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!
Joel
Grey has had many roles as actor, singer, dancer, director, and
photographer. He is best known for portraying the Nazi Master of
Ceremonies in the Kander & Ebb musical Cabaret, as well as in the 1972 film adaptation. He has won an Academy Award, Tony Award, and Golden Globe Award. Most recently he has won praise for his direction of the Yiddish version of Fiddler on the Roof.
Today's Throwback Thursday musical showcase goes way, way back 72 years to 1952 when Joel Grey performed Honey Bun from South Pacific in a song and dance routine on The Ed Sullivan Show.
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.
Twenty years ago the Candid Camera team set up a pizza delivery service in which customers who ordered a large pizza received a large box with a tiny pizza in it. Let's watch the reactions of these unsuspecting customers when they opened the box and when they were told they're on Candid Camera.
Ovoz is an
Uzbek entertainment vocal talent show. It is the Uzbek version of the
format of the television vocal competition "The Voice", bought by a
franchise from a Dutch producer.It airs on the channel "Zo'r TV" from
April 20, 2024.
The main task
of this show is to find and select universal vocalists who sing not
only in different genres, but also in different languages. In the show, participants can demonstrate their vocal
abilities to the audience and the jury both in the performance of jazz
or rock, as well as folk songs or classical vocals.
In this episode aired on November 5, 13-year-old Sofiya Fadeyeva belts out a rousing version of Hava Nagila.
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 customer in the grocery store said to the clerk "I want to buy a half a head of lettuce." And then...
Cynthia Levin is not only a hilarious stand-up comic but she is
also a talented comedic and dramatic actress. Chicago native Cynthia
Levin was taking improv classes at The Second City Player’s Workshop and
the Training Centre for the Working Actor by age 15.
Early on in her stand-up career, Cynthia became a regular at The Comedy Store and The Improv in Los Angeles. Cynthia has toured all over the United States
and Canada with the comedy troupe, "Nice Jewish Girls Gone Bad” and has
also performed for the U.S troupes overseas in Bosnia, Kosovo, Japan,
Korea and Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.
In this video clip from one of her standup routines, Cynthia talks about romantic Jewish dinners and women's hairstyles.
The Shvesters (Chava Levi and Polina Fradkin) are a Yiddish vocal duo
hailing originally from Detroit, Michigan. They gained a reputation on
social media for their perfectly synchronized voices (and signature
matching outfits) — and have won the hearts of audiences from all
backgrounds. The Shvesters transform classic Yiddish melodies into sophisticated, contemporary harmonic jazz arrangements.
V'shamru is a verse from the Torah that emphasizes the importance of observing the Sabbath. The text of the blessing is taken from the Book of Exodus (Exodus 31:16-17) and is recited as follows:
“V’shamru v’nai Yisrael et haShabbat, la’asot et haShabbat l’dorotam brit olam."
In English, this translates to:
“The children of Israel shall keep the Sabbath, to observe the Sabbath throughout their generations as a perpetual covenant. Between Me and the children of Israel, it is a sign forever; for in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, and on the seventh day He rested and was refreshed.”
Today we're turning the clock back 57 years to 1967 when Eydie Gorme sang If He Walked Into My Life on The Ed Sullivan Show.
Gormé
was born in the Bronx to Sephardic Jewish parents Nessim Hasdai
Gormezano and Fortuna "Fortunee" Gormezano. Both her parents were born
in Turkey. The Gormezanos spoke several languages at home, including
Ladino (also referred to as Judaeo-Spanish). Due to its close
relationship with Castilian Spanish, Gormé was able to speak and sing in
Spanish. She was distantly related (by marriage) to Neil Sedaka.
Eydie and her husband and singing partner Steve Lawrence have been among our favorite singers for many decades. Eydie died in 2013 and Steve 8 months ago. We miss them both but we still enjoy their duets and solos thanks to YouTube.
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 going back 61 years to 1963 when kids playing baseball were confronted with an unexpected situation: What happens when you're running to first base and the base runs away from you?
We've been posting funny video clips from the past on Thursdays for many years, but there are so many good ones out there that we're expanding the project to selected Tuesdays, calling the series Timeless Tuesday Comedy Showcase.
We have resisted posting comedy videos about the current presidential election because of the heated political environment and strong passions about the candidates. But we think enough time has passed to be able to look back 24 years to the contest between George W. Bush and Al Gore.
And what better commentator on the political scene in 2000 than comedian Jackie Mason. In January 2001 he was a guest on a Canadian talk show hosted by standup comedian Mike Bullard.
Bullard was a Canadian stand-up comic and
broadcaster. He was the host of two late-night talk shows, Open Mike
with Mike Bullard on CTV from 1997 to 2003 and The Mike Bullard Show on
Global from 2003 to 2004.
In this video clip from Bullard's talk show, Jackie Mason carries on about the ridiculous aspects of the election. He observes that 90 million gentiles voted but the result will depend on seven old Jews in wheelchairs in Miami.
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: Rabbi Mendel Kaplan and Father John Houlihan met at the town's Fourth of July picnic. And then...
Yonah Paley has more than a decade of experience in genealogy.
Through hard work, learning, and a strong knowledge of record-finding,
he has managed to trace multiple lines back to the 1700s and excels at
piecing together descendants and lost branches of families that were
split up through emigration waves of the 1880s-1920s, as well as the
Holocaust.
He specializes in researching Jews of Eastern Europe and the Baltic states and has localized specialties in parts of:
Lithuania/Latvia
Galicia (portions of modern-day Ukraine, Poland)
Slovakia/Hungary
Belarus
The USA
And much, much more!
In this video he explains five ways in which European Jews changed their names from long Jewish sounding names to shorter versions or versions that had a more American or generic sound.
He counters the often cited claim that the original name was changed by a clerk in Ellis Island at the completion of the journey to America. Some of the changes are easily understood as they retain the basis of the original name, but others are completely unrelated.
What was your original family name, and how was it changed by a parent or grandparent? If you're into genealogical research, you might find some surprises in your background.
Leonard Cohen's Hallelujah has been used as the musical basis for many liturgical poems that are sung throughout the Jewish year. We've posted the song many times in many venues around the world.
Today we have another version of Lecha Dodi, one of the key musical poems in the Kabbalat Shabbat service on Friday night sung to the same tune. This version was performed by Student Cantor Kyra Goldman at Temple Kehillat Chaim, a diverse Reform congregation in Roswell, Georgia, a suburb of Atlanta.
The Yiddish Philharmonic Chorus began as a musical expression of the Jewish labor movement. It was founded in 1922 as the Freiheit Gezang Farein, an outgrowth of the leftist Morgen Freiheit
Yiddish newspaper.
In 1948, the Chorus changed its name to The Jewish
People’s Philharmonic Chorus—likely to avoid scrutiny during the
McCarthy era. Now that it's a century old, they changed the name
again—to reflect the goals of learning, enjoying, and promoting the
Yiddish language and Yiddish choral music.
The chorus is a multigenerational thirty-five-voice
ensemble. They're students, professionals, and robust retirees, all in
love with singing and committed to promoting Yiddish language and
culture through beautiful four-part harmony.
Led by conductor Binyumen Schaechter, they perform each spring and fall at Merkin Concert Hall and most summers
at the North American Jewish Choral Festival. They've also performed at
Symphony Space, Carnegie Hall, Shea Stadium, West Point, Queens College,
the World Trade Center site after 9/11, and places of worship
throughout the New York metropolitan area.
Today we're sharing a video of the chorus singing Neil Diamond's "Zey kumen kin Amerike" ("They're Coming to America") as performed June 16, 2024
as the opening number of the concert on the theme of Jewish immigration,
"From Varshe and Vilne to Vashington Heights,"
at the Merkin Hall at Kaufman Music Center in New York City.
Binyumen Schaechter is the chorus conductor and Seth Weinstein is the pianist.
Hymie's Deli, a non-kosher Jewish deli in the Philadelphia suburbs, has become a focal point in the presidential race between Donald Trump and Kamala Harris.
A video ad supporting President-elect Trump was posted on YouTube on Saturday, October 19. The ad, sponsored by the Republican Jewish Coalition, featured three Jewish women seated in a booth discussing some of the issues in the campaign.
A few days later, the same deli was used for a competing ad supporting Vice President Kamala Harris.
The ads were featured in a commentary by talk show host Michael Smerconish and posted on YouTube.
The deli, which serves traditional Jewish foods, is not under kosher supervision. In a response to a question on the internet about whether the meat served is kosher, the owner replied: "No, we are not a kosher deli.
We are more of a "New York" style deli-restaurant, but we do sell meat & cheese together as well as bacon, etc..."
If you look very closely, you will see that the coffee mugs on the table bear a clearly non-partisan, non-political message:
Earlier this year the leaders of indigenous nations around the world opened an embassy in Jerusalem. Delegations from the South Pacific, North America, Canada and South Africa, came to Jerusalem for the inauguration.
Various others sent recorded messages.
The Indigenous Embassy in
Jerusalem does not represent a specific state or country. Rather, it
embodies the voices of indigenous leaders and their people from across
the world and will serve as a hub of information and a helping hand in
the Promised Land.
The embassy opening was attended by leaders of indigenous communities from around the world (New Zealand, Australia, Hawaii, and the Pacific Islands), Dr. Mike Evans, Deputy Mayor of Jerusalem, and representatives from the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Speakers of the indigenous communities brought special gifts from overseas, expressed their true and strong support in Israel and finished with songs performed in Hebrew. The ceremony concluded with the grand unveiling of the embassy sign and the singing of Sh'ma Yisrael and Hava Nagila.
The representatives from Hawaii asked the indigenous leaders to stand
and stretch out their hands over the audience of Israelis as they sang
the Aaronic Blessing in Hawaiian. The delegation from Puerto Rico
accompanied themselves on traditional instruments as they, too, sang
blessings over Israel. A representative for the queen of Tonga read the
Song of Moses from Deuteronomy 32:1–43.
It's
another Monday, and time for another Joke to Start the Week. Today we're
sharing a joke by Rabbi Shais Taub, an American Hasidic rabbi and
author.
Rabbi Taub
writes about Jewish mysticism and is also known for his work in the
field of addiction recovery. He is a weekly columnist for Ami magazine.
Here's
the setup: A non-Jew asked his Jewish friend to take him to his synagogue. On Saturday morning at the synagogue the non-Jew asked his Jewish friend what everything is about. And then...
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 the Yiddish words and expressions for aches and pains.
Tonight we welcome Shabbat with the singing of Yigdal by Emeritus Hazzan Daniel Halfon of the Yad Harav Nissim synagogue in Jerusalem and a leading authority of the cantorial style of the western Sephardim.
A classically trained baritone, Halfon was born in England and grew up in London's ancient Spanish and Portuguese community under the tutelage of Rabbi Dr Abraham Levy z"l.
He studied Hazzanut with four of the outstanding cantors of the Western Sephardi tradition: Eliezer Abinun z"l, Abraham Beniso z"l, Abraham Lopes Cardozo z"l and Halfon Benarroch z"l.
As a young man he received the call from Congregation Shearith Israel in New York to serve as Hazzan, and over the past 30 years he has been invited to sing in Sephardi synagogues across the world.
In 2006 he was appointed by the President of the State of Israel as Hazzan of the Presidential Synagogue.
Daniel studied vocal production with Neil Semer and Kenneth Newbern in New York, and in Jerusalem with Jay Shir.
This spirited melody for Yigdal, which bears a striking, but probably wholly coincidental, resemblance to the Scottish folk song Coming Through The Rye, is a comparative late comer to the London repertoire. In all likelihood it was brought to Bevis Marks from the Netherlands by Hazzan Joseph Gomes de Mesquita (1878-1958). Although much loved, it is sung only occasionally on Shabbatot and Mo’adim.
In the Portuguese community of Amsterdam, by contrast, this tune is the standard Erev Shabbat melody. In addition it provides an endearing setting for the table song Yah Ribon.
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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.
A Friend Indeed
-
[image: Dry Bones cartoon, Trump, MAGA, President, Jerusalem, Embassy,
America, Huckabee,]
Welcome Ambassador Huckabee!
* * * And *IT'S TIME FOR YOU TO MAK...
Rabbi Sacks and Citation of Sources
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by R. Gil Student I. A Man of Books In honor and commemoration of Rabbi
Jonathan Sacks’ fourth yahrtzeit, the Rabbi Sacks Legacy organized a global
day of ...
Thoughts on the Haggadah by Rabbi Eli Teitelbaum
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[image: Story 375601404]
We just recently were able to find the latest version of my fathers, Rabbi
Eli Teitelbaum Z”L, thoughts on the Haggadah and conve...
Hamantaschen: The Symbolism behind Purim Cookies
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Purim is a celebration of masquerade, Mishloach Manot, Hamantaschen and
book of Esther reading. Every Jewish holiday focuses on a special dish and
the tria...
Taking the Shuk to the Next Level
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Anyone who has spent any time on my blog, or just getting to know me, knows
how much I love Jerusalem’s famous outdoor market, Shuk Machane Yehuda.
I’ve ...
Kettlebell Training Massachusetts
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In April 2006, legislation was passed requiring all residents in
Massachusetts specializes in assisting Massachusetts residents who have
been put on exhi...
A chat with some protesters…
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Originally posted on don of all trades:
Hi protesters, it’s me, Don. Do you remember me? No? I’m a police officer.
We’ve met before. Excuse me? Did you say...
Trayf of the Week: Bacon Jam
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Just when you thought it was safe to eat your bagels in mixed company,
comes this devilish concoction. Next time a Goyishe friend offers you a
shmear, mak...