Welcoming Shabbat With Adon Olam - A Moscow Nights Version With Kolot Halev

Whenever we encounter a new version of Adon Olam, we try to share it with you. Because Adon Olam is usually sung at the end of the Shabbat morning service in most synagogues, it lends itself to a wide variety of melodies -- some traditional, some innovative, some set to popular tunes, and some reflecting the culture of each country.

Over the six years that we've been publishing Jewish Humor Central, we've shared at least 14 versions of this popular song. One of the reasons for is popularity may be that it's a signal that kiddush and/or lunch immediately follow.

Today we discovered a version that we hadn't heard before, performed by Kolot HaLev, a Washington DC-based Jewish Community Chorus. It is a place in the Jewish community of the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area where singers can develop musically and enhance their knowledge and love for Judaism.

Kolot HaLev — Voices of the Heart — is the only independent community choir in the Greater Washington DC area focusing on Jewish choral music. They are the choir-in-residence at Shirat HaNefesh (Song of the Soul) Congregation, and draw their members from throughout the Washington-Baltimore metropolitan area, regardless of congregational or religious affiliation.

There are no requirements other than a desire to sing together and a commitment to a regular rehearsal schedule and performances. A high level of musical performance is achieved through this practice.

Kolot HaLev has performed in various venues, including the North American Jewish Choral Festival, the Jewish Heritage Museum in New York City, Arlington National Cemetery, and elsewhere in the DC area.

Here is their rendition of Adon Olam, set to the melody of  Moscow Nights, an internationally-known Russian melody by Vasily Solovyov-Sedoy, which was written in 1956. 

(A SPECIAL NOTE FOR NEW EMAIL SUBSCRIBERS:  THE VIDEO IS NOT VIEWABLE DIRECTLY FROM THE EMAIL THAT YOU GET EACH DAY.  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.)

Enjoy, and Shabbat shalom!

The Great Jewish Comedians: Danny Kaye Plays Two Roles in William Tell Overture

Danny Kaye (born David Daniel Kaminsky; 1911-1987) was an American actor, singer, dancer, and comedian. His performances featured physical comedy, idiosyncratic pantomimes, and rapid-fire novelty songs.

Kaye was born to Ukrainian Jewish immigrants in Brooklyn, the youngest of three boys for Jacob and Clara Nemerovsky Kaminsky. He was the only son born in the United States.

Kaye starred in 17 movies, notably Wonder Man (1945), The Kid from Brooklyn (1946), The Secret Life of Walter Mitty (1947), The Inspector General (1949), Hans Christian Andersen (1952), White Christmas (1954), and The Court Jester (1956). His films were popular, especially his bravura performances of patter songs and favorites such as "Inchworm" and "The Ugly Duckling". He was the first ambassador-at-large of UNICEF in 1954 and received the French Legion of Honor in 1986 for his years of work with the organization.

One of the best examples of Kaye's patter songs is his rendition of the finale of Rossini's William Tell Overture. Kaye performed it on his Danny Kaye Show, which aired on CBS from 1963 to 1967.

The show premiered in black-and-white, but later switched to color broadcasts. At the time, Kaye was at the height of his popularity, having starred in a string of successful films in the 1940s and '50's, made successful personal appearances at such venues as the London Palladium, and appeared many times on television. 

His most recent films had been considered disappointing, but the television specials he starred in were triumphant, leading to this series. Prior to his television and film career, Kaye had made a name for himself with his own radio show, and numerous other guest appearances on other shows.

Today's video clip is remarkable, considering the state of technology in the 1960s. We had to watch it a few times, wondering who was playing William Tell's dad, before we realized that Kaye was playing both roles with a bit of camera trickery.

If you'd like to hear the piece played by a full orchestra, we're including a second video of the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra performing it.

Enjoy, and Hi Yo Silver, Awayyyyyy!

(A SPECIAL NOTE FOR NEW EMAIL SUBSCRIBERS:  THE VIDEO IS NOT VIEWABLE DIRECTLY FROM THE EMAIL THAT YOU GET EACH DAY.  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.)

Meet the Cast of the New "Fiddler on the Roof" Returning to Broadway November 20

Fiddler is back! The fifth revival of the classic award-winning musical will be opening in New York at the Broadway Theatre on November 20.

Tony-winning director Bartlett Sher and the team behind South Pacific and The King and I are bringing a fresh and authentic vision to this beloved theatrical masterpiece from Tony winner Joseph Stein and Pulitzer Prize winners Jerry Bock and Sheldon Harnick.

Fiddler on the Roof is the timeless story of Tevye, who dreams of being a rich man far from the troubles of his village. As his cherished daughters fall in love one by one, he must decide between letting them grow and holding his family near.

Featuring the Broadway classics “To Life (L’Chaim!),” “If I Were A Rich Man,”Sunrise Sunset,”"Matchmaker, Matchmaker,” and “Tradition,” Fiddler On the Roof will introduce a new generation to this uplifting celebration that raises its cup to joy! To love! To life!
The original production won 10 Tony Awards including a special Tony for becoming the longest-running Broadway musical of all time. The new production stars Tony nominees Danny Burstein and Jessica Hecht with stunning movement and dance from acclaimed Israeli choreographer Hofesh Shechter based on the original staging by Jerome Robbins. 

A wonderful cast and a lavish orchestra tell this heart-warming story of fathers and daughters, husbands and wives, and the timeless traditions that define faith and family. 

Today's video clips introduce you to the principal actors in this new production and give you a flavor of their interaction in a rehearsal. 

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 for Change" Conference Shows Israeli Humor in All its Flavors

Can comedy bring peace to Israel? Can it bring about social change? Only time will tell, but efforts are underway to apply the universal qualities of humor and laughter to address some of the serious issues that arise in Israeli society.

Last December a unique conference was held in Jerusalem. The attendees weren't diplomats or academics. They were largely comedy writers, stand-up comics, and participants in the world of humor.

As Esther Kustanowitz, the conference's social media manager summarized,

The brainchild of comedy writer and exporter of Israeli TV formats Omri Marcus, the conference brought to Israel people who had never been there before, to experience different styles of comedy, examine how comedy informs the social and political perspectives, and to participate in an international writers room.

As the social media manager for the conference, I watched the tweets fly fast and furious throughout the day, documenting the unique proceedings as they transpired. The mayor of Jerusalem was interviewed by a foul mouthed puppet (think Avenue Q, but ruder).

Participants were treated to an inside scoop of from the writers of the German, American, and Israeli versions of the hit show, “The Office.” Two Canadian comedians talked about their Yiddish-language comedy series, YidLife Crisis. The head of television programs for the BBC spoke about his network, Israel in the news, and the changing face of anti-Semitism in Europe. Session panelists talked about pushing the envelope, the process of producing video, and how social change messages can be embedded in comedic contexts.

We're waiting to hear if there will be a follow-on to the conference in the coming year. If there is, we'd like to be a part of it.

In the meantime, here is a reporter's eye view of the happenings at last year's conference.

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.) 
 

A Joke to Start the Week - "A Hebrew School Lesson"

It's the first Monday in November, and we're starting it off with a short Joke to Start the Week. After a few weeks of guest jokers, we're taking this one ourselves. Don't worry, our recent guest jokers will be back with more gems in the coming weeks.

Today's joke shows that you never can tell how kids will absorb their lessons in school. 

Here's the setup: At Hebrew School the children were learning how God created everything, including human beings. Little Moshe appeared to be especially intent. And then...

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.)

Shabbat Around the World Ends With Inspiring Havdalah by Maccabeats and Netanel Hershtik

Last week, thousands of Jews in 550 cities around the world celebrated Shabbat together. Inspired by an idea that came from South Africa's Chief Rabbi, Warren Goldstein, they took part in communal meals, prayer services, as well as participating in challah bakes, havdalah concerts and other activities.

At the conclusion of last year's worldwide Shabbos Project observance, the a cappella group The Maccabeats joined with Cantor Netanel Hershtik in a moving Havdalah service. 

The music video of this service provides a beautiful transition from Shabbat to the rest of the week, including images of participants singing in London, Johannesburg, Sydney, Dallas, New York, Buenos Aires, Melbourne, Vienna, Five Towns, East Brunswick, and Hong Kong.

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.) 

Brooklyn Women Bake World's Longest Challah Certified By Guinness World Records

Two years ago, South Africa's Chief Rabbi Warren Goldstein had an idea. Wouldn't it be wonderful if most South African Jews kept one Shabbat together, publicly? We posted the story last year, when the idea expanded into a worldwide Shabbat observance, The Shabbos Project.

Last week, the event was repeated in Cape Town, with 1,700 women baking challah. They were joined by women at similar events in 560 cities around the world, including Brooklyn, where women in the Park Slope neighborhood set an official Guinness world record for the world's longest braided bread measuring 20 feet long.

As Brian Pellot wrote for Religion News Service,

Goldstein attributes the movement’s enormous growth — from 1,800 partner groups around the world in 2014 to 5,000 this year — to its grass-roots nature and social media appeal.

“What’s given the project real space to move at such a rapid rate is that it belongs to the people. It’s not a hierarchical organization,” he said on the phone from Israel, where he helped lay the groundwork for community events before returning to Johannesburg on Wednesday.

This week’s global Shabbos Project features yoga events and picnics in San Diego, a 3,000-person street dinner in downtown Los Angeles and major events in 560 cities around the world. In Johannesburg, 5,000 women registered for a challah bake Thursday featuring a live video link with thousands of women in Tel Aviv.

Here's a video of the Guinness official measuring the challah and certifying its length, followed by a video of the mega challah bake in Boca Raton, Florida last week.

Enjoy and Shabbat shalom!

(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.)  

The Great Jewish Comedians: Victor Borge in a Hilarious Opera Satire

Victor Borge (1909-2000) was a Danish comedian, conductor and pianist who achieved great popularity in radio and television in the United States and Europe. His blend of music and comedy earned him the nickname "The Clown Prince of Denmark","The Unmelancholy Dane", and "The Great Dane."

He was born as Borge Rosenbaum to a Jewish family in Copenhagen. His parents were both musicians. He began piano lessons at the age of two, and it was soon apparent that he was a prodigy. He gave his first piano recital when he was eight years old, and in 1918 was awarded a full scholarship at the Royal Danish Academy of Music.
 
When the Nazis occupied Denmark during World War II, Borge was playing a concert in Sweden, and managed to escape to Finland. Even though Borge did not speak a word of English upon arrival, he quickly managed to adapt his jokes to the American audience, learning English by watching movies. He took the name of Victor Borge, and, in 1941, he started on Rudy Vallee's radio show, but was hired soon after by Bing Crosby for his Kraft Music Hall program.

Most of his humor centered on his relationship with his beloved piano and the funny variations on classical music that he created and performed to the delight of his audiences.

In this video clip, Borge takes us through his hilarious satire of an opera performance.

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.) 

"Jewish Humor" Author Rabbi Joseph Telushkin Analyzes and Tells Five Jewish Jokes

Rabbi Joseph Telushkin is an ethicist and best-selling author of many books including Jewish Literacy,  Biblical Literacy, and The Book of Jewish Values. He is also the author of Jewish Humor: What the Best Jewish Jokes Say About the Jews. 

Rabbi Telushkin has been delivering lectures about the evolution of Jewish humor, explaining how humor in the Jewish culture has shaped the language and other aspects of Jewish life.

Larry Gelbart, author of Mash and Tootsie said that “I don’t know if Jews are really the chosen people, but I think Joseph Telushkin’s book makes a strong argument that we’re the funniest.”

Today we're sharing a video clip from one of Rabbi Telushkin's lectures on Jewish humor, in which he delivers five classic Jewish jokes.

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.)

Jimmy Kimmel Plays "Hipster or Hasidic" Game With His Audience Again

Back in November 2012, late night show host Jimmy Kimmel introduced a new audience participation game show called "Hipster or Hasidic." We called our readers' attention to it then, but it has since been purged from YouTube. So we were happy to see that Kimmel played the game again with his studio audience last Thursday and posted it to YouTube.

Why "Hipster or Hasidic?" Because the Hasidic enclave of Williamsburg in Brooklyn has in recent years seen an influx of artists and musicians who tend to have a hipster look. What the men in both groups share is the avoidance of cutting their facial hair.

Shooting video closeups of faces of Brooklyn residents, focusing on the beard and mustache, and then panning out to see the whole person, Kimmel asked whether the audience thought the subject was a hipster or a Hasidic Jew.

It was all in good clean fun, and the hipsters and Hasidim seemed to be enjoying themselves. One bearded participant turned out to be a little of both hipster and Hasidic, and one surprised the audience by being in a third category. 

 
We played the game, and got half of the eight right. One really fooled us.
So try your luck and play the game. How many did you get right?

 
(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.) 

A Joke to Start the Week - "At the Ballet"

Another Monday, another Joke to Start the Week. Today we're bringing back Bob Hertzendorf, the certified hypnosis counselor from New Jersey, to deliver today's gem.

Here's the setup: Bob's old aunt Rose was reaching her 90th birthday, and she'd never really been anywhere. So he said he's going to take her someplace nice, and then...

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.)  

Funny Life in Israel: Episode 1 - With the Soldiers

We always say that Israel is a funny country. We wrote a book on the subject and created an hour-long comedy lecture with video clips to drive the point home.

Now we find that we have company in bringing the funny side of Israel to an audience that enjoys funny video clips about life in the Holy Land.

Jacob Barbasch, (Aika) Ignez Francesca Belgica and Dotan Jakoby created, wrote, and filmed a series of three short videos that show the funny side of being in Israel with this amusing guide to survival as a foreigner in the Holy Land. The videos are offbeat and show how cultures collide as they take an outsider's look at Israeli society.

The first video in the series takes a funny look at aspects of being a soldier in the Israel Defense Forces.

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: Avi Liberman on Jewish Holidays and Traveling to Israel

Avi Liberman spends a lot of time recruiting American stand-up comics to travel to Israel with him twice a year to perform comedy shows in support for the Koby Mandell Foundation. 

We have posted excerpts of some of the shows over the last few years featuring a variety of comedians that Avi accompanied to Israel, most of them visiting Israel for the first time.

But the Israeli-born and Texas-raised Liberman is a stand-up comedian on his own, and his family-friendly performances have special appeal to Jewish audiences.
 
Here is one of his routines, as delivered to a very responsive Jewish audience at the City Winery in New York,  explaining Jewish holidays to gentiles, and making funny observations about flying to Israel and buying Marzipan rugelach in the market.

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.)

Kinder -- The Jewish Tinder App -- Brings Jewish Mothers Into the Dating Game

By now you've probably heard of Tinder, the newest entry into the world of online dating. A smartphone app, it makes it easy for people to meet potential matches based on photos and proximity. A quick swipe right means you're interested and a swipe left means a lack of interest. If both swipe right, it's a match!

Now Hasidic comedian Mendy Pellin of the Jewlicious website has come up with Kinder, a Jewish parody of Tinder, which puts Jewish mothers in the center of the dating process. In this video, Mendy interviews the founder of the new popular dating app for Jewish singles.

There really is a similar application called JSwipe, which has just merged with JDate, but it doesn't put Jewish mothers in the role of uploading their childrens' photos, as the fictional Kinder does.

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.)  

Jose Jimenez Revisited: How a Jewish Comedian Became a Bolivian Santa Claus Instructor

Last week we wrote about Bill Dana, the comedian who brought laughter to so many viewers while appearing on TV shows with Ed Sullivan, Milton Berle, Steve Allen, Danny Thomas, Imogene Coca, and Martha Raye.
 
We had a good reaction to the post and requests for more like it, so here's a follow-up. How did a Jewish comedian come up with the idea to invent a Bolivian character who spoke with a Spanish-like accent? 

We found the answer on YouTube. Before he gained fame as the reluctant astronaut in his most frequent role on TV and records, Dana was head writer for the Steve Allen Show. In 1959 he debuted the Jose Jimenez character in a skit as a sidewalk instructor teaching new Santa Claus recruits how to say "Jo Jo Jo" (Ho Ho Ho.)

In an interview 52 years later, Bill Dana revealed the origin of the Jose Jimenez character and explained the nuances of his accent.

Here's the Santa Claus instructor clip followed by the interview.

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.) 
 

The Great Jewish Comedians: Jack Benny and How He Met His Wife, Mary Livingstone

No list of great Jewish comedians would be complete without Jack Benny, who was one of America's most beloved entertainers from the 1930s to the 1970s in vaudeville, radio, and television.

Born Benjamin Kubelsky in 1894, he used his comedic talents to create what many consider to be the first situation comedy that gave rise to the sitcom format that's been so popular for decades.

Benny portrayed his character as a miser, playing his violin badly. In character, he would claim to be 39 years of age, regardless of his actual age.

Benny was known for comic timing, and the ability to create laughter with a pregnant pause or a single expression, such as his signature exasperated "Well!" 

Benny's biography is much too long to reprint here, so we suggest looking at his Wikipedia entry for all the details. In 1927 he married Sadie Marks, who changed her name to Mary Livingstone, and appeared with him as his comedic foil on radio and TV. 

They met while she was working in the hosiery department at The May Company department store in Los Angeles, and today we're posting one of Benny's sitcom episodes that focused on their meeting. 

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.)

A Joke to Start the Week - "The Partners"

It's Monday again, and that means it's time for our weekly feature, A Joke to Start the Week.

Once again our joke teller is retired CPA Mel Bleemer.

Here's the setup: Two partners are clothing manufacturers. One is the outside man -- he's the salesman. The other one is the inside man. He's the cutter. He cuts, he presses, he puts them together. The salesman loves to dress. The boys hit it big, and then...

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.)

Vanessa Bayer Shares the Origin of Her "Jacob the Bar Mitzvah Boy" Character on Saturday Night Live

We have a family Bar Mitzvah coming up this week, so we think it's appropriate to share an interview with comedian Vanessa Bayer, who created the "Jacob the Bar Mitzvah Boy" character as a recurring feature on Saturday Night Live's Weekend Update.

The interview was with Scott Rogowsky on the Running Late program taped last November at Caroline's on Broadway. In it, Bayer explains the origin of the Jacob character, and talks about her own Bat Mitzvah in Israel.

We previously posted video clips with Bayer explaining Shabbat and Passover as she engaged in awkward conversations with news anchors Seth Meyers and Michael Che. If you missed the Passover video, which also included Billy Crystal as Jacob's dad, here it is again, followed by the interview.

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.)

Unexpected Traces in Jewish Places: Adon Olam (Pharrell Williams' "Happy") in Paris Synagogue

Since Pharrell Williams' hit song Happy was nominated for an Academy Award in 2014, it's been the basis for many parodies. We posted a few, including exuberant dance moves by residents of Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, and Efrat.

We even posted a Sukkah hop version of the song last month. But we were unprepared for its appearance as the melody for a new version of Adon Olam in the La Victoire Great Synagogue in Paris.

This is a video that we just had to post because it fits perfectly into two series that we've been running over the last few years, Adon Olam Around the World and Unexpected Traces in Jewish Places.

So if you feel especially happy as you leave your synagogue tomorrow, why not surprise your friends by launching into a few choruses of this up to date version of a Shabbat classic?

If you missed the performance of the original Happy song at the 2014 Oscar awards show, you can see it by clicking here.

Enjoy and Shabbat shalom!

(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.)

The Great Jewish Comedians: Bill Dana (Jose Jimenez) Joins Milton Berle as a Karate Expert

We'll bet you didn't expect Bill Dana to be included in this list of the great Jewish comedians, but we think he deserves a place in this exclusive group.

Bill Dana, who celebrated his 91st birthday last week, was a very popular comedian in the 1960s. 

He often appeared on television shows such as The Ed Sullivan Show, The Danny Thomas Show, The Steve Allen Show, and his own sitcom, The Bill Dana Show, usually as a heavily accented Bolivian character named José Jiménez. Dana often portrayed the Jiménez character as an astronaut.

Dana was born William Szathmary in Quincy, Massachusetts. He is of Hungarian-Jewish descent. He took his stage name "Dana" after his mother's first name "Dena" as he felt "Szathmary" was unpronounceable. 

He occasionally incorporated a Hebrew or Yiddish word or phrase into his roles. Here's a video clip from an appearance he made with Milton Berle on The Hollywood Palace in 1965 as one the world's great authorities on karate and jiu-jitsu. Listen carefully as he inserts a phrase that will be familiar to you in the last few seconds of the clip.

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.) 

Tumbalalaika Around the World - In a Mexican Cafe

The Yiddish folk love song Tumbalalaika originated in Eastern Europe in the 19th century, but its exact origin is hard to pinpoint. 

That hasn't prevented it from being sung and played over and over, not only in places where Yiddish songs are sung, but just about everywhere in the world, in vocal and instrumental versions, in cabarets and in the movies.

Just as we have followed the songs Hava Nagila, Adon Olam, Hevenu Shalom Aleichem, and Abanibi as they took different forms as interpreted by a wide variety of singers, musicians, and dancers, we're continuing this series that we started in 2012 that will bring you many interpretations of this universal courting and love song.  We'll post other versions from time to time.

 This version was recorded by the instrumental group Trio Nu in the Idish Cafe in Mexico. 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.) 

 

The Great Jewish Comedians: Shelley Berman's Classic Office Telephone Sketch

Shelley Berman, the comedian, actor, writer, teacher, lecturer, poet, and philanthropist, celebrated his 90th birthday in February. He merits a place in our list of the great Jewish comedians of our time.

Berman started as a straight actor, receiving his training at the Goodman Theatre in Chicago, honing his acting skills in stock companies in and around Chicago and New York City. 

In the mid-1950s, he became a member of Chicago's Compass Players, which later evolved into The Second City. While performing improvised sketches with Compass, Berman began developing solo pieces, often employing an imaginary telephone to take the place of an onstage partner.

He went on to star in plays, movies, TV, and has been involved in virtually every form of entertainment including records and books. 

He's been performing on TV as recently as 2009 in the role of Larry David's father in Curb Your Enthusiasm, a role which earned him an Emmy nomination.

We previously posted one of his telephone sketches in which he speaks with a hotel clerk. 

You asked for more, so here's another classic example of Berman's comedy from a Judy Garland Show episode in January 1964. The scene takes place in an accounting office one minute from the 5 pm closing time. 

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.)

A Joke to Start the Week - "Wall Street Journal Cover-Up"

After a few weeks of skipping our Monday week-starting joke because we didn't post on Rosh Hashanah, Sukkot, and Shemini Atzeret, we're back with our most popular feature, the joke to start the week.

This week we're introducing another Jersey Jewish joke teller who's new to Jewish Humor Central. Bob Hertzendorf, a certified hypnosis counselor, contacted us and offered some of his funny material for inclusion in our postings. It didn't take long for us to recognize his joke-telling skills, so here is the first of a few of Bob's stand-up deliveries.

Here's the setup: The scene is Miami Beach. The poolside. The condominium. This elderly gentleman comes down. He's wearing a bathrobe, carrying his Wall Street Journal. He plops down on the chaise lounge and starts reading. And then...

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.)

"Red Oaks" Jewish Country Club Comedy Debuts on Amazon Prime Featuring Comic Actor Freddie Roman and "Dirty Dancing" Star Jennifer Grey

Craig Roberts and Jennifer Grey in "Red Oak", now streaming on Amazon

Jennifer Grey is back! Not as Baby Houseman in a sequel to Dirty Dancing, but in a new streaming series called Red Oaks. 

It's set in New Jersey, not the Catskill mountains of New York. This time Grey, hardly recognizable after facial surgery, is playing the mother of a young college student and assistant tennis pro at a Jewish country club called Red Oaks.

A word of warning to our readers who are sensitive to salty language and adult situations: This is not a PG movie, but hardly worth an R rating. It's, shall we say, realistic, about life in Jewish country clubs in the summer of 1985. It's very funny and worth watching. You can stream the entire series right now on Amazon, if you're an Amazon Prime member.

Besides Grey, the series stars Paul Reiser, Craig Roberts as the young assistant tennis pro, veteran standup comic Freddie Roman, and comic actor Richard Kind.

Here's a trailer to give you a flavor of the series. 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.)