Book clean and affordable Jewish comedians and other clean comedians for Temples/Synagogues/JCC’s and other Jewish organizations and federations. Perfect for Purim and Chanukah / Hanukkah events.
We love doing shows for Jewish Community Centers, Temples and Synagogues, Hadassahs, Jewish Federations and other Jewish organizations. For Purim or Chanukah or most other holidays.
You don’t need to hire only Jewish stand-up comedians for your Jewish organization’s comedy night. In fact you probably shouldn’t. What you must have are the right comedians. It’s fine to have one Jewish comedian if you’re having one comic. But if your event features three or four comedians you should absolutely have some variety. You don’t want to book three or four single, heterosexual Jewish male comedians all talking about the same topics or your audience will be thinking “Enough already about Tinder dates- talk about something else.”
If your event is three or four male comics, the lack of women on stage will be obvious. We’re experts at booking the right mix of comedians for your event.
When we’ve done shows at synagogues with a Jewish comedian and an Italian-American Catholic comedian the reaction is always something like “Wow, I didn’t realize we all had the same family dynamics. We’re not that different.” And the Italian-American comedian’s response? “Our food is better.”
We know how to book shows- we’ve been doing it for over two decades.
Studies show that getting people in a good mood with laughter enhances fund-raising.
Studies have also shown that people value experiences more than we value possessions. The pleasure we get from buying something new wears off very quickly but pleasurable experiences live on in our memory. A comedy show is a great, fun experience!
Here are some clean comedians who are wonderful for synagogue shows:
Shaun Eli
Clean corporate stand-up comedian Shaun Eli has rightfully been called one of America’s smartest comics. Whether it’s a story about dining with a vegetarian or successfully fighting a parking ticket, master storyteller Shaun Eli shows you that there’s hilarity in the ordinary if you approach life with a comedic warp. Job interviews? Serving on a NYC criminal jury? How about the Ten Commandments? For just about anything he’s experienced Shaun has a hilarious story at the ready. He’s been a professional comedian since 2003 and was a free-lance comedy writer for a decade before that.
Read an article Shaun wrote, What’s More Jewish Than Comedy?sm in Reform Judaism Magazine. He’s also quoted here: https://reformjudaism.org/25-jewish-things-try-home
Click to Book Shaun Eli or call or text (914) It’s Funny (914 487-3866).
Wali Collins
His first time on stage Wali was convinced that he had bombed, but the manager paid him and asked him to come back every week as a featured act. Wali moved to New York City to work on a show for Comedy Central called “Stand-up Stand-up”. He hosted the largest, funniest, most varied collection of stand-up comedians in the world.
Nominated three years in a row as “College Campus Entertainer of the Year,” Wali is also sought after for corporate events. One of Wali’s greatest achievements was hosting an event for First Lady Michelle Obama. Collins’ television stand-up credits include NBC, CBS, FOX, HBO, ABC’s “The View”, Comedy Central’s Tough Crowd and Commentary on VH1. David Letterman caught Wali’s act and recruited him to warm-up for his show. Later that season Wali performed his stand up on the Late Show with David Letterman. In the words of Robert Klein, “Wali Collins is versatile, smart and very, very funny.”
Click to Book Wali Collins or call or text (914) It’s Funny (914 487-3866).
Jon Fisch
Jon has appeared on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert and The Late Show with David Letterman, has been featured in Maxim Magazine, and was the host of the widely popular podcast, “In the Tank”. A prolific monologist with universal appeal, Jon focuses on the idiosyncrasies of city living. Shortly after moving to NYC from his native Boston, he was chosen as one of Comedy Central’s Fresh Faces of Comedy and named one of Back Stage Magazine’s 10 Standout Stand-ups.
His appearance on Last Comic Standing 4, where he was the New York City Capital One Audience Favorite, earned him wide recognition and a new legion of fans. His other TV appearances include Comedy Central’s Premium Blend, VH1, Celebrity Apprentice, and 3 Men and a Chick Flick on the WE Network where he served as a host. Interestingly, the credit people seem most impressed by was that he was handpicked to open for Jerry Seinfeld in 2009 at Gotham Comedy Club.
Jon has performed at multiple festivals including the 2007 HBO Comedy Arts Festival in Aspen and the 2010 Great American Comedy Festival at the Johnny Carson Theatre in Norfolk, Nebraska. In addition, he was a critical favorite at the prestigious Montreal “Just for Laughs” Festival where he appeared in both the “New Faces” showcase and the Club Series show “Dating It.” Following his impressive performances, Jon was singled out by the Hollywood Reporter and the Montreal Gazette as a “stand out performer.”
Jon also tours the country performing in theaters and colleges, corporate events and clubs. A staple in the NYC scene, he is a favorite at Gotham Comedy Club, the Comedy Cellar, and the World Famous Comic Strip Live.
Click to Book Jon Fisch or call or text (914) It’s Funny (914 487-3866).
Myq Kaplan
Myq Kaplan is a comedian named Myq Kaplan (pronounced “Mike Kaplan”).
Myq made his network television debut on The Tonight Show with Conan O’Brien and has since gone on to appear on The Late Show with David Letterman, The Late, Late Show with Craig Ferguson and in his own half-hour Comedy Central Presents: Myq Kaplan special.
Click to Book Myq Kaplan or call or text (914) It’s Funny (914 487-3866).
Cory Kahaney
Cory is every woman. Mother, daughter, wife… ex-wife. She has appeared on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert and The Late Show with David Letterman, made her fifth appearance on The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson and a new TV special for Nick Mom. Cory appeared in the first season of NBC’s Last Comic Standing and made it to the finale, where host Jay Mohr called her performance “flawless.” Other television credits include Comedy Central Presents: Cory Kahaney, The View, and many episodes of Politically Incorrect with Bill Maher.
Click to Book Cory Kahaney or call or text (914) It’s Funny (914 487-3866).
Ophira Eisenberg
Comedian Ophira Eisenberg has performed on The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson, Comedy Central, VH-1, The Today Show, TV Guide Channel’s Standup In Stilettos, Fox, E! Channel, CNN, Oxygen Network, and the AXS Network. She is also the host of NPR’s weekly trivia comedy show Ask Me Another. Her debut memoir Screw Everyone: Sleeping My Way to Monogamy was recently optioned by Zucker Productions for a feature film.
Click to book Ophira Eisenberg or call or text (914) It’s Funny (914 487-3866).
Frank Vignola
Besides television appearances on Comedy Central, CBC (Toronto) and Discovery Channel Europe, Mr. Vignola has also appeared at Montreal’s “Just for Laughs” Comedy Festival with Bill Maher and toured with Armed Forces Entertainment performing for our troops in Afghanistan.
His most recent film credit includes his starring role as “Eddie” in the short film “Tilting at Windmills” which premiered on opening night of the 2012 “International Film Festival Manhattan” in November at the Quad Cinema in NYC. He also recently created and portrayed the voice of the character of “Dr. Robert” in the imaginative animated television pilot “Ben v World”.
Click to book Frank Vignola or call or text (914) It’s Funny (914 487-3866).
FAQ for having a comedy night for a Jewish organization
Can you recommend a clean Jewish comedian for a synagogue fundraiser? +
The Ivy League of Comedy’s roster has plenty of clean Jewish (and non-Jewish) comedians and we’re very experienced at arranging shows for synagogues, JCCs and other Jewish organizations.
How do I hire a comedian for our temple event? +
The Ivy League of Comedy are experts at clean shows for temples and other Jewish organizations, and take care of everything you need to have a great, successful, profitable, fun event. We will give you guidance and provide you information you hadn’t even thought to ask for. We do this for a living.
What are some good entertainment ideas for a JCC fundraiser? +
What’s more fun than laughing? The Ivy League of Comedy provides everything you need to have a fun, successful evening (or afternoon) professional stand-up comedy fundraising event. We don’t just provide the talent. We also provide guidance and advice.
Who are the best clean comedians for Jewish community events? +
Shaun Eli’s The Ivy League of Comedy has more than two decades’ experience in arranging clean stand-up comedy shows for Jewish organizations and other non-profits. They provide not just the talent but also advice and guidance. The Ivy League of Comedy’s shows are affordable and they’re a ton of fun.
Can you find a funny clean comedian who performs at synagogues and temples? +
Shaun Eli’s The Ivy League of Comedy has more than two decades’ experience in arranging clean stand-up comedy shows for Jewish organizations and other non-profits. They provide not just the talent but also advice and guidance.
Is the comedy clean? +
Gosh yes. That’s the reason I started The Ivy League of Comedy. I was a clean comedian starting out, and at the time I had a day job in finance. Colleagues would come see me at a comedy club and often their comment was “You were the only clean comic in the show. Where can I find a show that’s all clean comics?”
There really weren’t any. I saw a demand for a product, but no supply. So I created The Ivy League of Comedy and started producing clean shows. We perform at theatres and performing arts centers, at houses of worship, at corporate events and at charity fundraisers.
Can the comedian tailor their material to a Jewish audience? +
Yes and no. Or maybe I should say yes, yes, yes and no. About a third of us at The Ivy League of Comedy are Jewish. Most of us live or grew up in the NYC area, so even if they’re not Jewish they would have an understanding of Jewish culture. I’m Jewish, I’m in most of the shows, and I have a significant amount of Jewish material.
To be clear, to me “Jewish material” absolutely excludes jokes that perpetuate negative stereotypes. Even if the person telling the joke is Jewish. Maybe especially so. It irks me when comedians perpetuate a bad stereotype about their own group, because it justifies bigotry (“He said it, so it must be true.”).
That said, you’re probably better off if the show is not all Jewish comedians. If you have three or four acts in the show, you want variety in style, background, life experiences, energy and topics. You don’t want three single, male, heterosexual Jewish comedians all in their forties talking about the same things. You want a balanced show.
We did a show a few years ago— two Jewish comedians and an Italian-American Catholic comedian. During the post-performance Q&A (this link is an example of our Q&A but it’s not from that show) one of the audience members commented something like “It’s great to know that Italian families have the same issues as Jewish families.” Joe DeVito’s response? “Our food’s better.” (That said, Joe’s one of the few comics I work with who hasn’t come to one of my barbecues, so he can’t say for sure)
And remember that probably half your audience will be women. They’ll notice if the show is four guys. Depending on scheduling and other factors it’s not always possible to have women in the show (they’re less than a third of pro comedians, and probably even a smaller percentage of clean comedians) but I try very hard to balance a line-up.
How many comedians usually perform on a show? +
It depends on your budget and whether the show is the main focus of the evening or part of something larger and longer, like an awards dinner. A typical show from The Ivy League of Comedy is three or four of us, for 90 minutes. We also often do a post-show Q&A with the audience, and that can lengthen what we’re giving you.
How long does a typical comedy show last? +
A typical show from The Ivy League of Comedy is three or four of us, for 90 minutes. We also often do a post-show Q&A with the audience, and that can lengthen what we’re giving you. But if the show is part of a larger event, like an awards dinner, we can provide a shorter show.
What are the technical/sound requirements? +
You probably have everything The Ivy League of Comedy needs. The only requirement is a decent sound system and a hand-held microphone (with a back-up mic). A stage and stage lighting are nice to have but they’re not mandatory. We’re not divas. As long as you can see and hear us, we’re good. Oh, the audience also needs to be seated. We can provide details on how to set up the room once you book us.
Oh, and if you don’t have a sound system, we may be able to provide one (at an extra cost for having to lug it all there, set it up and take it back down afterwards). We can also provide advice for buying and renting. But if you have musicians in your congregation they may have what we need.
How can we maximize ticket sales and fundraising revenue? +
The Ivy League of Comedy has a lot of marketing strategies specifically geared towards comedy shows. Our founder Shaun Eli majored in marketing at Wharton and he’s been producing stand-up comedy shows at theatres and houses of worship for two decades. Marketing comedy is different from marketing music, and there are some things that make a big difference. He also has some techniques he’s developed (plus, if you’re selling drinks, a way to sell more drinks at a comedy show).
What is the best night of the week to host a comedy night? +
The Ivy League of Comedy synagogue shows are often Saturday nights (after sundown) but Sunday afternoons and evenings work too (and they’re less expensive). You might also consider a Thursday evening if your budget is low (or if you are scheduling the show over the summer, when a lot of people go away for weekends).
What is the all-in cost? Are there any hidden fees? +
The cost for hiring The Ivy League of Comedy depends on the night of the week, the line-up (some of us are little more expensive), how many of us (typically three, sometimes four, or just one or two if your budget is smaller than usual), where you are (we’re almost all in the NYC area but some of us are in Los Angeles), and to a small extent the size of the congregation. There are no hidden fees (we do charge extra if you need us to provide the sound system, or if you want to pay by credit card).
Feel free to ask— it’s often the first question we’re asked. I’ll probably ask you some of the above and then I can quote a price. And I’m quite responsive.
Do you handle multiple comedians or help coordinate a package? +
Yes, we do it all. The Ivy League of Comedy puts together a full line-up. Frankly you should not be booking the comedians separately because, based on your own preferences, you’d probably get similar comedians and you want variety and balance. Other people in your congregation would have different tastes. You’ll all find all of us funny, but you want different varieties of funny. We’re very experienced at putting together great, hilarious, balanced shows.
And also, to a very small extent, there are a couple of comics who just don’t like each other, and you don’t want any animosity or unhappiness in the room. It’s rare, but it could happen (but it’s never happened to me). Believe me, if comics don’t like each other, they let me know.
Are these comedians reliable and professional? +
In more than two decades as a comedian running The Ivy League of Comedy I’ve never been late to a show. I’m usually way early because I build in time for traffic and even changing a flat tire.
Once a comedian got the venue wrong and went to the wrong place (one of three comedians in the show) but he still made it on time. Of course I had sent the exact address but he just saw the name of the theatre and the state and went to a theatre with the same name in a different town. (I don’t think you get this level of honesty and openness from other people in this business)
On rare occasions of course there can be an emergency. People do get sick, although we’re a pretty healthy bunch (we get a lot of sleep). One advantage of working with us is that if something does happen, I have the phone numbers of lots of comedians and I can find someone else. My practice is to do everything I can to find someone a bit more famous, because I never want to be accused of bait-and-switch. And yes, that often costs me money, but in business sometimes you lose money on a deal. That’s life. My reputation is more important than a few hundred dollars.
And as far as material, we’re all very experienced at clean shows for all sorts of organizations.
Do you have references, testimonials, or reviews from other synagogues/JCCs? +
The Ivy League of Comedy’s Testimonials Page speaks for itself. I’ve pretty much stopped updating that page because I have more than enough testimonials. (Also I suggest you be skeptical of testimonials that don’t have a person’s full name and organization. If “Joey F., Teaneck, NY” was so enamored of the show, why aren’t they giving you his last name and affiliation?)
Do you handle everything, or just supply the talent? +
The Ivy League of Comedy handles everything for you, from booking the comedians to providing promotional guidance, marketing materials (high-resolution photos, professional biographies and some other items that help sell tickets), and even help with the media if you have contacts at newspapers (including Jewish publications) and local radio stations, plus how best to set up the room for a comedy show, and other things you won’t even think of.
What happens if the comedian gets sick or has an emergency? +
I have a lot of comedians’ phone numbers and I’ve always been able to replace a comic if there’s an emergency. That said, all of us at The Ivy League of Comedy are headliners and you would still get a full show if someone doesn’t show up. What my contract actually says, and I think I’m the only one who does this, is that if the show has fewer comics than agreed-upon, we’ll endeavor to give you the same quality and length of show, but would pro rate the fee (yes, this is much to your advantage, but please don’t hope for someone to get sick just to save you money). We’re all headliners and we can all perform A quality material for much longer than our usual 30-45 minutes. I’ve been a comedian for over two decades and I have more than 90 minutes of solid material.
Are there hidden fees? +
With TThe Ivy League of Comedy there are ZERO hidden fees. I prefer to quote a fixed price so you don’t have to worry about any travel or other costs. The only caveat (and this is not a hidden fee— I tell you all about it) is that if you need me to provide a sound system, I do charge extra for that. It means getting there quite early, setting up the system, having to change my clothes, then take apart a heavy sound system at the end of the show. This is especially annoying if it’s raining. And it also complicates transportation, because the system takes up room in my car, and some comedians don’t want to get there hours early just because I have to do something extra. Also, if you want to pay by credit card we have to add in our bank’s 3.3% fee.
Do you work with non-profit budgets and payment structures? +
The Ivy League of Comedy does a lot of work with non-profits. Of course if you need our W-9 we send it. We can send you formal invoices if you need them. As is the industry standard we ask for a 50% deposit but we’re reasonable if you need to cancel or reschedule, as long as it isn’t close to the show date (weather emergencies, of course, are a different story). We also take credit cards, but we do have to add on our bank’s 3.3% fee.
Have your comedians performed for Jewish organizations before? +
Of course of course of course. The Ivy League of Comedy is very experienced in performing at synagogues, JCCs and other Jewish organizations.
Can you provide clean corporate comedians who still appeal to adults? +
Of course. There really isn’t anything inherently funnier about dirty comedy (Jerry Seinfeld hasn’t had a problem making a living, has he?). The Ivy League of Comedy’s clean comedians are very experienced at performing for synagogues and at corporate events.
Where can I find clean Jewish Comedians for a synagogue fundraiser or event? +
The Ivy League of Comedy’s roster has plenty of clean Jewish (and non-Jewish) comedians for synagogue events including fundraisers, and we’re very experienced at arranging shows for synagogues, JCCs and other Jewish organizations.
Where can I find a Jewish stand up comedian for a JCC event? +
The Ivy League of Comedy’s roster has plenty of clean Jewish comedians perfect for JCC events.
Where can I find kosher comedy night entertainment? +
The Ivy League of Comedy’s comedians have a lot of experience performing for Jewish organizations including Chabad.
How can I do a Jewish Community Center comedy show booking? +
The Ivy League of Comedy is very experienced at arranging shows for JCCs. They take care of booking the comedians, help you market the event and even provide guidance in setting up the room. It’s the best and funniest one-stop shopping.
Where do I find a funny clean comedian for a temple fundraiser? +
What are some Jewish holiday entertainment ideas for Purim or Chanukah? +
What’s more fun than laughing? What’s more Jewish Than Comedy?SM The Ivy League of Comedy’s clean stand-up comedy shows are perfect for most Jewish holidays.
Many, many more FAQ on having a comedy show
Summary/Conclusion
Where to find the best clean comedians for a temple or synagogue, a JCC, a Jewish Federation or other Jewish organization or event? Visit The Ivy League of Comedy. They are experts at THE Jewish art form, making people laugh. You've seen them on TV. Now, The Ivy League of Comedy can bring them to you!