Comedy as a Weapon for Survival Pt. I

A look at Jewish humor through YIVO's class, "Is Anything Okay?"

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When we think of Jewish humor today, we may look to modern greats like Jerry Seinfeld (well, I don’t, but some do), Larry David, and Mel Brooks. But how far back does the industry go, and what influenced it? What’s Jewish humor, anyway?

I’ve been taking a free, online, self-paced class on Jewish humor through the YIVO Institute for Jewish Research called “Is Anything Okay?” In honor of Jewish American Heritage Month (belatedly… I told you I’m a procrastinator), I’m writing a three-part Drop on some historical tidbits I learned from the class. Some are fascinating, and some are downright irreverent. But what’s Jewish humor without irreverence? To get the full scope of the topic, I highly recommend signing up for the course here. C’mon, I know your ears (or in this case, eyes) perked up when I said it’s free.

Source: YIVO

The name of the course comes from an old joke:

Two Jewish women are sitting in a restaurant. The waiter comes over and asks, “Is anything okay?”

According to a study performed by psychologist Samuel Janus in 1975, approximately 80% of American comedians at the time were of Jewish origin. For a people who make up 2% of the U.S. population, that’s a pretty significant percentage. Learn about the history of this funny ethno-religion, starting with how far back our humor goes.

Tracing the Jewish Funny Bone - Traditions of Old

Torah: We all know the earliest example in the Torah is when G-d tells Sarah, at the age of 90, that she is going to have a baby and she laughs, making us think about our preconceived notions of G-d and how those can be overturned.

Talmud: According to a story in the Talmud (Ta'anit 22a) about Elijah the prophet in the marketplace, laughter and bringing people together through laughter is a sign of the world to come.

Rabbi Beroka went over to the men and said to them: What is your occupation? They said to him: We are jesters, and we cheer up the depressed. Alternatively, when we see two people who have a quarrel between them, we strive to make peace. It is said that for this behavior one enjoys the profits of his actions in this world, and yet his reward is not diminished in the World-to-Come.

Traditions of the Old Country

Of course, there’s the Purim spiel - a comedic performance and retelling of the story of the Book of Esther, incorporating modern references, satire, and slapstick comedy. It’s a lighthearted celebration of the holiday's theme of triumph over adversity, and dates back to at least the Middle Ages. Watch a sample of my own take on the Purim spiel where I made fun of people at my shul, with love of course.

Purim celebration in Germany, circa 1920 (source: Leo Baeck Institute)

But my favorite tradition I’ve learned about in the class is the badkhn, a Jewish wedding jester, aka the first Jewish standup comedian. Step aside, Alex Edelman… the badkhn, popular in 19th century Poland, had one job, which was developed initially as a response to the commandment to “delight the bride and groom.” This wedding jester cracked jokes about the wedding party, and sometimes went so far as to insult guests and made the bride cry, erupting into fights at the wedding. Looks like I just found another side hustle!

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Jewish Jokes with Fred

Jumping ahead in time a bit… during Covid, I made awkward Zoom videos with my (then) 90-year-old father. Coincidentally, they are also in three parts. Here is part I, which gives a brief rundown of Jewish humor, followed by joke telling, something we could all use during these dark times. Enjoy!

Be on the lookout for parts 2 & 3 after Shavuot!

Shabbat Shalom and always find a reason to laugh,