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!
It took us a couple of years to find this short, sweet, poignant eight minute film, but we're glad we found it and are happily sharing it with you today. The film Der Kish (The Kiss) is about a young girl, daughter of a rabbi, who pines for a kiss from him. The rabbi, his wife and his daughter rise early in the morning and get ready to go to the synagogue. The girl watches with envy as her father kisses his tallit, his tefillin, his tzitzit, and even tries to kiss his wife as she is getting dressed, but is rebuffed when his wife notices the girl looking on and pushes him away. They walk to shul where the rabbi leads the service and the rebbetzin and her daughter climb the stairs to the balcony. The girl watches as her father takes the Torah from the ark and she fantasizes that he is holding her instead. Her siddur falls from the balcony and lands near the bimah. Her father picks it up and kisses it. When the service is over, the little girl decides to take matters into her own hands and brings the mini-story to a climax. Does she get the kiss that she pines for? Watch the film and see. Der Kish was directed by Paul Fischer and won awards in film festivals worldwide but has not been widely distributed. All of the dialogue (what little there is of it) is in Yiddish with English subtitles.
It stars Modi Rosenfeld as the rabbi. We have followed Modi's career as an actor and stand-up comedian over the last three years. Professionally known as just Modi, his portrayals of chassidim are believable and his stand-up routines can be very funny. 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.)
The film is lovely, but I don't understand why, in the morning before they leave for shul, when the mother looks at the child, she has no smile or affection in her eyes, only anger.
Jewish humor? This is Jewish tragedy. Why did the father daven at home if he was going to conduct services probably on Shabbos ( in which case tefellin isn't used at all at home or synagogue. The rigidity of the super orthodox is stifling. Two weeks after my Bar Mitzvah 63 years ago, i attended services at the orthodox synagogue where we were members in Boro Park, Brooklyn. When I spoke softly to my cousin, one of the ushers, (who we called siddur clappers) came over and said to me "You should go down and daven in the cellar. I never went back there on my own free will except on the major Holy Days with my Dad. That man did a serious disservice to Orthodox Judaism as far as I am concerned.
Today the more progressive Rabbi's encourage children and never complain about noise (even when baby's cry or kvetch) which is sometimes too disturbing.
I agree with you about the tefillin....I also found that very confusing. Someone didn't do their research. It's very sad the lenghts this little girl had to go to in order to get some affection from her parents. What kind of yiddishkeit is this? It certainly is a tragedy.
It is sad and sweet. Religion is all well and good but human beings have feelings and love and kindness should start at home. To kiss your children when you bless them is lovely, but they need to feel love and wanted not just when you have said the Shabbat pray. Children are full of innocence and love naturally. We should do our very best to encourage they young to feel welcome when they come to Shul. They are our future.
This movie is full of contradictions: If it was a Shabbat, why did the father put on Tefillin ? It is was a Monday or Thursday, when the Torah would be taken out, why did he davven at home when he should have done all that in the shul's minyan ? If indeed it was during the week, why would the wife and child get uo so early to go to shul? No Rebetzin and certainly no little girl would go to an early morning minyan. The Rav's Hebrew accent fluctuated between Ashkenazit and Sefardit which is against Halacha as it can change the meaning of the words. Granted it only lasted 7 minutes, but the "fast-forwarding" from the bracha before "Bar'chu" to "Va'yehi Binsoah Ha'Aron" made the proceedings rather farcical. The moral was a good: it took a sweet innocent child to teach parents how to love. Cantor Shlomo Goldberg. Ra'anana, Israel.
Subscribe now. Start each day with a smile. No cost, no obligation, no spam.
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.
Daily Reyd
-
Available on Amazon and at your local bookstores • RZ Gluck – Rabbis must
stop defending those guilty of sexual abuse • This issue needs more nuance
– An O...
What's in a Name?
-
[image: Dry Bones cartoon, Judea, Samaria, West Bank, Jordan, East Bank,]
A lesson in geography.
* * * Please support DRY BONES (through PayPal or your Cred...
Thoughts on the Haggadah by Rabbi Eli Teitelbaum
-
[image: Story 375601404]
We just recently were able to find the latest version of my fathers, Rabbi
Eli Teitelbaum Z”L, thoughts on the Haggadah and conve...
Hamantaschen: The Symbolism behind Purim Cookies
-
Purim is a celebration of masquerade, Mishloach Manot, Hamantaschen and
book of Esther reading. Every Jewish holiday focuses on a special dish and
the tria...
Thank you for your support!
-
Thank you very much for supporting our work at The Muqata. We appreciate
your contribution and hope to be able to keep bringing you the most up to
date ...
Boarding School Massachusetts
-
Every fall the Massachusetts Health Connector provides information
concerning the public higher education institutions and designed to prevent
offenders ...
A chat with some protesters…
-
Originally posted on don of all trades:
Hi protesters, it’s me, Don. Do you remember me? No? I’m a police officer.
We’ve met before. Excuse me? Did you say...
Jerusalem Walking Tours for Sukkot
-
It is about time that I brought back my “Jerusalem: Meet Jerusalem” walking
tour series. And while I am nearing completion on a few new ones that I
hope to...
Trayf of the Week: Bacon Jam
-
Just when you thought it was safe to eat your bagels in mixed company,
comes this devilish concoction. Next time a Goyishe friend offers you a
shmear, mak...
this makes the religous look so sad..
ReplyDeleteSometimes it takes while to see the world through a child's eye... Thanks Al.
ReplyDeleteThe film is lovely, but I don't understand why, in the morning before they leave for shul, when the mother looks at the child, she has no smile or affection in her eyes, only anger.
ReplyDeleteI too do not understand why the mother showed no affection for the little girl. The child looked so pitiful.
DeleteJewish humor? This is Jewish tragedy. Why did the father daven at home if he was going to conduct services probably on Shabbos ( in which case tefellin isn't used at all at home or synagogue.
ReplyDeleteThe rigidity of the super orthodox is stifling. Two weeks after my Bar Mitzvah 63 years ago, i attended services at the orthodox synagogue where we were members in Boro Park, Brooklyn. When I spoke softly to my cousin, one of the ushers, (who we called siddur clappers) came over and said to me "You should go down and daven in the cellar. I never went back there on my own free will except on the major Holy Days with my Dad. That man did a serious disservice to Orthodox Judaism as far as I am concerned.
Today the more progressive Rabbi's encourage children and never complain about noise (even when baby's cry or kvetch) which is sometimes too disturbing.
I agree with you about the tefillin....I also found that very confusing. Someone didn't do their research.
DeleteIt's very sad the lenghts this little girl had to go to in order to get some affection from her parents. What kind of yiddishkeit is this?
It certainly is a tragedy.
It is sad and sweet. Religion is all well and good but human beings have feelings and love and kindness should start at home. To kiss your children when you bless them is lovely, but they need to feel love and wanted not just when you have said the Shabbat pray. Children are full of innocence and love naturally. We should do our very best to encourage they young to feel welcome when they come to Shul. They are our future.
ReplyDeleteThis movie is full of contradictions: If it was a Shabbat, why did the father put on Tefillin ? It is was a Monday or Thursday, when the Torah would be taken out, why did he davven at home when he should have done all that in the shul's minyan ? If indeed it was during the week, why would the wife and child get uo so early to go to shul? No Rebetzin and certainly no little girl would go to an early morning minyan. The Rav's Hebrew accent fluctuated between Ashkenazit and Sefardit which is against Halacha as it can change the meaning of the words. Granted it only lasted 7 minutes, but the "fast-forwarding" from the bracha before "Bar'chu" to "Va'yehi Binsoah Ha'Aron" made the proceedings rather farcical. The moral was a good: it took a sweet innocent child to teach parents how to love. Cantor Shlomo Goldberg. Ra'anana, Israel.
ReplyDeleteCould someone explain why an Askenazi man would wear Tfillin the Sfaradi way?
ReplyDelete