One of the reasons Judaism has lasted so long is that they allow no room for variance when it comes to their scriptures. The fine points may be customizable (I have seen both serious and entertaining seders), but when it comes to the Talmud, I believe it has remained unchanged. On the flip side of the coin is the adaptability of the people who follow it. Although the Law is stated very clearly, I was told a story by someone who had survived the holocaust that a rabbi was forced to eat non-kosher foods due to the circumstances of survival. He dismissed it, saying that he was sure there was a provision in the Talmud for it, and that he would look for it after he had finished eating. Humor, I think, is the key to survival for this faith.
There are plenty of jokes that came out of the ghettos during World War 2. My favorite involves two Jews who were out to assassinate Hitler. They escaped from the ghetto and made their way to Berlin, in possession of two stolen pistols. They watched Hitler for days, observing his habits and noticing that he took a walk down a particular lane at a certain time, 12 noon. Without fail, for one week, Hitler followed this same routine. The Jews decided that they would ambush him as he turned the corner for this lane. They waited for him one day. As the noon hour drew close, they could taste the kill. Noon came, but there was no Hitler. They waited, and waited, and waited. One Jew turned to the other, a concerned expression on his face. "Gee," he said. "I hope he's all right."
