Jewish Jokes of the 1950s & 60s

Jokes of the 50s & 60s

Reprinted with permission from Reform Judaism magazine.

Henny Youngman

"I once wanted to become an atheist, but I gave up… they have no holidays."

Rodney Dangerfield

"I told my psychiatrist that everyone hates me. He said I was being ridiculous; everyone hasn’t met me yet."

Groucho Marx

"Marriage is a wonderful institution. But who wants to live in an institution?"

George Burns

"This is the sixth book I’ve written, which isn’t bad for a guy who’s read only two."

Mel Brooks

"Tragedy is when I cut my finger. Comedy is if you fall into an open sewer and die."

Oscar Levant

"A politician is a man who will double cross that bridge when he comes to it."

Woody Allen

"It’s not that I’m afraid to die; I just don’t want to be there when it happens."

Marty Feldman

"The pen is mightier than the sword, and considerably easier to write with."
 
 

 

Discover More

Similar Jewish Words You Don’t Want to Mix Up

From kibbitz/kibbutz to mitzvah/mikveh, we round up some easily confused Hebrew and Yiddish terms.

The 11 Best Ladino Expressions and Phrases To Know

Learn some choice phrases, including the most epic sneeze response ever, in this Sephardic language also known as Judeo-Spanish.

Seven Holocaust Films You Should See

These under-the-radar movies about the Shoah are affecting, powerful and nuanced.