Bob Alper
Encyclopedia
Rabbi Robert "Bob" Alper is an author, stand-up comedian
, and practicing clergy member. As an ordained rabbi
, Alper served congregations for fourteen years and holds a doctorate from Princeton Theological Seminary
.
He has appeared at the Montreal Comedy Festival, New York’s famed Chautauqua Institution
, and at The Hollywood Improv
. He often performs with Arab
and Muslim
comedy partners, primarily at colleges and universities. The rabbi-comedian has been seen on Good Morning America
, Showtime, the BBC
, CNN
, and was featured on Extra
.
Alper is the author of two books: Life Doesn't Get Any Better Than This: The Holiness of Little Daily Dramas, an inspirational collection; as well as the cartoon book, A Rabbi Confesses. He has produced two comedy CDs.
with his wife, Sherri, a psychotherapist. They have two children.
Stand-up comedy
Stand-up comedy is a comedic art form. Usually, a comedian performs in front of a live audience, speaking directly to them. Their performances are sometimes filmed for later release via DVD, the internet, and television...
, and practicing clergy member. As an ordained rabbi
Rabbi
In Judaism, a rabbi is a teacher of Torah. This title derives from the Hebrew word רבי , meaning "My Master" , which is the way a student would address a master of Torah...
, Alper served congregations for fourteen years and holds a doctorate from Princeton Theological Seminary
Princeton Theological Seminary
Princeton Theological Seminary is a theological seminary of the Presbyterian Church located in the Borough of Princeton, New Jersey in the United States...
.
He has appeared at the Montreal Comedy Festival, New York’s famed Chautauqua Institution
Chautauqua Institution
The Chautauqua Institution is a non-profit adult education center and summer resort located on 750 acres in Chautauqua, New York, 17 miles northwest of Jamestown in the western part of New York State...
, and at The Hollywood Improv
The Improv
The Improv is a comedy club franchise. Originally, it was a single venue founded in 1963 by Budd Friedman and located in the Hell's Kitchen neighborhood of New York City on West 44th near the SE corner of 9th Ave. A second location was opened in 1974 at 8162 Melrose Avenue in the Fairfax District...
. He often performs with Arab
Arab
Arab people, also known as Arabs , are a panethnicity primarily living in the Arab world, which is located in Western Asia and North Africa. They are identified as such on one or more of genealogical, linguistic, or cultural grounds, with tribal affiliations, and intra-tribal relationships playing...
and Muslim
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
comedy partners, primarily at colleges and universities. The rabbi-comedian has been seen on Good Morning America
Good Morning America
Good Morning America is an American morning news and talk show that is broadcast on the ABC television network; it debuted on November 3, 1975. The weekday program airs for two hours; a third hour aired between 2007 and 2008 exclusively on ABC News Now...
, Showtime, the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
, CNN
CNN
Cable News Network is a U.S. cable news channel founded in 1980 by Ted Turner. Upon its launch, CNN was the first channel to provide 24-hour television news coverage, and the first all-news television channel in the United States...
, and was featured on Extra
Extra (TV series)
Extra is an American entertainment television news program covering events and celebrities which debuted on September 5, 1994 in syndication. It is produced at Victory Studios in Glendale, California by Telepictures Productions in association with Warner Bros. Television Distribution...
.
Alper is the author of two books: Life Doesn't Get Any Better Than This: The Holiness of Little Daily Dramas, an inspirational collection; as well as the cartoon book, A Rabbi Confesses. He has produced two comedy CDs.
Personal life
Bob resides in rural VermontVermont
Vermont is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state ranks 43rd in land area, , and 45th in total area. Its population according to the 2010 census, 630,337, is the second smallest in the country, larger only than Wyoming. It is the only New England...
with his wife, Sherri, a psychotherapist. They have two children.