By Jacob Kamaras
SAN DIEGO — In times like these, it can be hard to know whether to laugh or cry. At least for one night, the choice was perfectly clear.
The “Laugh Through The Heartbreak” traveling ensemble stopped in San Diego last week and delivered precisely what its name indicates — a much-needed dose of lightheartedness in the midst of an exceedingly grim news cycle for anyone who’s been following Israel, the Middle East, and the American Jewish community during these last two years.
On Sept. 14 at the Laugh Factory downtown, comedians Shahar Cohen, Menachem Silverstein, Daniel Lobell, Leah Lamarr, and Erez Safar treated a sellout crowd to a night of distinctly Jewish humor. Created and produced by Safar, and co-produced by Silverstein, the Laugh Through The Heartbreak series describes itself as blending “top-tier comedians with rising local talent, crafting an unforgettable night of laughter and connection.”
For the San Diego show, the best-known comedian was Cohen, who performed as himself but also as his alter ego Nofar Levi — a woman who gives unfiltered advice on navigating Israeli life (pro tips: don’t bother to wait in line and don’t be too polite). The character also held an audition to be her husband, while grilling other audience members to see whether or not they’d be granted security clearance to enter Israel. The act was clearly a crowd-pleaser.
And yet, arguably the most entertaining comedy routine of the night came from Lobell, who told epic stories about forgetting to turn off an audiobook of Hitler’s “Mein Kampf” while a valet driver parked his car, and encountering the giant pandas at the San Diego Zoo that are on loan from China (instead of staying here permanently, to the comedian’s dismay). Lobell’s buildup and timing for each story were spot-on.
But overall, Laugh Through The Heartbreak doesn’t hinge on how funny the jokes are. Rather, the show’s concept in and of itself makes a powerful statement that at a time when Jews all too often have something to frown about, it’s important to sit back for a moment and smile. We should take pride in the fact that Jewish comedians can get up on stage at a popular venue and proudly perform their Jewish-related material. We need not hide our identity, nor be afraid. We can sit down — or just as comedians do, we can stand up, tell our stories, and be ourselves unabashedly.
Indeed, the words of Dr. Patch Adams ring true at a time like this: “Humor is an antidote to all ills.”
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Jacob Kamaras, a public relations executive, is a former publisher of San Diego Jewish World.