Israel’s Dry Bones

Dry Bones Cartoons by Yaacov Kirshen

This post will be the first in a series on funnies from Israel. It can be video clips, stories I come across, experiences from the world of tourism, or cartoons that express Israel. One of Israel’s saving graces has always been its ability to laugh at itself.

I will start with something that entertained me for many years as a reader of the off-line version of The Jerusalem Post, Yaacov Kirshen’s Dry Bones cartoons.

Yaacov Kirshen

This is what Kirshen says about himself:

Another Brooklyn boy. Born March 8, 1938. Graduated from Queens College 1961. Wrote and drew funny cards for Norcross. After dismissal for loudness and jocular attitude became a freelance gag cartoonist for the former “Mad Mag” guys who were then doing “Cracked”. Moved on to doing cartoons for Playboy. Included in several “Best Of” Playboy anthologies. Fell in with the anti-Vietnam War folks and was actually elected delegate to the 1968 Democratic convention in Chicago where, in spite of all the riots, was unable to get arrested. In 1971 moved to Israel, changed first name from Jerry to Yaakov, and in 1973 began drawing a daily editorial strip called Dry Bones. In 2003 the toon celebrated its 30th year in the Jerusalem Post. It has been reprinted or quoted by the NY Times, Time Mag, LA Times, CBS, AP, etc.
Forbes Mag said about Kirschen: “In the tradition of Nast, Herblock, and Mauldin.”

I loved and still love Dry Bones. They are a daring, fresh and funny look at who we are, but at the same time expressing love and concern for this country. The cartoons with a political character that I include may not necessarily express my own political opinion. Something I don’t touch on in this blog. I pick the cartoons randomly from the vast archive of Dry Bones Cartoons.

Dry Bones

The Dry Bones Main Website

Dry Bones (Yaacov Kirshen) Blog