"Old Country" Jewish Humor Is Simply The Best

The "Old Country" Jewish humor is the best humor. Although the 19th century Eastern European Jews have died out they have left a legacy of wry, ironic, clever and above all self-deprecating humor which is a treasure trove.They also live on in the hundreds of top class Jewish humorists, writers, actors-on stage in the movies

and of course television.

The list is endless-Berle, Kovacs, Seinfeld, David, Jerry Lewis, Jack Benny and on and on seemingly endlessly including right up to date with the likes of Ben Stiller and Adam Sandler

 all of whom have a debt to a parent or grandparent with some European heritage.

Below is one of my favorite examples. It is not funny in the slapstick or instant punchline Henny Youngman way, (although it builds up to a carefully constructed laid back punchline which is perfect) but it covers a number of bases-the Jewish tradition and love of reasoning, and of course story telling-enjoy!

NB.It has a double plus for us moderns/baseball fans as it explains how both Ernie Kovacs and Sandy Koufax had unusual-not specifically Jewish names and "what they were before ". NNB. A Talmud scholar is a biblical scholar.

I apologize for the poor presentation but I have not mastered the copying from a printer technique. Click on the "first page" to see it whole.