During the war with Iran, Israelis had to deal with school closures and sirens sending them running to bomb shelters or safe rooms numerous times a day. Orthodox Jewish comedian Eli Lebowicz saw this happening from his home in the U.S. and wanted to help the only way he knew he could.
During the pandemic, he did more than a hundred Zoom shows, and realized that the way to avoid feeling like he was speaking into a void was to unmute several people so there could still be the sound of laughter.
At the beginning of March, he decided to do several Zoom shows for Israelis. About 500 people in total tuned in to the shows he did.
“I knew people in Israel were going through a rough time, going back and forth to shelters, and I knew Purim would not be as joyous as they wanted it to be,” Lebowicz said. “So, I figured the least I could do is lighten people’s spirits and do a show for [them].”
He said people were appreciative because much of their daily routines had been disrupted.
“Parents had a tough time because it was stressful – no school and of course having to worry about safety,” he said. “There could be sirens at any moment. It’s crazy how something quickly becomes the norm. So, I wanted to bring them a little bit of joy.”
Lebowicz performs across the country for synagogues and organizations that want clean, kosher comedy that still makes them laugh. His comedy is easily accessible, drawing from Jewish laws and customs as well as from some popular culture that everyone is familiar with.
Was it difficult to know what material was OK during war, and what would cross the line?
“I joked that Iran was playing the long game and part of their plan was that they’re trying to mess with our infrastructure by keeping smart kids out of school,” he said.
But he said there is a stark difference between Israeli and American audiences.
“Israelis are not as sensitive,” Lebowicz said. “But especially in this case, if you have to worry about running to a bomb shelter a few times a day, I don’t think you’re going to be worrying about whether or not a joke is too offensive. In America, there is a luxury of not having as many worries, so it’s a lot different. They can handle it, but over here when we have it easier, we have the time and space to worry about if a joke goes too far and argue about it.”
He said he made a joke about “putting out your Ayatollahs for the (recycling) collections” in reference to one of the most bizarre scenes in recent history when Iran had an event to announce its new Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khameini, and had a cardboard cutout of him, as the real son of the late leader was rumored to be injured and likely unconscious.
“Even if you’re anti-Israel, people should call a spade a spade,” Lebowicz said. “Things are not going so well if your leader is a cardboard box.”
Lebowicz recalled how, after October 7, Americans sent supplies to help Israel. “But here, I wondered what I could do, and this is one thing I’m good at, so I thought I could tangibly help. You have to imagine people were not getting enough sleep and your world is turned upside-down. At any second, there could be sirens.”
At the end of 2024, Lebowicz went to Israel to do six live shows, including events in Jerusalem, Beit Shemesh, and other locales. In the Zoom shows, luckily no one watching him had to run to bomb shelters, though when he did a podcast, the host had to do so.
Lebowicz is a member of the popular comedy sketch troupe JSketch along with Ami Kozak and Mikey Geenblatt. He is currently booking his summer shows, ranging from end-of-year school shows and camps to fundraisers and simchas.
He said he was impressed by the Israeli spirit and their resilience and creativity at such a tumultuous time, especially by the way they adapt to whatever situation they are thrown into. “What would other cultures do in this situation?” he asked. “They would say ‘Woe is me.’ Israelis decided to make an app to see if they have time to shower. And there was also a dating app to see who was single in bomb shelters. That’s the Jewish spirit in a nutshell. The world is trying to kill us and we see what positive thing [we can] come out with out of this.”