Comedian Tiffany Haddish Celebrates Her "Black Mitzvah"

Black and Jewish US comedian Tiffany Haddish is having a bat mitzvah ceremony soon. 

She has released a Netflix stand-up special inspired by the occasion as well. 

As reported by The Times of Israel, 

Haddish had been kicking around the comedy world and doing guest shots on television programs for some time, but her role in the raunchy comedy “Girls Trip” got her the spotlight she deserved. She was voted Best Supporting Actress by the prestigious New York Film Critics Circle, a rarity for a comedic performance, and ultimately far more impressive than an Oscar.

As a teen she met her biological father, an Eritrean Jew who was living in Los Angeles for a while but went back to his home country when she was three years old. At the same time she started working in comedy clubs and other entertainment jobs. Ironically enough, one of her early gigs was working as part of the party team at bar and bat mitzvahs in Los Angeles.

In recent years, though, Haddish has gotten more interested in exploring her Jewish heritage. She started learning Hebrew and preparing for a bat mitzvah of her own. Indeed, she plans to answer the call to Torah this December 3, her 40th birthday, which just so happens to coincide with the release of her latest comedy special on Netflix, “Black Mitzvah.”

 In a special Sunday night edition of Jimmy Fallon’s “The Tonight Show,” Haddish broke into singing “Hava Nagila,” backed up by The Roots, Fallon’s famous house band.

Enjoy! 

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Jewish Traces in Unexpected Places: Jewish and Japanese Foods Fuse in Brooklyn

She is Japanese. He is Jewish. Together, they cook up all kinds of deliciousness. Meet Sawako Okochi and Aaron Israel. Their love for each other led to marriage, and their love of cooking led to Shalom Japan.

The Brooklyn restaurant merges Japanese and Jewish culinary influences. On the menu? Matzoh ball ramen and a lox bowl version of chirashi. 

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A Joke to Start the Week - "The Best Insurance"

It's another Monday, and it's time for another joke to start the week. Here comes another one from Toronto's Jewish Folks Telling Jokes, a night of comedy to benefit Jewish Family and Child, one of the foremost Jewish service agencies in North America.

We previously posted a few jokes that were told at the event, a Canadian contribution to the world of Jewish humor, probably inspired by the off-Broadway show Old Jews Telling Jokes, still touring around the USA.

We'll be posting more of these jokes on upcoming Mondays. Here's another oldie but goodie, told by Susan Lanczi.

Here's the setup: . An elderly woman goes for a checkup to her physician. The physician is asking many questions about her health. And then...

Enjoy!

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Comedy Showcase: Gad Elmaleh Sings a Song in Made Up English

We've posted a few video clips by French Moroccan Jewish comedian Gad Elmaleh, and your response has been very positive. So today we're posting another one of his funny bits as shown on the Conan O'Brien show last year.

Before he launched his comedy career which made him France's most popular comedian, Elmaleh played at a piano bar, entertaining customers who didn't speak English.

One day one of the owners asked him to sing a song in English for an important client whose wife was celebrating her birthday and insisted on an English song.

So he made up a song that sounded like English. And everyone joined in. 

Here's the stunt that he pulled off successfully. Enjoy!

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Welcoming Shabbat with Shalom Aleichem by Isaac and Rubenstein

Dan Isaac and Binyomin Rubenstein have been making music together since 2010. 

Their new and inspiring Jewish music project comes from an array of nigunim (songs) written by Binyomin and developed, recorded and produced by the duo in Israel. 

Isaac and Rubenstein create acoustic, live, real, and beautiful music with memorable melodies and rich harmonies that will touch the soul. 

Enjoy, and Shabbat shalom!

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Happy Thanksgiving! Watch Israelis Try to Explain the American Holiday Foods and Traditions

The Jewish Agency for Israel asked some Israelis to explain American traditions and foods served on Thanksgiving Day. The responses are interesting and funny. 

Why did the Pilgrims come to America? The gold rush? Listen to some of the explanations of the origin and traditions of the holiday.

Watch the Israelis struggle with opening and eating a can of jellied cranberry sauce, and enjoying pumpkin pie with whipped cream.

For 90 years, The Jewish Agency for Israel (Hasochnut HaYehudit) has worked to overcome the biggest challenges facing the Jewish people. It played a major role in building the State of Israel, and it continues to create links globally—bringing Jews to Israel and Israel to Jews.

Enjoy, and have a happy Thanksgiving!

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.

Comedy Showcase: French Moroccan Jewish Comedian Gad Elmaleh on English Expressions

Gad Elmaleh is a Jewish Moroccan-born French stand-up comedian and actor. He has starred in several feature films, including Coco, Priceless, La Doublure and Midnight in Paris.
 
He has been voted the funniest person in France and was named knight of the Order of Arts and Letters by the Minister of Culture. He was also named knight of the National Order of Quebec.
He is often referred to as the "Seinfeld of France". In 2015, Elmaleh did a national comedy tour across the United States. His new comedy special American Dream is now available on Netflix.

In this video clip from the The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, Gad talks about Indian taxi drivers, the hypocrisy of encore performances, and dating language difficulties.

Enjoy!

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Comedy Showcase: Freddie Roman at the Just For Laughs Festival

Freddie Roman has had a long successful career as a stand-up comedian in the Catskills and in Las Vegas. He has been the Dean of the Friars Club for more than 20 years.

Roman was born Fred Kirschenbaum in Jamaica Queens, New York in 1937. He got his start in the Borscht Belt after working in his father's shoe store and then sold life insurance for a few years before making comedy his full-time job.

Starting out as social director at the Homowack Lodge in Spring Glen, New York, worked his way through the Catskill mountain resorts and got to know all of the comedians who performed in the hundreds of hotels situated 90 miles from New York City.

He is still active and is now appearing in the Amazon Prime sitcom series Red Oaks, together with Jennifer Grey, Paul Reiser, and Richard Kind.

Here is an excerpt from a Freddie Roman performance at the Just for Laughs Festival some years ago.

Enjoy! 

A SPECIAL NOTE FOR NEW EMAIL SUBSCRIBERS:  THE VIDEO IS NOT VIEWABLE DIRECTLY FROM THE EMAIL THAT YOU GET EACH DAY.  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 - "Three Texans"

It's another Monday, and it's time for another joke to start the week. Here comes another one from Toronto's Jewish Folks Telling Jokes, a night of comedy to benefit Jewish Family and Child, one of the foremost Jewish service agencies in North America.

We previously posted a few jokes that were told at the event, a Canadian contribution to the world of Jewish humor, probably inspired by the off-Broadway show Old Jews Telling Jokes, still touring around the USA.

We'll be posting more of these jokes on upcoming Mondays. Here's another oldie but goodie, told by Bernie Federman.

Here's the setup: Three Texans are sitting around in the restaurant. And as they sometimes do, talking about the largeness of their material possessions. And then...

Enjoy!

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Comedy Showcase: Rita Rudner at Her Best at Palm Beach Gala

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.

 

Earlier this year Rita performed one of her best stand-up comedy routines at a Lady in Red fund raiser for disabled veterans in Palm Beach.

It's 29 minutes long, much longer than most of our posts, but we think you'll agree that it's worth watching.

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.