Jewish Humor: What the Best Jewish Jokes Say About the Jews

by Joseph Telushkin

Here are more than 100 of the best Jewish jokes you'll ever hear, interspersed with perceptive and persuasive insight into what they can tell us about how Jews see themselves, their families, and their friends, and what they think about money, sex, and success. Rabbi Joseph Telushkin is as celebrated for his wit as for his scholarship, and in this immensely entertaining book, he displays both in equal measure. Stimulating, something stinging, and always very, very funny, Jewish Humor offers a classic portrait of the Jewish collective unconscious.

Genres: Jewish, Humor, Judaism, Nonfiction, Judaica, History, Theology

240 pages, Paperback

First published September 1, 1992

About the author

Joseph Telushkin (born 1948) is an American rabbi, lecturer, and best selling author. His more than 15 books include several volumes about Jewish ethics, Jewish Literacy, as well as "Rebbe", a New York Times best seller released in June 2014

Telushkin was raised in Brooklyn, New York, the son of Solomon and Hellen Telushkin. He attended Yeshiva of Flatbush where met his future co-author Dennis Prager. While at Columbia University, they authored Nine Questions People Ask About Judaism and Why the Jews?: The Reason for Antisemitism.

While at University, Telushkin was an active leader of the Student Struggle for Soviet Jewry. As part of his position, Telushkin visited the Soviet Union where he met with dissidents such as Andrei Sakharov. He was eventually listed by the KGB as an anti-Russian agent.

An Orthodox rabbi by training, Telushkin serves as a spiritual leader of Los Angeles’ Synagogue for the Performing Arts, founded in 1972 by Rabbi Jerome Cutler. He is an associate of the National Jewish Center for Learning and Leadership and a former director of education at the non-denominational Brandeis-Bardin Institute. Telushkin is also a Senior Associate with CLAL, the National Jewish Center for Learning and Leadership, and is a member of the board of directors of the Jewish Book Council. He has been on the Newsweek's list of the 50 most influential Rabbis in America since 1997.

Telushkin is the author of sixteen books on Judaism. His book, Words that Hurt, Words that Heal, inspired Senators Joseph Lieberman’s and Connie Mack’s Senate Resolution #151 to establish a National Speak No Evil Day in the United States, a day in which Americans would go for twenty-four hours without saying anything unkind or unfair about, or to, anyone. His book, Jewish Literacy: The Most Important Things to Know About the Jewish Religion, Its People and Its History, is one of the best-selling books on Judaism of the past two decades. More than two decades after its publication, the book remains a foundation text for Jews, non-Jews, and prospective converts alike. The first volume of A Code of Jewish Ethics, entitled A Code of Jewish Ethics: You Shall be Holy, which Telushkin regards as his major life's work, was published in 2006. The second volume, entitled, A Code of Jewish Ethics: Love Your Neighbor, was released in 2009.

In 2013, Telushkin was invited by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, António Guterres to speak before the commission in Geneva.

In 2014, Telushkin released "Rebbe: The life and teachings of Menachem M. Schneerson, the most influential Rabbi in Modern History" which appeared on all the major best seller lists including New York Times Best Seller list, Wall Street Journal and Publishers Weekly.

Telushkin tours the United States as a lecturer on Jewish topics, and has been named by Talk Magazine as one of the fifty best speakers in the United States. He wrote the episode 'Bar Mitzvah' on Touched by an Angel guest starring Kirk Douglas.

Reviews

[Regina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rabbi Joseph Telushkin has written a book that covers history, theology, sociology, psychology, Greek classics, popular culture, the battle of the sexes, and - oh yeah, Jewish humor. He must have had a great time finding the perfect story, anecdote, one-liner, or stand up joke to support all the fascinating, tender, sometimes sad, often ironic and always funny tales to which these jokes have become a response, a defense mechanism, or a distraction from the brutality of life. A wonderful book, and not for Jews only! Highly recommended.

[Patricia Joynton · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is just right in many ways. It is funny, but serious. It is informative without being academic. It provides serious information without being overly academic -- you can sit down and enjoy reading it without feeling like you are reading a pedantic historical text on the information. It is selective about the information it provides, which makes it enjoyable (if not sad and thought provoking) to read.

[Jerry Jares · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the second book I've read about Jewish humor.* This one is written by a rabbi who takes his Jewish jokes seriously. What he seems to be doing is explaining Jewishness through their humor. He is very earnest and clear in his explanations. I walked away with a much clearer understanding of the Jewish mind and culture after reading this book.

* The previous one was "Let There Be Laughter A Treasury of Great Jewish Humor and What It Means" by Krasny, Michael.

[Richard Klueg · Rating 3 out of 5]

I learned in college sociology class that evaluating a culture's humor goes a long way to help understanding that culture. The author does a fine job of doing that for Jewish culture which, he points out, contains a good deal of diversity along with some strong universal traits. My knowledge of (and appreciation for) Jewish culture was filled in nicely by his commentary.

But honestly, I mostly read the book for the jokes.

[Zhelana · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a collection of jokes and commentary that range from not very funny to hilarious. Many of them, however, could have been told about a number of different ethnic groups or groups of people. Like there was a whole section about stupid people that could have just as easily been told about a marine, a blond, or a polock. There were also jokes about the synagogue you refuse to go to that I've heard told about christian denominations. Some of these jokes were decidedly Jewish, but the majority were not. I'd even probably heard the majority of them told about other groups. Also, if you have to explain your joke, it isn't funny, and this entire book was dedicated to explaining jokes. I think it would have worked better if he had told the joke and then explained it so that it was funny and not what you were expecting based on the explanation that came ahead of it. But overall it was a good book, and did a pretty good job of explaining the jews.

[Yoshi · Rating 4 out of 5]

A joke is less funny if you have to explain it, and this book is all about explaining Jewish jokes. It’s funny though and full of a wide variety of Jewish humor. Great for learning about the themes that inform Jewish humor, along with references to other relevant books. Not exactly a joke book though.

[Paulatics · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. It was like reading 2 books at the same time. I had to keep a bookmark in the notes where there was very important information that could have constituted another book. I laughed so much. And I learned a great deal.

[Nicole · Rating 3 out of 5]

A mix of Jewish jokes and explanations about the jokes and Jews in general. Some of the material taken directly from other writings.

[Glenn F. · Rating 2 out of 5]

Some good ones, but not the finest of Jewish humor. I have uncles who are more humorous.

[L · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun, interesting, and enjoyable read. Even down to the footnotes and annotated bibliography. Highly recommend.

[Monica Weissmann · Rating 4 out of 5]

Making fun of ourselves …

Humour is probably more important than knowledge or wisdom and we, Jews, always knew how to make fun of ourselves. Delightful reading.

[Chris DiPasqua · Rating 3 out of 5]

Enlightening read for getting acquainted with elements of Jewish culture interspersed with some very good humor. At times a little dry, but overall quality read!

[Bernard · Rating 4 out of 5]

Meer moppen en minder uitleg

[Lumpy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a really fun read that went beyond just retelling jokes to investigate the values represented in Jewish humor. Relating common Jewish jokes to everything from the Talmud to Zionism, the author provides interesting insight into American Jewish culture.

[Shana · Rating 4 out of 5]

A quick and enjoyable read. I adore Rabbi Telushkin; his books are always so informative, while remaining easy to read and not in the slightest bit condescending. While I sense our approaches to Judaism are quite different, he never positions himself as a moral superior. We are merely having the most interesting of conversations about a topic that is clearly important to the both of us. In this book, Rabbi Telushkin uses Jewish jokes both modern and old as jumping off points for discussion about Jews relationship to their traditions, each other, the world, and God. I look forward to discssing it with my grandfather.

[Joan · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love Telushkin as a mystery writer, but found this book not as exciting, interesting, fun as I expected it to be. Nevertheless, I think he gave me a great deal of grist for the sermonic mill. I expect to get a fine/fun High Holy Day sermon from it.

Some of the stories are very funny. Others elude me altogether. He covers family relationships, Jewish intelligence, Business ethics/materialism, self-depreciation, sex, guilt, antisemitism, assimilation, God, the Messiah, Rabbis, charity, Israel and some odd and sundry unrelated jokes.





August 9, 1995

[Jemma · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is about what jew's would joke about. My mom and I arent the most religious Jews out there but this book was hillarious i didnt read the whole thing but i sifted through all the jokes and it was really funny.

[Christopher Johnson]

Wonderful blend of laughs and serious social and historical commentary.

[Sylvia J. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Many of these jokes will fit right into a drash. :-) For Kodashim and honoring elders there are quite a few. ;-)

[Sara Goldenberg · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was pretty funny!