A Joke to Start the Week: "Another Type of Headache"

It's another Monday and time for another Joke to Start the Week.

For the last two weeks we've been posting some classic Yiddish jokes presented anew in Yiddish by Leana Jelen, a young Yiddish-speaking sign-language interpreter.  These jokes come from the Forverts, the Yiddish edition of The Jewish Daily Forward.

This week we have another of her jokes in Yiddish. If you don't understand Yiddish, just read the subtitles in English. If you play it a few times, maybe you'll start learning the language.

Here's the setup: An old woman used to buy headache medicine. One day, she went to the pharmacy to buy pills for birth control. And then...

Enjoy!

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Hava Nagila Around the World: Iosif Kobzon Sings in Moscow Concert

Last September, a concert  in Moscow's State Kremlin Palace was dedicated to the 80th anniversary of People's Artist of the USSR Iosif Kobzon. 

Kobzon appeared on the stage for almost 60 of his 80 years, not including his participation in student amateur performances. During these years he sang an incredible number of songs - more than three thousand!

And of course one of them was Hava Nagila, a song that has been performed all around the world in many countries. And since we started Jewish Humor Central in 2009, we have posted 70 of them.

To see them all, scroll down the Keywords list in the left column and click on Hava Nagila.

Iosif (Joseph) Davydovich Kobzon was born to Jewish parents in the mining town of Chasiv Yar, in the Donbass region of Ukraine.

In 1983, Kobzon was expelled from the Communist Party of the Soviet Union and reprimanded for "political short sightedness," after he performed Jewish songs during an international friendship concert, which resulted in the Arab delegations leaving in protest. 

However, the following year, (1984) his reputation was restored, as he was honored with the USSR State Prize.

He claimed that his promotion of Jewish culture in the USSR contributed to the establishment of diplomatic ties between USSR and Israel.

Enjoy!

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Welcoming Shabbat with Adon Olam by Tulane University's Jewish a Cappella Group NJBeats

Shabbat is almost here and we're ready to welcome it with our 44th posting of Adon Olam. This version is by NJBeats, the Jewish a cappella group from Tulane University in New Orleans.

The Hebrew lyrics and traditional Jewish basis of NJBeats’ songs provide a refreshing twist to a cappella music. The group, however, does not limit itself to only slow, traditional songs. NJBeats plans to sing pop songs with a unique Hebrew twist in future performances. With its recent performances and plan to include more pop music, the group is becoming more fully engrained in Tulane’s culture.

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: Sid Caesar and Imogene Coca in "The Sewing Machine Girl"

Silent film parodies were an important part of Your Show of Shows, the 90 minute weekly live TV show pioneered by Sid Caesar in the early 1950s. These parodies were also tributes to the acting skills needed to convey plot and emotion in the absence of spoken words.

Sid Caesar, Imogene Coca, Carl Reiner, and Howard Morris all had a special talent to bring these early films to life in hilarious takeoffs. This video, The Sewing Machine Girl has the classic elements of this genre: The mean shop owner, the poor overworked, underpaid girl, and her beleaguered co-worker who emerges as her hero.

This is a rare sketch just made available to a mass audience as one of the "Ten from Your Show of Shows" now available as part of the five DVD set Sid Caesar: The Works.

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 Visual and Musical Celebration of Jewish Food

We love surfing the internet, we love Jewish food, and we love musical satires by Mickey Katz.

So when we found a Vimeo video posted by Harris Bookfor that combined all these three elements, we just couldn't resist sharing it with you.

This video includes three songs by Mickey Katz and one by The Barry Sisters. After watching it you'll want to make a quick trip to the nearest deli, if they still have them in your community.

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.

You Know You Are Dating an Israeli Woman When...

There's a YouTube channel called Dating Beyond Borders that focuses on dating around the world. It has some funny insights into dating in different cultures.

The format is "You know you are dating an ____ man or woman when..." and then shows some stereotypical examples of dating situations.

One of the countries they profile is Israel and illustrate what it means to date an Israeli woman with video vignettes of dates in progress.

Are they exaggerating? You probably know the truth.

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 - "You're Smarter Already"

It's another Monday and time for another Joke to Start the Week.

The Forward is producing a series of classic Yiddish jokes presented in Yiddish by Leana Jelen, a young Yiddish-speaking sign-language interpreter. 

Last week we posted a joke that was reported to be the favorite of  Sigmund Freud, the founder of modern psychoanalysis who spent years collecting and studying Jewish jokes.
 
This week we have another joke in Yiddish by Leana Jelen, an oldie but goodie in our collection of favorite Jewish jokes. 

Here's the setup: A gentile notices a Jew eating a piece of herring and he asks him: "Why are Jews so smart?" He replies "Because they eat the head of the herring." And then...
If you don't understand Yiddish, watch the English subtitles while Leana tells the joke in Yiddish. Who knows, you might even learn the language!
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 NOSH-talgic Look at Jewish Food: History of the Pastrami Sandwich

We've been collecting videos about the origins of classic Jewish foods that bring back mouth-watering memories of the Borscht Belt and the many Kosher delis that were present in Jewish neighborhoods everywhere. Today the Borscht Belt hotels are gone and so are many of the delis.

One of our more popular programs is A NOSH-talgic Look at Jewish Food, with videos and memories of bagels and lox, chicken soup with matzo balls, pickled herring, sour pickles, real seltzer, and even schmaltz. We presented it last month at a brunch in a senior community in New Jersey that got the attendees really hungry. 

Whenever we find a video that makes us hungry for nostalgic Jewish delicacies, we try to share it with you. If you're in the mood for a good pastrami sandwich, take a look at this new video from The Nosher website that reveals the origin of this staple of the Jewish diet.

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 at Temple B'nai Jeshurun in Short Hills, New Jersey

Every Friday we try to find a new version of one of the traditional songs that are sung in the synagogue or in the home to welcome Shabbat.  

Shalom Aleichem is the liturgical poem that signals the start of this special 25 hour weekly respite from the workaday world. 

We never know until Thursday what version of which song we'll be sharing with you on Friday. 
Sometimes it's Adon Olam, Yedid Nefesh, Eishet Chayil, Lechu Neranena, or Yigdal. This week we're sharing yet another version of Shalom Aleichem, as sung by Lucy Fishbein, Assistant Cantor at Congregation B'nai Jeshurun in Short Hills, New Jersey.

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: Sid Caesar and Imogene Coca in "Breaking the News"

It's Throwback Thursday again and today we get another chance to go back 67 years to 1951 and another episode of The Hickenloopers on Your Show of Shows.

Sid Caesar and Imogene Coca starred in many episodes of the hilarious marital tribulations of Doris and Charlie Hickenlooper.

In this sketch, Mrs. Hickenlooper (Imogene Coca) tries to gently break the news about an auto accident she had to her husband (Sid Caesar).

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