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!
Way back in 1999 when Jerry Seinfeld hosted Saturday Night Live, he gave a rare performance as someone other than himself. He played Lenny Schwartzman, a star basketball player for Yeshiva Academy in the Interfaith Basketball League.
Mary Katherine Gallagher, played by Molly Shannon, has a crush on Lenny and is the only Catholic girl who asks him to go out for a knish.
Enjoy!
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Yeshiva University has the most dominant team in College Basketball, having not lost a game since before the Covid pandemic.
In this TV report on CNBC on the fourth night of Hanukkah, the Maccabees were getting ready for their 45th straight win. They made it, and since have stretched their winning streak to 47 games.
the undefeated Yeshiva University Maccabees have the longest active win streak in the NCAA. So who says Jews can't play basketball?
Another reason to celebrate the victory of the Maccabees and to say Al HaNissim on Hanukkah.
Kvell!
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A tip of the kippa to Mannie Young for bringing this story to our attention.
American basketball star Amar'e Stoudemire completed his conversion to Judaism last week, just after being given the MVP award for his winning ways for the Maccabi Tel Aviv team.
In April 2018, Stoudemire began converting to Judaism.
In January 2019, Stoudemire was granted residency in Israel. In March
2019, he received Israeli citizenship, and he also adopted the name
Jehoshaphat ben Avraham. He formally converted to Judaism with a Rabbinic court on August 26, 2020.
Stoudemire has been playing basketball since high school and became a star in the NBA, playing for four teams in the USA. After his retirement, he joined the Hapoel Jerusalem team, and is now playing for Maccabi Tel Aviv.
A few months ago Stoudemire was interviewed on Israel TV by Omri Casspi, an Israeli basketball player who played on teams in the USA for ten years. In the interview, Stoudemire explains his attraction to Judaism and the study of Torah. Below the video we're posting a short clip of Stoudemire, in Black Hat Haredi attire, dancing with his rabbis in B'nei Brak.
Mazal tov Amar'e on completing your conversion and your MVP award!
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Shaquille O'Neal, the retired professional basketball player who is currently an analyst on the television program Inside the NBA, showed off his skill at a different sport last week -- dancing the Hora.
Seven feet tall and weighing 350 pounds, he was one of the heaviest players
ever to play in the NBA. O'Neal played for six teams throughout his
19-year NBA career.
It happened at the Salter-Markowitz wedding in Miami, where O'Neal was a guest of Jamie Salter's, the father of the
groom and his partner at Authentic Brands Group.
As the staff of TMZ reported,
We're told the entire party was poppin' until around 2:30 AM (oy vey)
and at one point Shaq took to the dance floor -- but instead of his
tried-and-true pop-locking routine, he got cultural ... and Horah'd it
up.
BTW -- we're also told efforts were actually made to lift Shaq up in a
chair (part of the dance) but they were predictably unsuccessful.
Which means we'll never know the answer to the question -- how many Jews does it take to lift Shaquille O'Neal?
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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 2025 and 2026 in Person and Via ZOOM
Now is the time to book our Jewish humor programs and lectures for your 2025 and 2026 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 2025 and 2026 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.
Jewish Action Podcast episode 2
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[image: Story 375601404]
We just recently were able to find the latest version of my fathers, Rabbi
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Purim is a celebration of masquerade, Mishloach Manot, Hamantaschen and
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Originally posted on don of all trades:
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It is about time that I brought back my “Jerusalem: Meet Jerusalem” walking
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Just when you thought it was safe to eat your bagels in mixed company,
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