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!
When words fail, as they often have after the events of the past weeks, we turn to song and prayer.
This week three of the most popular Jewish a cappella groups -- The Maccabeats, Six13, and J-Studs -- have combined their voices to perform Avinu SheBashamayim, the Prayer for the Welfare of the State of Israel.
Sending comfort to the bereaved, wishes for a speedy return of the hostages, and prayers for the safety for our brave brothers and sisters called up to protect Eretz Yisrael. Am Yisrael Chai!
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The modern City of Ariel drew its name from one of the names of the Holy
Temple in Jerusalem. As with its sister city, Jerusalem, the ancient
and modern historic continuum is plain to see. The City of Ariel is
built alongside the ruins of an ancient Israelite city that dates back
more than 3,000 years.
In this video, the local Ariel choir, Spotlight, delivers a powerful rendition of the song Amen with open hearts and sincere prayers. In these challenging times, this performance is dedicated to to the brave members of the IDF, emergency first responders, resilient nation, steadfast residents, and supportive friends. Together, through faith and unity, may we find happiness, growth, and strength once again.
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Last week at Carnegie Hall, 18-year-old Canadian pianist Kevin Chen, the winner of the prestigious Arthur Rubinstein Competition, created an unforgettable evening of music.
Chen, known for his extraordinary talent, surprised the audience by making a spontaneous program change in a gesture of solidarity with Israel.
This remarkable performance began with a stirring rendition of the Israeli national anthem, "Hatikvah," showcasing Chen's versatility and his commitment to bridging cultures through music.
The audience was captivated by his heartfelt tribute to Israel, and the night will be remembered as a unique and moving experience in the world of classical music.
Enjoy!
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Shabbat is Shabbat, whether you're in the comfort of your home or somewhere in Israel wearing an IDF uniform.
Today we're welcoming Shabbat with two Israeli soldiers somewhere in Israel, wearing their army uniforms and camouflage headgear, holding a guitar and an Uzi.
We join them in singing Shalom Aleichem and offer prayers for their success in their mission and safe return to their homes.
Shabbat shalom!
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The song Bring Him Home from Les Miserables has attained special significance as the world hopes for the release of the hostages being held in Gaza.
We have seen and posted versions of this song in recent days. Today we're sharing a version that was posted yesterday by the Israel Opera.
The song, in English and Hebrew, is performed by Israeli Opera soloists Anat Czarny (mezzo soprano)
& Oded Reich (baritone).
May all the captives be released speedily and return home safely.
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As the soldiers of the Israel Defense Forces prepare for battle, they are inspired by an outpouring of support of all kinds -- spiritual, emotional, material, and musical -- from Jews in Israel and the diaspora.
There have been concerts on the front lines by leading Israeli singers and performers. But sometimes a simple prayer and the sounding of the shofar says it all.
In this short video clip, a young Israeli boy sings the Sh'ma and blows a shofar for Israeli soldiers.
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Today we're continuing our new series The Great Jewish Movies on Jewish Humor Central. Each
post will focus on one of the movies produced in the last century that
had a Jewish theme, including comedy, drama, and musical genres.
We'll
include a brief plot summary, a video clip, and tell you how and where
to watch the full movie. Some will be free and others will require a
small rental fee.
Today's focus is on Chariots of Fire, the 1981 British historical sports drama film directed by Hugh Hudson, written by Colin Welland and produced by David Puttnam. It is based on the true story of two British athletes in the 1924 Olympics: Eric Liddell, a devout Scottish Christian who runs for the glory of God, and Harold Abrahams, an English Jew who runs to overcome prejudice.
Ben Cross and Ian Charleson star as Abrahams and Liddell, alongside Nigel Havers, Ian Holm, John Gielgud, Lindsay Anderson, Cheryl Campbell, Alice Krige, Brad Davis and Dennis Christopher in supporting roles. Kenneth Branagh makes his debut in a minor role.
Chariots of Fire was nominated for seven Academy Awards and won four, including Best Picture, Best Original Screenplay and Best Original Score for Vangelis' electronic theme tune.
The full two hour and four minute film is available to watch free on YouTube. Enjoy!
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Rabbi Dr. Warren Goldstein is the current Chief Rabbi of South Africa and
a global Jewish leader.
Affectionately referred to as ‘Chief’ and a ‘spiritual entrepreneur’ he
has launched and led a number of innovative social projects with global
reach and impact.
The youngest person to ever be elected to the
position, Chief Rabbi Goldstein is a strong advocate for creative,
proactive leadership and effective partnership to find unique solutions
to the challenges of our time.
On October 9 Rabbi Goldstein led his Johannesburg congregation in the Acheinu prayer for the redemption of the civilians and soldiers who have been captured.
As
for our brothers, the whole house of Israel, who are given over to
trouble or captivity, whether they abide on the sea or on the dry land:
May the All-present have mercy upon them, and bring them forth from distress to relief, from darkness to light, and from subjection
to redemption, now speedily and at a near time.
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This isn't the first time that we've posted a prayer for the brave soldiers of the Israel Defense Forces, but new versions keep appearing on the internet, and this one was posted just two days ago.
It features Shai Abramson, Chief Cantor of the IDF, singing the prayer originally
written by IDF Chief Rabbi Shlomo Goren to the tune of Eretz Tzvi, a song recorded by famous Israeli singer Yehoram Gaon for the movie Mivtsa
Yonatan. The 1977 film was based on Operation Entebbe, in which
Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu’s brother, Yoni, was killed.
The lyrics, in Hebrew and English, appear below the video.
May the brave soldiers of the IDF be successful in their mission and return home safely.
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He Who blessed our forefathers Abraham, Isaac and Jacob — may He bless
the fighters of the Israel Defense Forces, who stand guard over our land
and the cities of our God, from the border of the Lebanon to the desert
of Egypt, and from the Great Sea unto the approach of the Aravah, on
the land, in the air, and on the sea.
May the Almighty cause the enemies who rise up against us to be struck
down before them. May the Holy One, Blessed is He, preserve and rescue
our fighters from every trouble and distress and from every plague and
illness, and may He send blessing and success in their every endeavor.
May He lead our enemies under our soldiers’ sway and may He grant them
salvation and crown them with victory. And may there be fulfilled for
them the verse: For it is the Lord your God, Who goes with you to battle
your enemies for you to save you.
Eishet Chayil is a traditional Shabbat prayer that praises the wife, and it is recited during the Kiddush ceremony.
Last Friday a group of Israeli soldiers preparing for battle took the time to sing this song of praise to their wives as they got ready for Shabbat in the field.
May this prayer give them strength, and may our soldiers return home safely very soon.
Shabbat Shalom.
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In times of sadness and anger, it's comforting and inspirational to see examples of the Jewish community uniting in solidarity.
Such a moment took place this week at the Kotel (Western Wall) in Jerusalem when a two-year-old child from Chabad stood on a chair in the presence of a group of IDF soldiers and led them in reciting the Sh'ma and an excerpt from the Passover Haggadah.
In this video clip you can see the child leading and the soldiers responding to the Sh'ma and to the first sentence from this paragraph in the Haggadah:
In each and every generation, a person is obligated to see himself as if he left Egypt, as it is stated (Exodus 13:8); "For the sake of this, did the Lord do [this] for me in my going out of Egypt." Not only our ancestors did the Holy One, blessed be He, redeem, but rather also us [together] with them did he redeem, as it is stated (Deuteronomy 6:23); "And He took us out from there, in order to bring us in, to give us the land which He swore unto our fathers."
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Since the October 7 brutal attack by Hamas on the kibbutzim near the Gaza strip, we've been adjusting our daily posts to focus less on jokes and funny stuff, and more on educational videos and music videos with prayers for Israel and the Israel Defense Forces (IDF).
We are hopeful that we will soon be back to happy times, but in the meantime we will be posting more thoughtful, educational, and prayerful videos.
Today we are sharing a rather lengthy video (28 minutes) by Oren, a professional Israeli tour guide whose post offers a new perspective on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
In his video, Oren clearly explains the history of the conflict with facts and challenges anyone who differs with him to provide facts that contradict what he is saying.
It's a message that in the five days since its posting has been viewed almost 3 million times. We urge you to share it widely.
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Jews
of the Wild West is a feature length documentary about resilience and
identity in an unexpected place. The film tells a positive immigration
story and highlights the dynamic contributions Jewish Americans made to
shaping the Western United States. With today's rise in antisemitism,
these stories are more important now than ever.
The documentary includes the story of Josephine Marcus Earp, the Jewish wife of Wyatt Earp, American lawman and gambler in the American West, including Dodge City, Deadwood, and Tombstone. Earp was involved in the famous gunfight at the O.K. Corral, during which lawmen killed three outlaw Cochise County Cowboys.
Also
profiled are the immigrant families that created Levi's jeans and
Samsonite luggage and Ray Frank, the first woman to preach from a
synagogue pulpit.
The film is available to watch on Kanopy, a free service provided by most public libraries and academic institutions.
Here's a preview. 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: Joel Wasserman has been stranded on a desert island ever since the cruise ship sank. Every day he looks out on the horizon...maybe he'll see a ship. After 10 years he finally saw a speck off in the distance. And then...
Enjoy!
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Today we're continuing our new series The Great Jewish Movies on Jewish Humor Central. Each
post will focus on one of the movies produced in the last century that
had a Jewish theme, including comedy, drama, and musical genres.
We'll
include a brief plot summary, a video clip, and tell you how and where
to watch the full movie. Some will be free and others will require a
small rental fee.
Today's focus is on 1988 American romantic comedy film adapted by Susan Sandler from her play of the same name, and directed by Joan Micklin Silver. It stars Amy Irving, Peter Riegert and Reizl Bozyk. The film also features performances from David Hyde-Pierce, Sylvia Miles and Rosemary Harris. Amy Irving was nominated for a Golden Globe for the film, for Best Actress in a Motion Picture - Comedy or Musical.
Thirty-something Isabelle "Izzy" Grossman (Amy Irving) spends her time
going from her tiny, solitary West Side apartment to that of her
grandmother (Reizl Bozyk) on the Lower East Side. In between, Izzy
builds a glowing reputation at the swank bookstore where she works.
While her grandmother plots to find her a romantic match, Izzy is
courted by a married, worldly author, Anton (Jeroen Krabbé), yet can't
seem to shake the down-to-earth appeal of Sam (Peter Riegert), a pickle
vendor.
The full hour and 36 minute film is available to watch free on YouTube. Enjoy!
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Today we welcome another Shabbat with a rendition of Lecha Dodi from the Spanish and Portuguese tradition performed by Dr. Ariel Lazarus, the Renanot school of Hazzanut choir and the Israeli Ladino orchestra string quartet.
Dr.
Ariel Lazarus is a unique voice among Israeli musicians today. Brought
up in a family with Sephardi musical roots from Gibraltar, he began
composing and playing the guitar in his teens, and has been committed to
developing his own compositional language ever since, always
maintaining an open dialogue with his traditions.
Lazarus is the winner
of the 2021 Yitzhak Navon prize given by the president of Israel for
outstanding work in the field of music traditions. Lazarus is the
musical director and co-founder of the Israeli Ladino Orchestra,
Renanot.
Enjoy, and Shabbat shalom!
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Under the supervision of Rabbi Natan Slifkin, who is the founder and director of the museum, and with a menu prepared by Chef Moshe Basson of the popular Eucalyptus restaurant in Jerusalem, the diners at the sold out event enjoyed a most unusual menu.
The featured main course was whole roasted Indian peacock, a dish which is not widely known and accepted as kosher but approved by Rabbi Slifkin. Desserts included a chocolate fountain with locusts for dipping and a crocodile-shaped cake.
Rabbi
Dr. Slifkin, known as the Zoo Rabbi, has had a lifelong fascination with the animal kingdom and
has kept many dozens of exotic creatures. He has published numerous
books on different themes relating to Judaism and the natural sciences,
including The Challenge of Creation and the Torah Encyclopedia of the Animal Kingdom.
In an interview posted three years ago on YouTube, Rabbi Slifkin hosts an earlier version of a feast of kosher curiosities and explains the rationale for the museum and its unusual exhibits.
Enjoy!
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In 2020 the Forverts launched a daily series of
short informal video clips called Yiddish Word of the Day.
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'll continue sharing some of the words and phrases as a regular feature of
Jewish Humor Central. As war rages in Israel, this clip will teach you how to say "soldier," "surprise attack" and "hostage" in Yiddish.
Enjoy!
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We've become big fans of Shulem Lemmer after spending a Shabbat with him in Delray Beach a couple of years ago when he was the star of a concert at Anshei Emuna Congregation.
Shulem Lemmer is the most recent rising star
of the Jewish musical tradition that has been intertwined in the life,
faith, and culture of the Jewish people throughout their history.
Whether it's prayers, psalms, or contemporary classics, this youthful
Brooklyn tenor finds in music something rich and affirming, an endeavor
that makes the soul soar and the spirit rise and speaks to the human
condition.
Shulem is as comfortable with Broadway show tunes as he is with Chassidic music. As we continue to focus on the challenges that Israel faces in Gaza, let's apply the sentiments expressed in Bring Him Home from Les Miserables -- a hope that all soldiers of the Israel Defense Forces accomplish their mission and return home safely.
Shulem will be performing live in concert again at Anshei Emuna Congregation in Delray Beach, Florida on Tuesday night, January 23, 2004. We'll be there and if you're planning to be in South Florida in January, we'll see you there.
A
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Well, the holidays are over for this year, and we had planned to start this week with a Monday joke. But today is not a day for jokes, as the Israel Defense Forces prepare to do battle with enemies who are threatening the Jewish state.
As they embark on this dangerous mission, we join with Cantor Netanel Hershtik, the Hampton Synagogue Choir and Maestro Izchak Haimov in the prayer for the IDF.
The prayer is sung to the tune of Eretz Tzvi, a song originally
recorded by famous Israeli singer Yehoram Gaon for the movie Mitvsa
Yonatan, an Israeli film from 1977 based on Operation Entebbe, in which
Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu’s brother, Yoni, was killed.
May the brave soldiers of the IDF be successful in their mission and return home safely.
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Tonight we celebrate a grand finale to what has been almost a full month of holidays. With Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, and Sukkot in the rear view mirror, what's left is the holiday of Shemini Atzeret and Simchat Torah, which is celebrated as a single day in Israel and two days in the diaspora.
This year the holiday falls on Shabbat, so there is an abundance of joy and an extra measure of dancing with the Torah, song, and feasting. We're starting the holiday by sharing a performance of U'Vyom HaShabbat by the Zurich Synagogue Choir.
The Zurich Synagogue Choir includes around two dozen singers under the direction of conductor Robert Braunschweig.The choir is supported by the Jewish Community of Zurich, Switzerland.They sing once a month at the Löwenstrasse synagogue during services on Shabbat morning and on the High Holidays.The choir also sings at interdenominational events and gives concerts at home and abroad.
The choir in the Löwenstrasse Synagogue has existed – in various forms – for over 100 years.Its members have and live a wide variety of religious orientations.What they all have in common is the joy of singing in the cultural and religious environment of the unified community.
We'll be observing the two-day holiday tomorrow and Sunday, so the next Jewish Humor Central post will be on Monday, when we'll be back with our regular mix.
We wish you a Shabbat shalom and Chag Sameach!
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The streets of Jerusalem were filled with tens of thousands of marchers from more than 70 countries yesterday. This march had nothing to do with protests or politics. It was a joyful expression of support for Israel during the Sukkot holiday.
Israel's television station ILTV reported as the marchers streamed through the city on the way to Sacher Park where they enjoyed hours of live musical acts, dance performances, and activities for children.
The march started 68 years ago in 1955, and grows larger every year.
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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 customers shopping in a book store are asked to show their ID when paying with cash.
Enjoy!
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Jewish sketch comedy has arrived, live in comedy clubs and in videos posted on You Tube. A good example of this new comedy, focused mainly on the Modern Orthodox Jewish community, is the comedy trio of Eli Lebowicz, Ami Kozak, and Mikey Greenblatt, who created J-Sketch.
Last week they shared the stage of The Seven Crest, an event space in Teaneck, New Jersey, with four other stand-up comedians for an evening of laughter.
In today's video, the comedy trio is joined by veteran Jewish comedian Elon Gold in an all too realistic sketch. It's a new employee explaining the Jewish holiday schedule to bosses for whom the seemingly endless requests for days off to observe holidays is a not so welcome surprise.
Many of us have had this experience in our own careers and will find it very relatable and funny, especially when viewing it as an outside observer.
Enjoy!
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Just Published: The Kustanowitz Kronikle - 35 Years of Purim Parody
Every Purim for the past 35 years we have published a Purim parody edition of The Kustanowitz Kronikle, covering virtually every aspect of Jewish life, and including parodies of hundreds of popular movies. This year we decided to retire the series and capture all the fun in a book that's just been published and is available at Amazon.com. It has every Purim issue of The Kustanowitz Kronikle from 1988 through 2022 in a full-color, full-size paperback book with hilarious headline stories and parody movie picks. Here are a few examples: TRUMP, NETANYAHU SWAP ROLES, COUNTRIES; NEW TALMUD VOLUME "VOTIN" FOUND IN IRAQ; JOINS "FRESSIN", "NAPPIN", TANTZEN","PATCHEN"; "JUDAICARE" PROGRAM PLANNED TO ENSURE THAT ALL JEWS HAVE SYNAGOGUE MEMBERSHIP; RABBIS CREATE TALMUD AMERICANI; NEW LAWS EXTEND HALACHA TO THANKSGIVING AND JULY 4; JEWISH ORGANIZATIONS WORLDWIDE UNITE TO STOP GLOBAL WARMING; FOCUS ON REDUCING HOT AIR; RABBIS TO REQUIRE SHECHITA FOR MANY FRUITS AND VEGETABLES
Jewish Humor Central Staff
Publisher and Editor-in-Chief:
Al Kustanowitz Food and Wine Editor:
Aviva Weinberg Israel Food and Wine Consultant Penina Kustanowitz Reporter and Photographer:
Meyer Berkowitz Reporter Phyllis Flancbaum
Now You Can Book Program and Lecture Dates for 2024 and 2025 in Person and Via ZOOM
Now is the time to book our Jewish humor programs and lectures for your 2024 and 2025 events in person and via ZOOM anywhere in the world. Book any of our 22 popular programs including "The Great Jewish Comedians", “Israel is a Funny Country”, and "Jewish Traces in Unexpected Places." Click above for details and videos. To book a program with Al, e-mail: dan@hudakonhollywood.com
"Jewish Traces in Unexpected Places" is now available on Amazon.com in paperback and Kindle editions
This book presents 150 anecdotes and associated video clips that reveal the myriad ways that Jewish culture, religion, humor, music, song, and dance have found expression in parts of the world that, at first glance, might not seem supportive of Jewish Life. It includes 50 videos of Hava Nagila being performed from Texas to Thailand, from India to Iran, and from Buenos Aires to British Columbia. Also highlighted are 34 international versions of Hevenu Shalom Aleichem, Adon Olam, Abanibi, and Tumbalalaika. Whether you’re reading the print version and typing in the video URLs or reading the e-book version and clicking on the links, you’ll have access to 150 video clips totaling more than 10 hours of video. Enjoy!
"Israel is a Funny Country" is now available on Amazon.com in paperback and Kindle editions
This book explores the multifaceted nature of humor in Israel, some of which is intentional and some of which is unintentional. Either way, the quirks of Israeli life contribute to making that life interesting and fulfilling. In the pages of this volume, we take a look at humorous slices of Israeli life, Israeli comedy, satire and parody, funny TV commercials, unusual stories about food, surprising rabbinic bans on daily activities, simchas as they can only be celebrated in Israel, and endearing aspects of Israeli culture. There are more than 120 anecdotes and links to video clips totaling more than six hours of video. We hope that these anecdotes and video clips give you a new and different insight into life in Israel, and encourage you to join in the fun by planning a visit to the land flowing with milk and honey.
Now is the time to book our Jewish Humor Shows and Lectures in person or on ZOOM.
Bring Al's Jewish humor lectures and comedy programs with the funniest videos on the Internet to your community and your synagogue, club, JCC, organization or private event in person or via ZOOM. We're taking reservations now for 2024 and 2025 dates in your community. Click above for details. To book a program with Al, e-mail: dan@hudakonhollywood.com.
Now Open: The Jewish Humor Central Gift Shop
Jewish Humor Central logo merchandise is now available. Click on the image above to see the complete collection -- More than 100 items from tote bags, baseball caps, mugs, aprons, drinkware, T-shirts and sweatshirts, to pajamas and underwear.
The Best of Jewish Humor Central - Now Available in eBook and Paperback at Amazon.com
The Best of Jewish Humor Central - More than 400 video clips, including music and comedy videos for all the Jewish holidays. View them on Your PC, Mac, Kindle Fire, iPad, iPhone, iTouch, Android Tablet and Smartphone. Click on the image above to peek inside and download a free sample. And now, a paperback edition for anyone who prefers a traditional book and doesn't mind typing the URLs instead of clicking on them.
About the Publisher and Editor-in-Chief
A long-term devotee of Jewish humor, Al Kustanowitz has been collecting and sharing it even before there was an internet. In 2009, after a 36-year career at IBM managing new technology projects, he founded Jewish Humor Central (jewishhumorcentral.com. Through the blog he brings a daily dose of fun and positive energy to readers who would otherwise start the day reading news that is often drab, dreary, and depressing (subscribing is free). He has published 12 books on humor based on his more than 4,000 blog postings, each of which includes a video clip and his commentary.
He has presented more than 100 programs in South Florida and the Northeast on topics that include the great comedians and entertainers of the 20th century, funniest moments in film and television, flash mobs around the world, and composers and lyricists of the Great American Songbook.
He earned his bachelor's and master's degrees from the City University of New York and taught computer science courses at the Courant Institute of Mathematical Sciences at New York University. He is a member of the Advisory Board of the International Association of Yiddish Clubs.
You can contact Al via email at akustan@gmail.com.
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