APRIL 6 • 2023 | 37

F

rom Sarah to Seinfeld: 
4,000 Years of Jewish 
Humor” is the tagline 
for a very special event being 
held at Troy’s Congregation 
Shir Tikvah this month. 
Shir Tikvah is hosting 
Rabbi Arnie Sleutelberg’s 
Comedy Show, an evening 
of laughs, food, fun and a 
silent auction fundraiser on 
Saturday, April 22, at 7 p.m. 
Rabbi Arnie will be 
delivering his stand-up 
comedy routine, which 
he’s also performed at 

Congregation Beth 
Shalom in Traverse City 
and recently at Oakland 
University. 
Rabbi Arnie retired 
as spiritual leader of 
Congregation Shir Tikvah in 
June 2016 after 28 years with 
the congregation. He now 
serves as rabbi emeritus. 
“I thought he should be 
performing it 
at Shir Tikvah 
as well, since 
we’re his home,” 
said Joyce May, 
the chair of 
Shir Tikvah’s 
membership 
committee, who organized 
the evening. 
The discussion began 
in late summer 2022, they 
came up with a date, the i’s 
were dotted and the t’s were 
crossed.
What sets this event 
apart from any other is it’s 
a rabbi doing comedy, not 
necessarily your typical 
stand-up comedian, May 
said. 
Even when he’s not doing 

his comedy routine, May 
says Rabbi Arnie has a great 
sense of humor. 
“He’s extremely spiritual, 
kind and compassionate and 
all those wonderful things. 
But he’s also very funny; just 
while having dinner with 
him, he can say something 
clever and witty,” May said. 
“It’s not really a quirky 
sense of humor, but he 
sometimes will kind of 
catch you off guard. He’ll 
say something seriously and 
you look over at him and 
he’s got a little twinkle in his 
eye, and you’ll realize he’s 
kibitzing.”
Rabbi Arnie’s full stand-up 
routine is expected to last an 
hour and 15 minutes. There 
will be a wine reception 
when people arrive as well as 
a silent auction with prizes 
and an oneg with lots of 
food. Proceeds from ticket 
sales and the silent auction 
will go to the shul.

The congregation is very 
excited for this event, May 
said. 
“It’s been a rough several 
years with COVID. As we 
come out of it, people just 
need an evening of laughter,” 
May said. “That’s what we 
hope for, that people will 
come, they’ll schmooze, 
they’ll see old friends and 
the laughter will lighten the 
mood. My goal is for people 
to leave happy.”
Shir Tikvah is providing 
an option for a virtual 
viewing through Zoom as 
well as in-person. 
Purchase your tickets ($36) 
at www.shirtikvah.org/event/
rabbiarniecomedynight.html. 
Call the shul at (248) 649-
4418 for further questions. 
“It’s going to be a great 
evening and lots of fun,” May 
said. “We’d like to share it 
with as many people in the 
community as we can.” 

A Rabbi Walks 
Into a Comedy 
Show

Congregation Shir Tikvah is hosting 
a night of comedy with its 
longtime spiritual leader, 
Rabbi Arnie Sleutelberg.

Joyce May

DANNY SCHWARTZ STAFF WRITER

Rabbi Arnie 
Sleutelberg

