I’ve been a cartoonist for more than forty years and a Jew my whole life. Truth be told, I observe Judaism from afar. Religion’s not my thing. Humor is, and, in that respect, being Jewish is definitely a plus.
You don’t have to be Jewish to be funny, but, hey, it doesn’t hurt. Although I don’t know what percentage of cartoonists are Jewish, I do know that it’s way higher than 2.2%, which represents our share of the population as a whole.
We Jewish folk may have started out as The People of The Book, but I tend to think of us as The People of The Joke, especially when the joke is on us.
While all groups have humor, a distinctive quality of Jewish humor is that it teases its own tribe. Yep, we can make a joke – and we can take one.
That goes for cartoons as well.
Following are some of my favorite Jewish cartoons culled from our vast cartoon collection.
And just so you don’t think I’m overly philo-semitic, I want you to know that two of the great Jewish cartoons featured above are by Gentiles. You don’t have to be Jewish to enjoy this kind of humor or even, as it turns out, to create it.
Of course, my favorite Jewish-themed cartoons might not be your favorites. The best way to find out is for you to click here and view our extensive collection of jokes. You’ll find laughter suitable for sharing as a print, mug, t-shirt, or card this holiday season with all your good-humored friends, be they Jewish, Gentiles, or Whatever.
Yours in Good Humor,
Bob