Though there was a time when I was interested in the study of humor as an academic discipline, my interest in humor in general—and Jewish humor in particular - has always been part of my broader interest in life and in other human beings.
I have been living Jewish humor for many years, but it never occurred to me to think about teaching it - or, to be more precise, teaching Jewish sense of humor - until I suddenly realized what my study of Chassidus had done to my own (Jewish) sense of humor. Before Chassidus, I used to laugh at others; after Chassidus, I have come to laugh with them.
After this sudden realization, it didn't take me long to take action. Recently I began teaching an experimental course in Jewish humor as a way to transform life, hoping that in eight 90-minute sessions I would be able to help my students build a foundation for Jewish sense of humor. The Jewish jokes I shared with them were meant to serve as a kind of "choreography" of Jewish laughter in several major areas where many of us encounter challenges.
To make a long story short, I realized after the second session that I had been far too naïve. Even developing minimal literacy in Jewish humor turned out to be earth-shattering for my four non-Jewish students, who had agreed to participate in this experimental course despite the fact that they had already been studying and practicing a spiritual teaching.
Because they failed to understand many of the Jewish jokes even after my explanations, I came to realize that internalizing any sense of humor requires a fundamental rewriting of the brain, especially when it comes to Jewish sense of humor. In a sense this may be no less demanding or difficult than spiritual awakening.
Some of my Jewish readers may wonder what went wrong with my mind when the idea of teaching Jewish sense of humor to non-Jewish students as a way to transform life even occurred to me. Do you know what? I have to admit that I'm not perfect. ;-)
In the meantime, I have shelved this course. But my desire to share even minimal literacy in Jewish humor as a way to transform darkness into light - and thus to transform life fundamentally - has not dimmed. So what do I (continue to) do? I simply demonstrate how I live with this sense of humor and laugh with my "victims" ;-) whenever and wherever I can. To my pleasant surprise, I seldom fail to make them laugh, especially in places where I would least expect laughter such as governmental and municipal offices.