Judaism Humor

Jews have a centuries-old tradition of telling jokes, from the ghettos of Europe to Hollywood and the Catskills. Jewish jokes are entertainment, the oral history of a culture, insightful social criticism, and survival tactic rolled into one. In 2008, Hollywood director and producer Sam Hoffman launched a website called Old Jews Telling Jokes. It’s just what it says: Jewish men and women over 60 sharing their favorite stories, tales, riddles, and punchlines.

The Big Jewish Book for Jews brings together Jewish wit, inspiring tales, classic skills, and even pickle recipes, for the instruction and edification of the modern Jew. Readers will learn how to sacrifice a lamb unto the Lord, the rules of Canasta, how to build a pyramid (the Bernie Madoff and the Egyptian kind), and how not to accept the first table you are shown to in a restaurant.

When Gabe proposes on a boat, Leah knows better than to expect smooth sailing. Sure, blending traditions and managing family expectations for an interfaith wedding will be tricky—but she never expected a full-blown disaster. Leaky pipes, fire sprinklers, and even a hurricane conspire to rain on their perfect wedding, turning her dreams into a total washout. As one mishap snowballs into another, Leah starts to wonder: is this just bad luck, or is the universe (or maybe God?) trying to send her a message? Brimming with wit, drama, and the vibrant energy of Manhattan, Goy in the Chuppah is a...

Michael Krasny has been telling Jewish jokes since his bar mitzvah, and it's been said that he knows more of them than anyone on the planet. He certainly states his case in this wise, enlightening, and hilarious book that not only collects the best of Jewish humor passed down from generation to generation but explains the cultural expressions and anxieties behind the laughs.

From the creators of the smash hit play comes the ultimate audiobook of Jewish humor, a hysterical guide to Judaism that explores all of the religion's stereotypes, history, and shameless guilt trips.

For TV-obsessed Jake Lightman, his parents’ divorce is like his favorite show getting canceled: The worst. Now he’s stuck between playing the role of “Yaakov” for his mother and “Jacob” for his father. On Jake’s first day at a new school, Caleb and Tehilla barrel into his life. Suddenly, he has two friends who seem to like the real Jake. And when they invite him to Camp Gershoni for the summer, Jake knows he has to go—even if his parents won’t let him.

Annie Korzen's solo extravaganza is a sophisticated celebration of womanhood, from the Bronx to Beverly Hills. The universality of her stories of courtship, career, marriage and motherhood, of family and friendship tell what it's like growing up female and ________ (fill in the blank with any ethnicity).

This book is packed with Jewish one-liners, jokes and funny stories featuring all the usual characters: hen-pecked husbands, overbearing mothers, struggling businessmen, Volvo drivers, self-righteous rabbis and of course, the hapless goyim who have to cope with them. The book will make a great gift and will provide inspiration for anyone making a speech at a wedding, barmitzvah, etc.

With a great sense of humor, Esther Elisheva Steinberg examines why she has decided to turn her back on Judaism and her Jewish identity. Steinberg discusses Jewish men, Jewish image, Jewish religion, and the Jewish State. Jewish and non-Jewish readers alike will find Steinberg's writing entertaining and informative.

A través del humor, el pueblo judío pudo conservar su dignidad y sentir que seguían siendo seres humanos a pesar de todos los intentos nazis de destruir en ellos todo vestigio de humanidad. El humor judío es una forma de procesamiento del dolor y del sufrimiento. En ese instante mágico en el que aparece el destello de un chiste, desaparecen el hambre, los comedores populares, los trabajos forzados, el tifus, los muertos en las veredas, el mercado negro, las tarjetas de comidas, las deportaciones al Este y el sinfín de sufrimientos experimentados por una sola razón: ser Judío.

Ziggy loves coming up with new inventions. Unfortunately, though, most of his inventions just don't work out, like the square "Ziggyball" or the "shulstilts" he makes for Rabbi Levi. Ziggy's father sells buns for Moishe the Baker, but Mrs. Schwartz always complains that the buns are undercooked at the center. That's when Ziggy puts his creative mind to work, with his idea for making the bakers' buns tastier and easier to carry, leading to the creation of one of the world's favorite treats - the bagel!

Yosef and Estrella have spent their whole lives in Morocco's Atlas Mountains. When they move to the city, they face a strange, unfamiliar world. Will their love survive the surprises of their new home? A funny and charming folktale-like story of mistaken identities.