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!
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, known professionally simply as "Shulem," is an American
Belz Hasidic singer from Borough Park, Brooklyn, in New York City. He is
the first born-and-raised Haredi Jew to sign a major record contract
with a leading label, Universal Music Group, under its classical music
Decca Gold imprint.
Before becoming a full-time singer, Lemmer was marketing director at a
technology firm start-up based in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. He also works
as a cantor during the High Holidays at Congregation Ahavath Torah, a
Modern Orthodox synagogue in Englewood, New Jersey.
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 popular music and Broadway show tunes as he is with Chassidic
music. Today we're sharing a performance by Shulem of Frank Sinatra's hit My Way at Magen David Adom's annual event at the Heichal Hatarbut in Tel Aviv in June 2023.
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.
The Shvesters, accompanied by Omri Bar Giora on guitar, performed "Eishet Chayil" at the Museum of Jewish Heritage in Battery Park, NYC, on August 22, 2024.
"Eishet Chayil" is a cherished Jewish hymn traditionally sung on Friday nights to honor and celebrate a wife or woman of valor. Based on verses from the Book of Proverbs, this heartfelt song is a central part of the Shabbat dinner, highlighting the virtues and contributions of women in Jewish life.
Social media sensation Yohay Sponder has gone viral with his charming
and unapologetic comments on Jews in general, Israeli Jews
specifically, and overall audience interaction on topics ranging from
political correctness (or not), Muslims, women, terrorists, gays, and
the Holocaust — many things people are feeling, but stand back from
expressing.
Since 2016, Sponder has been producing “Funny Monday,” an Israeli standup comedy
show in English that, among other things, touches upon current events
from an Israeli-Jewish point of view.
In this video, Sponder uses humor to explain the differences and conflicts between Ashkenazi and Mizrachi Jews.
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-two
years ago the Candid Camera props department created a pile of fake dirt made from household garbage and placed it in a nursery in California that sells all types of plants and gardening supplies. Then a member of the staff acted as a clerk at the nursery and tried to sell bags of the fake dirt to shoppers.
The war started by Hamas when they invaded Israel on October 7 of last year was only a few days old when Jewish groups, including synagogues, JCCs, and just small groups of Jews embarked on trips to Israel to offer support to the embattled state.
At first these journeys were welcomed with open arms by Israeli soldiers and civilians alike, as they contributed to a struggling economy with financial and material help.
But as the number of visits kept increasing, it didn't take long for the Jewish inclination to find humor even in humorless situations emerge, especially when developed and delivered by accomplished Jewish standup comedians.
Modi Rosenfeld, known professionally as Modi, has found a funny angle to comment on these Israel trips, generally described as missions.
In this appearance on stage, Modi focuses on missions by wealthy Jewish women from suburban communities, clad in the latest designer fashions, as they overstate the benefits of their visits and struggle to communicate with soldiers who don't speak a word of English.
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 here's
the setup: There was once a rabbi who got a call from a woman. And she says "Rabbi, I have a big crisis." And then...
One
of the joys of posting videos on Jewish Humor Central is discovering
new versions of traditional Jewish and Hebrew songs as they are
performed around the world, often in unexpected places.
Since we started Jewish Humor Central in 2009 we have posted 123 different versions of Hava Nagila. The song
has shown up in many countries, including some unexpected ones (Scroll
down the left column on this page and click on Hava Nagila in the
Keywords list and you'll see what we mean.) Today
we're posting a version of Hava Nagila that was performed last month at Jarmark Jarosławski, an end of summer music and arts festival in Jaroslaw, a town in Eastern Poland.
Last year Cantor Jacob Agar, the cantor of Congregation Beth Sholom in Elkins Park, Pennsylvania, sang V'Shamru to the tune of Uskudara, a traditional Sephardic Turkish melody. The synagogue, also known as the Frank Lloyd Wright Synagogue for its architect and designer, is a National Historic Landmark.
Cantor Agar received his cantorial investiture at the H.L Miller
Cantorial School at Jewish Theological Seminary of New York. Previously
he studied opera performance and linguistics at SUNY Purchase College.
Following conservatory, he sang with several opera companies in New York
and New Jersey, and has worked with a wide variety of conductors.
Cantor Agar is also a composer and arranger and is inspired by a wide
variety of music. He was inspired to become a cantor by his love for
Judaism, Jewish music, and his interest in using music to uplift people
and bring them closer to Judaism. His goal is to use music to elevate
people spiritually and to help them find comfort and solace at
synagogue.
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 55 years ago, Ames sang his 1969 hit song "Son of a Travelin' Man".
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-three
years ago the Candid Camera crew took over a cashier station in a supermarket and had the checkout clerk call for a price check on every item that a customer put on the checkout conveyor belt.
Today we are joining Frieda Vizel, a former member of the Satmar Hasidic community who conducts tours of Hasidic neighborhoods in Brooklyn. In this video she goes looking
for the most exotic foods available in this Jewish neighborhood, or as she puts it, foods that have more of an acquired taste.
She tries
fargliverta fish zaft, yapchik, galareta, kishka, herring and even a
cake that in English translates to: "rag cake". It’s an unusual food
tour on the hunt for the food that will most challenge the faint of
heart!
1) 1:10 - Kuchinya [Hungarian] / Fargliverte Fish Zaft [Yiddish] / Fish Jelly
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 here's
the setup: There was a Jewish couple celebrating their 50th anniversary. And she gets up and says "I want to make a L'Chayim to me for sticking it out with him for 50 years." 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. Since tomorrow is Labor Day, let's learn the word for work in Yiddish, and also learn how to say job, wages, a raise and “working like a horse.”
Mishkon Tephilo's historic landmark building on Main Street in
Venice, California houses a beautiful synagogue that warmly embraces interfaith
families and converts to Judaism. People notice its relaxed and
inclusive vibe and find it less formal than other synagogues — as one of its regulars put it, "Hawaiian shirt optional."
Mishkon is participatory and many congregants engage in synagogue
services, leading a section or reading from the Torah on Shabbat.
Services are held Friday night (usually on Zoom or at the beach),
Saturday morning and all holidays, with occasional family services and
alternative learning services.
In today's video, Mishkon's spiritual leader, Rabbi Joshua Katzan and Happie Hoffman, Musical Director for BBYO International, welcome Shabbat with Yedid Nefesh, an introduction to the Friday night service.
Remember Rick Moranis? The funny guy who made us laugh in Ghostbusters, Little Shop of Horrors, Spaceballs, and Honey, I Shrunk the Kids? He retired from the film industry in 1997.
In 1997, Moranis began a long break from acting to dedicate his time to his two children as a widower.
He has not appeared in a live-action film for over 25 years, although
he provided voice-over work for a few animated films, including Disney'sBrother Bear (2003). He also released comedy albums and made appearances at fan conventions.
In 2020, after a hiatus of nearly 23 years from live-action films, Moranis signed to appear in a new sequel to Honey, I Shrunk the Kids, called Shrunk. However, as of 2024, the project has yet to proceed to the filming stage.
Here's a video clip from 1989, when Moranis appeared in a cold open sketch on Saturday Night Live, impersonating legendary comedian Jackie Mason.
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 just married couple got entangled in a very long kiss outside of their hotel room, preventing other guests from passing them in the hallway.
In 2014 Israeli
satire on TV took a bold step forward with the airing of a new
series of sketches called HaYehudim Ba'im (The Jews Are Coming). Written
by Natalie Marcus and Asaf Beiser, the show asks questions about
everything, from the Bible to Ben Gurion to the Ashkenazi leadership.
Their approach is to go into the texts and make you think. They say
that they give all their subjects a critical look, but they're not
attacking, just giving the story a fresh,
modern look. The
series ran for three seasons on Israeli TV, all in Hebrew. Some of the
half-hour episodes were divided into video clips and published on
YouTube with English subtitles.
The
series ran for three seasons on Israeli TV, all in Hebrew. Some of the
half-hour episodes were divided into video clips and published on
YouTube with English subtitles. Here's one about the rebellion of Korach against Moses and Aaron when Korach challenged Moses and wanted to replace him as leader of the people.
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: Steve and Marcy had a terrible marriage. It was 40 years of
bickering. And every comment from Marcy seemed to be a little zetz. One day Steve said to Marcy "What would you do if you won a million dollars in the lottery?" And then...
We've been collecting and posting many performances of Hava Nagila from around the world, 122 as of last count. But sometimes we miss a performance and find it at a later date.
That's what happened today when we ran across a version that was performed last year by the Quaker City String Band at the Celebrate Israel parade.
The band, based in Philadelphia, has been entertaining audiences throughout the Philadelphia area and all over the world for decades.
In June 2023 the Quaker City String Band came to New York City to participate in the annual Celebrate Israel parade and turned in a lively performance of Hava Nagila.
Tonight we welcome Shabbat with an Irish twist -- Oseh Shalom sung to the melody of Danny Boy by Cantor Laura Phillips Fogelman of Temple Beth Abraham in Tarrytown, New York.
A native of New York, Cantor Fogelman was ordained as a cantor from
Hebrew Union College – Jewish Institute of Religion Debbie Friedman
School of Sacred Music in May 2013. She holds a Master of Sacred Music
and Cantorial Ordination from the same institution, along with a Master
of Music in Vocal Performance from the Boston Conservatory and
undergraduate degrees in Music and Communications from Tufts University.
The first sound in Between the
Temples is a piercing blast from a shofar. Several scenes of the new
film are set in a synagogue and depict familiar Jewish tableaus
including bat mitzvah preparation, the rabbi/cantor relationship, donors
who play an outsize role in Jewish life and a nerve-wracking family Shabbat dinner.
In other words, it may be the most Jewish mainstream movie of the year.
Between the Temples, which arrives
in theaters Friday, tells the story of Cantor Ben Gottlieb (Jason
Schwartzman), who works at a Reform synagogue in upstate New York and is
grieving the death of his novelist wife a year earlier. Carol Kane
stars as Carla, his childhood music teacher, who grew up without Jewish
tradition but now wants an adult bat mitzvah.
The duo forms the heart of a warm intergenerational buddy comedy-drama that plays out in an archetypal Jewish setting.
Here is the official trailer for the movie. 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 staffer used a "pedestrian horn" to get slow walkers on a sidewalk to speed up and let him pass them.
If there's anyone who knows how to make an audience laugh, it's Annie Korzen, a writer, actress, and performer who has appeared on Seinfeld and other TV shows, and was a regular on Old Jews Telling Jokes. Korzen began her career as an actress-writer in New York's
Off-Broadway scene. She has also worked in films (Tootsie, Stardust
Memories, etc.). In Los Angeles, Annie had a recurring role on Seinfeld,
playing Doris Klompus in the Florida condo. She also has been on E.R.,
Judging Amy, Oliver Beene and many other TV shows. Annie created two solo shows that combine comedy, original music,
and provocative issues. One of them is called Yenta Unplugged, a
sophisticated 90-minute celebration of womanhood, from the Bronx to
Beverly Hills. She has appeared as a storyteller with The Moth Mainstage in L. A.,
Berkeley, and Boston, and has been a regular participant at spoken word venues in Los Angeles and New York.
This year Annie published a new book, The Book of Annie, which includes funny stories, anecdotes, and random observations from her life in New York and Los Angeles.
Her colorful stories ring true to audiences who can relate to the experiences that they have had in common. Here is one called "Feed Me" that she shared about Jewish women and food before an appearance on the Oprah Winfrey Show in 2016.
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 here's
the setup: They tell a story about a Bar Mitzvah boy who wanted to deliver a beautiful speech at his Bar Mitzvah. So he comes to his mother and he says "Mom, I would like to talk at my Bar Mitzvah about where we come from." And then...
Israel added yet another medal to their impressive haul at the Paris Olympics
as the Rhythmic Gymnastics Team captured silver for the nation’s 7th
medal with a terrific performance in the Group All-Around after having
qualified for the finals.
Coach
Ayelet Zussman spoke about the team’s performance, “How did we do it?
With the love for the sport, with the great coaching staff, and by
working hard together. Linoy Ashram had a huge influence on rhythmic
gymnastics and she had an incredible five years where she was constantly
at the top, so we knew she was a candidate for a medal at the last
Olympics. The same is true with this team, who have been at the top over
the past three years and here they did it.”
“When
they finished their last rotation I knew there was a very good chance
that we would win a medal. I am happy, I am proud to see all the people
that encouraged us and who were excited for us. When we are together, it
gives us the strength to achieve everything we want to achieve,” the
coach concluded.
The squad of Ofir Shaham, Diana Svertsov, Adar Friedmann, Romi
Paritzki and Shani Bakanov recorded a score of 35.600 in 5 Hoops, which
was good for 5th place and 33.250 in 3 Ribbons and 2 Balls for 2nd,
which gave them an overall score of 68.850. This placed them just behind
China, which won gold with a score of 69.800 and ahead of Italy, which
scored 68.100.
The
key score for the blue-and-white was in the 3 Ribbons and 2 Balls,
which was a marked improvement over Friday’s qualification score of
31.900, which was able to place them ahead of Italy to take home the
silver medal.
Orly Campbell graduated with a B.A., emphasis in Vocal Arts at
California State University of Northridge in 2006. Prior to Orly
beginning her journey at the Academy for Jewish Religion California
(AJRCA) she was already a year into her most prideful job, being a new
mom. She had no clue how she could attend a master’s seminary and raise a
baby, let alone 4 children.
Orly spent the last 6 years raising her kids and discovering her true
love for hazzanut. She has worked in many different temples including
Temple Ramat Zion, Stephen Wise, Beth Shir Shalom, Desert Outreach
Synagogue, Temple Judea, Temple Akiba and Temple Beth David, where Orly
served as the Cantor for the past 3 years.
Cantor Orly was ordained and received her Master’s Degree from the
Academy for Jewish Religion in May 2019. She will continue sharing her
love, passion and voice in hopes of elevating a congregant’s experience
for services.
On April 17 at Temple Sinai in Los Angeles, Cantor Orly Campbell led the congregation in singing Adon Olam on a Sisterhood Shabbat.
Sports announcer Howard Cosell hosted Saturday Night Live on April 13, 1985. Hosts on the show typically were included in comedy skits featuring their roles in the entertainment industry, and this one was no exception.
Cosell, born Howard Cohen in 1918, was best known for his distinctive staccato voice, accent, syntax, and cadence, and they became the basis of a skit portraying Cosell's Bar Mitzvah, where he played the role of his lawyer father, Morris Cosell. His mother was played by comedian Billy Crystal, in one of his funniest roles.
Let's turn the clock back 39 years and join in the fun at the reception hall where the Bar Mitzvah was celebrated.
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 1963 in which plumbers were put in an impossible situation.
Today
is Tisha B'Av, an annual fast day in Judaism which commemorates the
destruction of the First and Second Temples in Jerusalem and the subsequent
exile of the Jews from the Land of Israel to Babylon.
The day also commemorates other tragedies which occurred on the same day,
including the Roman massacre of over 100,000 Jews at Betar in 132 CE. It was instituted by the rabbis of 2nd-century Palestine.
Tisha B'Av is regarded as the saddest day in the Jewish calendar, a day
in which all pleasurable activity is forbidden, and is marked by synagogue
attendance the night before and during the day. But that doesn't mean there's
no singing, or more accurately, chanting.
The highlight of the day's service is the chanting of the megillah of Eicha
(Lamentations), written by the prophet Jeremiah. Eicha is read in
synagogues and in groups meeting indoors and outdoors.
In
some Jewish communities Psalm 137 is recited or chanted. It reads:
Psalms
Chapter 137
1. By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat down, we also wept, when we
remembered Zion.
2. We hung our lyres on the willows in its midst.
3. For there those who carried us away captive required of us a song; and
those who tormented us required of us mirth, saying, Sing us one of the songs
of Zion.
4. How shall we sing the Lord’s song in a foreign land?
5. If I forget you, O Jerusalem, let my right hand forget her cunning.
6. If I do not remember you, let my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth; if
I do not set Jerusalem above my highest joy.
7. Remember, O Lord, against the Edomites, the day of Jerusalem; who said,
Raze it, raze it, to its foundation.
8. O daughter of Babylon, you are to be destroyed! Happy shall he be, who
repays you for what you have done to us.
9. Happy shall he be, who takes your little ones and dashes them against the
rock.
But
the liturgy of Tisha B'Av has found an audience beyond traditional Jews
observing a sad day. The
words of the Psalms were incorporated into Rivers of Babylon, a Rastafarian song written and
recorded by Brent Dowe and Trevor McNaughton of the Jamaican reggae group The
Melodians in 1970. The Melodians' original version of the song appeared in the
soundtrack album of the 1972 movie The Harder They Come, making it
internationally known. The song was
popularized in Europe by the 1978 Boney M. cover version, which was awarded a
platinum disc and is one of the top ten all-time best-selling singles in the
UK. Somehow
the song has been adopted by line dance devotees, primarily in Korea,
Taiwan, and Southeast Asia. It is also being used as the background for a Zumba fitness routine, as in the video below. If you're fasting today, we wish you an easy and meaningful fast.
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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.
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