Here Come the Passover Videos: Matzah Balls: A Passover Parody of "Popular" from Wicked

With only two days until the Passover seder, we're sharing yet another video parody created for the holiday. This one is a takeoff on the song Popular from the Broadway show and film Wicked.

It was created and sung by Cantor Laura Phillips Fogelman of Temple Beth Abraham in Tarrytown, New York. In this rendition she is joined by Stessa Peers.

Enjoy, and Chag kasher v'sameach!

10 Well-Known Passover Rituals That Are Surprisingly Profound

Is Passover just about matzah and freedom, or is there more to the story? Ezra Weiser uncovers 10 of the most surprising Passover traditions, from burning bread to drinking four cups of wine in one night to a door left open for an invisible guest.

Exploring the deep symbolism, unexpected customs, and hidden meanings behind this ancient holiday, Ezra reveals how each custom carries a hidden lesson on freedom and turns history into a living experience.

This special Passover video comes to us through the Judaism Unpacked YouTube channel.

Enjoy, and Chag Sameach!

Here Come the Passover Videos: Six13 a Cappella Sings PSVR, a Parody of Bruno Mars and Rose's Pop Hit APT

Anchored by a strong Jewish identity and driven by a mission to connect Jews around the globe with their heritage through music, professional Jewish a cappella group Six13 are the originators of today's Jewish a cappella sound. 

They've performed to rave reviews at the White House, synagogues, religious schools, JCCs, fundraising events, B'nai Mitzvah and private affairs alike. They’ve appeared all over mainstream media, been cited by Billy Joel and Bruno Mars, received numerous awards for their eight best-selling CDs, and garnered more than 25 million views online. 

Here's their latest Passover video, PSVR, a parody of Bruno Mars and Rose's pop hit APT.

Enjoy!

A Joke to Start the Week - "Calling the Rabbi"

It's Monday again, and at Jewish Humor Central that means only one thing -- it's time for another joke to start the week.

Today's joke is from our collection of jokes from Toronto's Jewish Folks Telling Jokes, a major contribution to Jewish humor by Jewish Family and Child Service, one of the foremost Jewish service agencies in North America.

Most jokes in this series are oldies but goodies. You've probably heard them before, but it's always good to hear them again, especially when retold by new joke tellers.

Here's today's setup for the joke told by Sally Mintz-Levy: It was a cold and miserable and stormy night. And Moishe (nebech) was laying on his deathbed. And then...

Enjoy!

Here Come the Passover Videos: Avi Ganz and Michael Bogart Sing a New Version of Adir Hu

Pesach is coming, and it's coming soon. In six days we will be sitting down to the seder in Israel, and the first of two sedarim in the diaspora. To get in the mood, we will be sharing some new music videos for the holiday right here on Jewish Humor Central. Today we start with a new modern version of Adir Hu, one of the songs from the Hagaddah.

Rising Jewish music star Avi Ganz is back with his second single, a fresh and electrifying take on a classic Passover melody composed by the legendary Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach. Infused with an infectious funky groove and a bold fusion of Balkan, Middle Eastern, and R&B flavors, this new track is the perfect soundtrack as we prepare for Pesach.  

The single features a powerhouse collaboration with Michael Bogart, former lead trumpet and trombonist of the iconic band Tower of Power. His fiery brass work, combined with Avi’s signature energy, brings new life to this timeless Passover text.

Accompanying the release is a vibrant, high-energy music video shot in the heart of Shuk HaTikva, Tel Aviv. The video captures Avi and Michael trading harmonica and trumpet solos, igniting an electrifying jam session filled with spontaneous crowd interaction and unstoppable rhythm.  

Whether you’re cooking, cleaning, or getting in the Pesach spirit, this track is sure to get you moving. A modern holiday bop with deep roots and explosive energy, it’s a must-add to every Passover playlist. 

Enjoy!

Welcoming Shabbat with Lecha Dodi by The Shvesters

The Shvesters (Chava Levi and Polina Fradkin) are a Yiddish vocal duo hailing originally from Detroit, Michigan. They gained a reputation on social media for their perfectly synchronized voices (and signature matching outfits) — and have won the hearts of audiences from all backgrounds.  

The Shvesters transform classic Yiddish melodies into sophisticated, contemporary harmonic jazz arrangements.

In this video the Shvesters welcome Shabbat with a rendition of Lecha Dodi.

Enjoy, and Shabbat shalom!

Musical Showcase: Lea Kalisch and Jewbalaya Sing Az Der Rebbe Zingt and Bim Bam

Jewbalaya plays a good-time mixture of Klezmer and Traditional New Orleans Jazz. With a horn section, drums, banjo, accordion and vocals, Jewbalaya offers a shmaltzy stew of funky beats and Yiddish treats. Jewbalaya has performed recently at the Lake Harriet Bandshell, Mall of America, The Slavic Experience Festival, and more.

Jewbalaya's vocalist is Lea Kalisch. From Rap to Rumba, Folk to Feminism, Lea blends styles and languages like a smoothie. Lea is a Swiss Jewish international entertainer who gives tradition a facelift. Yiddish Theater, forgotten melodies, original songs, and mashups—all delivered with young, zestful energy. She slips into different characters to make you laugh with one eye and cry with the other. 

In this video, Lea and Jewbalaya sing and play the Yiddish classics Az Der Rebbe Zingt and Bim Bam.

Enjoy! 

Wacky Wednesday Comedy Showcase: A Candid Camera Exercise in Conformity and Crowd Control

Candid Camera was a popular and long-running American hidden camera reality television series. Versions of the show appeared on television from 1948 until 2014. Originally created and produced by Allen Funt, it often featured practical jokes, and initially began on radio as The Candid Microphone on June 28, 1947. 

The show involved concealed 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 were told the show's catchphrase, "Smile, you're on Candid Camera." The catchphrase became a song with music and lyrics by Sid Ramin.

Will people waiting in line at a ticket booth stay in their place or will they follow the crowd to unknown locations and conform to their actions? The Candid Camera crew conducted such an experiment and found that the subjects were only too willing to blindly follow the others in line without questioning their motives or destinations. 

This Candid Camera episode took place 63 years ago in 1962.  

Enjoy!

Yiddish Word of the Day - "Hands"

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 word for hands and lots of related expressions.

Enjoy!

A Joke to Start the Week - "The Phone in the Locker Room"

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 to share with you. Here's the setup: About five men were in the locker room of the golf club, showering after a really warm day and a cell phone that's lying on one of the benches rings. And then...

Enjoy! 

Israeli Actress Gal Gadot Gets Star on Hollywood's Walk of Fame

On March 18 Israeli actress Gal Gadot received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, the first Israeli actress to be granted such an honor.

As reported by the Times of Israel,

In her speech at the event, Gadot referred several times to her Israeli roots. “I’m just a girl from Israel,” she said, drawing loud cheers from her supporters in the audience. “To all the young people, especially the young girls, if a girl from Rosh Ha’ayin can get a star on Hollywood Boulevard, anything is possible.”

Gadot also addressed her Israeli family in Hebrew, saying that she loves them, even though they are far away.

Enjoy!

Welcoming Shabbat with Mi Chamocha to Mr. Tambourine Man by Congregation Shir Shalom

Mr. Tambourine Man is a song written by Bob Dylan, released as the first track of the acoustic side of his March 1965 album Bringing It All Back Home. The song's popularity led to Dylan recording it live many times, and it has been included in multiple compilation albums. 

It has been translated into other languages and has been used or referenced in television shows, films, and books.

It's also been adopted by Congregation Shir Shalom in Buffalo, New York as the musical background for Mi Chamocha, part of the Shabbat service.

So today we're joining Shir Shalom in welcoming Shabbat with an unconventional melody for the morning service.

Enjoy!

Comedy Showcase: Comedian Modi on Generational Differences and Trader Joe's

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 his impressions of the way millennials speak and his experience in shopping at Trader Joe's.

 

Enjoy! 

Wacky Wednesday Comedy Special: Smoking Phone - A Candid Camera Classic from 1962

Candid Camera was a popular and long-running American hidden camera reality television series. Versions of the show appeared on television from 1948 until 2014. Originally created and produced by Allen Funt, it often featured practical jokes, and initially began on radio as The Candid Microphone on June 28, 1947. 

The show involved concealed 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 were told the show's catchphrase, "Smile, you're on Candid Camera." The catchphrase became a song with music and lyrics by Sid Ramin.

Today we're sharing a classic episode from 1963 in which the Candid Camera crew set up a phone to start smoking whenever a person tried to use it to talk someone through the process to deal with a malfunctioning fireplace.

Enjoy!

Yiddish Phrase of the Day - "Oy a Broch!"

Rabbi Gavriel Bellino is a frequent guest on comedian Modi Rosenfeld's blog, "And Here's Modi." The blog is an inside look at the man behind the microphone. Hosted by Modi, And Here's Modi features a raw and unfiltered side of the comedian rarely seen on stage. 

A native of Lower Manhattan, Rabbi Bellino grew up attending the Young Israel of Fifth Avenue, and after graduating from Ramaz, studied at Yeshivat Shalavim outside of Yerushalayim before getting his degree in Psychology, Philosophy and Women’s Studies from Brandeis University. He pursued his smicha at RIETS before returning to his childhood community in 2006 to lead the Sixteenth Street Synagogue (formerly the Young Israel of Fifth Avenue).

In a recent episode he traced the origin and usage of the Yiddish term Oy, a Broch.

Enjoy!

A Joke to Start the Week - "Wedding Night"

It's Monday again, and at Jewish Humor Central that means only one thing -- it's time for another joke to start the week.

Today's joke is from our collection of jokes from Toronto's Jewish Folks Telling Jokes, a major contribution to Jewish humor by Jewish Family and Child Service, one of the foremost Jewish service agencies in North America.

Most jokes in this series are oldies but goodies. You've probably heard them before, but it's always good to hear them again, especially when retold by new joke tellers.

Here's today's setup for the joke told by Doreen Glick: A very young and very very naive Orthodox couple had an arranged marriage. And after the wedding they found themselves in their bridal suite. And then...

Enjoy!

Sunday Standup - Starting a New Series - Matt Ruby on Why Goldilocks is a Jewish Superhero

We've noticed that our Monday feature "A Joke to Start the Week" is getting the most views of all our posts. While we will continue our mix of videos of jokes, stories, music, and other elements of Jewish life, we're going to try to post more clips of standup comedy.

Matt Ruby is a comedian from New York City. His smart and dark brand of standup is "button-pushing" and "funny" according to the NY Times. His comedy has been filmed by Comedy Central, MTV, NBC/Seeso, and FOX. His newsletters (The Rubesletter and Funny How) have over 17,000 subscribers combined. He also hosts the podcast Kind of a Lot with Matt Ruby. 

Today we're sharing a clip from a Matt Ruby performance on why Goldilocks should be considered a Jewish superhero.

Enjoy! 

Welcoming Shabbat with Lecha Dodi by Cantors Shiree Kidron and Azi Schwartz

It's Friday again and time to welcome another Shabbat. This week we're sharing our 70th version of Lecha Dodi, this time with cantors Azi Schwartz and Shiree Kidron.

We're all familiar with the inspiring voice of Azi Schwartz, lead cantor at the Park Avenue Synagogue in Manhattan. Over the years cantor Schwartz has appeared 26 times on this site with renditions of many parts of the Shabbat services. 

Cantor Shiree Kidron is a unique and versatile vocalist who appears locally and internationally as a classical singer, as well as oratorio and as a Jewish classical and folk music performer.

She received her Master of Music at the Manhattan School of Music and her Bachelor in Music at the Rubin High Academy of Music and Dance in Jerusalem. .

Cantor Kidron currently serves as the Cantor at Or Olam, The East 55th Street Synagogue. She is proud member of the Cantors Assembly. She has been the senior Cantor at Bet Shira Congregation in South Miami and a Cantor at the Park Avenue Synagogue in New York City.

Enjoy, and Shabbat shalom!

 

Throwback Thursday Musical Showcase: The Barry Sisters Sing "Nevertheless" in 1961

Today our Throwback Thursday time machine takes us back 64 years to 1961 when the Barry Sisters appeared on the Ed Sullivan Show to sing the ballad Nevertheless, written in 1931 by Harry Ruby and Bert Kalmar.

Born in the Bronx to Yiddish speaking immigrants from Kiev, Clara and Minnie Bagelman started out in show business using their real names as The Bagelman Sisters, but after awhile, Clara became Claire, Minnie became Merna, and Bagelman became Barry. They performed songs in nine languages.

Looking glamorous and sparing no expense for their orchestrations, they sang to a full house at the Concord and other Catskills resorts.

 Enjoy!

  

  #Throwback Thursday     #TBT

Wacky Wednesday Comedy Special - Take-Out Pizza Without a Box

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.

Twenty-four years ago the Candid Camera team went behind the counter at a Pizza shop. When customers showed up to claim their order, they were told that they were out of boxes to take home. Let's watch the reactions of these unsuspecting customers when they opened the box and when they were told they're on Candid Camera.

Enjoy! 

Israeli Comedian Yohay Sponder Retells the Purim Story as a Standup Routine

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 tries to explain why Jews dress up in costume on Purim.

Enjoy!

A Joke to Start the Week - "Old Man and the Chicken"

It's another Monday and time for another Joke to Start the Week. Today's joke is being told by actor and writer Harvey Fierstein.

Harvey Fierstein is an American actor, playwright, and screenwriter, known for his distinctive gravelly voice. He gained notice for his theater work in Torch Song Trilogy, winning both the Tony Award for Best Play and Best Actor in a Play.

Here's the setup: This old man is walking down the road with a chicken under his arm, when a Nazi stops him. "Where are you going with that chicken?" asks the Nazi. And then...

Enjoy!

Yiddish Word of the Day - "Disappointment"

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 word for disappointment and some related expressions.

Enjoy!

Today is Purim! Let's Join Tour Guide Frieda Vizel and the Hasidic Revelers in Borough Park, Brooklyn

Frieda Vizel is a Brooklyn tour guide with Satmar ancestry, who leads walking tours in Borough Park and Williamsburg.

Until she was 25, Vizel lived in the Satmar Hasidic community. This experience – and her interest in how society works on a systemic level – informs her work. She draws from all sorts of disciplines, like urban studies, history, sociology, and cultural criticism.

Today she visited Brooklyn Hasidic communities as they let themselves go with Purim costumes, charitable giving, exchanging Mishloach Manot (gifts of food), drinking, and dancing in the streets. Its the one day each year when these ultra observant Jews take a break from serious study and meticulous observance.

Let's join them in taking a day off and having a good time. And when the day is over, it's time to welcome another Shabbat.

Shabbat shalom, everyone! 

Six13 a Cappella Sings a Purim Medley As We Get Ready to Read the Megillah Tonight

Anchored by a strong Jewish identity and driven by a mission to connect Jews around the globe with their heritage through music, professional Jewish a cappella group Six13 are the originators of today's Jewish a cappella sound. 

They've performed to rave reviews at the White House, and many more at synagogues, religious schools, JCCs, fundraising events, B'nai Mitzvah and private affairs alike. They’ve appeared all over mainstream media, been cited by Billy Joel and Bruno Mars, received numerous awards for their eight best-selling CDs, been selected as finalists for casting in NBC's "The Sing-Off", and garnered more than 20 million views online.

Six13 helps us to get ready for the reading of Megillat Esther tonight and tomorrow with a rousing medley of songs for Purim.

Enjoy, and Chag Purim sameach!

Countdown to Purim - Ari Lesser Raps About the Story of Purim and the Need to Fulfill its Mitzvot

Ari Lesser is an American Orthodox Jewish rapper, singer, songwriter, and spoken word artist. Since 2010, he has released thirteen albums and has collaborated with artists like Gad Elbaz, Lipa Schmeltzer, Kosha Dillz, and C Lanzbom.

After graduation from the University of Oregon, Lesser worked as a musician in Los Angeles, where he became known in the "hippie jam band" scene. While working on his first album there, his financer, a Rastafarian selling Medical Marijuana, gave him a copy of Psalms.

Lesser found that he related to King David as a songwriter and started rhyming the psalms; this ultimately led him to a deeper interest in Torah and his Jewish roots, and he became a baal teshuva. He visited Israel on a Taglit-Birthright trip that he ended up extending to ten months, during which he studied at Yeshiva Temimei Darech in Safed and Mayanot in Jerusalem.

In this Purim video "I'm a Jew Like Mordecai", Ari retells the story of Purim and calls on his listeners to fulfill all of the mitzvot of Purim.

Enjoy!

Here Come the Purim Videos - 3 Days and Counting

In three days we will be celebrating Purim, and Megillat Esther will be read on Thursday night and Friday morning.

Our countdown to Purim begins today and we're starting the festivities with a performance by Israeli singer Avi Ilson of the joyous expression at the end of the Megillah after the Jews of Persia rose up and conquered Haman and his followers.

La'Yehudim Hayta Orah v'Simcha v'Sasson vi'Ykor.

And the Jews basked in light and happiness, joy, and great honor.

Enjoy!

A Joke to Start the Week - "The Usher at the Synagogue"

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 to share with you. Here's the setup: An elderly woman walked into the synagogue. An usher came by to help her up the steps and asked her where she would like to sit. And then...

Enjoy!

Hilarious Israeli Sketch Mocks UN Useless Lebanon "Peacekeepers"

In the U.S. we get our political satire from Saturday Night Live and The Daily Show.  Israelis, who have a lot of politics to parody, have their own outlet for making fun of the daily comings and goings of politicians and celebrities.  It's a weekly TV show called Eretz Nehederet (Hebrew: ארץ נהדרת‎, literally "Wonderful Country.")

It's pure satire, featuring references to current affairs of the past week through parodies of the people involved, as well as the thoughts of recurring characters. The program is one of the most watched and influential shows on Israeli television. 

Here's a recent sketch mocking the United Nations "Peacekeepers" in Lebanon.

Enjoy!

Welcoming Shabbat with Yedid Nefesh by The Shvesters

The Shvesters (Chava Levi and Polina Fradkin) are a Yiddish vocal duo hailing originally from Detroit, Michigan. They gained a reputation on social media for their perfectly synchronized voices (and signature matching outfits) — and have won the hearts of audiences from all backgrounds.  

The Shvesters transform classic Yiddish melodies and Hebrew prayers into sophisticated, contemporary harmonic jazz arrangements.

In this video the Shvesters welcome Shabbat with a rendition of Yedid Nefesh.

Enjoy, and Shabbat shalom!

Comedian Alex Edelman Meets a Sword Swallower

Alex Edelman (born March 20, 1989) is an American stand-up comedian. He was named Best Newcomer at the 2014 Edinburgh Festival Fringe for his show Millennial.He has toured three shows since 2014: Millennial (2014–2015), Everything Handed to You (2015–2016), and Just for Us (2018–2020; 2023–2024).

Just for Us opened Off-Broadway in 2022 before premiering on Broadway in 2023 at The Hudson Theatre; it was named a NYT Critic's Pick both times and earned him a 2024 special Tony Award and an Emmy Award. In 2024 he was named to the Time 100 list of the world's most influential people.

In this video clip Alex tells about an interesting encounter he had with a professional sword swallower at a music festival in Scotland.

Enjoy!