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's Monday again, and time for another Joke to Start the Week. Today we're sharing a joke told by cantor and comedian Herschel Fox.
Fluent
in Yiddish and Hebrew, Herschel Fox has appeared in countless night
clubs, theatres and synagogues throughout the United States. He has
shared the stage with artists such as Jan Peerce, Mickey Katz, and
Molly Picon.
Primarily
a cantor, having trained with Cantor David Koussevitzky and Sidor
Belarsky, he has held positions in synagogues in Connecticut, New York,
and California.
But
Herschel is also a stand-up comedian and loves to tell stories in
Yinglish. Today we're sharing a joke from his 2021 presentation "The World of Jewish Humor" at Valley Beth Shalom in Encino, California, where Herschel has been a cantor for more than 40 years.
Today we're sharing one of Herschel's favorites, a classic old Jewish joke which has resonated with generations of Jews. Today it might be considered a bit politically incorrect, but it's not mean spirited so we're going with it.
Here's the setup: A wonderful Jewish couple in Brooklyn has a son who is a fine student. They would have been happy to have kept him in the yeshiva in Brooklyn but this kid gets a full scholarship to the University of Montana. And then...
Enjoy!
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Today Joel Gibbs is back in the role of Sol Krupnick telling one of his short stories.
Gibbs is starring as Sol Krupnick in “Meet Sol Krupnick,” “an
on-stage, theatrical, one-man-show” about a “Jewish kibitzer of
undetermined (old) age who shares fun stories about his crazy family,
tells classic jokes and offers ‘unique’ observations about the world
around him.”
Or, in other words, the 70-year-old Jewish grandfather is performing a one-man show as himself.
Gibbs, a longtime congregant at Shir Ami in Newtown who still attends
events at the synagogue, opened his show with a recent performance at
KleinLife in Northeast Philadelphia. About 200 friends and family
members came to show their support. But really, they came to laugh. As
Gibbs said of the night, “I portrayed the character; I told the stories
and jokes; the audience laughed a lot.”
Gibbs calls himself the “Man of a Thousand Voices.” He does more than
100 celebrity impressions and has worked on more than 40,000 projects
worldwide, according to his press release. He partnered with Billy
Crystal, Julie Andrews and other celebrities on the “Love the Arts in
Philadelphia” campaign to promote the city’s cultural institutions.
Today
we're sharing one of Sol's stories about how his friend Melvin survived a serious car accident and had to make a difficult decision.
Enjoy!
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It's time to welcome another Shabbat with Adon Olam, the traditional song that concludes the Mussaf service.
Today we're sharing a version sung at a Tribute
Concert in the memory of Cantor Rev. Henry and Mrs Helena Chait held in Liverpool's historic Princes Road Synagogue on June 11.
The concert featured their sons Rabbi Alby Chait, Chazan Benjamin Chait
& Chazan Charles Chait who were singing together for the first time
in 17 years.
They were joined by Rabbi Natan Fagleman, Cantor Rev. David
Rome, Cantor Henry Black & Cantor David Shine along with The London
Cantorial Singers under the leadership of Alan Freedman, David Druce
(choir chairman) & David Silkoff (choir pianist).
Princes
Road Synagogue is home to the oldest Jewish congregation in the city. The first
stone was laid in 1872 by William and George Audsley, and was completed
and consecrated at a ceremony led by Chief Rabbi Dr. Nathan M. Adler in
September 1874.
Today, the synagogue is a big part of the local community and welcomes
visitors and members weekly to Shabbat followed by Kiddush in the newly
renovated annex.
It is open, by prior arrangement, for tours by schools,
community groups and visitors, and it also runs a full events calendar
including talks, concerts and plays.
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Today we continue the observance
of Tisha B'Av, the ninth day of the Hebrew month of Av, which ends tonight.
It's a day of fasting and reading from the Book of Lamentations, which
describes the sad state of the Holy Temple and the city of Jerusalem after its
destruction in 586 B.C.E. by the Babylonians.
At the Kotel (Western Wall) in Jerusalem today, the contrast is striking. On
Tisha B'Av, thousands of residents and visitors find their way to join the
throngs who recite Lamentations but also sing songs of hope and prayer.
Yesterday we shared the singing of Acheinu, a prayer for our brothers in
trouble or in captivity. Today we post a video of a throng at the Kotel singing
Ani Ma'amin, Maimonides' thirteen principles of faith. A SPECIAL NOTE FOR
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There
is no day during the year when we can't find an opportunity to laugh,
chuckle, guffaw, grin, or maybe just crack a smile. Without humor, the
world would be a much grimmer place. Even during the High Holy Days and
on fast days, most of us find a moment to share an anecdote or witty
comment with friends.
Tonight
and tomorrow are no exception, but the overall mood of the elongated
day is much more sorrowful than any other. The reason, of course, is
that tonight we begin the observance of Tisha B'Av, the ninth day of the
Hebrew month of Av, which lasts until Tuesday night.
Tisha B’Av is a fast day that commemorates the destruction of the two Temples. It
also happens to be the day that many other calamities have befallen
the Jewish people, some of which are listed below:
587
BCE (3338)- The First Temple is destroyed by the Babylonians, led by
Nebuchadnezzar. The Jews are sent into what later became known as the
Babylonian Exile.
70 CE (3830)- The Second Temple is destroyed by the Romans, led by Titus.
135 CE (3895) - The Romans defeat
Bar Kochba's last fortress, Betar, and destroy his army. Bar Kochba
himself is killed along with more than 100,000 other Jews. The Roman
Emperor Hadrian turns Jerusalem into a Roman city.
1290 (5050) - King Edward I of England signs an edict expelling all Jews from England.
1492 (5252) - The Alhambra Decree takes effect, expelling the Jews from Spain and from all Spanish territories.
1914 (5674) - World War I begins when Germany declares war on Russia, setting the stage for World War II and the Holocaust.
1940 (5700) - Himmler presents his plan for the "Final Solution" to the Jewish problem to the Nazi Party.
1942 (5702) - Nazis begin deporting Jews from the Warsaw Ghetto.
On Tisha B'Av, Jews gather in darkened synagogues to read Eicha (The Book of Lamentations) and reflect on the tragedies that befell our people through the millennia.
So
we won't post any jokes or hilarity today and tomorrow, but we'll share
a couple of videos that are appropriate for the day.
Today's post is a video taken at the Kotel in Jerusalem in 2020, when Shai Abramson, Chief Cantor of the Israel Defense Forces sang the prayer Acheinu, accompanied by volunteers for Magen David Adom.
As
for our brothers, the whole house of Israel, who are given over to
trouble or captvity, whether they abide on the sea or on the dry land:
May the All-present have mercy upon them, and bring them forth from
trouble to enlargement, from darkness to light, and from subjection
to redemption, now speedily and at a near time; and let us say, Amen. A
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With all the publicity surrounding Friday's theatrical release of the long awaited movie Barbie, we just had to delve into the frequently asked question "Is Barbie Jewish?"
Yeah, she's Jewish. BOOM! But how/ why? Well, the same reason anyone is halachically Jewish, her mother is. That's not the whole story though. There's controversy, mystery, and an investigation by JewTube that reaches an inevitable conclusion. Despite her origin as a copy of a German sex symbol named Lili, her creator, Mattel founder Ruth Handler named her after her own daughter Barbara and her boyfriend Ken after her own son Kenneth.
Enjoy!
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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: One day an officer from the Drug Enforcement Agency came to a farm in Texas. He went up to the owner of the farm and said "I have the authority to inspect your property for illegally grown drugs."
And then...
Enjoy!
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When legendary singer Tony Bennett died Friday at the age of 96, it didn't take long for The Forward and The Algemeiner newspapers to come up with his connections to Jewish life.
Throughout his eight-decade post-war
career as a singer, performer and recording artist, Bennett regularly
employed his melodic gifts and mellifluous phrasing in service of songs
composed by many of the 20th
century’s great Jewish songwriters. In fact, quite a few of the
Jewish-penned numbers in Bennett’s discography were particularly
significant for him — not just as chart hits, but as key career turning
points and cornerstones of his lasting musical legacy.
These songs include Rags to Riches by Richard Adler and Jerry Ross, The Best is Yet to Come by Cy Coleman and Carolyn Leigh, Chicago by Fred Fisher, Our Love is Here to Stay by George and Ira Gershwin, and White Christmas by Irving Berlin.
The I Got Rhythm singer was not Jewish but his daughter,
vocalist Antonia Bennett, converted to Judaism in 2013. She married
Ronen Helmann, a native Israeli, and together they gave the late singer a
Jewish granddaughter named Maya in May 2016.
Bennett was drafted in the US Army at the age of 18 in 1944, and was
part of the 255th Regiment that during World War II liberated the
Kaufering concentration camp in Landsberg, which was 30 miles south of
the Dachau concentration camp in Germany.
In September 2014 Bennett visited Israel and performed for 90 minutes in Tel Aviv's Mann Auditorium. Here's Tony singing The Way You Look Tonight by Jerome Kern and Dorothy Fields from that show.
Enjoy!
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Last month we welcomed Shabbat with bluegrass versions of Shalom Aleichem and Lecha Dodi
by David Sasso and the Boston-based Jacob's Ladder bluegrass group. The
popularity of those selections encouraged us to follow up this Shabbat
with their version of Yedid Nefesh, another song that we sing on Friday night.
David Sasso has composed a number of works on Jewish themes. Beyond chamber
works from his college years, David has recently composed a choral
setting of modern poetry on biblical themes and two setting for soprano
and piano of Yiddish poems, including his own Yiddish translation of
Wordsworth’s “Daffodils.”
In 2023, David traveled to the island of St.
Thomas to participate in a collaboration with local musician and fellow
Interlochen Arts Camp alum Gylchris Sprauve, celebrating the many
musical heritages of the US Virgin Islands, including David’s own
personal ancestry in St. Thomas and his heritage of Sephardic Jewish
music.
Also in 2023, David teamed up with Boston-based Jewish bluegrass group, Jacob’s Ladder, to record selections from his bluegrass setting of the traditional Friday night Shabbat liturgy, Sasson v’Simcha - Joy and Delight. This
service was dedicated to David’s parents, Rabbis Dennis and Sandy
Sasso, and premiered in May 2023 at the retirement celebration of Rabbi
Dennis Sasso at Congregation Beth-El Zedeck in Indianapolis.
Enjoy, and Shabbat shalom!
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It's another Throwback Thursday and we're turning the calendar back to 1975 when comedian Totie Fields roasted Lucille Ball on Dean Martin's Celebrity Roast.
Totie
Fields was born Sophie Feldman in Hartford, Connecticut. According to
Wikipedia, she started singing in Boston clubs while still in high
school, taking the stage name of Totie Fields. The name "Totie" was a
childhood nickname, a baby-talk pronunciation of the name "Sophie" Fields
gained fame during the 1960s and 1970s. Ed Sullivan gave Fields her
first big break when he booked her on his show after seeing her perform
at the Copacabana in New York. She made multiple appearances on The Ed Sullivan Show, The Mike Douglas Show, and The Merv Griffin Show, as well as a fifth season episode of Here's Lucy starring Lucille Ball. Here's a video clip of Totie appearing on the Dean Martin Celebrity Roast of Lucille Ball in 1975. Enjoy! A SPECIAL NOTE FOR NEW EMAIL SUBSCRIBERS:
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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.
In
this classic 1990 episode set in a fitness studio the owner announces to the class that they had to sell the studio to a new owner and makes the introduction to the class. But the owner is a member of the Candid Camera team and proceeds to teach the class some unorthodox exercises.
Enjoy!
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The Gevatron (הגבעטרון) is an Israeli Kibbutz
folk singers group. The band started off in the early days of the state
of Israel and are active to this very day. They are considered a unique
phenomenon in the Israeli folk songs scene, and in 2007 won the Israel Prize for Lifetime Achievement.
The
band was founded in 1948 from the youth of Geva Kibbutz in the Jezreel
Valley,
in honor of the inauguration ceremony of the kibbutz basketball court,
and to this very day it is still made up from Geva Kibbutz members and a
number of members of the kibbutzim of Beit HaShita, Kfar HaHoresh, the
communities of Moledet, Kfar Tavor and Timrat and the city of Afula,
sing it voluntarily.
The group members have their primary occupation
outside the band, and the band is their secondary occupation. Members'
age ranges between forty plus to seventy plus, and includes an
electrician, teachers, a bakery owner, industrial workers, banquet hall
manager, car mechanic and a nurse. Gevatron recorded many albums and
held thousands of concerts in Israel and Jewish communities abroad,
which won them success.
In this video the Gevatron sing Hallelujah LaOlam, the song that won first place in the 1979 Eurovision contest as sung by Milk and Honey.
Enjoy!
A
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It's Monday again and time for another Joke to Start
the Week. Today we're sharing an oldie but goodie that Joel Gibbs, the Bucks County, Pennsylvania-based voice
actor, posted on his YouTube channel "Sol Stories."
Gibbs is starring as Sol Krupnick in “Meet Sol Krupnick,” “an
on-stage, theatrical, one-man-show” about a “Jewish kibitzer of
undetermined (old) age who shares fun stories about his crazy family,
tells classic jokes and offers ‘unique’ observations about the world
around him.”
Or, in other words, the 70-year-old Jewish grandfather is performing a one-man show as himself.
Gibbs, a longtime congregant at Shir Ami in Newtown who still attends
events at the synagogue, opened his show with a recent performance at
KleinLife in Northeast Philadelphia. About 200 friends and family
members came to show their support. But really, they came to laugh. As
Gibbs said of the night, “I portrayed the character; I told the stories
and jokes; the audience laughed a lot.”
Gibbs calls himself the “Man of a Thousand Voices.” He does more than
100 celebrity impressions and has worked on more than 40,000 projects
worldwide, according to his press release. He partnered with Billy
Crystal, Julie Andrews and other celebrities on the “Love the Arts in
Philadelphia” campaign to promote the city’s cultural institutions.
Today
we're sharing one of Sol's stories about the time his friends, the Mandelbaums, won $20 million in the lottery and hired a fancy and proper British butler.
Enjoy!
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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. Today
we get to learn the Yiddish word for joke and phrases involving comedy and comedians.
Enjoy!
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Itay Ben David was born in Jerusalem with music in his soul. Enthralled by music
from a young age, he convinced his friends to take music lessons to form
his first band. He’s since gone on to tour around the globe with some
of the most prominent Israeli and European acts as both a singer and
musician.
Currently based in Los Angeles and performing around
the world, Itay brings new meaning and life to audiences as he shares
the songs inside his soul. As a solo act or alongside a band of up to
twelve, Itay incorporates nuances and flavors from his time spent
touring the world.
Join us in welcoming Shabbat tonight with Lecha Dodi, as sung by Itay Benda.
In 1971 Sid Caesar played the role of a waiter in a French restaurant serving Ed Sullivan and Shirley Bassey who want to order a quick dinner while on a break from rehearsing the Ed Sullivan Show.
With only a half hour for dinner, they start to order hamburgers and soda pop, but the waiter keeps insisting that they order chateaubriand, duck a l'orange, or pheasant under glass, with an appropriately paired wine.
When the waiter (a young Sid Caesar) brings the order into the kitchen, the French chef is insulted by the order and takes it out on Caesar. It's a very funny bit of sketch comedy.
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 candy store offered free samples but the candy couldn't be picked up because it was part of a single piece of solid plastic.
Enjoy!
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Alex
Edelman isn't his real name. It's Dovid Yosef Shimon ben Elazar Reuven
Halevi Alexander Edelman. So he goes by Alex. We've been posting his comedy clips since 2019.
Alex
is from Boston and he appeared on the Conan O'Brien show.He is currently appearing in a one-man show on Broadway called Just for Us.
In this
stand-up routine he talks about the time that Robin Williams crossed the species barrier and about his elevator encounter with Neil Armstrong Enjoy! A SPECIAL NOTE FOR NEW EMAIL SUBSCRIBERS:
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It's Monday again, and time for another Joke to Start the Week. Today we're sharing a joke told by cantor and comedian Herschel Fox.
Fluent
in Yiddish and Hebrew, Herschel Fox has appeared in countless night
clubs, theatres and synagogues throughout the United States. He has
shared the stage with artists such as Jan Peerce, Mickey Katz, and
Molly Picon.
Primarily
a cantor, having trained with Cantor David Koussevitzky and Sidor
Belarsky, he has held positions in synagogues in Connecticut, New York,
and California.
But
Herschel is also a stand-up comedian and loves to tell stories in
Yinglish. Today we're sharing a joke from his 2021 presentation "The World of Jewish Humor" at Valley Beth Shalom in Encino, California, where Herschel has been a cantor for more than 40 years.
Here's the setup: A little Jewish grandmother gets on a crowded bus and discovers she doesn't have the correct change for the fare. And then...
Enjoy!
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VIDEO.
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. Today
we get to learn the Yiddish word for rain and other words and phrases about getting wet.
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Today we welcome Shabbat with Shir LaMaalot (Psalm 121 - A Song of Ascents), which is sung on Shabbat after Mincha between Sukkot and Shabbat Hagadol.
Yosef Karduner realized his passion for music early on. At age 13,
Yosef began playing guitar and eventually learned the keyboard and other
instruments as well.
When he was 24 years old, after serving in the Israeli Army, Yosef
was introduced to the teachings of Rebbi Nachman of Breslov zt’l, which
fascinated him and infused him with a desire to learn more about
Breslover Chassidus. These teachings quickly developed into the main
source of inspiration for Yosef’s musical compositions. Comprised of
Biblical texts, Psalms, and Rebbi Nachman’s teachings, Yosef’s songs
blend together to create a plethora of music filled with hope, faith and
joy.
The famous and stirring ‘Shir La’Ma’Alot’ and many of Yosef’s songs
are known far and wide, and are commonly performed by distinguished
artists universally.
Yosef is joined in this song by Ari Goldwag, who first entered the Jewish music world at a young age. His singing
career began when he joined Miami Boys Choir, achieving fame for his
touching solos. He starred in five albums and three videos
In 2007, Ari founded the Ari Goldwag Orchestra, which performs at concerts, weddings, and organizational fundraisers.
Ari lives with his wife Talia and their seven children in Ramat Beit Shemesh, Israel.
Enjoy, and Shabbat shalom!
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Today we're turning the calendar back 58 years to 1965 when Eddie Fisher sang My Favorite Things on the Ed Sullivan Show.
The Ed Sullivan Show was a television variety program that aired on CBS from 1948-1971. For 23 years it aired every Sunday night and played host to the world's greatest talents.
We
remember Eddie as a giant (although he was short) of the pop music
world after he was discovered by Eddie Cantor at Grossinger's in the
Catskills where he was working as a bus boy. Fisher
was born in Philadelphia in 1928 and was the fourth of seven children.
He was the son of Russian-born Jewish immigrants, Gitte Winokur and
Joseph Tisch. His father's surname was changed to Fisher by the time of
the 1940 census. He
was not an observant Jew, but returned many times to sing at
Grossinger's, and that's where he and Debbie Reynolds were married.
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.
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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.
Thoughts on the Haggadah by Rabbi Eli Teitelbaum
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[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
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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...
Taking the Shuk to the Next Level
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Anyone who has spent any time on my blog, or just getting to know me, knows
how much I love Jerusalem’s famous outdoor market, Shuk Machane Yehuda.
I’ve ...
Kettlebell Training Massachusetts
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In April 2006, legislation was passed requiring all residents in
Massachusetts specializes in assisting Massachusetts residents who have
been put on exhi...
A chat with some protesters…
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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...
Trayf of the Week: Bacon Jam
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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...