Welcoming Shabbat with Yigdal by Sephardi Cantor Daniel Halfon

Tonight we welcome Shabbat with the singing of Yigdal by Emeritus Hazzan Daniel Halfon of the Yad Harav Nissim synagogue in Jerusalem and a leading authority of the cantorial style of the western Sephardim. 

A classically trained baritone, Halfon was born in England and grew up in London's ancient Spanish and Portuguese community under the tutelage of Rabbi Dr Abraham Levy z"l. 

He studied Hazzanut with four of the outstanding cantors of the Western Sephardi tradition: Eliezer Abinun z"l, Abraham Beniso z"l, Abraham Lopes Cardozo z"l and Halfon Benarroch z"l. As a young man he received the call from Congregation Shearith Israel in New York to serve as Hazzan, and over the past 30 years he has been invited to sing in Sephardi synagogues across the world. 

In 2006 he was appointed by the President of the State of Israel as Hazzan of the Presidential Synagogue. Daniel studied vocal production with Neil Semer and Kenneth Newbern in New York, and in Jerusalem with Jay Shir.

This spirited melody for Yigdal, which bears a striking, but probably wholly coincidental, resemblance to the Scottish folk song Coming Through The Rye, is a comparative late comer to the London repertoire. In all likelihood it was brought to Bevis Marks from the Netherlands by Hazzan Joseph Gomes de Mesquita (1878-1958). Although much loved, it is sung only occasionally on Shabbatot and Mo’adim. In the Portuguese community of Amsterdam, by contrast, this tune is the standard Erev Shabbat melody. In addition it provides an endearing setting for the table song Yah Ribon. 

Enjoy, and Shabbat shalom! 

Israeli Standup Comedian Yohay Sponder Explains the Mess in Israel Now

Social media sensation Yohay Sponder has gone viral with his charming and unapologetic comments on Jews in general, Israeli Jews specifically, and overall audience interaction on topics ranging from political correctness (or not), Muslims, women, terrorists, gays, and the Holocaust — many things people are feeling, but stand back from expressing.

Since 2016, Sponder has been producing “Funny Monday,” an Israeli standup comedy show in English that, among other things, touches upon current events from an Israeli-Jewish point of view.

In this video, Sponder uses humor to explain the differences and conflicts between Ashkenazi and Mizrachi Jews.

Enjoy!

Sephardi and Ashkenazi Jews Celebrate Ladino Day in New York City

Yesterday was Ladino Day, a celebration of Sephardi culture. Yiddish instructor Moishele Alfonso attended the 7th annual event at the Center for Jewish History in New York City. There, he found several Yiddish speakers and chatted with them in order to find out what brought them there. 

Ladino Day is an educational and celebratory program that centers the Ladino (Judeo-Spanish) language through story and song, and with lectures and reflections from scholars, activists, and community members.

Due to demographic displacement, the destruction wrought by the Holocaust, and the pressures of assimilation, the number of native Ladino speakers has declined rapidly in the last 100 years: UNESCO has even designated Ladino an endangered language.

The language is being kept alive by colleges such as the University of Washington and Jewish organizations such as YIVO which conduct Sephardic Studies programs and annual celebrations with stories and song.

Moishele's video is in Yiddish, with English subtitles.

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.

5 Surprising Differences Between Ashkenazi & Sephardic Jews

Oftentimes, Jewish people depicted in the media typically appear to be of European descent, yet most Jews don’t fit into this category. 

While the two largest groups of Jews in North America are Ashkenazi Jews from countries like Germany, France and Eastern Europe, and Sephardic Jews from Portugal and Spain, there are also Mizrahi Jews from the Middle East, Ethiopian Jews, and so many more across the globe. 

Although there are many differences between these groups such as the languages they speak, the foods they eat, or even the Jewish customs and traditions they keep, they all share the core connection of Judaism and are a part of one peoplehood. 

This video, part of the The Z3 Project, an initiative of the Oshman Family JCC in Palo Alto, CA. Promoting a stronger relationship between Diaspora Jewry and Israel, the Z3 project is dedicated to modeling how Zionism can evolve, and how Jewish communities can come together for meaningful discussions about the Diaspora and Israel. 

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.

Ashkenazi vs. Sephardi - A War of Words

Ashkenazi and Sephardi/Mizrachi Jews have many language and cultural barriers to bridge. This video, posted by the outreach organization Aish HaTorah features great banter and comedy as Ashkenazim have to guess the meaning of Arabic and other Sephardi (in the loose sense of Sephardi) words, while their counterparts have to struggle with Yiddish! Who will win the war of words? 

Beneath the fun and games, Eli Birnbaum, Moshe Levy, Shloimie Gertner, Mark Jacobs and some Chassidic guests from Stamford Hill navigate: Feshnogges (an Ashkenazi Jewish Jelly delicacy), Allah Ma'ak (Middle Eastern blessing), Schmaltz herring (European Jewish fish delicacy), Ich faf dich uhn (Yiddish for 'I whistle on you!'), Mabrouk (Arabic version of 'Mazel Tov'), Mimulaim (Syrian Jewish stuffed cabbage), Ich hob dich in dem boidem (even one of the Ashkenzis struggles with that one!) Kubaneh (OK, that's actually Yemenite, a traditional yeast bread), Ful Medames (so is that, and its a bean dish) Pashkevilim (Yiddish poster announcement), Yoch (East European Jewish word for soup), Farglivet (Yiddish for 'greasy'), Farblondjet (Yiddish for 'lost' or 'hopeless'), Mahasha (Indian stuffed peppers), 

But behind the hilarious struggles to understand each others words, is a message of Jewish unity. Whatever the words, and whatever cultural differences Asheknazi Jews and Sephardi / Mizrahi/ Yemenite Jews have developed, we can laugh together, and celebrate that what unites us is far greater than those funny moments that make our communities unique. 

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.

Sephardim vs. Ashkenazim - Part Two: Food Fight !

More than 2000 years ago Jerusalem was burned and the Temple destroyed. The Jewish People were exiled and lost their unity. In the diaspora, the Jewish People split into two -- the Sephardim and the Ashkenazim.

Although there is more that unites these two communities than divides them, the differences are interesting and sometimes funny. 

Last week we posted the first of two videos that highlight the different way the Sephardim and Ashkenazim express themselves in prayer.

Today we're posting the second video to see how each group reacts to tasting the other's favorite ethnic foods.

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.

Sephardim vs. Ashkenazim - Part One: Prayer Differences

More than 2000 years ago Jerusalem was burned and the Temple destroyed. The Jewish People were exiled and lost their unity. In the diaspora, the Jewish People split into two -- the Sephardim and the Ashkenazim.

Although there is more that unites these two communities than divides them, the differences are interesting and sometimes funny. Today we're posting the first of two videos that highlight the different way the Sephardim and Ashkenazim express themselves in prayer. Later this week we'll take a look at how each group reacts to tasting the other's favorite ethnic foods.

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.

Comedy Showcase: Stand-up Comic Modi on Ashkenazi-Sephardi Differences

Voted one of the top 10 comedians in New York City by the Hollywood Reporter and BackStage, Modi is one of the comedy circuit’s most sought after performers. 

Featured on HBO, CBS, NBC, ABC.Comedy Central, Howard Stern and E! Entertainment, Modi has received rave reviews in the New York Times, Time Out NY and the New York Post.

 

Born in Israel, MODI moved to the United States when he was seven.  After college, MODI worked as an investment banker and had no plans to become a stand up comedian.   But one open mic changed everything.

In this performance at the Comedy Cellar in New York's Greenwich Village, Modi gives a hilarious comparison on differences between Ashkenazic and Sephardic Jews, especially in the ways they pray and read from the Torah.

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.