Jewish Humor Central is a daily publication to start your day with news of the Jewish world that's likely to produce a knowing smile and some Yiddishe nachas. It's also a collection of sources of Jewish humor--anything that brings a grin, chuckle, laugh, guffaw, or just a warm feeling to readers.
Our posts include jokes, satire, books, music, films, videos, food, Unbelievable But True, and In the News. Some are new, and some are classics. We post every morning, Sunday through Friday. Enjoy!
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 Lecha Dodi, the hymn that is usually sung in the Kabbalat Shabbat 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!
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With six days left in our countdown to the Pesach seder (one in Israel, two in the diaspora), we're posting another new Passover video just released by the Y-Studs.
Originally from Yeshiva University, the Y-Studs a Cappella group started as a club in 2010 and
have since grown beyond the collegiate level to the professional stage.
You may have seen some of their music videos, like the viral hit Evolution of Jewish Music and their cover Hashem Melech that have contributed to over 10 million views across social media channels - as well as over 36,000 YouTube subscribers.
Here's the latest Passover video by the Y-Studs, Don't Stop We're Leavin, a parody of Don't Stop Believin by Journey.
Enjoy!
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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 set in a Car Wash, the attendant tells customers that he found some auto parts that fell from the car while it was being washed.
Enjoy!
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Today Joel Gibbs is back in the role of Sol Krupnick telling one of his short stories.
Gibbs is starring as Sol Krupnick in “Meet Sol Krupnick,” “an
on-stage, theatrical, one-man-show” about a “Jewish kibitzer of
undetermined (old) age who shares fun stories about his crazy family,
tells classic jokes and offers ‘unique’ observations about the world
around him.”
Or, in other words, the 70-year-old Jewish grandfather is performing a one-man show as himself.
Gibbs, a longtime congregant at Shir Ami in Newtown who still attends
events at the synagogue, opened his show with a recent performance at
KleinLife in Northeast Philadelphia. About 200 friends and family
members came to show their support. But really, they came to laugh. As
Gibbs said of the night, “I portrayed the character; I told the stories
and jokes; the audience laughed a lot.”
Gibbs calls himself the “Man of a Thousand Voices.” He does more than
100 celebrity impressions and has worked on more than 40,000 projects
worldwide, according to his press release. He partnered with Billy
Crystal, Julie Andrews and other celebrities on the “Love the Arts in
Philadelphia” campaign to promote the city’s cultural institutions.
Today
we're sharing one of Sol's stories about how the owner of his favorite delis handled a delicate matter with the IRS.
Enjoy!
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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.
Here's
the setup for today's joke: Horowitz buys a dog and invites his friend over to see the dog. As soon as the friend enters the house, Horowitz points to a newspaper on the floor and says to the dog: "Fetch!" And
then...
Enjoy!
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It's never too early to start posting funny Passover videos. With the first seder only ten days away, we're getting a jump start with an early entry from the Menschions, an online company that sells uniquely hilarious and heartfelt Jewish greeting cards and gifts for the holidays.
For this Pesach they posted an original Dysfunctional Family variation on Dayenu, one of the central songs from the Haggadah for seder night.
Enjoy!
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Tonight we're welcoming another Shabbat with a performance by Leah Shoshanah, a Chicago-based singer, songwriter & Jewish musician whose soulful,
original music deftly navigates the folk, funk, rock and jazz genres.
Shoshanah's original music takes on a life of its own and has inspired audiences to sit spellbound, sing together, laugh, cry and dance.
Shoshanah has played on historic stages in Chicago, like the Old Town School of Folk Music, PianoForte, Martyrs’ and the Green Mill. She has played to audiences of thousands on tour in Germany, put on cabaret-style solo acts in underground neighborhood theaters, led musical meditations, and helped individuals and communities move through loss and celebrate life with song.
In this video she sings Yedid Nefesh, a Piyyut (a Jewish liturgical poem), sung as part of the Kabbalat Shabbat service on Friday evenings. It was filmed by Robin Manesky in the Yucatan Jungle, Mexico. The structure behind her is a Temescal (sweat lodge).
Translation:
Lover of my soul, merciful God,
bring your servant close to Your will.
Your servant will run like a gazelle, to prostrate before Your glory.
For Your companionship is purer than any fine taste or flavor.
Enjoy!
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Abbe Lane (born Abigail Francine Lassman to Jewish parents in 1932) is an
American singer and actress. Lane was known in the 1950s and 1960s for
her revealing outfits and sultry style of performing. Her first marriage
was as the fourth wife of Latin bandleader and musician Xavier Cugat, more than thirty years her senior.
Because of her work in Europe, Lane was known as an actress before
she became recognized for her singing and dancing. She had a television
program in Europe and made 21 films there early in her career.
In 1952, she married bandleader Xavier Cugat. During the 1950s and early 1960s she
worked as a nightclub singer and was described in a 1963 magazine
article as "the swingingest sexpot in show business."Cugat's influence was seen in her music, which favored Latin and rumba styles.
In this 1962 video from the Ed Sullivan Show, Lane sings I've Got a Lot of Livin' to Do, accompanied by Xavier Cugat and his orchestra.
Enjoy!
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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.
But before Peter took over the show he had another role. At the age of 16, he posed as a Roman statue in an art gallery and managed to stay completely still while holding a spear. The reactions of people visiting and working in the gallery are hilarious.
Enjoy!
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Khayelitsha United Mambazo is an African choir from Cape Town, South Africa. The 11-piece group aim to follow in the footsteps of their
heroes and friends, Ladysmith Black Mambazo.
In a recent concert they sang a medley of Hebrew songs including Hevenu Shalom Aleichem, Mekimi Meafar Dal, and Ki Va Moed.
Enjoy!
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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 other day we had a big thunderstorm --lightning and everything, and then the power went out.
And then...
Enjoy!
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Today Joel Gibbs is back in the role of Sol Krupnick telling one of his short stories.
Gibbs is starring as Sol Krupnick in “Meet Sol Krupnick,” “an
on-stage, theatrical, one-man-show” about a “Jewish kibitzer of
undetermined (old) age who shares fun stories about his crazy family,
tells classic jokes and offers ‘unique’ observations about the world
around him.”
Or, in other words, the 70-year-old Jewish grandfather is performing a one-man show as himself.
Gibbs, a longtime congregant at Shir Ami in Newtown who still attends
events at the synagogue, opened his show with a recent performance at
KleinLife in Northeast Philadelphia. About 200 friends and family
members came to show their support. But really, they came to laugh. As
Gibbs said of the night, “I portrayed the character; I told the stories
and jokes; the audience laughed a lot.”
Gibbs calls himself the “Man of a Thousand Voices.” He does more than
100 celebrity impressions and has worked on more than 40,000 projects
worldwide, according to his press release. He partnered with Billy
Crystal, Julie Andrews and other celebrities on the “Love the Arts in
Philadelphia” campaign to promote the city’s cultural institutions.
Today
we're sharing one of Sol's stories about his sister's search for Sidney.
Enjoy!
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Purim is in the rear window and Pesach is coming up fast, but Shabbat comes every week. Each Friday we post a selection from the Shabbat liturgy to welcome Shabbat Hamalka, the Sabbath queen.
Today we're sharing a new version of Shalom Aleichem, from the Kabbalat Shabbat Friday night service, as sung at Congregation Beth Israel of San Diego, California.
Congregation Beth Israel, the historic center of Jewish life in San
Diego, is an inclusive Reform congregation that offers a warm welcome
and a nurturing home to all who seek a meaningful and enduring
connection to Judaism.
Enjoy, and Shabbat shalom!
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Today
we're turning the calendar back to 1965 when American trumpeter Herb
Alpert performed A Taste of Honey on the Ed Sullivan Show. He recorded five No. 1
albums among 28 albums on the Billboard chart; achieving 14
platinum albums and 15 gold albums; and earning nine Grammy Awards. He
has sold 72 million records worldwide.
At age 87, Alpert is still performing. He has concerts scheduled in 10 Canadian cities and in London in April, May, and June.
During
a visit to Tijuana, Mexico, Alpert happened to hear a mariachi band
while attending a bullfight.
Following the experience, Alpert recalled that he was inspired to find a
way to express musically what he felt while watching the wild responses
of the crowd, and hearing the brass musicians introducing each new
event with rousing fanfare. Alpert adapted the trumpet style to the
tune, mixed in crowd cheers and other noises for ambience, and renamed
the song "The Lonely Bull". In the US, "The Lonely Bull" was a hit in
1962, peaking at #6 on the Hot 100.
Originally the Tijuana Brass was just Alpert overdubbing his own trumpet, slightly out of sync. By
the end of 1964, because of a growing demand for live appearances by
the Tijuana Brass, Alpert auditioned and hired a team of crack session
men.
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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 set in a Bob's Big Boy drive-thru restaurant, customers ordering a soda are handed an empty cup with instructions to park their car, go inside, and fill it themselves from a soda fountain. Their reactions are priceless.
Enjoy!
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Hava Nagila continues to be a favorite all over the world. Today we're posting our 116th version of this popular song, performed at a Klezmer festival last month in Budapest, Hungary.
Because the it got such an enthusiastic reception, there will be a repeat concert in the FMH Cultural Center in Budapest on April 16.
Enjoy!
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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: Big Bubba went into Doctor Kanofsky's office and went up to the receptionist and she asked Bubba what he had. He said "Shingles." And then...
Enjoy!
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Last Thursday we lost one of the great Jewish entertainers of our time with the death of Chaim Topol at the age of 87 after a multi-year battle with Alzheimer's Disease.
He was best known for his role as Tevye in Fiddler on the Roof — first in
stage productions of the famed Shalom Aleichem musical in London and then later in
the iconic film, before eventually returning to the stage with the
role.
It was during the London run that he began being known by his last name
only, as the English producers were unable to pronounce his first name.
Born in Tel Aviv in 1935, Topol began his acting career while completing
his service in the army’s entertainment troupe where he met his wife,
Galia. After his release, he joined a theater group, appearing in
multiple productions before his first film role, the 1961 drama “I Like
Mike.”
But it was his 1964 role in the film “Sallah Shabati”
that first gained Topol serious attention, both domestically and
internationally. Topol played the title role in the now-iconic film
about the hardships of a Mizrahi immigrant family living in a transit
camp.
In later years, Topol – who also wrote several books and illustrated
several others – devoted himself to philanthropy, in particular as
president of the Jordan River Village. The facility, which opened in 2012, runs a year-round camp in the Galilee for children living with chronic illnesses and disabilities.
Topol illustrated approximately 25 books in both Hebrew and English. He also produced drawings of Israeli national figures. His sketches of Israeli presidents were reproduced in a 2013 stamp series issued by the Israel Philatelic Federation, as was his self-portrait as Tevye for 2014 commemorative stamp marking the 50th anniversary of the Broadway debut of Fiddler on the Roof.
Video clips from "Fiddler" are showing up all over the Internet, but today we'll share two clips showing other sides of Topol... singing Eli, Eli, the poem written by Hannah Senesh, on Yom Hashoah in Auschwitz-Birkenau on a March of the Living in 2012, and a scene from Sallah Shabati.
A memorial ceremony was held on Friday morning at the Cameri Theatre in Tel Aviv. Hundreds
of people came to pay their respects in the ceremony in which Culture
and Sport Minister Mikki Zohar, Rivka Michaeli, Oded Cutler, Gabi Armani
and Topol's daughter Adi gave speeches.
Zohar said "His works will be remembered for ever, etched into Israeli culture."
A
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Today we welcome Shabbat with a traditional version of Lecha Dodi, sung by Cantor Avraham Yaakov Taylor with the Klezmorim Trio from Krakow. The concert was performed in Mszana Dolna, Poland on February 7, 2023.
Klezmorim Trio is made up of musicians who share a passion for Jewish and Balkan klezmer music.Inspired by the Ashkenazi culture of the Galician diaspora, they take the audience to the musical world of pre-war shtetls.
During their concerts, you can hear the most popular songs in Yiddish, as well as the stories of their creation.Klezmorim Trio has created a perfect combination of traditional Jewish melodies and contemporary, original arrangements, which gives an unforgettable effect, long remembered by listeners.
Enjoy, and Shabbat shalom!
A
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In 1967 Jack Benny was a guest on the Ed Sullivan Show and they struck up a conversation with Benny asking Sullivan exactly what he did on his show.
After confirming that Sullivan didn't sing, dance, act, or tell jokes, but just introduced the acts, he asked him how much he was paid for each appearance.
The answer, $800,000, would be $7.1 million in today's dollars. Not bad for introducing acts.
Enjoy!
A
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What? Another day of Purim? If you live in Jerusalem, you're
celebrating Purim today, the 15th of Adar. The battles fought between the Jews and their enemies throughout the Persian empire took place on 13 Adar.
Around the world, the Jews rested and celebrated on the following
day—14 Adar. In the capital city of Shushan, however, where there were a
greater number of Jew-haters, the fighting continued for two days, 13
and 14 Adar. The victory celebrations in Shushan were thus held on the
15th. When the holiday of Purim
was set for the 14th of Adar, the sages instituted that Shushan
residents perpetually observe Purim on the 15th of Adar—the day when the
Shushanite Jews celebrated. The 15th of Adar is hence known as Shushan Purim.
Along with Shushan (which is located in modern-day southwestern Iran), all cities that were walled at the time when the Israelites, under the leadership of Joshua, entered Canaan, observe Purim on the 15th. Today, the only city that we are certain had walls in Joshua’s times is Jerusalem. And indeed, in the holy city, Purim is festively celebrated one day after all other cities. There are a number of other ancient cities in Israel, such as Jaffa and Tiberias, regarding which there is a reasonable doubt whether they were walled in Joshua’s times. These cities observe two days of Purim.
Here's a report from Israel TV on yesterday's celebrations all over Israel.
Chag Sameach!
A
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Purim is finally here. After days of anticipation and getting in the mood with Purim music videos, we read Megillat Esther last night and head for a second reading this morning.
But we're always on the lookout for interesting and unusual takes on the basic Purim story. We found one posted on YouTube by Miriam Anzovin. It's the story written in rhyme by Rabbi Art Gould.
Miriam Anzovin is a writer, visual artist, and TikTok creator, exploring
the juxtaposition of pop culture, nerd culture, and Jewish culture. Her
work as a Jewish learning influencer and content creator encourages her
audience to engage with Jewish literature, history, and tradition in
creative and dynamic ways authentic to each individual, no matter their
level of knowledge, belief, or observance.
Enjoy!
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Chag Purim Sameach! This year, Temple Isaiah of Los Angeles’ contribution to the Purim parody video canon is a celebration of our Jewishness: a joyful and whole-hearted message of love for our diverse, extraordinary Jewish community.
Jaclyn Cohen, Associate Rabbi of Temple Isaiah, offers a
response to the Hamans of this world is by taking pride in our
tradition, culture & rituals, raising them up high and sharing them far
& wide.She takes the lead in Jews, a Jewish version of the song Juice, popularized by singer Melissa Jefferson (known as Lizzo).
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
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CENTRAL WEBSITE, FROM WHICH YOU CLICK ON THE PLAY BUTTON IN THE VIDEO IMAGE TO
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Everything is bigger in Texas, and celebrating Purim in Houston is no exception.
One of twelve Houston branches of Chabad Lubavitch of Texas,
Chabad of Uptown is located in the heart of the trendy Uptown area,
near the Galleria, River Oaks and Memorial areas, offering Shabbat
services, classes, holiday programs, a vibrant young professionals
group and a Mommy and Me program among other outreach activities.
Rabbi Chaim Lazaroff, who leads Chabad of Uptown with his wife Chanie, appeared on Houston's Fox 26 Morning Show to explain Purim to the TV audience and to demonstrate the use of the world's biggest gragger.
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.
