Happy Passover! A musical greeting from the Israel Philharmonic

This Pesach, because each of us is celebrating separately, the members of the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra prepared a special musical greeting, a medley of Passover songs. 

Playing individually in their own homes, the Philharmonic musicians unite in this video to wish all music lovers in Israel and around the world a happy Passover and good health.

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 Delicious Passover Coronavirus Lockdown Project: Savta Shuly's Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins

Passover is almost here. Wednesday evening we will be sitting down to a very different Pesach seder. For most of us it will be a solitary experience, for one, two, maybe a few more family members.

The coronavirus lockdown or stay-at-home orders issued in most states is a test of our ability to come up with innovative ways of celebrating the festival of freedom. Thanks to the wonders of technology, many homes will light up with the presence of multi-generational family members in Zoom seders.

As always, involving children and finding ways for them to participate in the seder and pre-seder activities will be a high priority this year. 

We think that including children in preparing special Passover treats will give all of us a lift. So we're sharing one of our favorite recipes -- Savta Shuly's Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins -- a recipe that we use year-round with flour, but find just as delicious with cake meal and potato starch substituted for flour on Pesach.

So follow along with the video, and include the kids in measuring and mixing. We're sure it will result in more smiles around the seder table and for the rest of the week, too.

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.

'Twas the Night Before Pesach - A Benji Lovitt Passover Comedy Special

American-Israeli comedian Benji Lovitt, now living in Tel Aviv, has made a contribution to the growing collection of Passover videos. He recruited a bunch of his friends' children, and got them to recite his original version of a song usually played in December.

And what a night it was! Coronavirus, social distance, Zoom, modems, routers, internet cables, and a last minute miracle.

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 Lecha Dodi by the Band Mizrach

With most synagogues closed because of the coronavirus, welcoming Shabbat has taken on a different tone as we try to find new ways to savor its joys.

Many synagogues are conducting services via Zoom and other video technologies, in some cases attracting more congregants on line than normally come to live services. 

Looking for silver linings in the coronavirus cloud, maybe it's a good idea to explore different versions of the Friday evening songs that we've become accustomed to. There are many melodies to chant Lecha Dodi. This one by the band called Mizrach may not be the one you're used to, but give it a try to enhance the ruach (spirit) of the day of rest.

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.

Neil Diamond Changes Lyrics to "Sweet Caroline" in Coronavirus Public Service Announcement

Neil Diamond is doing his part to promote steps to prevent the spread of the coronavirus – and he found a creative way to do it. Diamond changed the lyrics to his iconic hit Sweet Caroline for a musical public service announcement about the virus.

As Christi Carras wrote in The Los Angeles Times,

Perched on the hearth of his fireplace next to his adorable pet pup, Diamond then launched into the familiar tune on acoustic guitar. 

At first, the anthem seemed to play out as expected.

Then came the catchy pre-chorus:

“Hands, washing hands,” Diamond sang in support of coronavirus prevention habits. “Reaching out / Don’t touch me / I won’t touch you.”

Enjoy, and keep safe!

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.

California JCC Launches Broadway Singalong Passover Nosh with "Seder Prayer"

LABA East Bay: A Laboratory for New Jewish Culture launched at the JCC East Bay in January 2020.  LABA is a non-religious, Jewish house of study and culture laboratory which uses classic Jewish texts to inspire the creation of art, dialogue, and study. 

The Program began in New York City in 1997 at the 14th Street Y and expanded to Buenos Aires in 2015. Now it's in California's East Bay in Berkeley and Oakland.

In this video, LABA East Bay fellow Bruce Bierman and JCC East Bay Director of Public Programs Sarah Wolfman-Robichaud offer a new take on the classic Fiddler on the Roof tune, Sabbath Prayer from their Passover Nosh program. It's sure to become an earworm this year at your Passover Seder! 

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 Funny Yiddish Chad Gadya by the Jewish People's Philharmonic Chorus

The Jewish People's Philharmonic Chorus is part of a modern Yiddish renaissance -- more than forty members strong, from students to retirees, a good number of whom speak or are learning Yiddish.

Their repertoire spans a century -- exciting oratorios and operettas, labor anthems, folksongs, and popular tunes -- all in Yiddish. Committed to strengthening Yiddish as a living language, they have commissioned and premiered new Yiddish choral works by half a dozen composers.

In recent years we've posted their versions of California Dreamin', Baby It's Cold Outside, Rumania Rumania, Auld Lang Syne, and The Star Spangled Banner.

They recently recorded a funny Yiddish version of Chad Gadya, just in time for Passover, which is only 10 days away. The musical arrangement is by Binyumen Schaechter, a member of a leading family in Yiddish language and cultural studies.

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 - "It's Never Too Late"

It's another Monday, and time for another Joke to Start the Week. This week we're sharing a joke that we found on Vimeo, told by David Shtulman.

Here's the setup: A man goes to a doctor for a regular checkup, and the doctor says to him afterwards "You know, for a 65 year old man, you're in remarkable health." And then...

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.

Tom Lehrer on the Perils of Ignoring Social Distancing

This short, humorous ditty was written and performed by Tom Lehrer in 1953. Although it doesn't mention the disease that was transmitted back then, he could have written it today about the coronavirus.

For some of our younger readers who may not know who Tom Lehrer is, he's a 91-year-old retired American singer-songwriter, satirist, pianist, and mathematician. He has lectured on mathematics and musical theater. 

He is best known for the pithy, humorous songs he recorded in the 1950s and '60s. His work often parodies popular song forms, though he usually creates original melodies when doing so.

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 tip of the kippah to Dan Mosenkis for reminding us about this 1953 classic.)

Welcoming Shabbat with Yedid Nefesh from Beth Shalom in Sacramento

This week we welcome Shabbat with Yedid Nefesh played on an oud by Jeff Swatt from Congregation Beth Shalom in Sacramento, California.

The oud is a short-neck lute-type, pear-shaped stringed instrument with 11 or 13 strings grouped in 5 or 6 courses, commonly used predominantly in the music of Middle Eastern and Mediterranean countries.

Congregation Beth Shalom celebrated its 40th anniversary on February 15, 2014. The congregation was formed in 1973 and 40 years later is still a thriving home to many in Sacramento's Jewish community.

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.