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!
Candid Camera
was a popular and long-running American hidden camera reality
television series. Versions of the show appeared on television from 1948
until 2014. Originally created and produced by Allen Funt, it often featured practical jokes, and initially began on radio as The Candid Microphone on June 28, 1947.
The show involved concealed cameras filming ordinary people being
confronted with unusual situations, sometimes involving trick props,
such as a desk with drawers that pop open when one is closed or a car
with a hidden extra gas tank. When the joke was revealed, victims were
told the show's catchphrase, "Smile, you're on Candid Camera." The catchphrase became a song with music and lyrics by Sid Ramin.
Today
we're sharing a classic episode from 1962 in which a Candid Camera cast member has a real (but removable) cast on his leg and gets unsuspecting passers-by to help him carry packages before he removes the cast to their amazement.
The Yiddish folk love song Tumbalalaika
originated in Eastern Europe in the 19th century, but its exact origin
is hard to pinpoint. That hasn't prevented it from being sung and played
over and over, not only in places where Yiddish songs are sung, but
just about everywhere in the world, in vocal and instrumental versions,
in cabarets and in the movies.
Just as we have followed the songs Hava Nagila, Adon Olam, Hevenu Shalom Aleichem, and Abanibi
as they took different forms as interpreted by a wide variety of
singers, musicians, and dancers, we're continuing the series today that
we started back in 2012, bringing you many interpretations of this
universal courting and love
song.
This 28th rendition of Tumbalalaika is by Klezmer Tanz, A group of English musicians playing the beautiful tunes and songs of the klezmer repertoire at the Bath Inn in Nottingham.
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. Here's the setup: Hiroshi and Takashi had met as undergraduates at Tokyo University. They became fast friends. And now, decades later, the highlight of each of their weeks was the Friday hot bath. And then...
It's hard to believe, but Andy Kaufman has been gone for 41 years. Kaufman, for all the funny characters he portrayed, insisted on being known as a song-and-dance man. According to his Wikipedia biography, Kaufman "was a popular and eccentric American entertainer, actor and performance artist." "Elaborate ruses and pranks were major elements of
his career. His body of work maintains a cult following and he continues
to be respected for his original material, performance style, and
unflinching commitment to character." Kaufman
came to prominence with his "Mighty Mouse" routine on the first
Saturday Night Live show. He portrayed a garage mechanic from an
unidentified European country on the sitcom Taxi, which also
starred Danny DeVito and Jewish actors Judd Hirsch (Alex) and Carol Kane
(Simka) and featured Dr. Joyce Brothers as herself in this episode. The character he played on Taxi,
Latka Gravas, had a Jewish and Eastern European feel to it even though
it was never specific. The dialect, language and rituals were all made
up, but whatever your ethnicity, they made it seem that they captured
some of the flavor of the "old country", whatever it was. Kaufman
was born in New York City and grew up in a middle-class Jewish family
in Great Neck, Long Island. He died at the age of 35 from a rare form of
lung cancer. For years his fans thought he was faking his death as
another elaborate prank. Here
is a video of Kaufman's first appearance on Johnny Carson's Tonight Show in 1977 when he was only 28 years old. Enjoy!
Tonight we welcome Shabbat with Ana Bekoach, a liturgical poem from the Kabbalat Shabbat service that appears in the siddur just before Lecha Dodi. It's a Kabbalistic prayer composed by Rav Nehunia Ben Hakannah. It is also sung at weddings.
Known
as the 42-letter Name of God, Ana Bekoach is a unique formula
built of 42 letters written in seven sentences of six words each. Each
of the seven sentences correspond to the seven days of the week, seven
specific angels, and to a particular heavenly body. The letters that
make up Ana Bekoach are encoded within the first 42 letters of the book of Genesis.
The
kabbalists explain that this combination of letters takes us back to
the time of Creation, and each time we meditate on a particular
sequence, we return to the original uncorrupted energy that built the
world. By performing the Ana Bekoach meditation, we enrich our lives with unadulterated spiritual Light and positive energy.
This version of Ana Bekoach is sung by the Central Reform Congregation based in St. Louis, Missouri with a thriving online community across the globe.
Today we're turning the calendar back 58 years to 1967 when Eddie Fisher sang If She Walked Into My Life, the hit ballad from the Broadway musical Mame on the Ed Sullivan Show.
The
Ed Sullivan Show was a television variety program that aired on CBS
from 1948-1971. For 23 years it aired every Sunday night and played host
to the world's greatest talents.
We
remember Eddie as a giant (although he was short) of the pop music
world after he was discovered by Eddie Cantor at Grossinger's in the
Catskills where he was working as a bus boy. Fisher
was born in Philadelphia in 1928 and was the fourth of seven children.
He was the son of Russian-born Jewish immigrants, Gitte Winokur and
Joseph Tisch. His father's surname was changed to Fisher by the time of
the 1940 census. He
was not an observant Jew, but returned many times to sing at
Grossinger's, and that's where he and Debbie Reynolds were married.
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.
How would you react if, when checking out of a hotel, you were asked to walk through a security checkpoint to see if you were stealing a pen, a hanger, or a washcloth? That's what Peter and his crew did to these guests as they were leaving a California hotel.
We just can't get enough of Modi. His standup routines always hit the mark as he satirizes Jewish life in all of its aspects. Here is a recent set filmed on location before a live audience of host and guests about weekend hosting in the Hamptons on Long Island.
Mocking the wealthy lifestyles of multimillion dollar home owners, he skewers both the hosts and their guests as they navigate the hazards of spending the weekend in homes equipped with excessive alarm systems but lacking plungers in the bathrooms.
It's another Monday and time for another Joke to Start the Week. This week we're doing something a little bit different. We're sharing a joke told entirely in Yiddish, with English subtitles.
It’s widely known that Eastern European Jews have a traditional, ironic brand of humor.
You can hear it clearly in this anecdote told by Ruth Kohn, a
professional Yiddish translator and interpreter, at a talent show held
at the annual “Yiddish Vokh” in Copake, NY.
Here's the setup: Long ago in a shtetl, a man passed away, who happened to have been very nasty. No one liked him, he didn't have any family, was all alone in the world. But someone needs to eulogize him. And then...
Some
of the best standup comedy was on TV shows and comedy specials in the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s. Today we
continue our Sunday Standup series, sharing some of the classic routines
by iconic comedians on
Sunday editions of Jewish Humor Central.
Nightclub comic Morty Gunty (1929-1984) , the son of Austrian Jewish immigrants, began his stand-up routine in the Catskills
in the early 60's, appearing on various television programs such as The Ed Sullivan Show and The Jack Paar Show. He made the talk/variety show rounds like most up and coming comics
did. He debuted on Broadway in 1967 in "Love in E Flat" and hosted his
own local television show for children called "The Funny Company". His
only venture into films would be What's So Bad About Feeling Good? and Woody Allen's film Broadway Danny Rose. Here's a video clip of Gunty doing his stand-up comedy on The Ed Sullivan Show in 1964. Enjoy!
Today we welcome Shabbat with a rendition of Ahavat Olam by Dor Kaminka & Cantor Jenni Asher of Hamakom congregation of Los Angeles.
Hamakom is an inclusive Jewish community creating meaningful experiences through communal connection, celebrating, worshiping and
learning. Hamakom means “The Place” and represents the understanding
that spiritual life begins when you seek the extraordinary within the
ordinary.
Hamakom has programs for all ages, from The Nook (Infant
& Toddler Center) to an Early Childhood Center, one of the city’s
most respected; from a vibrant and inclusive JLC Religious School to Adult Education programs and Shabbat services.
Did you know that the first annual Thanksgiving Day parade was started by Macy's competitor Bernard Gimbel of the Gimbel's Department Store family in Philadelphia in 1920? It is the oldest Thanksgiving Day parade in the United States.
The Philadelphia parade helped inspire the creation of the Macy’s Christmas Parade in 1924, which later became the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.
It was started by Macy’s immigrant employees, many of whom were first- or second-generation European immigrants. They wanted to celebrate Thanksgiving in the manner of the Old World holiday festivals and street parades they had grown up with.
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 Candid Camera classic stunt set in a Phoenix retail store 24 years ago, a Candid Camera staffer posed as a checkout clerk who charges each customer a six dollar charge for shipping and handling even though the purchase was being taken home from the store.
Shahar
Hasson is one of the leading stand-up comedians in Israel, appearing on
Israeli stages for over 25 years, He is a graduate of Yoram
Levinstein's acting school.
Shahar
is an entertainer who paved his way through the best entertainment
programs in Israel: Eretz Nehederet, Zahirut TV, TV at its best,
Laughter from Work, Limited Edition, Fun Night, Express Hearts and more.
In
this performance before a live audience, Shahar delivers
a stand-up routine filled with humorous observations about
international relations and cultural differences. The comedian's sharp
wit explores unexpected topics, including Israeli construction projects
and spy recruitment techniques.
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. Here's the setup: The Handelbaums had a good marriage for 60 years. And then one night there was a little problem. As they were falling asleep Sheila leaned over to Ken, and then...
Some
of the best standup comedy was on TV shows and comedy specials in the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s. Today we
continue our Sunday Standup series, sharing some of the classic routines
by iconic comedians on
Sunday editions of Jewish Humor Central.
Standup comedian Robert Klein is 83 now and doesn't have any performances currently scheduled, but he was in his prime in 1986 when he performed on Broadway.
Klein was the first to have a standup special on HBO. He is legendary due to his smart humor and funny insights into the everyday. In this piece he turns his attention to cheating at golf, hunting and fishing and then cutting corners in food processing.
This year’s annual Jerusalem International Oud Festival took place last week, and included well-known musical guests Ehud Banai,
Shalom Hanoch, Ravid Kahalani, Dudu Tassa — and Yehuda Poliker
performing with a 12-piece band for the final show.
Among the dozens of musicians performing at the festival were the
Bustan Avraham band of Arab and Jewish musicians, reunited since 2012
and led by three of the founders, Zohar Fresco, Taiseer Elias, and Am
Milstein, now with Haggai Cohen-Milo.
Also appearing at the festival was the Yearot Ensemble. Yearot
weaves Jewish sacred poetry (piyutim) with traditional Balkan and
Middle Eastern melodies, alongside original compositions inspired by
regional folk traditions.
As we welcome another Shabbat, let's listen to a new version of Adon Olam, to which the Yearot Ensemble added a verse from Shir HaShirim, the Song of Songs.
Today we're going back 62 years to watch Neil Sedaka sing a medley of songs that were popular in 1963 on The Ed Sullivan Show. The medley includes Blame It On The Bossa Nova, Slightly Out Of Tune (Desafinado), Fly Me To The Moon and A Felicidade.
Sedaka
was born in Brooklyn, New York in 1939. His father, Mordechai "Mac" Sedaka, was
a taxi driver of Sephardi Jewish descent from Turkey. Sedaka's paternal grandparents came to the United States from Istanbul in 1910.
Sedaka's mother, Eleanor (née Appel), was an Ashkenazi Jew of Polish and Russian descent. He grew up in Brighton Beach. Sedaka (the name is a variant of the Hebrew word Tzedaka - charity) is a cousin of singer Eydie Gorme.
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 Candid Camera classic stunt the crew rigged a dollar bill changing machine to dispense 100 pennies instead of the expected four quarters. Customers were not pleased and expressed their disappointment with expressions that had to be bleeped for family friendly television.
Yossi Tarablus is an Israeli comedian who performs both in Hebrew and English in Israel and around the world.
His
smart and honest style creates a hilarious combination of his life
experiences as a husband, a father, and of course, as an Israeli.
His
years of experience, wide appeal, and ability to perform
family-friendly material have made him a regular for comedy clubs,
universities, army bases, holiday groups, and corporate events. Not only
has Yossi performed in New York, Paris, and Sydney, he was also the
first Israeli to be invited to NBC's "Last Comic Standing" in 2008. In
addition his many standup appearances on TV, Yossi has hosted a
popular late-night radio show and has written wrote for shows including
"Tzchok M'avoda", "Kztarim", "Layla B’kef", "Dudu Topaz", and more.
In this clip from a performance at the Stand-up Factory in Tel Aviv, Tarablus talks about his vacation in Eilat, shopping, and vegans.
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. Here's the setup: Morris and Molly had been married for 50 years. The whole time she yelled at him, always finding fault in what he did. And then...
Some
of the best standup comedy was on TV shows and comedy specials in the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s. Today we
continue our Sunday Standup series, sharing some of the classic routines
by iconic comedians on
Sunday editions of Jewish Humor Central.
When Mark Schiff was twelve, his parents took him to a nightclub. There, live
on stage was Rodney Dangerfield doing his act. At that moment, he knew
the path he had to follow.
Mark has headlined in all the major casinos
and clubs across the country and has appeared many times on both The
Tonight Show with Jay Leno and Late Night with David Letterman. He has
had both HBO and Showtime specials and has been the featured act at the
Montreal Comedy Festival.
Since we're now in the 100th year of Jewish Book Month, we'll be sharing information on recently published books on Jewish humor and comedy.
Mark Schiff has written a book about his comedy career called Why Not? Lessons on Comedy, Courage, and Chutzpah. Schiff, a long-time touring partner of Jerry Seinfeld, presents a hilarious account of decades of foolery with comedy and
acting legends and how he honed his mensch skills in all of life’s
arenas.
In the book he tells of how he was invited to appear on The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson in 1989. Here is a video clip of that appearance.
Eishet Chayil (A Woman of Valor) is a hymn which is not sung in the synagogue, but in many homes after singing Shalom Aleichem and before saying the Kiddush. Traditionally, a husband sings the song to his wife, extolling her virtues, and expressing thanks for all that his wife has
done for him and their family. Eishet Chayil is a twenty-two verse poem with which King Solomon
concludes the book of Proverbs (Proverbs 31). The poem has an acrostic
arrangement in which the verses begin with the letters of the Hebrew
alphabet in regular order. The poem describes the woman of valor as one
who are is energetic, righteous, and capable.
This version is sung by Kobi Oved, a singer-songwriter, cantor, and musical director
who performs in Jewish music projects both in Israel and
internationally. He is known for his work as a singer, composer,
children's choir conductor, and musical director, and has been involved
in numerous musical projects.
The transliterated Hebrew text and English translation appear below the video. Enjoy, and Shabbat Shalom!
Eshet chayil mi yimtza v'rachok mip'ninim michrah
An accomplished woman, who can find? Her value is far beyond pearls.
Batach bah lev ba'lah v'shalal lo yechsar
Her husband's heart relies on her and he shall lack no fortune.
G'malathu tov v'lo ra kol y'mei chayeiha
She does him good and not evil, all the days of her life.
Darshah tzemer ufishtim vata'as b'chefetz kapeiha
She seeks wool and flax, and works with her hands willingly.
Haitah ko'oniyot socher mimerchak tavi lachmah
She is like the merchant ships, she brings her bread from afar.
Vatakom b'od lailah vatiten teref l'vetah v'chok l'na'aroteiha She arises while it is still night, and gives food to her household and a portion to her maidservants.
Zam'mah sadeh vatikachehu mip'ri chapeiha nat'ah karem She plans for a field, and buys it. With the fruit of her hands she plants a vineyard.
Chagrah v'oz motneiha vat'ametz zro'oteiha She girds her loins in strength, and makes her arms strong.
Ta'amah ki tov sachrah lo yichbeh balailah nerah She knows that her merchandise is good. Her candle does not go out at night.
Yadeha shilchah vakishor v'chapeiha tamchu felech She sets her hands to the distaff, and holds the spindle in her hands.
Kapah parsah le'ani v'yadeiha shil'chah la'evyon She extends her hands to the poor, and reaches out her hand to the needy.
Lo tira l'vetah mishaleg ki chol betah lavush shanim She fears not for her household because of snow, because her whole household is warmly dressed.
Marvadim astah lah shesh v'argaman l'vushah She makes covers for herself, her clothing is fine linen and purple.
Noda bash'arim ba'lah b'shivto im ziknei aretz Her husband is known at the gates, when he sits among the elders of the land.
Sadin astah vatimkor vachagor natnah lak'na'ani She makes a cloak and sells it, and she delivers aprons to the merchant.
Oz v'hadar l'vushah vatischak l'yom acharon Strength and honor are her clothing, she smiles at the future.
Piha patchah v'chochma v'torat chesed al l'shonah She opens her mouth in wisdom, and the lesson of kindness is on her tongue.
Tzofi'ah halichot betah v'lechem atzlut lo tochel She watches over the ways of her household, and does not eat the bread of idleness. Kamu vaneha vay'ash'ruha ba'lah vay'hal'lah Her children rise and praise her, her husband lauds her.
Rabot banot asu chayil v'at alit al kulanah Many women have done worthily, but you surpass them all.
Sheker hachen v'hevel hayofi ishah yir'at Hashem hi tit'halal Charm is deceptive and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears God shall be praised.
T'nu lah mip'ri yadeiha vihal'luha vash'arim ma'aseha Give her of the fruit of her hands, and let her works praise her in the gates.
Ed Ames (Edmund Urick) (1927-2023) was a pop singer and actor. He was also part of the popular 1950s singing group with his siblings, the Ames Brothers.
Best
known for his singing career with three of his brothers as The Ames
Brothers, and his acting in the role of Mingo, a Cherokee tribesman in
the TV series Daniel Boone, Ames was a committed Zionist and president of the California chapter of the Zionist Organization of America.
In this video from the Ed Sullivan Show 57 years ago, Ames sings a medley including Gentle On My Mind, My Cup Runneth Over, The Look Of Love and Kiss Her Now.
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 Candid Camera classic stunt set in a California supermarket 21 years ago, a Candid Camera staffer posed as a shopper with special Premier Shopper status and cut in front of shoppers who had already started to check out. Watch their reactions!
Hevenu
Shalom Aleichem is one of the most widely played and sung Hebrew songs
around the world, probably second only to Hava Nagila. We have been
sharing versions of this song as performed in India, Guatemala, Australia, Korea, Belarus, and in an Irish pub.
After posting 25 versions of the song over the years, we came across a line dance version created by Indonesian choreographer Uli Elfrida and posted on the British line dance website Copperknob.
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.
It's an oldie but goodie that you've probably heard before, but like many of these, we find it interesting to see the same joke told in a slightly different way by a different joke teller.
Here's
the setup: A Jewish couple from the suburbs get a new Mercedes. And they want to get it blessed. So they go to an Orthodox rabbi and they say "Rabbi, we got a new Mercedes." And then...
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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 2025 and 2026 in Person and Via ZOOM
Now is the time to book our Jewish humor programs and lectures for your 2025 and 2026 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 2025 and 2026 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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[image: Story 375601404]
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