Despite a cold and rainy winter's night, ESRA Five Towns branch welcomed a capacity crowd and raised more than NIS 7,000 for the ESRA war effort appeal at its comedy night. It was held at the Hobbit Bar in Zichron Yaakov in early February.
Comedian and author Benji Lovitt headlined "Is it OK to Laugh" while reflecting on life in Israel and abroad during these difficult times. He engaged with the audience for an hour, focusing on new immigrants, especially Annette and Steve Batkin of Zichron.
Guests could enjoy (kosher) food and drink prior to the show while listening to songs of the 1960s,70s and 80s selected by the DJ, sound and light expert Mordi.
Recently returned from his two-month book tour of the US, Benji undertook signings of his latest book Israel 201 co-authored with Joel Chasnoff, which celebrity Mayim Bialik has described as "fantastic".
Benji has performed for audiences around the world and been featured in outlets such as USA Today, Time Magazine, BBC Radio, The Atlantic, and Times of Israel. He has also worked as a cross-cultural trainer with groups including the Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs.