Mike’s mother’s family are not as strict about thier Jewish traditions as they used to be when his granddad was alive so if I am to really get into the meaning of Judaism and understand holidays and traditions as well as I would like to, we will have to start attending a synagogue. Lucky for us, there are three in Matawan, which is where we will be living after April 15th when we close on our house.

However… there is one Jewish habit that my mother-in-law and her sisters and their mother – the infamous Ma, will never stop doing. That is Yiddish. They are forever using Yiddish words and then defining them to me. Some Yiddish words go along with Jewish superstition, which is as thick as Cherokee superstition, so if August ever explores both those parts of her heritage, she could develop strange and strict ticks akin to OCD.

For example, if someone compliments August when we are out it is apparently my job as her loving mother to say “Kunahura”, put my thumb bewteen my 1st and 2nd fingers, and spit three times. Were I to actually follow this superstitious move, the manager of Target would dread my arrival. A teenage employee would also follow me through the aisles with a mop.

The most interesting thing about Yiddish is that there were already some terms I’ve used or heard my whole life but didn’t know where they came from. Yiddish words surviving through three generations of non-practicing Jews? Oy. You tell me.

Yiddish 101

cokamammie - fake, outrageous, ridiculous
glitch – a minor malfunction
shmutz – dirt – or in August’s case food on her face after she eats
mish mash – combination, mess
shnapps – booze
mishigas – craziness
shlep – to drag – Shlep around a bunch of junk.
shtik – routine
nosh – to eat a little something
shlemil – fool
shlemazl – unlucky person – Laverne and Shirley anyone?