Jewish Humor as a Survival Tool and a Bridge to Social Justice

Social justiceSocial justice attempts to make the world a better place, a place where everyone counts, where we treat everyone equitably, and all people have the same opportunity to achieve success. By its very definition, then, social justiceSocial justice humor is political in nature. Like many powerful tools, humor can be used for both good and evil. It can perpetuate stereotypesStereotypes; it also can redress a wide variety of prejudicesPrejudice and preconceptions. This chapter investigates how Jewish humor—going all the way back to the Hebrew Bible—can serve as a prism through which to examine the political and cultural oppression of this enduring people, including some of the worst moments in Jewish history. The modern genre of stand-up comedy is at its most poignant and razor-sharp when used in the service of social justiceSocial justice. Many oppressed groups practice this sort of humor including African-AmericansAfrican-American humor, womenWomen, MuslimsMuslims, and the disabled, among others. Historical examples discussed here include humor of the conversos, Jewish victims of the blood libel, that of enslaved African-Americans, anti-Nazi humor, and humor in the former Soviet Union. Social justiceSocial justice humor can be a tool for educating bigots, for promoting the self-esteem of the oppressed, or for simply getting even.