UNESCO Saves Humor From Itself
The Backward is the Forward’s annual satirical Purim edition. Enjoy!
After a long process, UNESCO has declared Jewish jokes as World Heritage Treasures. This follows a similar decision by the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization to protect Irish jokes for posterity.
UNESCO representative Sven Svensson told the Backward that the intention is to “preserve ancient structures for the benefit of future generations… contemporary humor should not be held back by a bunch of kvetching schmucks.”
Svensson thanked the Andrew and Charlene Seagram Philanthropies for spending the time and money to identify and commemorate these fossil structures. Concurrent with the UNESCO announcement, the Foundation released its latest report, a $43 million study of the feasibility of getting Jeff Koons to build a private museum for the jokes. The museum’s centerpiece would be the very last item of Jewish kitsch, a purple velour yarmulke from Lenny Berkowitz’s bar mitzvah.
“Apparently, it was made into a small tea cozy, with the words ‘Oy Tea!’ stitched into it,” said a foundation representative, snorting with laughter at the clever use of “oy.”
The exact Sites of Specific Amusement will be announced later this year. Meanwhile, the UN group will consider special protection for blonde jokes and mother-in-law jokes.
Jackie Mason was unavailable to comment.
I hope you appreciated this article. Before you go, I’d like to ask you to please support the Forward’s award-winning journalism this Passover.
In this age of misinformation, our work is needed like never before. We report on the news that matters most to American Jews, driven by truth, not ideology.
At a time when newsrooms are closing or cutting back, the Forward has removed its paywall. That means for the first time in our 126-year history, Forward journalism is free to everyone, everywhere. With an ongoing war, rising antisemitism, and a flood of disinformation that may affect the upcoming election, we believe that free and open access to Jewish journalism is imperative.
Readers like you make it all possible. Right now, we’re in the middle of our Passover Pledge Drive and we still need 300 people to step up and make a gift to sustain our trustworthy, independent journalism.
Make a gift of any size and become a Forward member today. You’ll support our mission to tell the American Jewish story fully and fairly.
— Rachel Fishman Feddersen, Publisher and CEO
Join our mission to tell the Jewish story fully and fairly.
Only 300 more gifts needed by April 30