Here at the Jewish Light, we take Jewish humor seriously. When we introduced a weekly “Jewish Joke of the Week,” I was once stopped in line at Protzel’s by the mother of a high school friend. With half a smile, she asked why I’d do such a thing. Her concern was that the humor I was spotlighting might play into stereotypes and tropes.
My answer was simple: Jews love to laugh. We laugh at ourselves and at the very things that make us Jewish. We do it out of love, not malice. And historically, we’ve used humor to add levity to serious Jewish concerns like war, antisemitism, and the mistreatment of our people. She said that made sense, and I tell that story before presenting any Jewishish jokes.
ADVERTISEMENT
The interaction is symbolic of the discussion Jewish humor invokes, because Jewish humor can be hard to define. William Novak and Moshe Waldoks put it best in “The Big Book of Jewish Humor” when they wrote “It is not, for example, escapist. It is generally not cruel and does not attack the weak or the infirm. At the same time, it is also not polite or gentle. Not everyone gets every joke, and not everyone finds every joke funny — but for those of us who believe laughter is part of Jewish survival, it’s something worth celebrating.”
Earlier this year we profiled Adam Kegel and his book “The Best of Jewish Humor,” a collection that captured the spirit of Jewish laughter. But long before the book, Kegel had already built a massive audience online. His Jewish Humor Facebook group, launched in 2014, has grown into one of the largest communities of its kind, with more than 245,000 members and nearly 100,000 active every month. For Kegel, the group and the book have always been two sides of the same mission: keeping Jewish humor alive and shared.
Now, after more than a decade, Kegel is ready to hand it off. The group — along with his online store, WeGotWhatYouNeed.com — is officially for sale.
Why sell now
At 70, Kegel says his priorities have shifted. “I feel my time would be better served in helping singles find their soul mate, their beshert,” he explains. “The need for love and connection is a basic human need, where Jewish Humor is not.”
A digital shtetl of jokes and debate
ADVERTISEMENT
Over the years, Kegel turned his group into what he calls “a virtual shtetl,” complete with themes like “Music Sunday,” “Food Monday,” “Yiddish Wednesday,” Shabbat humor and tributes to Jewish cultural figures. “Give the members what they want to keep them engaged,” he says.
It wasn’t just about jokes. “Every Shabbat had a special comical and serious element to it. Every Jewish holiday had both comical and serious posts,” Kegel explains. “Anytime there was a Jewish celebrity birthday or death anniversary, there would be a significant tribute done about that Jewish celebrity which also included music artists, actors and actresses, of course comedians and also Israeli Presidents and Prime Ministers.”
Still, moderation was never simple. “Jewish humor is very subjective,” he says. “What one finds funny, someone else may say, ‘Not funny,’ or worse, ‘It’s offensive.’ There are over 245,600 members and over 245,600 opinions.”
After Oct. 7, he says the group also became a space for reflection. “Through the Jewish Humor group, I have connected more closely to my Jewish identity than ever before and have also influenced thousands of members to do the same.”
What comes next
Kegel is open to serious buyers, noting that Facebook requires groups to be sold as part of a business package. His online store sells T-shirts, mugs, and novelty items, and the package price is $12,500.
But his focus is already shifting. His new venture, Meet YourBeshert is designed to give Jewish singles a trusted alternative to dating apps. Kegel’s passion for matchmaking stretches back to 1984, when he founded one of Canada’s first video dating agencies. That business ended after a break-in, but the passion never left him.
“For Jewish singles, finding a partner is not just about companionship — it’s about building a future, preserving traditions, and discovering your beshert,” he says. “The quality of your relationships equals the quality of your life. And everyone deserves a quality life.”
And if you still want a laugh along the way, Kegel’s book “The Best of Jewish Humor” remains available — a reminder that even as he shifts to matchmaking, the jokes he helped preserve still carry on.
If you would like to contact Kegel regarding this opportunity, email him at [email protected].
