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Comedian Joel Chasnoff on His Yom Kippur ‘Corona Confession’

The video features Chasnoff confessing to some of the cardinal sins he and others have committed since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.
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September 23, 2020

Comedian Joel Chasnoff knows that Yom Kippur is going to look a little different this year. Instead of confessing to breaking one of the 613 commandments, in his new video “Corona Confession,” he shows how the Jewish people will be apologizing for their actions during the pandemic instead.

The video — which as of press time had racked up close to 75,000 views — shows Chasnoff pounding his chest and confessing to some of the cardinal sins he and others have committed since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. They include Barachnu, which is leaving a Zoom meeting early under false pretenses; Googalnu, Googling coronavirus statistics for no reason; Netflixanu, using the pandemic as an excuse to watch Netflix; and Purellnu, which is finishing the Purell. Set to the tune of the Yom Kippur “vidui” (confession) tune, and in the same vein as the Vidui prayer, Chasnoff lists the sins in alphabetical order.

A Chicago native who now lives with his family in Ra’anana, Israel, Chasnoff spoke with the Journal about why he made the video, what it’s been like doing comedy over Zoom and how he’s been surviving not one but two lockdowns in Israel.

Jewish Journal: Why did you decide to make “Corona Confession”?

Joel Chasnoff: It’s a strange story. I’d done a Zoom comedy show for a synagogue because a lot of them are doing that a lot nowadays. The next day, the rabbi said, “We’re doing services online. Can you make something to make it more exciting?” I brainstormed ideas and it came to me to make a parody of sins we list off in this particular prayer but [I’d relate them] to corona.

JJ: How many of those things in the video have you actually done?

JC: I’ve done all of them. I’ve certainly made up excuses to leave Zoom meetings early and I took a neighbor’s dog for a walk because in Israel, one of the only ways you can get outside when you’re on lockdown is to walk a pet. I’ve certainly touched fruit in the store and put it back. I can easily say I’ve done all of them because I reflected on my own misdeeds. A lot of people are emailing me and saying, “I’ve done all these, too.” I’m not the outlier here. It relieves us of the burden of thinking we aren’t behaving so well.

JJ: When did you make aliyah?

JC: I made aliyah twice. The first time was when I was 23 and I joined the army. Then I made aliyah 20 years later after I raised a family in the U.S. Four years ago, we remade aliyah again as an entire family. My wife is a sabra (native Israeli), so it’s not technically aliyah but returning to the country. My wife and I always wanted to try raising the kids in Israel. It started out as an experiment and now it’s been four years, so I guess the experiment is working.

JJ: How has life been in Israel with the coronavirus?

JC: It’s been pretty tumultuous. The first round, we were patting ourselves on the back. We transitioned too fast and the country is on lockdown again for three weeks. We can’t be more than 500 meters from our homes. All restaurants, gyms and movies are closed again. It’s like the first few weeks of the pandemic. The mood here is sour.

JJ: How are people celebrating the High Holy Days?

JC: There are rules, like you can have up to 20 people in an outdoor space as long as they are 2 meters apart. I think a lot of people will be davening at home. It’s a vacation season. It’s a time when many Israelis go away either to Europe or Cyprus or Greece. It’s a chance to be with their families, so a lot of people are disappointed they can’t go away this year.

 JJ: How are you keeping people laughing during the pandemic?

JC: As of January, I had never touched Zoom but now it’s where all the comedy is happening. There are also magicians and singers on there. There are some advantages, like not having to travel to a show. I’d travel to the U.S. for a one-hour show. But I very much miss a live audience.

JJ: Did you do outdoor shows when they were allowed?

JC: I’ve always felt that comedy is an indoor sport. There is something about comedy that once there’s no roof, a vibe is lost. Comedy is so psychological. It’s all about energy and having a shared sense of laughter and enjoyment. The energy literally vaporizes into the atmosphere when it’s outside. I have done 10 outdoor shows since the pandemic began and I’ve made them work, but it’s not the same thing.

JJ: How is the comedy scene in Israel?

JC: Comedy in Israel is taking off. There are many more comedians than there were 20 years ago. There are more stages where they can perform. There’s more variety. The comedy used to be very Israeli. Now you’re getting comedians who are a little more intellectual. Israel is coming up with great TV shows. The comedy clubs were pretty much sold out before the pandemic.

JJ: How can people stay happy throughout all this?

JC: What I’ve been doing is watching old comedians like Rodney Dangerfield and Steve Martin and Richard Pryor and reminding myself of how funny they were and why I got into this in the first place. It’s a great thing to do, to appreciate the older comedians and just how funny they were. I watch contemporary things, too. Comics are putting out videos to shed light on this situation. There is content being made, thank God.

You can watch Joel Chasnoff’s “Corona Confession” video below.

 

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