Wednesday, July 15, 2026

Wacky Wednesday Comedy Special - "Recycled Underwear" - A Candid Camera Classic from 2002

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 Candid Camera classic stunt set in a Fashion Bug store in California in 2002, Linda, a Candid Camera staffer, posed as a clerk trying to sell reduced price underwear. Watch their reactions when they find out that the items were previously worn, washed, and returned.

Enjoy!

Tuesday, July 14, 2026

Yiddish Word of the Day - "Trains"

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 words for trains.

Enjoy!

Monday, July 13, 2026

A Joke to Start the Week - ""A Night With Twins"

It's another Monday, and time for another Joke to Start the Week. Today we're sharing a joke by Rabbi Bob Alper.

Rabbi Bob Alper is the world's only practicing clergyman doing stand-up comedy... intentionally. His fresh, contemporary, and totally "unorthodox" style has been delighting audiences internationally, from the top NY comedy clubs to The World Bank and The National Comedy Center. And his unique brand of intelligent, 100% clean humor appeals to people of all faiths. 

Bob's a special favorite on the clean comedy channels of Sirius/XM Satellite radio, and he's appeared on Showtime, CNN, and Good Morning America.  

Here's the setup: A guy said to his friend "You know, I had one of the most exciting nights of my life last night. I went out on the town with my girlfriend and her twin."  And then...

Enjoy! 

Sunday, July 12, 2026

Sunday Standup Comedy Showcase: Rodney Dangerfield Delivers One-Liners in 1978

Some of the best standup comedy was on TV shows and comedy specials in the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s. Today we continue our Sunday Standup series, sharing some of the classic routines by iconic comedians on Sunday editions of Jewish Humor Central. 

Rodney Dangerfield (1921-2004) was a fixture on the standup comedy circuit during the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s. His appearances on the Ed Sullivan Show, the Dean Martin Show and all the late night shows solidified his place in the world of comedy.

Born Jacob Rodney Cohen on Long Island, Dangerfield (he took the name from a character in a skit on the Jack Benny Show) had a career that went beyond standup comedy to the movies and to his own comedy club, Dangerfield's, in Manhattan.

We found a video clip of Dangerfield on the Redd Foxx show at the peak of his popularity in 1978. In five minutes, he fires off a barrage of one-liners to the delight of the audience.

Enjoy!

Friday, July 10, 2026

Welcoming Shabbat with Lecha Dodi at Temple Beth El in Hollywood, Florida

Temple Beth El of Hollywood, Florida opened its doors in 1957 when its first service was held in a meeting room of the Hollywood Beach Hotel. At that time, the congregation boasted approximately two dozen families, all of whom had a vision - a traditional Reform congregation in the heart of Hollywood. Through the generosity and dedication of several of these families, Temple Beth El became a reality and grew into the focal point of Reform Judaism in southern Broward County.

Last week the congregation had a Bluegrass Shabbat and their Kabbalat Shabbat service inluded a version of Lecha Dodi in the style of John Denver's Country Roads.

We've been welcoming Shabbat in many ways, and today is no different.

Enjoy, and Shabbat shalom! 

Thursday, July 9, 2026

Throwback Thursday Musical Showcase: The Ramones and Their Jewish Connections

The Ramones were an American punk rock band formed in the New York City neighborhood of Forest Hills, Queens, in 1974. Known for helping establish the punk movement in the United States and elsewhere, the Ramones are often recognized as one of the first bands of the genre. Although they never achieved significant commercial success during their existence, the band is highly influential in punk culture.

All members adopted pseudonyms ending with the surname Ramone, although none were biologically related; they were inspired by Paul McCartney, who used the stage name Paul Ramon when the Beatles were still calling themselves The Silver Beetles. The Ramones performed 2,263 concerts, touring virtually nonstop for 22 years, and released fourteen studio albums. In 1996, after a tour as part of the Lollapalooza music festival, they played a farewell concert in Los Angeles and disbanded.

Two of the four members were Jewish. Lead singer Joey Ramone (Jeffrey Ross Hyman) was born into a Jewish family in Queens, New York, and grew up in the heavily Jewish neighborhood of Forest Hills. Drummer and producer Tommy Ramone (Tamás Erdélyi) was born in Hungary to Jewish parents who were Holocaust survivors. 

They were very popular from 1974 to 1996. Here is a video of one of their biggest hits, Bitzkrieg Bop. Enjoy!

Wednesday, July 8, 2026

Wacky Wednesday Comedy Showcase: Cop in Your Driveway - A Candid Camera Classic

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 stunt Candid Camera co-host Dina Eastwood poses as a traffic enforcement officer visiting suburban homes to issue fake citations for minor parking infractions. Residents react with confusion and frustration while attempting to defend their parking habits on private property. 

Enjoy!

Monday, July 6, 2026

A Joke to Start the Week - Jewish Articles For Sale

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. Here's the setup: Abe and Sadie had a little store on Delancey Street on the Lower East Side of Manhattan. They sold Jewish religious articles. But business had been declining. And then...

Enjoy!

Sunday, July 5, 2026

Sunday Standup Comedy Showcase: Robert Klein on "America for Sale"

Some of the best standup comedy was on TV shows and comedy specials in the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s. Today we continue our Sunday Standup series, sharing some of the classic routines by iconic comedians on Sunday editions of Jewish Humor Central. 

Robert Klein was the first to have a standup special on HBO. He is legendary due to his smart humor and funny insights into the everyday. He is 84 now and doesn't have any performances currently scheduled, but he was in his prime in 1986 when he performed on Broadway.

In this piece from Robert Klein's 1986 HBO stand-up special, he takes the audience on a comedic journey through our political history from founding father George Washington to man on the moon Neil Armstrong, throwing in a little corruption on the way.

Enjoy! 

Friday, July 3, 2026

Welcoming Shabbat in South Africa with Lecha Dodi by Singer Leigh Nudelman

Leigh Nudelman is an Ashkenazi South African Jewish singer, who is single-handedly reviving Yiddish music in Johannesburg. A fourth generation South African, Leigh eloquently describes the power of Yiddish to connect her to her ancestors, just as she expresses the struggles and joys of being Jewish in South Africa today.

In this video, Nudelman and her Beis Clef ensemble sing the traditional Kabbalat Shabbat song Lecha Dodi. Beis Clef is a Johannesburg-based Jewish community that explores Jewish identity through music, ritual and creative expression. Their monthly Friday night gatherings bring together traditional liturgy, contemporary arrangements and communal singing in an intimate home setting.

Enjoy, and Shabbat shalom!

Thursday, July 2, 2026

Missing the Old Catskill Hotels on the 17th Day of Tammuz


Today is the Seventeenth day of Tammuz, the start of a three week period that ends with the Ninth day of Av (this year, on July 22-23). During this period Jews worldwide lament the destruction of the Holy Temples in Jerusalem so many years ago.

It's hard for us to feel the sadness and desolation of the destruction because we never personally felt the joy of experiencing the celebrations and rituals that took place in the Temples.

But we have a modern counterpart of sorts that we can relate to by recognizing the desolation that has come to the hundreds of once-regal Catskills hotels that brought pleasure and recreation to American Jews in the 1960s through the 1990s.

Not that we're comparing the hotels to the Temples, but in a sense the hotels were temples of Jewish life in their heydey. 

Here's a nostalgic video made up of postcards showing the facades of many of the older Catskills hotels, some of which you may remember visiting, or at least seeing the directional signs posted at highway exits. The music in the background is the Yiddish song Vus is geven, is geven, un nit do (What was, was, and can never be again.) 

Wednesday, July 1, 2026

Wishing a Happy 100th Birthday to Mel Brooks - the King of Comedy

"It's Good to be the King," as Mel Brooks said in one of his roles in History of the World, Part I. And on June 28 Brooks, the king of comedy, celebrated his 100th birthday.

Following the celebration, the comedy legend received massive tributes and honors for his unparalleled contributions to entertainment. A highly acclaimed two-part documentary, Mel Brooks: The 99 Year Old Man!—directed by Judd Apatow and Michael Bonfiglio—is currently available to stream on HBO Max

One of the tributes to Brooks is a short 2 minute commentary on his life so far on ABC News. We're showing the video below. 

Over the years, we have posted 38 posts about Brooks and his many films. If you're a real Brooks fan, these are posts that you'll want to watch again and again. Here's a link to all of them. Enjoy!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MEL ! 

Tuesday, June 30, 2026

Israeli Comedy Showcase: Comedian Yohay Sponder Banters with Superhero Captain Israel

With over 20 years of experience, Yohay Sponder brings his unique outlook on life to the stage.  Throughout his career he has starred in multiple TV and radio shows. He produces and headlines in 'Funny Monday - Israeli Comedy in English' and has performed all over the world. 

Having gained a massive following on social media, Sponder most recently finished up a sold-out tour in Europe with his new show "Self Loving Jew". 

In this clip from a recent performance, Sponder exchanges funny lines with an Israeli character dressed up as a superhero who calls himself Captain Israel. Enjoy!

Monday, June 29, 2026

A Joke to Start the Week - "WiFi Password"

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: So this teenager is at the funeral of his great-uncle. So he turns to the rabbi before he begins the eulogy, and then...

Enjoy!

Sunday, June 28, 2026

Sunday Standup Comedy Showcase: Norm Crosby Performs on the Glen Campbell Goodtime Hour in 1970

Some of the best standup comedy was on TV shows and comedy specials in the 1950s, 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s. Today we continue our Sunday Standup series, sharing some of the classic routines by iconic comedians on Sunday editions of Jewish Humor Central.

Norm Crosby was a Jewish comedian from Boston who served time on the Borscht Belt circuit and in Las Vegas hotels. He was known mainly as a source of malapropisms that he integrated into his comedy routines. 

Crosby became a frequent guest on TV talk and variety shows, including Dean Martin’s, and subsequently was a perfect choice as a regular roaster on the hugely popular Dean Martin Celebrity Roasts of the ‘70s, writing lines like: “Wilt Chamberlain is an insulation to young people all over the world. Wherever he appears, after every game the kids give him a standing ovulation.”
 
Here is a performance by Crosby on the Glen Campbell Goodtime Hour in 1970.
Enjoy!

Friday, June 26, 2026

Welcoming Shabbat with a Sephardi Lecha Dodi by Cantor Jacob Agar

Cantor Jacob Agar of Congregation Beth Shalom in Elkins Park, Pennsylvania 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. 

Tonight we welcome another Shabbat by joining Cantor Agar in a Sephardic version of Lecha Dodi. Enjoy, and Shabbat shalom!

Thursday, June 25, 2026

Six Snacks That Changed Israel - Bamba, Bissli, Krembo, Milky etc.

Israel’s favorite snacks are more than just tasty treats. From Bamba helping reshape peanut allergy research to Milky sparking a national debate about identity and emigration, these iconic foods tell the story of Israel itself. 

Israel Unpacked takes us on a trip to discover the surprising histories behind Bissli, Krembo, Shkeidei Marak, Shoko B’Sakit, and more in a fun journey through the snacks that reveal Israeli culture, immigration, innovation, and nostalgia.

Enjoy! 

Wednesday, June 24, 2026

Wacky Wednesday Comedy Showcase - "Just Duck" - A Candid Camera Classic

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 Candid Camera classic stunt set in a restaurant, patrons were given menus in which every item -- soup, salad, entrees, all contained duck as the main ingredient. Watch their reactions when they find out that it's impossible to order anything but duck!

Enjoy!

Tuesday, June 23, 2026

Comedy Showcase: Rabbi Bob Alper on Rental Cars and the New York State Thruway

The Borscht Belt Festival in Ellenville, New York, is in its fourth year. Last year, Catskills fans from all over descended on the festival at the Borscht Belt Museum for a dose of nostalgia, Jewish comedy, and classic Jewish food as it was served in the hotels of Sullivan and Ulster Counties.

Entertainment for the weekend featured standup comedy headlined by 80-year-old Rabbi Bob Alper who has been performing standup for more than 30 years in addition to his rabbinical duties in Philadelphia and Vermont, where he lives.

In this excerpt from his comedy routine, Rabbi Bob reminisces about an unusual security system in a rental car and driving on the New York State Thruway.

Enjoy!

Monday, June 22, 2026

A Joke to Start the Week - "Jenny the Horse"

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. Here's the setup: A man was sitting in his room reading a newspaper. His wife walked in with a frying pan and hit him on the head. And then...

Enjoy! 

Sunday, June 21, 2026

Sunday Standup Comedy Showcase: Dick Shawn Performs in 1959

Some of the best standup comedy was on TV shows and comedy specials in the 1950s, 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s. Today we continue our Sunday Standup series, sharing some of the classic routines by iconic comedians on Sunday editions of Jewish Humor Central.

Dick Shawn was born Richard Schulefand in Buffalo, New York and raised in adjacent Lackawanna. 

The best remembered roles of his career are the hot-headed Sylvester Marcus, son of Mrs. Marcus (Ethel Merman), in Stanley Kramer's It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World (1963) and easygoing Lorenzo St. DuBois/Adolf Hitler in the musical Springtime for Hitler, the play within Mel Brooks's movie The Producers (1968).

Here's one of his earliest standup performances from 1959. Yes, that's 67 years ago.

Enjoy!

Friday, June 19, 2026

Welcoming Shabbat with Adon Olam as Sung by Cantor Marcus Feldman of Temple Sinai in LA

Recognized as one of “The Top Five Best New Voices in Jewish Music” by The Forward, Marcus Feldman is the Senior Cantor of Sinai Temple in West Los Angeles.

His voice has been heard at Dodger Stadium, The Getty Center, and all over the world via his YouTube channel. Training in opera as a tenor, Cantor Feldman graduated from the University of Southern California’s Thorton School of Music and the Marshall School of Business as a Renaissance Scholar in 2007.

Ordained as a cantor in 2011 at the Academy for Jewish Religion, California, Cantor Feldman holds a Master’s of Jewish Sacred Music degree from the same institution, where he now serves as a Professor of Cantorial & Liturgical Studies. During his Cantorial studies, Cantor Feldman spent half a year in Jerusalem, Israel, studying Hazzanut with Cantor Naftali Herstik, formerly of the Great Synagogue of Jerusalem, and taking courses at Hebrew University and the Conservative Yeshiva.

This rousing version of Adon Olam by Aminadav Aloni brings a vibrant rhythmic energy to the traditional closing prayer.  

Thursday, June 18, 2026

Celebrating Our 5,000th Post in 17 Years of Jewish Humor

Jewish Humor Central made its first appearance on the Internet on Sunday, October 4, 2009. In the following 17+ years we have posted video clips to fulfill the mission that we established at the beginning -- an objective that has appeared as the header on our home page ever since.

We posted Jewish humor items in the following categories: Jokes,  stories, parodies, satire, legends, books, films, Unbelievable But True, and In the News. Some were new, and some were classics. Occasionally some were not really funny, but thought-provoking.We included our own comments, but generally relied on the links to tell their own story.

We included items from religious and secular sources of all Jewish denominations, and we tried to keep the site family-friendly. Any perceived slight to any group or subgroup has been unintentional, and we trusted that people without a sense of humor would not be offended by anything we posted or linked to.
 
About a month ago, we quietly reached a milestone -- 5,000 unique blog posts. So let's take time out to celebrate, look back over the years and repeat the five most viewed posts since Jewish Humor Central began. We hope you enjoy seeing them again and understand why they have been so popular. 

#1 - Barbra Streisand Performs Avinu Malkeinu at Shimon Peres' 90th Birthday Celebration in Jerusalem.

#2 - Alan King Explains All the Middle East Conflicts
 
#3 - Ivanka Trump Goes to Shul on Sukkot and the Media Doesn't Get It
 
#4 - I Could be Jewish For You
 
#5 - Yiddishology - How Good Is Your Yiddish - "Shtipper" or "Shtupper"?

Enjoy them all!
 
Thanks to all of our subscribers and casual readers for your feedback, encouragement, and loyalty through the years. We look forward to more postings to keep you smiling always. Remember, we post every day except on Shabbat and Jewish holidays.
 
Enjoy, and Shabbat shalom! 

Wednesday, June 17, 2026

Wacky Wednesday Comedy Special: "Tips for the Doctors" - A Candid Camera Classic

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 Candid Camera classic stunt set in a doctor's office, a Candid Camera staffer posed as a receptionist at a desk that had a tip jar on the counter. She asked patients if they wanted to leave a tip for the doctors. Watch their reactions!

Enjoy!

Tuesday, June 16, 2026

Comedy Showcase: Jerry Seinfeld and Conan O'Brien on Raising Children

In 2009 Jerry Seinfeld was a guest on Conan O"Brien's late night show. They discussed the realities of raising children and the humorous aspects of modern fatherhood. 

The conversation explores shared frustrations with evolving technology and the impact of handheld devices on interpersonal communication.

Enjoy!

Monday, June 15, 2026

A Joke to Start the Week - "A Jew in a Bar"

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. Here's the setup: A guy walks into a bar, looks around, sees about 10 people, and then he notices there's a guy with a yarmulke. And then...

Enjoy! 

Sunday, June 14, 2026

Sunday Standup Comedy Showcase: Rita Rudner on the Pitfalls of Diet and Exercise in 1988

Some of the best standup comedy was on TV shows and comedy specials in the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s. Today we continue our Sunday Standup series, sharing some of the classic routines by iconic comedians on Sunday editions of Jewish Humor Central.

We've been big fans of Rita Rudner ever since she started to appear on late night TV in the 1980s.

One of the hallmarks of her comedy is that it's clean, free from the vulgarity and shouting that many stand-up comics find necessary.  Her delivery is demure, tasteful, full of wry observations, and very funny.

Rudner started her career as a dancer, then switched to stand-up comedy about her dating experiences.  She married British producer Martin Bergman 38 years ago and they have a daughter.  She is fond of Jewish humor but generally reserves it for when she performs for Jewish audiences.

Rita is 72 now and still performing in South Florida and other locations.

Rita Rudner shows her signature wit in this piece from her never-before-seen stand-up special Rita Rudner: Down Under (1988)! From trying to eat healthy and lose weight to her hilarious thoughts on exercise and sports, Rita proves you don’t need a gym to work out your abs—just laughter.

Enjoy!

Friday, June 12, 2026

Welcoming Shabbat with Adon Olam to "Summer Nights" at Temple Rodef Shalom

Tonight we welcome another Shabbat with the singing of Adon Olam by the congregation of Temple Rodef Shalom, a Reform shul in Falls Church, Virginia. The congregation welcomes the start of summer with an outdoor service called Hot Shabbat. 

Last week they started the summer season with a version of Adon Olam set to the song Summer Nights from the Broadway show and movie Grease.

Enjoy, and Shabbat shalom!