Iranian-Israeli Jewish Comedian's Video Goes Viral in the Arab World

Earlier this year we profiled stand-up comedian Noam Shuster-Eliassi, the daughter of an Iranian-born Jewish mother, and a father who was born in Jerusalem to Holocaust survivor parents from Romania.

The politically active comedian joked about rapprochement between Israel, Arab states - and made a joke that went viral in the Arab world. She broadcast a proposal to "support her party" to none other than Saudi crown prince Mohammed Bin Salman.

The party is one that she jokingly created called Naama. 

“I’m starting a party called Naama, so we can work together for peace in the Middle-East. I know you don’t want to get involved in Israeli politics. But if you could support the Naama party - or just support Naama - that would be really great.” 

The joke was picked up by journalists and TV hosts in Arab media. “It is my dream as a comedian to make jokes that shift the power dynamics,” she told Haaretz in a recent interview. 

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.

Comedy Showcase - Introducing Noam Shuster Eliassi, London's New Jewish Comedian of the Year

Stand-up comedian Noam Shuster-Eliassi is the daughter of an Iranian-born Jewish mother, and a father who was born in Jerusalem to Holocaust survivor parents from Romania.

A month ago she was named “Best New Jewish Comedian of the Year” in a competition sponsored by London’s JW3 Jewish Community Center.  

Much of her comedy relates to her atypical Israeli upbringing and lifestyle. As a tall, dark-skinned woman who speaks Hebrew and Arabic fluently, with a name that is more commonly a boy's name, she entertains audiences with stories about her grandmother, parents, and cousins.

As Tzafi Haar wrote in Haaretz,

Recently, comedian Noam Shuster-Eliassi gave one of her most fraught standup performances in East Jerusalem, before an entirely Palestinian audience. After the standup comedian who had invited her there, Amer Zahr, introduced her to the audience (“Today for the first timewe have a Jewish sister with us”), the tension reached a peak, she says.

“I go up, in front of an audience of 300 people, and in front there are two guys sitting with their arms crossed, looking at me angrily. I looked straight at them and said: ‘Don’t worry. I’ll be here for seven minutes, not 70 years.’ That broke the ice immediately. I left the stage in tears – I hadn’t expected such love.”

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.