Comedian Modi Rosenfeld, known as Modi, was finishing up part of his international comedy tour in Israel when the attacks began on October 7. He had performed for communities in Beit Shemesh, Jerusalem, Herzliya and his hometown of Tel Aviv and teamed up with the Koby Mandell Foundation, which provides services to thousands of Israelis who lost an immediate family member due to terror or tragedy.
“What’s happening in Israel right now is obviously heart wrenching,” Modi said. “As an Israeli, it’s especially difficult to process. I received messages from people saying that they haven’t laughed since those shows [in Israel].”
After the initial shock of the attacks, Modi took to Instagram, where he has 260,000 followers, to post: “As an Israeli, I am shocked and appalled by the violence taking place across the country and I unequivocally support Israel during one of the darkest moments in our country’s history.”
Though the comedian took a brief break, he performed in Paris shortly after the attacks and donated 50% of the show’s proceeds to Israel. On October 22, he did a fundraiser for American Friends of Sheba show at the Saban Theatre in Los Angeles. Now, his shows take on an entirely new meaning.
“I’ve been singing ‘Hatikvah’ with the audience at the end of each show, which has been a really moving experience.”
“I see my shows as community events that allow the Jewish community and our allies to unite, even if just to take a brief break from the endless scrolling of news,” he said. “I’ve been singing ‘Hatikvah’ with the audience at the end of each show, which has been a really moving experience.”
Modi, co-founder of the Chosen Comedy Festival, who went viral for a number of his videos – including one where he jokes about how Ashkenazim and Sephardic say “Good Shabbos” and “Shabbat Shalom,” respectively – is making donations from each show to support Israeli and Jewish charities and foundations, including United Hatzalah, Magen David Adom, the Koby Mandell Foundation and the UJA. He’s urging his large following to do the same, posting about these organizations and what they do.
Along with fundraising for Israel, the comedian, who is based in New York City and was called “the next Jackie Mason” by The New York Times, is gearing up for his 2024 tour. It starts in February, and includes stops in San Diego, Boston, Dallas, Orlando, Tarrytown and Washington, D.C. He also plans to return to Los Angeles for another show.
At his performances, which have fun and serious moments, he’s all about bringing the Jewish community together for a night of laughs and unity – and he’s hoping it will help to usher in an era of peace.
“I’ve coined the term Moshiach Energy, which is an energy I feel every time I do a show and see people from all different backgrounds and walks of life: religious/not religious, Sephardic/Ashkenazi, Jewish/not Jewish, united in laughter,” Modi said. “That is an hour of Moshiach Energy. The goal is to bring that energy 24/7 through acts of kindness, providing laughter, or even just bringing a smile everywhere you go.”
