Wacky Wednesday Comedy Special: "All the Melons You Can Carry for 25 Cents" on Candid Camera

Candid Camera was a popular and long-running American hidden camera reality television series. Versions of the show appeared on television from 1948 until 2014. Originally created and produced by Allen Funt, it often featured practical jokes, and initially began on radio as The Candid Microphone on June 28, 1947. 

The show involved concealed cameras filming ordinary people being confronted with unusual situations, sometimes involving trick props, such as a desk with drawers that pop open when one is closed or a car with a hidden extra gas tank. When the joke was revealed, victims were told the show's catchphrase, "Smile, you're on Candid Camera." The catchphrase became a song with music and lyrics by Sid Ramin.

Today we're sharing a classic episode in which a fruit store in New York City posted a sign in front of a pile of melons saying "Melons: All You Can Carry for 25 Cents." New Yorkers take their bargains seriously, even if it means turning their dresses and sweaters into shopping bags for unlimited melons.

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.

Comedy Showcase: Stand-up Comedian Modi Rosenfeld on Growing Up With Israeli Parents

Modi Rosenfeld is one of our favorite young comedians and we've posted many of his stand-up comedy routines and skits. 

Born in Tel Aviv, Israel, Modi Rosenfeld moved to New York City with his family when he was 7. Before entering comedy, he was a Wall Street international banker. He now goes solely by the name Modi and is known for creating accents and characters.

He has made many appearances at the Just for Laughs festival, an annual summer event in Montreal. In this video clip from the 40th anniversary JFL Gala, Modi reveals what it was like growing up with Israeli parents.

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 - "Abe and Sadie's Store"

It's another Monday and time for another Joke to Start the Week. Today Mickey Greenblatt is back with another good one.

Marshal (Mickey) Greenblatt received degrees from Columbia (BA and BS in Flight Sciences), a DC from Von Karman Institute (1963) and his PhD from Princeton in Aerospace Sciences. He worked as a researcher for NASA and the Naval Research Laboratory. 

With four other scientists, he founded Fusion Systems Corporation, which invented microwave-powered UV lamps for drying coatings. He founded and served on the boards of technology companies and is active in volunteer work. He served on the executive committee of the Jewish Council for the Aging of Greater Washington for many years.

Mickey also loves Jewish jokes and sent us this one to share with you. Here's the setup:   Abe and Sadie had a Jewish religious store on Delancey Street on the Lower East Side. The neighborhood was changing. Sales were down on all the Jewish items they carried. Finally Sadie said "Abe, we're going to have to close the store."  And then...

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 Great Israeli Singing Groups: Chocolate, Menta, Mastik Sings "Hava Nagila"

Chocolate, Menta, Mastik (Hebrew: שוקולד מנטה מסטיק‎‎, translation: Chocolate, mint, gum) was an Israeli female musical trio, active in the 1970s, composed of Yardena Arazi, Ruthie Holzman and either Tami Azaria (1972-1973) or Leah Lupatin. All the girls served in the IDF as part of the Nahal Ensemble. 

The trio performed both in Israel and internationally, especially after being the 1976 entry to the Eurovision Song Contest in The Hague with "Emor Shalom".

In this video they sing Hava Nagila. Just in case you're counting, this is the 110th version of Hava Nagila that we've posted since starting Jewish Humor Central 13 years ago.

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 Ein Keiloheinu by the Bet David Choir of Sandton, South Africa

Today's Shabbat welcome comes from Sandton, a suburb of Johannesburg, South Africa, where members of the Bet David congregation sing one of the traditional versions of Ein Keiloheinu, the hymn that is usually sung in the Shabbat Musaf service.

Founded in 1971, Congregation Bet David is a Progressive Jewish congregation. Bet David is a warm, welcoming, and inclusive congregation that invites individuals and families of all observance levels to worship and learn together.

The Bet David community is a diverse congregation engaged in social issues, culture and learning – a congregation rediscovering Jewish values that give meaning and provide a strong foundation to face the challenges of contemporary life.

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 Showcase: Phil Foster Sings "Let's Keep the Dodgers in Brooklyn" in 1957

The Brooklyn Dodgers moved to Los Angeles after the 1957 baseball season. Most Brooklyn fans were not happy with the move. Comedian Phil Foster expressed the feelings of Dodger fans in a song he sang 65 years ago on the Ed Sullivan Show, Let's Keep the Dodgers in Brooklyn.

Phil Foster (1913-1985)was born in Brooklyn, New York as Fivel Feldman. He took his stage name's surname from Foster Avenue in Brooklyn. 

He had his first taste of performing when he was a child, when he and his pals began singing and dancing in front of movie theatres. Then he began appearing in amateur shows, competi
ng for prizes. With him on occasion was another beginner named Jackie Gleason.

Foster made his debut as a night club comic in Chicago in the late 1930s when he was pushed out on the floor suddenly to fill in for a stand-up comic. "I just got up and talked," he says. "I didn't know you were supposed to have an act. But I was offered the job at $125 a week."

He always intended to go back to acting, but, staying with the money, he rapidly made a reputation in night clubs and found himself in constant demand from New York to Birmingham to Seattle.

During World War II, Foster served in the United States Army. Upon his discharge, he returned to New York and become a variety show favorite with an act comprising stories based on his curious childhood in Brooklyn. 

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

Wacky Wednesday Comedy Special: Flight to Nowhere on Candid Camera

Candid Camera was an American hidden camera/practical joke reality television series created and produced by Allen Funt, which initially began on radio as The Candid Microphone on June 28, 1947. After a series of theatrical film shorts, also titled Candid Microphone, Funt's concept came to television on August 10, 1948, and continued into the 1970s. 

The show involved concealing cameras filming ordinary people being confronted with unusual situations, sometimes involving trick props, such as a desk with drawers that pop open when one is closed or a car with a hidden extra gas tank. When the joke was revealed, victims would be told the show's catchphrase, "Smile, you're on Candid Camera."

Peter Funt joined the show professionally in 1987 when he became a co-host with his father. During this time the show was being broadcast on the CBS television network. In 1993, Allen Funt had a serious stroke, from which he never fully recovered. This required Peter to host the show full-time. 

The show went through a few revivals. During his time on the show Peter was a producer, host and acted on the show. He also produced and hosted over 200 episodes. 

In this classic episode, an arrival gate at the Salt Lake City airport was made to look like an arrival gate at Phoenix. Passengers disembarking from a Phoenix to Salt Lake City flight were greeted as if they just arrived in Phoenix on a flight to nowhere. 

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.

Gefilte Drive, Israeli Russian Band, Sings Beatles' "A Hard Day's Night" in Yiddish

There have been more than 100 cover versions of The Beatles' song A Hard Day's Night but until now there has not been a Yiddish version. This week an Israeli Russian Klezmer band called Gefilte Drive released an energetic version of the song in Yiddish.

Led by Alexander Kotler, the band has produced some impressive versions of international and Jewish music. In 2017 we posted their lively version of Tumbalalaika, a version that one of our readers called "kosher eye candy."

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 Wise Answerphone"

It's another Monday, and time for another Joke to Start the Week. Today we're bringing you another joke told by David Apfel. 

Now living in Modiin, Israel, David Apfel is an accomplished entertainer and chazzan. He sings in several languages with repertoire ranging from the musicals to opera. He has officiated internationally at several orthodox synagogues and he also specializes in ''Kosher Komedie''.

Here's the setup for today's joke: Two women were talking. One says to the other "Tell me, how are things at home?" She says "Well, I'll tell you things are very quiet now that the children have left. And I'll tell you something else. My Hymie put in an answerphone." She asks "What is an answerphone?" And then...

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.

Koolulam Gets 1,000 Participants to Sing "One Day" in Hebrew and English in Karmiel

In June 2022, the Jewish Community of Pittsburgh visited Israel on their Mega Mission to Israel. "The Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh" and "Partnership2Gether" invited residents of Karmiel and Misgav to sing together with the social-musical initiative Koolulam. 

Over 1000 participants learned to sing a harmonized version of the song One Day in English and Hebrew.

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 Lecha Dodi by the Clergy of Temple Israel in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan

Temple Israel was organized during the summer of 1941 in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit. From its inception, the aim of the Temple has been to revive many of the symbols and traditions of Jewish heritage and establish them within a Reform setting.

It was the first Reform congregation in the Detroit area to introduce a cantor to the service, and to revive the tradition of Bar and Bat Mitzvah. It holds a daily morning minyan and regards wearing of a kippah as a matter of personal choice.

Today's video has Cantor Michael Smolash, Rabbi Jen Lader, cantorial soloist Emma Trivax and Dan Iwrey leading the congregation in Lecha Dodi during Kabbalat Shabbat services. This version of Lecha Dodi ("come my friend") was composed by Yom Chadash. 

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 Showcase: Totie Fields on the Ed Sullivan Show

Totie Fields was born Sophie Feldman in Hartford, Connecticut. According to Wikipedia, she started singing in Boston clubs while still in high school, taking the stage name of Totie Fields. The name "Totie" was a childhood nickname, a baby-talk pronunciation of the name "Sophie"

Fields gained fame during the 1960s and 1970s. Ed Sullivan gave Fields her first big break when he booked her on his show after seeing her perform at the Copacabana in New York. She made multiple appearances on The Ed Sullivan Show, The Mike Douglas Show, and The Merv Griffin Show, as well as a fifth season episode of Here's Lucy starring Lucille Ball.

Here's another video clip of one of her standup comedy appearances on The Ed Sullivan Show.

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

 

 

Wacky Wednesday Comedy Special: Sitting Too Close on Candid Camera

Candid Camera was an American hidden camera/practical joke reality television series created and produced by Allen Funt, which initially began on radio as The Candid Microphone on June 28, 1947. After a series of theatrical film shorts, also titled Candid Microphone, Funt's concept came to television on August 10, 1948, and continued into the 1970s. 

The show involved concealing cameras filming ordinary people being confronted with unusual situations, sometimes involving trick props, such as a desk with drawers that pop open when one is closed or a car with a hidden extra gas tank. When the joke was revealed, victims would be told the show's catchphrase, "Smile, you're on Candid Camera."

Peter Funt joined the show professionally in 1987 when he became a co-host with his father. During this time the show was being broadcast on the CBS television network. In 1993, Allen Funt had a serious stroke, from which he never fully recovered. This required Peter to host the show full-time. 

The show went through a few revivals. During his time on the show Peter was a producer, host and acted on the show. He also produced and hosted over 200 episodes. 

In this classic episode, a restaurant was set up with tables very close to one another, so that diners couldn't have private conversations or have any sense of privacy.

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.

 

Yiddish Word of the Day - All About Love

The Forverts series of short informal video clips called Yiddish Word of the Day is still going strong.

The series, written and narrated by Forverts editor Rukhl Schaechter, aims to give non-Yiddish speakers an introduction to familiar Yiddish words and phrases and how they might be used in everyday situations. 

Schaechter, who was appointed the new editor of the Forverts in 2016, is the first woman to helm the paper in its 119-year history, its first editor to have been born in the United States, and likely its first editor who is shomeret Shabbat.

We posted the first of this series in May 2020. Now that the Forverts is continuing the series, we're sharing some of the words and phrases as a regular feature of Jewish Humor Central.

Today we're exploring words and expressions all about love.
 
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 - "Covid Test"

It's another Monday and time for another Joke to Start the Week. This week we're posting a joke from Dr. Jay Orlikoff, a retired dentist from Centereach, New York, a community on Long Island in Suffolk County.

After a distinguished and meritorious dental career, he is shifting his focus to telling and posting jokes on YouTube. We were fortunate to find some of his jokes and are sharing one of the family-friendly ones with you today. 

This one is a quickie, so if you blink you might miss the punch line.

Here's the setup: An old guy goes to a testing center to be tested for Covid. The nurse looks at him. And then...

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.

Remembering "Grease" Star Olivia Newton-John and Her Jewish Heritage

Film star Olivia Newton-John died last week at the age of 73. Best remembered for her role as Sandy alongside John Travolta as Danny in the movie version of the Broadway musical Grease, she was proud of her mother's Jewish heritage as the daughter of Nobel Prize winner Max Born.

The four-time Grammy winner sold 100 million records in her career, including I Honestly Love You and Don't Stop Believin'.

In an interview with Israel's i24 news in 2019, Newton-John talked about her maternal grandfather, his friendship with fellow physicist Albert Einstein, and how he helped German Jews escape to England during World War II.

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 Lemaan Ahai Sung by the Maayan Band from Toronto

This evening we welcome Shabbat with the pleasing sounds of Lemaan Ahai as played and sung by the Maayan Band - a group of musicians and friends from Toronto, Canada.  

On their website they describe themselves as different characters, tastes and backgrounds, but sharing the sense that the ancient sources, writings of the Jewish sages are the highest expression of the art of being human.

They draw inspiration and musical force from the ancient sources. What unites them is the desire to share that harmony that touches the eternal. Their performances are all about interacting with the people who come to spend time with them.

The song Lemaan Ahai, part of the liturgy of Kabbalat Shabbat, has lyrics from Psalms 122 with music by Shlomo Carlebach.

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 Showcase: Alan King on Insurance Adjusters

It's another Throwback Thursday and we're going back to 1966 when Alan King appeared on the Ed Sullivan Show with a story about his encounter with insurance adjusters.

Alan King was one of our favorite comedians. He was funny not only in his standup routines but just about everywhere he appeared in person or in television interviews. 

King appeared on the Ed Sullivan Show 50 times and one of his favorite targets was the insurance industry. Here he goes again.

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

Wacky Wednesday Comedy Special: Restaurant Chains Silverware to Table on Candid Camera

Candid Camera was an American hidden camera/practical joke reality television series created and produced by Allen Funt, which initially began on radio as The Candid Microphone on June 28, 1947. After a series of theatrical film shorts, also titled Candid Microphone, Funt's concept came to television on August 10, 1948, and continued into the 1970s. 

The show involved concealing cameras filming ordinary people being confronted with unusual situations, sometimes involving trick props, such as a desk with drawers that pop open when one is closed or a car with a hidden extra gas tank. When the joke was revealed, victims would be told the show's catchphrase, "Smile, you're on Candid Camera."

Peter Funt joined the show professionally in 1987 when he became a co-host with his father. During this time the show was being broadcast on the CBS television network. In 1993, Allen Funt had a serious stroke, from which he never fully recovered. This required Peter to host the show full-time. 

The show went through a few revivals. During his time on the show Peter was a producer, host and acted on the show. He also produced and hosted over 200 episodes. 

In this classic episode, people dining in a restaurant have to cope with silverware that's chained to the table.

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: Hava Nagila by Charan-Po-Rantan in Japan

Charan-Po-Rantan is a Japanese sister duo that has an "exuberant, alternative-cabaret-meets-circus vibe"  comprised of Momo Matsunaga on vocals, and her older sister, Koharu on the accordion.

As Susan Delson wrote in the Wall Street Journal,

Speaking through an interpreter in a video interview from Tokyo, Koharu said that klezmer, a Jewish music of Eastern Europe, is the bedrock of her style. She started listening to it in middle school, when their mother brought home a CD. Hearing Hava Nagila, she said, was a musical turning point.

Other influences from Eastern Europe include the No Smoking Orchestra, a Balkan beat band that includes the noted film director Emir Kusturica, and a traditional Romanian group called Taraf de Haïdouks. Contemporary groups like the indie-rock Yeah Yeah Yeahs also make the list, along with blues and rap music.

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 - "Dr. Rosenbaum's Miracle Cure"

It's another Monday and time for another Joke to Start the Week. Today Mickey Greenblatt is back with another good one.

Marshal (Mickey) Greenblatt received degrees from Columbia (BA and BS in Flight Sciences), a DC from Von Karman Institute (1963) and his PhD from Princeton in Aerospace Sciences. He worked as a researcher for NASA and the Naval Research Laboratory. 

With four other scientists, he founded Fusion Systems Corporation, which invented microwave-powered UV lamps for drying coatings. He founded and served on the boards of technology companies and is active in volunteer work. He served on the executive committee of the Jewish Council for the Aging of Greater Washington for many years.

Mickey also loves Jewish jokes and sent us this one to share with you. Here's the setup: Dr. Rosenbaum was a famous orthopedic surgeon. He was well known for his miraculous cures for arthritis. One day a little old lady, Stella Soboroff, bent over in half, walked in. And then...

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.

Finding Hope and Joy Today on Tisha B'Av - The Day of Mourning for the Holy Temples

There is no day during the year when we can't find an opportunity to laugh, chuckle, guffaw, grin, or maybe just crack a smile.  Without humor, the world would be a much grimmer place.  Even during the High Holy Days and on fast days, most of us find a moment to share an anecdote or witty comment with friends.  

Today is no exception, but the overall mood of the elongated day is much more sorrowful than any other.  The reason, of course, is that today we observe Tisha B'Av, the ninth day of the Hebrew month of Av.

Tisha B’Av is a fast day that commemorates the destruction of the two Temples. It also happens to be the day that many other calamities have befallen the Jewish people. 

 

This year Tisha B'Av was actually yesterday, but because we don't fast on Shabbat, the day of mourning and fasting was put off until today. The same thing happened in 2018, and in that year Israel's i24 News posted a YouTube video by Rabbi Yaacov Kirmayer of the Fifth Avenue Synagogue who explained the significance of the day.

 

Amid the sadness of the day, there is room for hope and even a bit of laughter, as the rabbi described how centuries ago Rabbi Akiva laughed while visiting the site. Why laughter? Because he realized that the destruction was the fulfillment of a prophecy and pointed to a later prophecy that the Temple would ultimately be rebuilt.

We hope you have an easy and meaningful fast.

Welcoming Shabbat with Adon Olam from South Africa

Today's Shabbat welcome comes from Sandton, a suburb of Johannesburg, South Africa, where members of the Bet David congregation sing one of the traditional versions of Adon Olam, the hymn that is usually sung at the conclusion of the Shabbat Musaf service.

Founded in 1971, Congregation Bet David is a Progressive Jewish congregation. Bet David is a warm, welcoming, and inclusive congregation that invites individuals and families of all observance levels to worship and learn together.

The Bet David community is a diverse congregation engaged in social issues, culture and learning – a congregation rediscovering Jewish values that give meaning and provide a strong foundation to face the challenges of contemporary life.

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 Musical Special: Frances Faye (Cohen) Sings "Oif’n Pripitchik" & "Too-Ra-Loo-Ra-Loo-Ra" on The Ed Sullivan Show

On this Throwback Thursday, we're going back to June 1957 to a performance by Frances Faye on The Ed Sullivan Show. Faye, born Frances Cohen, showed that she could sing both Yiddish and Irish lullabies.

Faye's showbiz career began at the age of 15 in nightclubs where she first became a star. She appeared in one Bing Crosby film; Double or Nothing singing "After You". She wrote the song "Well All Right" recorded by the Andrews Sisters. Faye made her solo recording debut in 1936.

At the piano 65 years ago, Faye sang the Yiddish lullabye Oif'n Pripitchick followed by the Irish Too-Ra-Loo-Ra-Loo-Ra. 

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