THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS
A Mensch
Jewish Humorist Levenson
ALBANY, N.Y. (JTA) —
"Remember: 'All those who
didn't eat chicken don't get
dessert'," I chided Sam
Levenson last March.
Telephoning him to set up
an interview after his
United Jewish Appeal ap-
pearance here, I had unwit-
tingly interrupted his
dinner. He began the con-
versation with: "Do I dis-
turb you when you're eating
your chicken?" Recalling
1- one of Levenson's most
famous lines, I had the
pleasure of turning it on its
creator.
When I met Levenson the
next morning, his generally
somber mood disappointed
me. He was more
philosophical than funny.
Familiar with his jokes
since childhood, I expected
an up-beat and amusing
encounter.
After LeVenson died of
cardiac arrest Aug. 27 at
age 68, I realized his in-
sights into the serious
side of Jewish life in
America in 1980 are per-
haps as great a legacy as
his humor.
"I'm more of a teacher
than I used to be," the pudgy
comedian told me. "This is
not a time for jokes." Dis-
cussing "brilliant Jews who
have lost their heritage," he
seemed deeply concerned
about the future of Judaism
in America.
"Cultures are like a
palette," he explained.
"When you mix them all to-
gether you get a mish-mash.
It's enough already. I know
where I belong, where I
want to belong — as a re-
sponsible defender of my
people," he emphasized. He
defined a Jew as a person
"willing to follow the de-
stiny of the (Jewish)
people."
Mr. Levenson said his
humor worked because it
was "intentionally authen-
tic" and truly represented
what he was thinking ab-
. out. "Jewish humor is fal-
sified when it could be other
ethnic humor," he said.
"And I try not have a
victim. No one suffers, or
the idea suffers. My
stories come out of the
life we lead. I seek out de-
UJA Mission
Record Pledges
books. Kids today need
more education in values
and what they mean." He
described psychiatry as "an
idea that didn't succeed,"
and suggested it be replaced
by old-fashioned "seichel"
(common sense).
Mr. Levenson grew up in
a household that was finan-
cially poor, but rich in inspi-
ration for his unique humor.
He said his mother indeed
told him and his seven sibl-
ings to say they didn't like
chicken, assuring enough
SAM LEVENSON
food for company. This was
liberate aspects of my followed by: "All those who
private life that other didn't eat chicken don't get
people have experienced: dessert."
I find it works; I see nod-
In his last book, "You
ding heads. The whole Don't Have to be in Who's
purpose of art and humor Who to Know What's
is to seek out the common What," Levenson said
denominator in people.
ENGLISH IS LACKING
"The family is the best A WORD "to describe a
common denominator. totally mature human be-
Hardly anyone didn't have ing, who can with joy
one," Mr. Levinson quipped, rather than conflict ex-
his humor seeping through press the essence of being
his gloom.
at one and the same time
"I love Jewish mothers.
They're a maligned race,"
he continued. "In all human
relationships there is no
greater love than a mother's
love for her children." In
another humorous aside, he
added: "There are two times
when a child is busy kicking
. during his fifth month
(of pregnancy) and at age
14."
Asked to define Jewish
humor, Mr. Levenson said:
"Jewish humor comes from
being what we are. Future
humor will depend on how
Jewish we remain —
whether there are Jewish
entertainers, or
entertainers who happen to
be Jewish."
He condemned the type of
_
- - -------
humor that presents a
----
"negative, self-destructive,
anti-Semitic view of
_' --2-- - aiXt
Judaism."
- -
-_-_
F.
- - -
OW
-
Mr. Levenson said his
.
----
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- — -= --
pessimism was caused by
the life-style in America
today, which he summed
up as "plastic lunch."
"When we were poor,
there were fewer things
to eat up our time. With
more success, we have
less time," he explained.
"In our house the em-
phasis was on reading
1. ,.....,.
Friday, September 12, 1980 25
ALLSTATE
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masculine, feminine, pat-
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strength showed through
tenderness, who can see
any member of the
human race as 'bone of
my bones, and flesh of my
flesh,' who espouses the
cause of Human Lib."
The Yiddish word, Mr.
Levenson explained in his
book, is "mensch." "To call a
person a 'real mensch' is to
pay him or her the highest
tribute." Sam Levenson was
a real mensch.
ALLSTATE ALARM SYSTEMS, INC.
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JERUSALEM (JTA) —
JERUSALEM (JTA) —
The largest increase in The new Ambassador of
United Jewish Appeal cam- Chile, Santiago Benadava,
paign contributions by a formerly a chairman of a
major leadership mission to Zionist youth organization,
Israel was recorded at a presented his credentials to
state dinner in the Knesset President Yitzhak Navon,
for the 100 members of the in the wake of his govern-
UJA 1981 Prime Minister's ment's decision to move the
embassy to Tel Aviv.
Mission.
"The fact is that I am am-
Regular 1981 campaign
pledges announced in the bassador to Israel," he said.
presence of Premier and "It is not up to me to regret
Mrs. Menahem Begin to- or not to regret the decision
taled $15.6 million, from to move the embassy. It is
contributors whose gifts for the decision of my country."
Benadava, 49, is a profes-
the previous campaign were
$11.4. million. The 37 per- sor of interntional law. His
cent increase is the highest family migrated from Izmir,
in the history of the annual Turkey, in the 1920s. Be-
Prime Minister's Missions, nadava's predecessor, Jose
which began shortly after Bierdichevsky, was also
Jewish, as was his predeces-
the Six-Day War.
Pledges for Project Re- sor, Samuel Gleiser. Be-
newal registered even nadava served in the past in
the Vatican and the Hague.
greater gains.
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