his jokes as we had listening to them and recording them. Today we're posting another one of Ted's jokes.

Here's the setup: Two antennas meet on the roof and fall in love. And then... 

A SPECIAL NOTE FOR NEW EMAIL SUBSCRIBERS:  THE VIDEO IS NOT VIEWABLE DIRECTLY FROM THE EMAIL THAT YOU GET EACH DAY.  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. 

JTA's Andrew Silow-Carroll Analyzes the Jewish "He Had a Hat" Joke

There's more to many Jewish jokes than meets the eye. Andrew Silow-Carroll, editor-in-chief of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency has started a series of short YouTube videos in which he walks you through a classic Jewish joke and explains what it's all about.

In the last two months we shared three videos in which Andrew analyzed some classic Jewish jokes. Here's another one of his analyses, this one about the Jewish grandmother who takes her grandson to the beach and has an encounter with God.

We'll bring you more of these analyses of classic Jewish jokes from time to time. We hope there will be more of them soon.

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.

 

Welcoming Shabbat with the Zamir Noded Choir Singing Shabbat Hamalka

We've been attending performances of HaZamir: The International Jewish High School Choir every year and posting selections from their annual Gala Concert. 

But we've been wondering what happens to all those talented voices when they graduate from high school and move on to college and careers.

The answer is Zamir Noded, the newest initiative of the Zamir Choral Foundation, created to provide a high level musical opportunity for young adults aged 18-30 to sing in a Jewish choir with like-minded peers.

Zamir Noded is conducted by renowned Maestro Matthew Lazar and has drawn singers from throughout the tri-State area and beyond, including alumni of HaZamir and others who are attracted to this unique ensemble.  

Established in September, 2013, the ensemble presented its debut performance in the Foundation’s Hanukkah concert at Merkin Concert Hall on December 3, 2013.  Since then, Zamir Noded has earned rave reviews in its performances around the New York Metropolitan area and at the North American Jewish Choral Festival.

In today's video, Zamir Noded sings Shabbat Hamalkah, composed by Jeff Klepper and arranged by E. Epstein, at the at Congregation B'nai Jacob in Woodbridge CT, conducted by Matthew Lazar.

Enjoy, and Shabbat shalom.
 
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 Nostalgia Special: The Origin of "Sam, You Made the Pants Too Long"

In May 2002 Red Buttons delivered a tribute to Milton Berle at a memorial service for the great comedian at the Friars Club in New York City. The tribute was in the form of a song that got Berle started in his show business career. 

In 1932 Berle co-wrote a parody on a song that was very popular that year, Lawd, You Made the Night Too Long.

Here's the original, played and sung by Louis Armstrong.


Here's Buttons singing the parody the way Berle wrote it in 1932:


The most played version of the song is the one recorded by Barbra Streisand in her Color Me Barbra album in 1966: 


Allan Sherman also recorded it in 1966:


Diana Ross and the Supremes performed the song on TV in 1969:


And who do we have to credit for this? Uncle Miltie, for whom this parody was just a small episode at the start of his long comedy career. 

But the question that remains is "Who was Sam?"

According to Barry Popik, editor of The Big Apple website,

"Sam, You Made the Pants Too Long" (1932) is probably most familiar to audiences from singer Barbra Streisand. Comedian/singer Joe E. Lewis earlier had popularized the song.

The "Sam" in the song is not identified (one of the songwriters was named Sam), but it is probably Samuel Beckenstein, who ran a popular fabric and clothing store at 130 Orchard Street. Social Security Death Index records show a Samuel Beckenstein, born 5 June 1893 and who died December 1968.

The song does not specifically mention "New York City," and for that reason it was probably left out of Nancy Groce's book of New York City songs. However, the song breathes the atmosphere of the Jewish Lower East Side.

http://www.lyricmania.com/l3967
You made the coat and vest fit the best
You made the lining nice and strong
But Sam, you made the pants too long

You made the peak lapel look so swell
So who am I to say you're wrong?
But Sam, you made the pants too long

Enjoy!

#Throwback Thursday   #TBT

Jewish Traces in Unexpected Places: Old School Klezmer is Alive and Well with Hava Nagila in Puebla, Mexico

Dressed in the clothing of a Hasidic Jew, Juan "El Maestro" Perez performs in a band called El Colectivo Klezmorino that plays klezmer, a style of Jewish folk music that originated in Eastern Europe.

Perez is not Jewish and neither are the other band members. They play in the streets of Puebla, a city without much Jewish life. It's about 60 miles southeast of Mexico City, which has most of the Jewish population of Mexico.

Klezmer is a unique sound in Puebla, where most street musicians play mariachi guitars and sing romantic Mexican songs. Perez loves the music and says it was easy to learn. He taught himself to play more than 60 klezmer pieces, mostly by watching YouTube videos.

Here's one with the band playing Hava Nagila. Enjoy!

A SPECIAL NOTE FOR NEW EMAIL SUBSCRIBERS:  THE VIDEO IS NOT VIEWABLE DIRECTLY FROM THE EMAIL THAT YOU GET EACH DAY.  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.

Comedy Showcase: Actor/Director B. J. Novak in Early Standup Set

Born and raised in the Jewish community of Newton, Massachusetts, B. J. Novak has built a career as an actor, writer, comedian, producer and director.

Novak is one of the writers and executive producers of The Office (2005–2013), in which he also played Ryan Howard, one of the regular characters in that sitcom. His father is William Novak, who co-edited the best-selling Big Book of Jewish Humor.

Before getting into acting and producing, Novak worked in clubs as a stand-up comedian. Here is a video of one of his performances on The David Letterman Show. Enjoy!                                                                                                                                                          
A SPECIAL NOTE FOR NEW EMAIL SUBSCRIBERS:  THE VIDEO IS NOT VIEWABLE DIRECTLY FROM THE EMAIL THAT YOU GET EACH DAY.  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 Joke to Start the Week - " A Walk on the Promenade"

Happy Monday to all our readers. Are you ready for a joke to start the week? Well, ready or not, here it comes. Here's another one from the treasure chest that is Old Jews Telling Jokes.

The joke that we're posting today is by retired businessman Marty Dusig. 

Here's the setup: I was walking on the promenade in Santa Monica about a week ago with my wife and a young couple come up to us and the girl says "Sir, can I ask you how long are you married?" And then...

Enjoy!

A SPECIAL NOTE FOR NEW EMAIL SUBSCRIBERS:  THE VIDEO IS NOT VIEWABLE DIRECTLY FROM THE EMAIL THAT YOU GET EACH DAY.  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.

‘One Love’ Video Released from Koolulam Singdown at Tower of David

On June 14th, in honor of the historical visit to Israel by Indonesia’s religious leader Sheikh Haji Yahya Cholil Staquf, Koolulam invited 1000 people who had never met before to a special event at the Tower of David in Jerusalem, to sing one song, in three languages and in three-part vocal harmony. 

The event was produced in conjunction with the Tower of David museum and Jerusalem.Com.

The song was Bob Marley’s iconic “One Love,” in English, Arabic, and Hebrew.

We previously posted the Koolulam performance of Al Kol Eleh to celebrate Israel's 70th anniversary in April. 

The musical engine behind Koolulam is Ben Yefet, a gifted music educator and conductor. He creates arrangements for the songs, teaches them in about 45 minutes, and then conducts the humongous ad-hoc choirs for the recordings. As the events have grown in size, Yefet has been joined by co-conductors and musicians.

Koolulam was established with the goal of bringing together people from all walks of life by means of a collaborative musical creation. In each event, a new rendition of a well-known song is taught to participants and is immediately thereafter performed.

Enjoy!

A SPECIAL NOTE FOR NEW EMAIL SUBSCRIBERS:  THE VIDEO IS NOT VIEWABLE DIRECTLY FROM THE EMAIL THAT YOU GET EACH DAY.  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.

Welcoming Shabbat with Adon Olam by Yossi Azulay

Yossi Azulay is best known for his songs such as El Ha'or and Heya Heya. He is well known in Israel for collaborations with Shlomi Shabbat, Rita, and Moshe Datz, as well as for his solo career.

He was awarded second place in the 2004 Eurovision Contest for his song, Don't Worry Baby.

Yossi did his military service in an IDF performing troupe. Since completing his service he pursued a career in music. Besides multiple appearances on television as a soloist he has recorded with Shlomi Shabbat - their duet of the song Ima reached the top of the popularity charts. 

In 2016 Yossi performed in a concert in Paris to benefit an Israeli children's organization. This rendition of Adon Olam (the 41st one that we've posted on Jewish Humor Central) is from that Paris concert.

Enjoy, and Shabbat shalom!

A SPECIAL NOTE FOR NEW EMAIL SUBSCRIBERS:  THE VIDEO IS NOT VIEWABLE DIRECTLY FROM THE EMAIL THAT YOU GET EACH DAY.  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: Rita Rudner on The Tonight Show in 1986

 

One of the hallmarks of Rita Rudner's comedy is that it's clean, free from the vulgarity and shouting that many stand-up comics find necessary.  Sure, there's usually some sexual innuendo but her delivery is demure, tasteful, full of wry observations, and very funny.

Rudner started her career as a dancer, then switched to stand-up comedy about her dating experiences.  She married British producer Martin Bergman and now they have a daughter.  She is fond of Jewish humor but generally reserves it for when she performs for Jewish audiences.

 

For this Throwback Thursday we're going back 32 years to 1986 (gosh, has she been performing that long?) when she made an appearance on the Johnny Carson Tonight Show.

Enjoy!


A SPECIAL NOTE FOR NEW EMAIL SUBSCRIBERS:  THE VIDEO IS NOT VIEWABLE DIRECTLY FROM THE EMAIL THAT YOU GET EACH DAY.  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   #TBT

BREAKING NEWS! Yiddish Fiddler on the Roof Extended Through Oct. 25; May Move to Broadway

We've gotten a lot of positive reaction to our post about the new Yiddish production of Fiddler on the Roof at the Folksbiene theatre in lower Manhattan. We reported that the show was sold out for all performances through its planned end date of September 2. 

Now the great demand for tickets has resulted in an extension through October 25. A new batch of tickets have been added to the Folksbiene online box office. And on Sunday The Wall Street Journal reported that the producers are thinking about moving the show to another off-Broadway theatre or possibly on Broadway.

This is a must-see show and we highly recommend it. 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.

Jewish Traces in Unexpected Places: A Yiddish Singer in Mongolia Talks About Her Roots

In May 2017 we posted a video of Amalia Rubin singing Der Rebbe Elimelech on Mongolian television, as reported by The Jewish Daily Forward.

Back then all we knew about Rubin was that she was an English teacher who lives in the Mongolian capital of Ulaanbaatar, specializes in the music of Mongolia and Tibet, and also performs in Hindi, Thai, Ladino, Hebrew, and Chinese.

The Forward has since posted another video in which Rubin describes her fascinating life in the land of Genghis Khan. The Asian Studies major talks about her Eastern European roots and how she came to plant traces of Jewish life in this unexpected place.

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.

The White Stuff: JTA's Andrew Silow-Carroll Analyzes a Woody Allen Joke

There's more to many Jewish jokes than meets the eye. Andrew Silow-Carroll, editor-in-chief of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency has started a series of short YouTube videos in which he walks you through a classic Jewish joke and explains what it's all about.

A few weeks ago we shared a video in which Andrew analyzed the jokes (actually stories) about the Wise Men of Chelm and another one about the Jewish woman who treks to India to visit a guru on a mountaintop. 

Today we're sharing another of Andy's analyses, this one of a sequence from Woody Allen's movie Hannah and Her Sisters.

We'll bring you more of these analyses of classic Jewish jokes from time to time. We hope there will be more of them soon.

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 Joke to Start the Week - "A Shakespeare Audition"

It's another Monday, and time to share another Joke to Start the Week. Our July program at the Berkshire Hills Eisenberg Adult Vacation Center in Copake, New York, brought us back in touch with staff members and vacationers who shared jokes with us last year and who came prepared with a few more for us to share with you.

Bob Epstein, a retired assistant principal in the New York school system, is a recreation specialist at the Copake camp. He is also a veteran of other adult camps.

In today's post, Bob takes us to the rehearsal room at the New York Public Theatre where director Joseph Papp gives a veteran actor of the Yiddish theatre an opportunity to audition for a Shakespearean role.

Enjoy!

A SPECIAL NOTE FOR NEW EMAIL SUBSCRIBERS:  THE VIDEO IS NOT VIEWABLE DIRECTLY FROM THE EMAIL THAT YOU GET EACH DAY.  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. 

The Jews are Coming - Joshua Circumcises the Israelites (Parody)

In 2014 Israeli satire on TV took a bold step forward with the airing of a new series of sketches called HaYehudim Ba'im (The Jews Are Coming).

Written by Natalie Marcus and Asaf Beiser, the show asks questions about everything, from the Bible to Ben Gurion to the Ashkenazi leadership. Their approach is to  go into the texts and make you think. They say that they give all their subjects a critical look, but they're not attacking, just giving the story a fresh, modern look.

The series ran for three seasons on Israeli TV, all in Hebrew. Some of the half-hour episodes were divided into video clips and published on YouTube with English subtitles. We found a few new ones and we'll continue to share them with you. Today we're posting a parody that reimagines the scene after crossing the Jordan river where God tells Joshua to circumcise the second generation of men who left Egypt, where circumcision could not be practiced.

This video clip, like all the others in the series, may offend some readers who are not open to satirical interpretations of the scriptures and satirical views of Jewish life through the ages, but we believe that there's a place for humor everywhere and we hope you'll find the satire amusing.

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.

Welcoming Shabbat with a North African Version of Yigdal by Marlene Samoun

Most synagogues conclude the Friday evening service with the liturgical poem Yigdal. 

Yigdal (Hebrew: יִגְדָּל‬ means "Magnify [O Living God]") is a Jewish hymn which in various rituals shares with Adon Olam the place of honor at the opening of the morning and the close of the evening service. 

It is based on the 13 Articles of Faith formulated by Maimonides (The Rambam). A translation can be found in any bilingual siddur in the language of the country where it is sung.

Today we're welcoming Shabbat with a version from North Africa sung by Marlene Samoun, a French singer, accompanied by violinist Rachid Brahim-Djelloul. The lyrics alternate in Hebrew and French.

Enjoy, and Shabbat shalom!

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: Milton Berle Does Standup Comedy at Montreal Just for Laughs Festival

Milton Berle, comedian and actor, known for his many roles on Broadway and the screen, brought olde tyme standup comedy to the Just for Laughs festival in Montreal in 1991.

Just For Laughs is the world's premier destination for stand-up comedy. Founded in 1983, JFL produces the world’s largest and most prestigious comedy event every July in Montreal, as well as annual festivals in Toronto and Sydney.

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    #TBT

Comedy Showcase: Bob Alper on Being a New England Rabbi

Rabbi Bob Alper, one of our favorite standup comedians, was the headliner at the finals of The Jewish Week's annual Best Comedian competition at the Broadway Comedy Club in June.

He gave us a copy of his standup routine and we're happy to share it with you in segments.

In this first segment he talks about how he became an adviser to presidential candidate George H.W. Bush at an encounter in New England, and comments on what constitutes a real Jewish accent.

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.

House Speaker Paul Ryan Discovers His Jewish Roots; Stephen Colbert Offers Him Bris

While participating in the taping of an upcoming episode of the PBS show Finding Your Roots, House Speaker Paul Ryan found out that genetic testing confirmed that he is 3% Jewish.

As CNN reported,

The show's host, Henry Louis Gates Jr., shared the Wisconsin Republican's reaction to discovering his roots during a panel on Tuesday.

"You could have knocked him over with a feather and then he was very proud of it," Gates, who also serves as an executive producer on the show, said during the Television Critics Association press tour in Los Angeles. 

A publicist for the show confirmed Gates' comments during the panel, and Ryan's upcoming appearance on the show, in an email to CNN.

"We don't know who that Jewish person was, but we know it was on his mother's German line, which makes sense," Gates continued. "So somebody who was a Christian German slept with a Jewish German person and that's where that came from."

In a tweet on Wednesday, Ryan, who is Catholic, seemingly hinted at finding out about his roots.

 "Guess I need to start saying 'L'Chaim' now, too!" he tweeted, attaching a GIF of himself holding up a drink. He did not reference the show itself in the social media post.

Late night talk show host Stephen Colbert rushed in to offer Ryan a "Bris-Stravaganza" with mohels standing by. Here's the Colbert video clip. 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 Joke to Start the Week - "A New Medical TV Show"

It's another Monday, and time to share another Joke to Start the Week. We're still processing some of the classic jokes that we collected from the volunteer joke tellers who vacationed last month at the Berkshire Hills Eisenberg Adult Vacation Center in Copake, New York. The season has ended, but the happy memories linger on.

Retired accountant Ted Klein had as much fun telling his jokes as we had listening to them and recording them. Today we're posting another one of Ted's jokes.

Here's the setup: This man has a problem passing water, and he goes to a urologist. And then...

Enjoy!

A SPECIAL NOTE FOR NEW EMAIL SUBSCRIBERS:  THE VIDEO IS NOT VIEWABLE DIRECTLY FROM THE EMAIL THAT YOU GET EACH DAY.  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.