S25-22 How to Laugh in Yiddish (Part 2!)
Class | Registration opens 3/3/2025 9:00 AM
A recent study of American Jewish identity found that 42 percent of American Jews consider "having a good sense of humor" to be "an essential part of what it means to be Jewish". In this hour-long session, Rabbi Alvin Wainhaus will take us on a journey through the world of Yiddish humor as exemplified by dozens of classic Yiddish jokes. Prepare to laugh, learn, and gain a deeper understanding of the underlying messages within one of Jewish culture's most cherished facets. NOTE: Knowledge of Yiddish is not necessary to understand the humor. All will be translated!
Rabbi Alvin Wainhaus
Rabbi Alvin Wainhaus, son of Holocaust survivors, was raised in an Orthodox environment in Brooklyn, New York. A graduate of Brooklyn College with a degree in philosophy, he earned a Master of Education degree from NYU and was ordained in Tel Aviv, Israel in 1972. Rabbi Wainhaus served congregations in Yarmouth, Nova Scotia and in Manhattan prior to becoming the spiritual leader of Congregation Or Shalom in Orange in 1981. Rabbi Wainhaus has immersed himself in the Jewish and secular life of the community and is highly regarded as a spiritual leader, educator, and lecturer on a wide range of religious and secular issues. His involvement in interfaith activities throughout Greater New Haven has earned him the respect and admiration of Jews and non-Jews alike.