Jewish Wit and Wisdom

by Herb Galewitz (Editor), Galewitz

"It's no disgrace to be poor," observed Sholom Aleichem, "but it's no great honor, either." "Happiness is having a large, loving, caring, close-knit family in another city," remarked George Burns, while Marc Chagall noted that "Art is the unceasing effort to compete with the beauty of flowers and never succeeding." These and many more classic examples of Jewish wit and wisdom — sometimes hilarious, frequently profound, almost always incisive — enliven the pages of this entertaining and practical little volume.
Some 500 aphorisms include observations and remarks from statesmen, writers, artist, philosophers, jurists, musicians, and celebrities — from the prophets of the Old Testament, the Talmud, and Maimonides to Joey Adams, Barbra Streisand, and Woody Allen. Here also are memorable quotes from Louis Brandeis, Martin Buber, Fanny Brice, Heinrich Heine, Sam Goldwyn, Golda Meir, Karl Marx, Groucho Marx, Herman Mankiewicz, Albert Einstein, and many others.
Arranged alphabetically by author, these thought-provoking pronouncements will not only serve as a handy resource for speech writers and public speakers but will also amuse and inspire all readers.

Genres: Humor, Jewish

64 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2001

Reviews

[Jerry Jares · Rating 4 out of 5]

This slim volume has some of the best wit and wisdom from celebrated and less famous Jews. Some entries deserve a chuckle, a groan or a feeling of wonder at the insight of man into the human condition.

Here are a few of my favorites:

Woody Allen: Bisexuality immediately doubles your chances of a date on a Saturday night.

Morey Amsterdam: Marriage is wonderful. Without it, husbands and wives would have to fight with strangers.

Al Capp: Abstract art? A product of the untalented, sold by the unprincipled to the utterly bewildered.

Milton Friedman: Concentrated power is not rendered harmless by the good intentions of those who create it.

Oscar Levant: A pun is the lowest form of humor when you don't think of it first!

Herman Mankiewicz: She could give you an eyewitness report on the Crucifixion and put you to sleep.

[Nathalie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Some good wit and a few useful wisdoms.

[James · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book is, of course, infinitely too short to cover the topic that is the work's title, but it is a nice enough and varied enough collection of quotes covering varied fields with alternating senses of humor, seriousness, and religious gravitas. If one is interested in quotes, it is a fine little volume. I like to pepper my conversations and written works with quotes and this added sufficient fire power to my arsenal of language. You may find yourself wishing for more, but it is still a brief review worth your time and expense with a few chuckles and a few serious considerations to stretch one's mind as well.

[Maggie Anton · Rating 4 out of 5]

I discovered this small book in a friend's bathroom and I was so enamored by it that I bought copies for myself and a few others. Its alphabetical listing of quotes by famous, infamous, and obscure Jews is just the thing to engage your mind for a few minutes of sitting around. Also nice to take along when you expect to wait in line somewhere. I both enjoyed and learned from it.

[Kaj Samuelsson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some were fun, some were weird and some I didn't understand, but overall it was interesting reading.