Comedy Showcase: Rita Rudner on Terrorists, the KKK, White Sheets, and Hatred

We've been big fans of Rita Rudner ever since she started to appear on late night TV in the 1980s.

One of the hallmarks of her comedy is that it's clean, free from the vulgarity and shouting that many stand-up comics find necessary.  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 about 30 years ago and they have a daughter.  She is fond of Jewish humor but generally reserves it for when she performs for Jewish audiences.

Rita just released video clips of some recent performances. Today we're sharing her observations on the KKK, white sheets, hatred, and anti-semitism.

Enjoy!

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A Joke to Start the Week - "A Blood Test Tells All"

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: 

The best criminal lawyer in Chicago is Harold Shapiro. He goes to the Cicero prison to see his client Big Al who is going to be tried for murder. Harold starts the conversation with Big Al by saying "I've got some good news and some bad news." And then...

Enjoy!

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Musical Nostalgia: A Yiddish Parody of "The Sidewalks of New York"

"The Sidewalks of New York" is a popular song about life in New York City during the 1890s. It was composed in 1894 by vaudeville actor and singer Charles B. Lawlor with lyrics by James W. Blake, It was an immediate and long-lasting hit and is often considered a theme for New York City. 

Many artists, including Mel Tormé, Duke Ellington, Larry Groce, Richard Barone, and The Grateful Dead, have performed it. Governor Al Smith of New York used it as a theme song for his failed presidential campaigns of 1920, 1924, and 1928. The song is also known as "East Side, West Side" from the first words of the chorus.

Today we came across a Yiddish parody called (what else?) Di saydvoks fun Nyu York. It was written in 1899 by Isaac Reingold and in this video it's sung by Randy Kloko and Jane Peppler.

If you don't remember the original song, you'll find it, sung by Nat King Cole, below the Yiddish version.

Enjoy!

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Welcoming Shabbat with Shalom Aleichem by Australian Jewish Musicians and Singers

This week we welcome another Shabbat with Shalom Aleichem sung by Jewish women around Australia singing Shalom Aleichem, a project of Chabad Australia.

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Enjoy, and Shabbat shalom!

Throwback Thursday Musical Showcase: Israel's Gevatron Singing Group in a 55th Anniversary Concert

The Gevatron (הגבעטרון) is an Israeli Kibbutz folk singers group. The band started off in the early days of the state of Israel and are active to this very day. They are considered a unique phenomenon in the Israeli folk songs scene, and in 2007 won the Israel Prize for Lifetime Achievement. 

The band was founded in 1948 from the youth of Geva Kibbutz in the Jezreel Valley, in honor of the inauguration ceremony of the kibbutz basketball court, and to this very day it is still made up from Geva Kibbutz members and a number of members of the kibbutzim of Beit HaShita, Kfar HaHoresh, the communities of Moledet, Kfar Tavor and Timrat and the city of Afula, sing it voluntarily. 

The group members have their primary occupation outside the band, and the band is their secondary occupation. Members' age ranges between forty plus to seventy plus, and includes an electrician, teachers, a bakery owner, industrial workers, banquet hall manager, car mechanic and a nurse. Gevatron recorded many albums and held thousands of concerts in Israel and Jewish communities abroad, which won them success.  

In this video from their 55th anniversary concert in 2003, the Gevatron sing a medley of their most popular peace songs. Enjoy!

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  #Throwback Thursday     #TBT

Wacky Wednesday Comedy Special: Two Classic Bowling Gags 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 from the 1960s in a bowling alley that was rigged with pins made of plaster of Paris and pins that couldn't be knocked down.

Enjoy! 

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Comedy Showcase: Robert Klein on Anthropomorphism

Robert Klein has kept us laughing for more than 50 years, and at 80 he's still going strong as a stand-up comedian and actor. 

Klein was born in the Bronx, the son of Frieda (née Moskowitz) and Benjamin Klein and was raised in a "prototypical 1950s Bronx Jewish" environment, the grandson of Hungarian Jewish immigrants who arrived in the USA early in the 20th century.

He narrated the documentary tribute to the Borscht Belt, When Comedy Went to School.

He is now touring the USA with upcoming performances in New York and Florida.

Klein's stand-up skits are still floating around the Internet, and we recently found one from a 1975 HBO special filmed at Haverford College where he carries on about anthropomorphism, or the idea of giving human traits to animals and inanimate objects.

Enjoy!

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A Joke to Start the Week - "The Brewers of Chelm"

It's Monday again, and time for another Joke to Start the Week. Today we're sharing one of the classic jokes told by William Novak, co-author with Moshe Waldoks of The Big Book of Jewish Humor.

Last November, Novak retold the joke, along with many others, in an hour-long webinar sponsored by Moment Magazine called Election Day 2022: Jewish Jokes Edition. The session was recorded and includes many more jokes, which we will share with you in the coming weeks.

Novak has since written another book titled Die Laughing: Killer Jokes for Newly Old Folks, which is filled with many more jokes that will keep you laughing for a long time.

Here's the setup for today's joke: One day the residents of Chelm decided to deal with the high price of beer by making their own. After months of trying different recipes they finally choose what they think is the very best one.  And then...

Enjoy!

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Jewish Traces in Unexpected Places: Hinei Ma Tov with a Brazilian/Argentinian Twist

Yzreel and Fanny are from Brazil and Argentina. They have lived in Israel since June 2021 and have created a YouTube channel on which they share their family Aliya experience and content related to Israel. 

They upload videos every week about the weekly Torah portion and Biblical and Modern Hebrew classes. They do not seem to be affiliated with any organization.

Here is their version of Hinei Ma Tov. Enjoy!

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Welcoming Shabbat with Anim Zemirot by Tizmoret (Queens College Hillel a Cappella Group)

Tizmoret is Queens College Hillel's professional Jewish a cappella group. Tizmoret draws singers from colleges throughout New York City and has taken Jewish collegiate a cappella to the next level, performing classic Jewish melodies, American pop music and contemporary Israeli tunes. The group has produced seven CDs and 2 EPs. 

Tizmoret has performed for college campuses, countless b'nei-mitzvah and synagogues, and various music festivals across the Eastern United States. They tour the east coast of the United States (and have crossed into Canada), they have won Kol HaOlam (the national Jewish collegiate competition) three times, and they performed at the White House Hanukkah Party in 2014.

In this video, Tizmoret sings Anim Zemirot, part of the Shabbat Musaf service.

Enjoy, and Shabbat shalom!

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Throwback Thursday Comedy Showcase: Two Jokes by Myron Cohen

Some of the funniest Jewish comedians became famous long before YouTube, and even before their standup routines were kinescoped or videotaped for posterity. The only way you could laugh at their shtick was to be in the audience at Grossinger's, the Concord, or any of the many hotels in New York's Catskill Mountains that became known as the Borscht Belt. 

Then came television and the Ed Sullivan Show, which brought the likes of Sam Levenson, Shelley Berman, Buddy Hackett, Mort Sahl, Henny Youngman, and Myron Cohen to the attention of a wider audience.

Cohen (1902-1986) started out as a salesman in the garment industry in New York. When calling on customers, before showing his samples, he would tell a joke to put everyone at ease and establish a friendly mood. Cohen’s jokes were often more popular than his garment samples, and his customers urged him to become a professional comedian.

He entertained in nightclubs in the 1950s and 1960s, and appeared frequently on The Ed Sullivan Show. Although he spoke perfect, cultured English, he was a master at capturing the ethnic accents of the Jewish citizens of New York City.

There aren't many video clips of Myron Cohen's routines, but here's one we found from a 1975 performance when he told two of his classic jokes.

Enjoy! 

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  #Throwback Thursday     #TBT

Wacky Wednesday Comedy Special: Switcheroo with Magic Wall 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 the Candid Camera crew has fun with unsuspecting workers in an office equipped with a revolving two-sided door.

Enjoy!

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Comedy Showcase: Modi on Refugees at Comedy Cellar

We can't seem to get enough of Modi and his standup comedy appearances. Here's one from 2016 that we missed until we discovered it today.

In this video clip from his standup set at the Comedy Cellar, Modi carries on about the refugee situation in his usual politically incorrect way.

Enjoy!

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A Joke to Start the Week - "Meeting Golda Meir"

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: It was 1973. Seymour Gelfand was getting ready to go on a trip to Israel with his wife. But first he had to get a good haircut. So he goes in and mentions to the barber "I've gotta look good for my trip to Israel."   And then...

Enjoy!

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Hava Nagila Around the World - This One is a Mystery to Us

We have posted 113 versions of Hava Nagila from around the world and we're always looking for new and interesting ones. Today we found this colorful version but it didn't have a backstory. So we're trying to figure out how it came to be posted on YouTube. Perhaps you can help. 

There is no description of the group or the location except for the words "Nedelec Herve." It seems to be an international folk dance group somewhere in France. Are they French? Russian? We don't have a clue, but their interpretation of Hava Nagila is interesting.

Enjoy!

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Welcoming Shabbat with V'Shamru by Temple Sinai of Rochester, New York

Every Friday we try to post a song from the Shabbat liturgy to greet the weekly day of rest. These songs generally include Shalom Aleichem, Lecha Dodi, and Adon Olam. 

Today's Shabbat song is V'Shamru, part of the Friday night and Shabbat morning services. It is taken from Exodus 31:16-17. Shabbat is created to give us rest and to restore the soul. Vayinafash is from the Hebrew word nefesh (soul). Shabbat is the promise that there will be a time of peace for all people. As God guards us, we guard Shabbat.

וְשָׁמְרוּ בְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶת הַשַּׁבָּת, לַעֲשׂוֹת אֶת הַשַּׁבָּת לְדֹרֹתָם בְּרִית עוֹלָם. בֵּינִי וּבֵן בְּנֵי יִשׂרָאֵל אוֹת הִיא לְעֹלָם. כִּי שֵֽׁשֶׁת יָמִים עָשָׂה יהוה אֶת הַשָּׁמַיִם וְאֶת הָאֳרֶץ, וּבַיּוֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִי שָׁבַת וַיִּנָּפַשׁ.

The children of Israel shall observe the Sabbath, observing the Sabbath throughout their generations as a covenant for all time. It is a sign forever between Me and people of Israel. For in six days the Eternal One made heaven and earth, and on the seventh day God ceased from work and rested.

In this video, V'Shamru is sung by members of Temple Sinai in Rochester, New York.

Enjoy, and Shabbat shalom.  

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Throwback Thursday Comedy Showcase: Jackie Mason on Armies in His "The World According to Me"

In 1988, Jackie Mason appeared in his first one-man Broadway show, The World According to Me, in which he combined politically incorrect (but funny) satire with his own unique observations about everyday life.

In this video clip from the show 35 years ago, Mason gives a tutorial on hate, armies, and images of the Jew as a fighter in daily and military situations.

Enjoy!

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 #Throwback Thursday     #TBT

Wacky Wednesday Comedy Showcase: Separating Clean and Dirty Words 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 workers at a greeting card company must separate words as "clean" or "dirty." But every word is perfectly clean. Thespian: an actor; Fugue: a short melody; Seersucker: a type of fabric; Torque: rotation creating force; Titillate: to excite or arouse; Matriculate: to enroll in school; Jocular: joking; Horehound: a type of mint plant.

Enjoy!

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Comedy Special: Modi Comments on His Genetic Results from "23 and Me"

23 and Me is an at-home genetic testing service that delivers a report showing a person's ancestry by percentages.

Comedian Modi sent a sample to 23 and Me to reveal his ancestry. Here's his report on the findings, as described in a stand-up act at the Comedy Cellar in New York last year.

Enjoy!

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A Joke to Start the Week - Best Way to be an Effective CEO

It's another Monday and time for another Joke to Start the Week. This week we're posting another 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 we're sharing one of the family-friendly ones with you today. 

Here's the setup: A company hires a new CEO. And just before he takes over he meets with the outgoing CEO in private. The outgoing CEO says "Look, I'm going to give you some advice." And then...

Enjoy!

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Jewish Traces in Unexpected Places - Brazilian Superstar Xuxa Leads Children in Singing Hava Nagila

Xuxa is a Brazilian television host, film actress, singer, model, and businesswoman. Known as "Queen of Little Ones", Xuxa built the largest Latin American children's entertainment empire. In the early 1990s, she presented television programs in Brazil, Argentina, Spain and the United States simultaneously, reaching around 100 million viewers daily.

She became a national superstar when she moved to TV Globo in 1986 for the Xou da Xuxa. She was the first Brazilian to appear on Forbes magazine's list of richest artists in 1991, taking 37th place with an annual gross income of US$19 million.

Over her 30-year career, Xuxa has sold over 30 million copies of her records worldwide, which makes her the highest-selling Brazilian female singer. Her net worth was estimated at US$100 million in the early 1990s. As of 2020, she continues to be among Brazil's most prominent celebrities. Also successful as a businesswoman, she has the highest net worth of any Brazilian female entertainer, estimated at US$400 million.

In this video, Xuxa, wearing a supersize Magen David, leads a group of 12 children singing and dancing Hava Nagila.

Enjoy!

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Welcoming Shabbat with Lecha Dodi by South Africa's Marais Road Shul

The Green and Sea Point Hebrew Congregation in Cape Town, South Africa, is known as the Marais Road Shul. Last week before Shabbat Cantor Ivor Jaffe, the shul choir and live band performed a new version of Lecha Dodi, the central part of the Kabbalat Shabbat service.Enjoy, and Shabbat shalom!

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Throwback Thursday Comedy Showcase: Milton Berle Teaches Ed Sullivan How to Get Laughs

In the 1970s Milton Berle was the host of the Texaco Star Theater. One night Ed Sullivan appeared as a guest on the show with a complaint -- he likes to tell jokes but nobody laughs at them. Berle is quick to offer solutions -- each one funnier than the previous one.

The skit continues with Berle performing his usual shtick, showing Sullivan how to get big laughs.

Enjoy!

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  #Throwback Thursday       #TBT           

Wacky Wednesday Comedy Showcase: Motor Vehicle Bureau Hands Out Funny License Plates 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 Peter plays the role of a clerk at the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) who hands out funny license plates to unsuspecting motorists.

Enjoy!

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Happy New Year! We Look Back at Our Most Viewed Post of 2022. Can You Guess What It Is?

In the first week of each new year, all media sites look back on the year just ended and review with their readers the most read and watched stories of the year. So why should we be different? 

In 2022 we posted 301 video clips with their back stories, including a wide range of jokes, comedy skits, funny happenings, musical selections, wacky situations, throwbacks to decades past, and Shabbat melodies. 

The blog post that got the most views was the fascinating story of "Bei Mir Bistu Shein"-- how it went from being the hit of a Yiddish musical comedy in 1932 to become the best selling song in American History in 1937, sung by The Andrews Sisters.

Here it is for you to enjoy again.

The Story of "Bei Mir Bistu Shein" with the Zamir Chorale of Boston

The Zamir Chorale of Boston and Josh Jacobson present the fascinating story of "Bei Mir Bistu Shein"-- how it went from being the hit of a Yiddish musical comedy in 1932 to become the best selling song in American History in 1937, sung by The Andrews Sisters.

Josh Jacobson narrates the story, followed by a delightful performance of the Yiddish and English versions by the Zamir Chorale of Boston. Edwin Swanborn is the pianist; Taki Masuko the drummer; Cantor Joel Caplan plays the clarinet; Deb Wollner, Susan Rubin and Deborah Melkin are the soloists. The recording is by Larry Sandberg.

Enjoy!

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A Joke to Start the Week - "A Perfect Match"

It's Monday again, and time for another Joke to Start the Week. Today we're sharing one of the classic jokes told by William Novak, co-author with Moshe Waldoks of The Big Book of Jewish Humor.

Last November, Novak retold the joke, along with many others, in an hour-long webinar sponsored by Moment Magazine called Election Day 2022: Jewish Jokes Edition. The session was recorded and includes many more jokes, which we will share with you in the coming weeks.

Novak has since written another book titled Die Laughing: Killer Jokes for Newly Old Folks, which is filled with many more jokes that will keep you laughing for a long time.

Here's the setup for today's joke: A shadchan approaches a Yeshiva student and says "I have a great girl for you." The student says "I'm not really interested."  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.