When the Rabbi Laughs! Jewish humor on ORF

Anyone wanting to say something about Jewish humor in Vienna can not ignore Rabbi Paul Chaim Eisenberg. Nobody tells jokes like he does. No one embodies such a subtle, intelligent cheerfulness and at the same time is a central figure of Austrian Jewry. In the Jewish community, some criticize the lively rabbi as an "entertainer". For Eisenberg however, humor is not only an end in itself, but above all a method to draw the attention of the listener to more serious concerns. In this documentary, Eisenberg takes the film team to select locations where, together with his friends, he explains the depths and shallows of Jewish cheerfulness. The chief rabbi directs this spontaneous and very amusing journey through the lively Jewish Vienna. Also joining the group: Bishop Michael Bünker, Danielle Spera, Ruth Werdigier, Roman Grinberg, etc.
Report, 42 min
Airing date: February 6th, 2018, 10:35 pm, ORF 2
Director: Thomas Grusch and Elisabeth Krimbacher
Commissioning Editor ORF: Barbara Krenn
A tausend Rosen production for ORF