It was October of 2023, and I was on a two-hour car drive, on my way to give a Jewish joke-writing session to a supplementary Hebrew school.
But it didn’t feel right.
During the weeks (and even months) after October 7, laughter and humor were elusive, like a distant memory that was hard to conjure up.
And even if I was in the right mood to teach slapstick, “Three Stooges”-style humor and the art of corny joke writing, it felt tone deaf to do it during such a dark time.
And yet at some point during that two-hour car drive, when I was on a long stretch of highway with its beautiful autumn foliage, I had a change of perspective. I realized one of the greatest gifts we have and can pass on to the next generation is the gift of humor.
Laughing puts us at ease. It breaks the ice and creates warmth and connection between people. It boosts our physical and mental health. It helps our minds open to learn. And perhaps most fitting in this case, it is a powerful coping tool. Humor has been a best friend to the Jewish people for generations.
These days, when I teach kids about crafting punch lines, amusing people with the element of surprise, and playing with language, it feels like one of the better things I can do with my time.
That, and scrolling through memes and comedy clips, of course.
