Sunday, February 01, 2009

Old Jews telling jokes

I'm loving this website and the idea behind it.



From site creator Sam Hoffman:

"My dad can tell a story. But he’d prefer to tell a joke.

Storytelling is a Jewish tradition. You’ve probably seen Fiddler on the Roof. Whenever they ask the Rabbi a question, he tugs thoughtfully on his beard and says “let me tell you a story.” Then they sing.

Jokes are like stories, but shorter and funnier. Old jokes tend to have a stigma, but they only last if they’re good. Some of the best ones provide a window to the culture of a bygone era. They can reveal the concerns of a generation or even the generation before. Anxieties of coming to a new country, of prospering, of assimilating, of having families, of fearing and worrying about, well, everything. Humor was and is the ultimate anti-depressant.

My father gathered twenty of his friends to share their favorite jokes. We set three rules for the production: the joke-tellers were to be Jewish, at least sixty years of age and they were to tell their favorite joke – the one that always kills.

Here, you will find them, Old Jews Telling Jokes."
(Found via the ever superb Panti blog)

5 comments:

  1. It really is. I'm tempted to do an Irish version. "Old culchies telling jokes" or some such.

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  2. Brilliant! :) Going in my five a day again! :D

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  3. haha...totally do a Irish version. Rock it.

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  4. But...But...But...there's only 4

    :(.

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