The Yekke

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A Yekke – an uptight Jew of German descent – decides to take the train from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. He books his trip weeks in advance and tells the travel agent, "There's only one thing I care about. I should be facing the same direction as the train is moving."

On the day of the trip, he arrives at the station an hour before departure. But when he boards the train, he is dismayed to find that his seat is facing in the wrong direction – toward the back of the train.

As soon as he gets to Jerusalem, he calls his travel agent to complain. The agent apologizes several times, and says, "Why didn't you ask the person sitting opposite you if he'd be willing to switch seats?"

"I would have," said the Yekke, "but I was out of luck. The seat opposite mine was empty."

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Mark Borowsky, M.D.
Mark Borowsky, M.D.
9 days ago

First read this joke in a book written by Rabbi Gunther Plaut. He was a first cousin of my mother. They came from a well established German Jewish family. Mom was certainly a yekke, so I was very familiar with the characterization, which was also pertinent to other members of our family. In her case, it was spot on. So, I find the joke to be quite hilarious. Germans do too ( the Swiss probably more so ), because they have also known such people. Probably quite a few. Many non Jews and non Germans do not find it funny, presumably because they lack the requisite frame of reference.

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