Comedians often find humor in everything, but there was nothing funny about the horrific Hamas attacks on Oct. 7. Like many Israelis, Yohay Sponder knew people who were murdered and others who were taken hostage.
The tragic events of that day convinced the 41-year-old to take a break from his comedy career and focus on helping his country.
“The whole country was devastated, and everyone was trying to process what had happened,” Sponder told Unpacked. “Everything stopped. I volunteered.”
Sponder, who has 110,000 followers across Instagram and TikTok, first gained attention for his popular “Funny Monday” shows in Tel Aviv, which amassed a following on YouTube. A few years ago, Sponder made the decision to perform Israeli comedy in English, believing this shift would allow him to reach a broader audience.
“My English isn’t perfect, but it’s gotten much better,” he said.
Having seen Sponder perform several times, I can confirm his English is effective. While he may make one or two small mistakes per set, he often turns these slip-ups into jokes. He’s likely the most talented Jewish comedian you’ve never heard of.
Why Yohay Sponder’s tour is called ‘Self-Loving Jew’
Sponder has sold out numerous tour dates in cities such as New York, Los Angeles, San Diego, Chicago, and Washington, D.C. The title of his “Self-Loving Jew” tour is a direct response to a troubling trend he has noticed online over the past year.
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In the wake of Oct. 7 and rising antisemitism, Sponder has observed several Jews in the media or online prefacing their comments with “As a Jew” before going on to criticize Israel while placing little to no blame on Hamas, and distancing themselves from their Jewish identity.
Sponder believes it’s fair to criticize Israel, just as it is to criticize any country. However, he feels there’s a double standard when some—including Jews—openly question Israel’s very existence, something that isn’t done with any other nation.
“People have the right to disagree with certain policies,” Sponder said. “But some go beyond that—they’re self-hating Jews. In American colleges, the word ‘Zionist’ is treated as something terrible by some, and there’s pressure on Jews to disavow their Judaism. My response is: I’m a self-loving Jew.”
Using comedy to combat craziness
Sponder acknowledges that it can be difficult for outsiders to grasp how Israelis feel when Iranian leader Ali Khamenei or Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah openly vow to destroy Israel. One of his shows drew only a third of the usual audience due to media reports warning of an imminent missile attack on Tel Aviv.
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“I told my audience it would be awful if a missile hit my show, and the media reported that no one was hurt because no one was there,” Sponder joked. “We’re dealing with evil people who sound like cartoons, but unfortunately, they’re real, and they genuinely want to wipe us out.”
Sponder feels it’s his responsibility to mock those who spread hate, and he hopes his audiences gain strength, hope, and laughter from it. In one viral TikTok, he highlights the long history of antisemitism.
“We’re living in crazy times, and people say it’s a bad time for Jews,” Sponder says in the clip. “I agree, but if you open any history book, no Jew would look at a random page and say, ‘That’s where I want to be.’ It is what it is. People think their antisemitism is unique. ‘No, I’m not an antisemite, I’m just anti-Zionist.’ No, you’re a piece of sh-t.”
Sponder is frustrated by efforts to normalize antisemitism and is using his comedy to push back, rather than waiting for political pundits to do so.
How performing in English is paying off for Yohay Sponder
I first saw Sponder perform at the Chosen Comedy Festival in Brooklyn a few years ago. Though it was just a small sample of his material, it was clear he had immense talent. He has since sharpened his skills and had an impressive sold-out show at Stand Up NY last year. Sponder’s versatility allows him to switch between high-energy and more laid-back performances.
At the end of the month, Sponder will release his first American special, “This I Can Do,” which explores the idea of finding one’s source of happiness.
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Many doubted Sponder’s ability to succeed in English and urged him to stick with Hebrew, but he had a vision and believed in himself.
“People told me it was too risky to do comedy in English,” he said. “But I knew I could do it. It took time, practice, and hard work. In life, it’s always easier to stick to what’s safe, but there’s a bigger reward if you take on something harder.”
Sponder has enjoyed collaborating with fellow Israeli comedian Shahar Hason. While English-language comedy is growing in Israel, he believes there’s a need to bring the Israeli perspective to the global stage, especially considering media distortions.
‘Run toward your identity’
Sponder often wears a large Jewish star necklace during his sets.
“It’s especially important for young Jews,” Sponder said. “The moment when people want you to hide or run away from your identity is the moment that you should be proud to show who you are and run toward your identity. If people criticize you and you become small and afraid, that is a signal to them that they should keep trying to have power over you. Nobody should let that happen.”
Sponder has been energized by feedback from fans who feel caught between pressures from both sides of the political spectrum.
Comedy has always been a Jewish weapon
From Jackie Mason to Adam Sandler, Jewish stars have long been at the forefront of comedy. Sponder believes this is, in part, because humor has provided an emotional release from centuries of hatred. Now, amidst rising tensions for both Israelis and American Jews on college campuses, he encourages people to embrace their identity.
Read more: How did Jews come to dominate American comedy?
For Israelis, much of their comedy involves mocking the misconceptions outsiders have about them. Sponder often references a joke about being called a “colonizer” by a British woman—an ironic experience, given history.
“I love being Israeli, I love being Jewish and I love making people laugh,” Sponder said. “I don’t love that people throughout our history tried to kill us, but that’s the way it is. They’re not gonna stop. But I love that we are still here and many of them are not. I love that we are still strong.”
“Don’t try to beat us because you can’t,” Sponder said. “God’s with us.”
Sponder will open for Jay Leno, Mark Schiff, and Avi Liberman on Nov. 17 in Los Angeles as part of “Comedy for Koby,” a benefit for the Koby Mandell Foundation, which provides emotional support services to families of terror victims. Koby Mandell, an Israeli-American boy, was murdered alongside his friend Yosef Ishran at age 13 while hiking in Tekoa.
