Religion isn’t always serious business. While the sacred is sometimes considered off-limits for comedy, religious people actually do use humour to bond with each other and teach the tenets of their faith. And in the wake of tragedy, laughter is a defence as well as a comfort.

Tami Sussman is an author with a background in theatre, comedy, spoken word poetry and copywriting. Her latest book is So That Happened...But Maybe You Already Knew That. She’s running a writing workshop for tweens at the Sydney Jewish Writers Festival.

Shoshana Gottlieb is a writer and Jewish educator based in Sydney. She also runs JewishMemesOnly, a popular Instagram meme account. She is appearing on the Sydney Jewish Writers Festival panel, the Tragedy of Jewish Comedy.

Rabbi Ralph Genende is one of Australia’s most senior Jewish community leaders. His many roles and responsibilities include Senior Rabbi and Manager at Jewish Care Victoria, and Principal Rabbi for the Australian Defence Force. He’s also the author of Living in an Upside-Down World, an anthology of over 20 years of writing examining the many crises and challenges of our times. He is appearing on several panels at the Sydney Jewish Writers Festival, including Laughter and Grief.

More info

Sydney Jewish Writers Festival runs 23 to 27 August 2023.

Read more about Shoshana Gottlieb on ABC Everyday.

Hear Tami Sussman on God Forbid.