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There are a number of topics characteristic of traditional Jewish humor, which undergo change in every generation:
Poverty. Many define Jewish humor as “laughter through tears.” Some maintain that Jews were quick to describe even the bleakest aspects of their lives in an amusing light in order to lessen the yoke of their harsh reality.
Jews and non-Jews. The tension between Jews and the world surrounding them provided a wealth of material for jokes. Directing their humor at others played an important role among the Jews: it preserved the internal cohesion of the community. This type of humor defines the “us” as opposed to the “them” and offers a sense of superiority in relation to the hostile environment.
The Jewish mother. She is the most familiar character in Jewish family jokes and is often called a yiddishe mama. She is an obsessive worrier, overbearing and knows no boundaries, a mother who smothers her children with wanted and unwanted love and attention.
