Jewish Humor

Catalog description

A comprehensive study of Jewish humor, along with its characteristics and unique elements, this course investigates what makes a joke Jewish, employing multiple perspectives including content, attitude, and devices used. Such study naturally invites comparisons to the humor of other groups, including religions, cultures,nationalities, ethnicities, sexes, and professions, as well as why some humor is toxic. Ancient Jewish humor from the Hebrew Bible and the Talmud will also be studied.