Wacky Wednesday Comedy Special: DMV Weigh-in - A Candid Camera Classic

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. 

This classic episode first aired in 2002. People renewing their driver's licenses at a Department of Motor Vehicles office in Seaside, California were asked to confirm their weight by stepping on a scale before getting the license. Their reactions and interactions with Funt are hilarious.

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.

Sephardi and Ashkenazi Jews Celebrate Ladino Day in New York City

Yesterday was Ladino Day, a celebration of Sephardi culture. Yiddish instructor Moishele Alfonso attended the 7th annual event at the Center for Jewish History in New York City. There, he found several Yiddish speakers and chatted with them in order to find out what brought them there. 

Ladino Day is an educational and celebratory program that centers the Ladino (Judeo-Spanish) language through story and song, and with lectures and reflections from scholars, activists, and community members.

Due to demographic displacement, the destruction wrought by the Holocaust, and the pressures of assimilation, the number of native Ladino speakers has declined rapidly in the last 100 years: UNESCO has even designated Ladino an endangered language.

The language is being kept alive by colleges such as the University of Washington and Jewish organizations such as YIVO which conduct Sephardic Studies programs and annual celebrations with stories and song.

Moishele's video is in Yiddish, with English subtitles.

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 - "Taxi Encounter"

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: One day a woman jumped into the back of a taxi cab in New York City and sprawled out completely on the back seat. 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.

Comedian Elon Gold at the West Side Comedy Club on Protests and Occupation

We've been following Elon Gold and posting some of his shtick on Jewish Humor Central for the last 12 years. 

Elon is an American comedian, television actor, writer and producer. He starred in the television series Stacked.  He also starred in the short-lived sitcom In-Laws. 

 

Known for his impressions, including those of Jeff Goldblum, Howard Stern and Jay Leno, Gold was a judge on the ABC celebrity impersonation competition series The Next Best Thing. Gold was also in the movie Cheaper by the Dozen as a cameraman from the Oprah Winfrey show.

Gold attended the Westchester Day School in Mamaroneck, NY and the Marsha Stern Talmudical Academy (MTA)/Yeshiva University High School for Boys in Manhattan, NY. He is a practicing Orthodox Jew.

Today we're sharing a video clip of Gold's recent appearance at New York's West Side Comedy Club where he talked about the Palestinian protests against Israel and the Jews.

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 Yedid Nefesh by Brazilian Cantor Ale Edelstein

Tonight we welcome Shabbat with a version of Yedid Nefesh by Cantor Ale Edelstein of the Israelita Paulista Congregation of Sao Paolo, Brazil.

Edelstein has pop artist status in the Jewish community; he does two weddings and one bar mitzvah per week.He studied at the Tel Aviv Cantor Institute, a school run by the renowned Chazan Naftali Hershtik.

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.

Throwback Thursday Musical Showcase: Georgia Gibbs Sings Hevenu Shalom Aleichem and Zum Gali Gali

Today's Throwback Thursday Musical Showcase takes us back to July 10, 1960 when Georgia Gibbs sang Hevenu Shalom Aleichem and Zum Gali Gali on the Ed Sullivan Show.

Georgia Gibbs, born Frieda Lipschitz in Worcester, Massachusetts in 1918, was an American popular singer and vocal entertainer rooted in jazz. Already singing publicly in her early teens, Gibbs achieved acclaim and notoriety in the mid-1950s copying songs originating with the black rhythm and blues community and later became a featured vocalist for many radio and television variety and comedy programs.

Gibbs was the youngest of four children of Russian Jewish descent. Her father died when she was six months old, and she and her three siblings spent the next seven years in a local Jewish orphanage.

In 1943, with her name changed to Georgia Gibbs, she began appearing on the Camel Caravan radio program, hosted by Jimmy Durante and Garry Moore, where she remained a regular performer until 1947. It was Moore who bestowed upon her the famous nickname "Her Nibs, Miss Georgia Gibbs," ironically using the title to describe the singer of diminutive stature who had an enormous "authoritative" prominence in American pop 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.

   

 

      #Throwback Thursday      #TBT

It's Another Jewish Holiday -- We Celebrate Tu B'Shvat Tonight Through Tomorrow Night!

 

Today is the 15th day of the Hebrew month of Shvat, also known as Tu B'Shvat.  No, it's not another fast day.  It's a real holiday, but one without any restrictions.  

 

The holiday is known as Jewish Arbor Day and the New Year for trees.  It's a day to feel good about the bounty of nature, including trees, fruits and nuts.

 

It is customary to eat fruits on this day, especially fruits from Israel.  This includes figs, dates, oranges, pomegranates, and persimmons or Sharon fruit (afarsimonim).  All are available at most supermarkets or gourmet groceries.

Tu B'Shvat is a time for singing, feasting, and rejoicing.  So here are some Israeli children singing HaShkeidiah Porachat (The almond tree will blossom), the most popular song to celebrate the holiday.

 

Lyrics in English and Hebrew appear below the video.

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 almond tree will blossom 

The sun above is awesome 

Birds on rooftops all the day singing it's a holiday 

Tu Bi'Shvat Higi'a chag ha ilanot (Tu Bi'Shvat has arrived, the holiday of the trees) 

Tu Bi'Shvat Higi'a chag ha ilanot (Tu Bi'Shvat has arrived, the holiday of the trees) 

 

The land we love is grieving 

It is a time for giving 

Everyone will plant a tree with a shovel happily 

Tu Bi'Shvat Higi'a chag ha ilanot 

Tu Bi'Shvat Higi'a chag ha ilanot 

 

 השקדיה פורחת ושמש פז זורחת 

ציפורים מראש כל גג מבשרות את בוא החג 

טו בשבט הגיע חג האילנות טו בשבט הגיע חג האילנות 

הארץ משועת הגיע עת לטעת

כל אחד יטע פה עץ באיתים נצא חוצץ

 טו בשבט הגיע חג האילנות טו בשבט הגיע חג האילנות

On Day 108 of Gaza Hostage Crisis, Shulem Lemmer Performs at Anshei Emuna in Delray Beach

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 and Hollywood 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 When You Believe -- a hope that all soldiers of the Israel Defense Forces accomplish their mission and bring the hostages home safely.

Shulem will be performing live in concert again at Anshei Emuna Congregation in Delray Beach, Florida tonight. We'll be there and if you're planning to be in South Florida in January, we'll see you there. 

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 - "Young Beethoven"

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 young Beethoven spends every minute at the piano playing. Finally he's just getting on his mother's nerves. 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.

Yiddish Word of the Day - "Tunnels"

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.

Tunnels have been in the news lately and the Forward, always keeping the Yiddish language up to date, is giving us examples of its use, not only as tunnels dug in the earth, but also as in such expressions as tunnel vision and carpal tunnel syndrome.

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 Shalom Aleichem by the Shir Joy Chorus of Massachusetts

Shir Joy Chorus of Massachusetts (SJCM) is dedicated to learning, sharing and performing Jewish music. Founded in 2011, its growing community of singers come from a dozen Massachusetts towns and cities. 

The chorus is non-auditioned and is open to all people regardless of ethnicity or religious background who are interested in learning and performing music from the rich and varied Judaic cultures of Israel and the Jewish Diaspora.

In this video, the Shir Joy Chorus sings Shalom Aleichem.

Enjoy, and Shabbat shalom!

A SPECIAL NOTE FOR NEW EMAIL SUBSCRIBERS:  THE VIDEO MAY NOT BE VIEWABLE DIRECTLY FROM THE EMAIL THAT YOU GET EACH DAY ON SOME COMPUTERS AND TABLETS.  YOU MUST CLICK ON THE TITLE AT THE TOP OF THE EMAIL TO REACH THE JEWISH HUMOR CENTRAL WEBSITE, FROM WHICH YOU CLICK ON THE PLAY BUTTON IN THE VIDEO IMAGE TO START THE VIDEO. 

Throwback Thursday Comedy Special: Rita Rudner 40 Years Ago in a Young Comedians Show

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 is 70 now and still performing in South Florida and other locations. We came across a video clip of her in a 1984 Rodney Dangerfield's 9th Annual Young Comedians Special and we're sharing it with you today.

 

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

A Prayer for the IDF After 100 Days of War by Cantor Hershtik, the Maccabeats, and Four Childrens' Choirs

Marking 100 days since October 7th, War Cabinet Minster, Lt. Gen. Benny Gantz, Cantor Netanel Hershtik and the Maccabeats joined in prayer for the IDF.

Cantor Hershtik and the Maccabeats are joined by the childrens' choirs of the Harkham Hillel Academy of Los Angeles, California, Yavneh of Paramus, New Jersey, Yeshiva College of Johannesburg, South Africa, and Jacob Spadaro and TABC Studio 1600 choir of Teaneck, New Jersey.

Am Yisrael Chai. Bring the hostages home now!

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.

Yonina, Singers Separated by War, Sing of Hope for Better Days

We've been posting versions of Hebrew liturgical and popular songs by Yonina (Yoni and Nina Tokayer, a married musical duo who live in the small town of Pardes Chana, Israel.) They have been uploading home videos to Facebook and YouTube and reaching millions. 

Melaketet Kochavim (Gathering Stars) is a new original song, telling their story, from the morning of October 7th when everything changed, through the past months, with Yoni away in the reserves and Nina at home, the distance and challenges and the hope for better days. The Hebrew lyrics and English translation appear below the video.

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.

   

הייתי בדרך לבית כנסת כשעלית על מדים ובפינת הרחוב נפרדת ממני ומהילדים הסברתי שאבא עכשיו צריך לשמור, ולא רציתי שידעו ממה ובדרך אנשים שאלו מה אתם עושים בחוץ, פרצה מלחמה ועכשיו- אני אוספת את כל הכוחות של חסד ושל אמונה שעוד יבואו ימים של טוב שעוד תשוב אלינו הרינה ומחבקת חזק ת׳ילדים רק להגן מהסופות שבחוץ ובתוך הטירוף מול שמיים שחורים מלקטת כוכבים בלילות הראשונים לא ישנתי, דרוך על המשמר חתמתי על ציוד בעולם מקביל, נפרדתי מכל מה שמוכר יש כאן אחוות לוחמים וימים מתישים מבלי לדעת מה יהיה מחר שבועות כבר הפכו חודשים, ובכל זאת נשארים עד שהאופק יואר ועכשיו אני שולח לך ים של כוחות של חסד ושל אמונה שעוד יבואו ימים של טוב, שעוד תשוב אלינו הרינה אז תחבקי חזק ת׳ילדים רק להגן מהסופות שבחוץ ובתוך הטירוף מול שמיים שחורים מלקט לך כוכבים ולמרות הגעגוע אלייך ולמרות שקשה כאן לבד לפעמים כדי לנצח ביחד צריך לעמוד בנפרד כל אחד בחזית שלו עד הניצחון אז לעכשיו, אני אוספת את כל הכוחות… 

 

I was on my way to synagogue (Shul) when you put on your uniform 

and at the corner of the street you said goodbye to me and to the children 

I explained that daddy now needs to go protect 

and I didn’t want them to know from what 

and on the way, people asked us what are you doing outside 

a war has broken out 

So now I am gathering all of my strength of kindness, and of faith that good days are yet to come 

that the songs of joy will return to us and I hug the children tightly to protect from the storms outside and in all the craziness under black skies I gather stars 

The first few nights I didn’t sleep 

Cautious, on the guard I signed on to equipment in a parallel world 

I left everything that was familiar Here the is brotherhood of warriors and exhausting days 

without knowing what tomorrow will bring 

Weeks have turned to months And yet we still stay Until the horizon is lit up 

And although I miss you And although it’s hard here alone 

Sometimes in order to prevail together It’s necessary to stand separately 

Each on his/her own front Till we prevail 

A Joke to Start the Week - "Alphabetical Praise"

It's another Monday and time for another Joke to Start the Week. Today we're sharing a joke by Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak (YY) Jacobson, one of America's premier Jewish scholars in Torah and Jewish mysticism.

Rabbi Jacobson, an American Chabad rabbi from Monsey, New York, is one of the most sought after speakers in the Jewish world today, lecturing to Jewish and non-Jewish audiences on six continents and in forty states, and serving as teacher and mentor to thousands across the globe. He is considered to be one of the most successful, passionate and mesmerizing communicators of Judaism today, culling his ideas from the entire spectrum of Jewish thought and making them relevant to contemporary audiences. 

He served as editor-in-chief of the Algemeiner Journal, and as a choizer (transcriber) for Lubavitcher Rebbe Menachem Mendel Schneerson.

He also loves to tell jokes, and today we're sharing a joke that focuses on the alphabet.

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.

Mel Brooks Receives an Honorary Oscar Award and Tribute From Matthew Broderick and Nathan Lane

On January 9 an Honorary Oscar statuette was presented to Mel Brooks at the Academy's 14th Governors Awards ceremony in Los Angeles.

At the ceremony, Nathan Lane and Matthew Broderick honored the iconic producer, writer, and actor with some comedy and song created just for him.

Here is their tribute to Mel Brooks, followed by Brooks receiving the Oscar and giving his acceptance comments.

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 tip of the kippah to Esther Kustanowitz for bringing these videos to our attention)

Welcoming Shabbat with a Middle Eastern Version of Adon Olam by Cantor Azi Schwartz

If your synagogue is anything like ours, the Shabbat service ends with Adon Olam.  This is usually led by a prepubescent boy with questionable pitch, key, and general singing ability.

This is good for the kid educationally, and should be encouraged.  Musically, however, it's not always the best way to lift spirits for the rest of Shabbat and the week ahead.

But it's not that way around the world.  Adon Olam has become a staple of many singers, choruses, bands, and other musical troupes, both in synagogue and on the concert stage.

Back in 2010 we started a new series, presenting renditions of Adon Olam from performers worldwide, including traditional and eclectic versions.  Since then we have posted 88 different versions to provide you with a fun way to start Shabbat. 

Today we find ourselves back in the USA, at New York's Park Avenue Synagogue, with Cantor Azi Schwartz giving us a version of Adon Olam with a middle eastern flair.

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.

Yiddish Word of the Day: "On the Contrary"

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.

Today we get to learn some of the most colorful expressions in the Yiddish language - the many ways of saying "on the contrary."

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.

Wacky Wednesday Comedy Special: Restaurant Gives Customers Pagers to Use Restroom 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 2002 episode set in Katz's Delicatessen in New York City, diners who want to use the restroom are given pagers that go off when the facility is available.

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.

See Jewish Humor Central Live in Boca Raton, Florida Starting Next Thursday January 18

If you're a fan of Jewish Humor Central and happen to be in South Florida this winter, you can see Blogger-in-Chief Al Kustanowitz present a series of four 90 minute programs at Florida Atlantic University's Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) in Boca Raton, starting on January 18.

The programs, Saturday Night Live: The Funny Years, will be a walk down memory lane through the first 25 years of Saturday Night Live. 

While for 48 years SNL has had a major impact on pop culture, critics agree that the first 25 years were by far the funniest and most relevant. The combination of sketch comedy, featured performers, guest hosts, and mock commercials has been a winning formula for creating memorable characters that have become household names. 

Each lecture in this 4-week series will profile the cast members, tracing their routes to the show, watching their auditions and screen tests, and revisiting their most popular characters in action. So come prepared to laugh out loud at the genius of those comedy standouts like Gilda Radner, John Belushi, Dan Aykroyd, Eddie Murphy, Martin Short, and Phil Hartman, just to mention a few!

Lectures

1. 1975-1980: The Not Ready for Prime-Time Players - Chevy Chase, Gilda Radner, John Belushi, Dan Aykroyd, Jane Curtin, Garrett Morris, Laraine Newman, and Bill Murray.
2. 1980-1985: The Second SNL Generation Arrives - Eddie Murphy as Buckwheat and Mister Robinson, Don Novello as Father Guido Sarducci, Joe Piscopo and Robin Duke as Doug and Wendy Whiner.
3. 1985-1990: The Third SNL Generation Takes Over - Billy Crystal as Fernando, Martin Short as Nathan Thurm, Ed Grimley, Jeremy Glick, and Jon Lovitz as Hanukkah Harry.
4. 1990-2000: To the New Millennium - Phil Hartman, Kevin Nealon, Mike Myers, Julia Sweeney, Chris Farley, Adam Sandler, Will Ferrell, Rachel Dratz, Maya Rudolph, and Tina Fey.

The lectures are from 3 pm to 4:30 pm on Thursdays from January 18 through February 8 at FAU's Friedberg Auditorium in the Lifelong Learning Building. Entrance to the University is at 777 Glades Road in Boca Raton. Admission at the door is $30 for each lecture and $80 for the series. Members can purchase series tickets in advance for $60.

So bring your friends and let's meet afterwards to share some laughs at the conclusion of the program.

Here's a sample of what you'll see:

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 - "Whatever You Want"

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: A few men were getting dressed in the locker room of the golf club and all of a sudden a cell phone rang. 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.