HOW-TO

I'm admittedly not the best person to be giving advice on how to tell a Jewish joke (I often mess up the ending), but I do have some qualifications.

I believe in the nourishing value of humor (the joke column which appeared for several years in these pages was headed "He Who Laughs, Lasts", a Leo Rosten quip). Tm all ears observing the joke's delivery and anticipating a clever punchline. I love the emotions which jokes evoke.

Above all, for many years I enjoyed observing a master raconteur, my father-in-law Dr. Shep Margolese, of blessed memory.

THE WIND UP AND DELIVERY: Shep would introduce a joke (he usually referred to them as stories) with a question or an …