When I did my DNA testing, I found out I was .1% Ashkenazi Jew. It’s not much, but it was enough to get me thinking. I’ve used Yiddish words before, but I wondered exactly how many I knew and understood, so I started counting and I came up with 49 that I recognize. Then I wondered if I could write a blog using some Yiddish words, so I gave it a go.
Shalom! I started my day with a little nosh – a schmear on my bagel. Then, instead of cleaning my house and dusting my tchotchkes, I sat on my tuches and futzed while I tried to write. I ran into some glitches, which made me feel like a literary klutz. I didn’t want it to be a megillah and I didn’t want to kvetch, but I started to feel like a shlump. I began to wonder if I was a meshuggeneh and if this was mishegoss. Then I took a a couple of deep breaths and next thing I knew, I had shpilkes and I was shvitzing as the Yiddish words poured out of me. I don’t want to sound schmaltzy, but I’m proud of myself. Before I knew it, I was feeling verklempt. Oy vey, it wasn’t easy, but I did it. I’m just a shiksa, but I’ve got a lot of chutzpah. My bubbe would be proud of me and think I was a mensch. Mazel Tov!
Written by Susan 4/13/18
Dear Susan, eat more gefilte fish.
Love, Jan
Yes, never enough gefilte fish, right?
Susan
Wow! I’m impressed. I’ve been known as a JBA (Jew by association) but could never pull this off!
Thanks, Kathy.
Susan
You have chutzpah Susan! Mazel Tov! to you on this
fun, inventive piece of writing!
Thanks, Eric.
Susan
This made me chuckle this morning. Your creativity is fun and I bet it was fun to write this. I enjoyed every word.
Patty, glad it made you chuckle. I didn’t realize how many Yiddish words I knew. And yes, it was really fun writing it. I also had two Jewish friends fact check it for me.
Love, Susan
My friend Eric and I plan to schlep over to your place on May 18th and have some more deep conversations, no schmoozing for us.
Mazel Tov, Jim!