Download A bissel

HIGH HOLIDAYS Glossary: Alphabetized
Compiled by Michelle Hochberg and Brian Schmidt
(Updated 9/28/09)
A bissel
Affen
A handful of gimme
Akimbo
Alter
A schtinken auffen kopf
Alleveh
Alliyah
Are you taking a schvitz in
there?
Armenians
A-ti-dah
Auffen
Aw-mein
Ba’al Shem Tov
Baitsum
Ballaboss
Ban-lons
A bisel. A little.
See Gay cocken affen yam, Alter!
A lyric from Fred Neil (1936-2001)’s “A
Handful of Gimme.” The song is about a man
who sleeps with a woman “With a handful of
gimme/ A mouthful of much obliged” and then
goes home feeling empty inside. The song was
written in 1965, after High Holidays takes
place.
Refers to a body position in which the hands are
on the hips and the elbows are bowed outward.
In context, Rob’s “French cuffs akimbo” means
that his cuffs are unbuttoned.
See Gay cocken affen yam, Alter!
Your hair smells from smoke. Your hair stinks.
Alevei. Hope so! It should happen to you! It
should be that way!
Aliyah. During services, the Torah reading is
divided up into portions, and various members
of the congregation have the honor of reciting a
blessing over a portion of the reading. This
honor is referred to as an aliyah (literally,
“ascension”).
Are you taking a shvitz in there?
Are you having a sauna in there?
Refers to the deliberate and systematic genocide
of the Armenian population of the Ottoman
Empire during and just after The First World
War. It was characterized by the use of
massacres, and the use of deportations
involving forced marches under conditions
designed to lead to the death of the deportees,
with the total number of Armenian deaths
generally held to have been between one and
one-and-a-half million.
Laid out flat.
See A schtinken auffen kopf
Amen.
Rabbi Yisroel ben Eliezer (1698-1760), founder
of the Hasidic branch of Judaism.
Baitsim. Testicles.
Nickname for Ba’al Habayit, “head of
household,” or “master of the home.”
Ban-Lon is a trademarked, multi-strand,
continuous-filament synthetic yarn used in the
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Bar Mitzvah
Barnum and Bailey
Baruch Adonoy hamevorach
le’olem va-ed
Baruchu es Adonoy
hamevorach
The Battle of the
Bulge/Bastogne
Bima
retail clothing industry. It is artificially crimped
in order to achieve greater bulk than ordinary
yarns.
Literally, “son of the commandment.”
According to Jewish law, a boy becomes Bar
Mitzvah at the age of 13, after which he is held
personally responsible for his religious
obligations. Although no ceremony is needed to
confer the Bar Mitzvah’s newfound rights and
obligations, in modern times, a religious
service, reception, and party are often held to
mark the occasion.
pp. 4, 9,
10, 12, 24,
28, 29, 32,
42, 45, 47,
63, 65, 72,
82, 84, 86,
87, 89, 90,
92, 93, 97,
99, 100,
101, 103,
104, 108,
109, 111,
114, 115,
118, 119,
120, 121
p. 93
A circus act started in 1909 that merged with
the Ringling Brothers circus act. The circus
continues today, and is known as “the greatest
show on earth.”
Barechu es Adonai hamevorach. Baruch
p. 46
Adonai hamevorach le’olam va-ed.
The Hebrew prayer before reading the Torah.
Translates to: “Praise the One to whom our
praise is due. Praised be the One to whom our
praise is due, now and forever.”
The Battle of the Bulge (16 December 1944 –
p. 114
25 December 1945) was the last major battle
the Nazis fought against the Allies and the
largest, most gruesome battle American forces
experienced during World War II. Hitler sent a
quarter of a million troops across an 85-mile
stretch of the Allied front, from southern
Belgium into Luxembourg (including Bastogne,
Belgium) in the dead cold of winter. Strictly
known as the Ardennes Offensive, it is called
“The Battle of the Bulge” because German
troops were able to advance some 50 miles into
the Allied lines, creating a “bulge” in the Allied
defenses. The battle involved over 500,000
troops from various sides. Though the Allies
won the battle, over 76,000 American soldiers
were killed, wounded, or captured.
Literally, “stage.” A raised platform from which pp. 40, 90,
2
Bissel
Bobby-soxer
Bocher
Boers
Boruch atah Adonoy, elohenuh
melech ha-olum ha-motzie
lechum min ha-eretz
Boychick(-al)
Bruce, Lenny
Bruchas
Bubbie
Bulvan
Carrot Tsimus
Chaya
Chedar
Chesterfield
services are conducted in a Jewish synagogue.
The rabbi, cantor, and other leaders of the
congregation are usually seated on the bima
during the service. The Bar Mitzvah will also
have a place of honor in front of the
congregation.
See A bissel
A 1940s sociologic coinage denoting the overzealous fans – usually teenaged girls – of Frank
Sinatra, the first singing teen idol. By the
1950s, fashionable adolescent girls wore poodle
skirts and rolled down their socks to the ankle.
See Yeshivah Bocher
Could refer to a number of conflicts between
Britain and the peoples of Southern Africa, but
is probably referring to the Second Boer War
(often called just the Boer War), which was
characterized by a “scorched earth” military
campaign by Britain and the first use of
concentration camps to confine a civilian
population.
Baruch atah Atonai, eloheinuh melech ha-olam
hamotzi lechem min ha-aretz.
English transliteration of the hamotzi.
Translates to: “Blessed art thou, oh God, king
of the Universe, who hast given us bread.”
Young boy.
Lenny Bruce (1925-1966), born Leonard Alfred
Schneider, was an American stand-up
comedian, writer, and social critic and satirist of
the 1950s and 60s known for obscene jokes.
A traditional blessing done at a certain time in a
ceremony. A Bar Mitzvah would be required to
say bruchas at his Bar Mitzvah service.
Bubby. Grandmother.
Man built like an ox.
Tzimmes. A sweet carrot meal served as a side
dish on Passover. Carrots are served with
honey, sugar, and orange juice.
See The chaya from the veldt
Chaider. Religious school.
A brand of cigarette made by Altria. It was one
of the most recognized brands of the early 20th
century, but sales have declined steadily over
the years.
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Chez Paree
Chief Patchentuchas
Chinek
Chlomming
Choleria
Cholish
Chupie
Cocken
Cock-tell
Congolese
Cordwood
Cossocks
Dahvin
Davis, Sammy
Chicago’s most famous nightclub from the
1930s through the 50s.
Patchentuches literally means “slap in the butt.”
In context, “Chief Patchentuches” means
something akin to “Chief Pain in the Ass.”
See Hocking my Chinek
Hitting.
See Schvartzer Choleria
Faint.
Slang for chupeh, the canopy under which a
Jewish couple is married (its four poles signify
the four corners of the world and support a blue
cloth, symbolic of the heavens). Also, the
marriage ceremony itself.
See Gay cocken affen yam, Alter!
A mispronunciation of “cocktail.”
Likely refers to the approximate eight million
Congolese that died as a result of colonial
brutality between 1886 and 1908.
Firewood cut and stacked in cords, a unit of
measure corresponding to a woodpile 4 feet
wide x 4 feet wide x 8 feet long.
Cossack, meaning “guerilla” or “adventurer.”
The origin of the cossacks can be traced to serfs
who fled from the principality of Moscow in the
14th and 15th centuries and established wheatgrowing and stock-raising communities in the
valleys of the Dnepr, Don and Ural rivers. From
the 16th century, as the czars extended their
realm, the cossacks were subjected to the
authority of the Russian government, which
tried to incorporate them into the state on the
same basis as the other inhabitants of the
country. Therefore, as subjects of the czar, all
cossack males 18 to 50 years of age became
liable to military service. In later years, the
czars of Russia utilized the cossacks as border
troops and as special military force during wars
up to the World War 1, when they were used
for the most dangerous missions.
Daven. Literally, “to pray.” To recite Jewish
liturgy, usually with a back-and-forth swaying
motion.
Samuel George “Sammy” Davis, Jr. (19251990) was an American actor, comedian,
singer, dancer, impressionist, and musician.
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Davy Crockett, Wyatt Earp,
Bat Masterson, Cisco Kid and
Zorro
Day-va-ju
Ditka, Mike
Known for being a member of the “Rat Pack”
of entertainers of the 1950s and 60s, including
Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Joey Bishop, and
Peter Lawford. While in the hospital recovering
from a near-death car accident in 1954, Davis’
friend Eddie Cantor told him about the
similarities between Jewish and black culture.
Prompted by the conversation, Davis converted
to Judaism several years later.
All characters in popular 1950s television
p. 45
shows. Three of them, Davy Crockett, Wyatt
Earp and Bat Masterson, were based on real
historical figures: Davy Crockett was an 18th
century American frontiersman and folk hero of
English-Irish descent who died at the Alamo,
Wyatt Earp was a late 19th century American
farmer, lawman and frontiersman and Bat
Masterson, a contemporary of Wyatt Earp, was
an early twentieth century frontiersman and US
Marshall. The shows inspired by them ran from
the mid 1950s through 1961. The Cisco Kid, a
popular children’s television western was based
on a fictional character created by O’Henry.
The Cisco Kid traveled the wild west with his
sidekick, Pancho. The show ran from 19501956. Zorro, a character who has inspired
several television shows and movies, was
featured in a 1957 Disney series that ran for two
years. Zorro (Spanish for fox) is the secret
identity of Don Diego de la Vega (originally
Don Diego Vega), a nobleman and master
living in the Spanish colonial era of California.
A play on “déjà-vu,” the experience of feeling
sure that one has witnessed or experienced a
new situation previously, although the exact
circumstances of the previous encounter are
uncertain.
Also known as “Iron Mike,” Ditka (b. 1939) is
a former NFL player, television commentator,
and coach. He coached the Chicago Bears for
11 years and the New Orleans Saints for three
years. Ditka and Tom Flores are the only two
people to win Super Bowls as players, assistant
coaches, and head coaches. Ditka was the only
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Dr. Spock
Dreikopf
Drek
Du
Eck-schtarb
English Oval
Erev Rosh Hashonnah
Faubus, Orville
Feathermerchant
Feh
Fercockteh
Fershluggenah
Fershtunkenah/Ferschtinkenah
Fishwife
Forshpie
individual to participate in the last two Bears’
championships, as a player in 1963 and as head
coach in 1985.
Benjamin McLane Spock (1903-1998), an
American pediatrician whose book Baby and
Child Care, published in 1946, is one of the
biggest best-sellers of all time. Spock was the
first pediatrician to study psychoanalysis to try
to understand children's needs and family
dynamics.
Draikop. Scatterbrain.
Trash.
See Vas machst du?
I die.
Premium brand of high-nicotine, non-filtered
cigarettes made by Philip Morris and favored
for their rich taste.
Though this is technically a day of celebration
in some Jewish sects (“Erev” means “the eve
of” in Hebrew), it is not generally thought of as
a High Holiday. Erev Yom Kippur, on the other
hand, is a somewhat important event in that
traditional meals are eaten (often with a
gathered family) before the fasting that takes
place on Yom Kippur. Here, Billy is using Erev
Rosh Hashanah as an excuse to skip Hebrew
school.
Orval Faubus (1910-1994) was the Democratic
Governor of Arkansas from 1955 to 1967. He is
most known for his stand against desegregation
in which he defied the Supreme Court and
barred African American students from
attending Little Rock Central High School.
A person short or of slight build, or a person in
a comfortable or easy assignment such as
headquarters duty or some staff billet. Often
used for all civilians working for the military.
Phooey. It stinks. It’s no good.
Feckuckteh. Dungy, crappy, fucked up.
Something of dubious or little value.
Farshtunkenah. Rotten, fetid, smelly.
A woman who sells fish. Such women were
notoriously loud and foul-mouthed as in the
proverb To swear like a fishwife.
Forshpeits. Snack, appetizer.
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Ella Fitzgerald
Frailach
Fred Harvey’s
Freedom Riders
Fumfer
Furbisseneh
Fitzgerald (1917 – 1996), also known as “Lady
Ella,” the “Queen of Scat,” and the “First Lady
of Song,” was an American jazz vocalist.
Frailech. Happy.
A chain of restaurants built from 1870 by
English immigrant Fred Harvey. From about
1959 until about 1975, the Fred Harvey
organization operated a series of restaurants in
the Illinois Tollway oases.
The Freedom Riders set out to challenge the
status quo of segregation. The Riders consisted
of African Americans and whites riding various
forms of public transportation together in the
South to challenge local laws or customs that
enforced segregation.
Funfeh. Mumble. Misspeak, make an error.
Farbissener. Bitter person, sourpuss.
Gabardine slacks.
Guts.
Gai kaken ahfen yam, Alter. Get lost! (Literally,
“Go shit in the ocean, old man!”)
Dangerous.
Gefarlacht
See also Nischt Gefharlacht
A non-Jew.
Gentile
Gezunterhait. In good health. Good luck.
Gesunder Heit
Throw it out. Toss it out.
Give it the Vahrf
Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob are the three
God of Abraham, Issac, and
patriarchs of the Jewish faith. Their names are
Jacob
often said in prayers.
God puts your name in the book According to Jewish tradition, God inscribes
each person's fate for the coming year into a
“book” on Rosh Hashanah and waits until Yom
Kippur to “seal” the verdict. The days between
Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur are meant as
days of repentance, so one can attempt to
change their fate by repenting one’s sins before
the fate is “sealed” on Yom Kippur.
A chain of local discount stores centered in
Goldblatt’s
Chicago during the early and mid-20th century.
Goilem. Dolt, knucklehead. An animate being
Golem
created from inanimate matter in Jewish
folklore. The word is often used today as a
metaphor for brainless lunks. Similarly, it is a
Yiddish slang insult for someone who is clumsy
Gab slacks
Gadarum
Gay cocken affen yam, Alter!
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116
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Gonif
Gontzah
Gotkehs
Goy
Goyim/Goyishe
Gross
Gross-a-gross
Haftorah
Halas, George
Ha-motzie
Hanakkah
Havah Nagilla
Heartzen
Hebrew School
or slow.
Crook, thief, burglar, swindler, racketeer.
See Mr. Gontzah Kenocker
Gatkes. Technically, long underwear with long
sleeves. Here, simply “underwear.”
A non-Jewish person (derisive context).
Non-Jewish (derisive context).
A gross is 144 and a gross-a-gross is 20,736.
Here, Nate is complaining that his father can
neither hear nor count and does not know the
difference between 144 and 20,736 sweatshirts.
The Haftorah (“parting,” “taking leave”) is a
reading from the Book of Prophets. The
Haftorah portion follows the reading from the
Torah, and is a passage thematically linked to
the Torah portion. Reading of the Haftorah is
often required at a Bar Mitzvah.
George Stanley Halas, Sr. (1895-1983),
nicknamed "Papa Bear" and "Mr. Everything,"
was a player, coach, owner, pioneer in
professional foot and the iconic longtime leader
of the NFL’s Chicago Bears.
Hamotzi. The Jewish blessing recited over
bread before a meal is eaten.
Hanukkah. Also known as the Festival of
Lights, an eight-day Jewish holiday
commemorating the rededication of the Holy
Temple in after its desecration by foreign forces
in the 2nd century BCE. The festival is
observed by lighting the candles of a special
candelabrum (the nine-branched menorah or
Hanukiah), one light on each night of the
holiday, progressing to eight on the final night.
An extra light called a shamash (meaning
“guard” or “servant” in Hebrew) is also lit each
night for the purpose of lighting the others, and
is given a distinct location, usually above or
below the rest.
Traditional Hebrew folk song sung at special
occasions. The title literally means “let us
rejoice.”
See Mein Heartzen
Synagogue supplementary schools, or Hebrew
schools, are the most common form of Jewish
education in America. Classes meet once or
twice a week after public school hours and/or
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40, 42, 46,
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98, 108,
109, 120
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59
Heit
Herzel
Hessian
High Holidays
Hill, Joe
Hither and kaupf
on weekends. Hebrew studies often begin when
children are seven or eight. Studies in Jewish
subjects (such as history, customs, ritual
practices, and holiday observances) begin
several years before the Bar Mitzvah. The
lessons become more extensive and more
frequent as one gets closer to the year of the Bar
Mitzvah.
See Gesunder Heit
Herzl Junior College. A community college in
Chicago that changed its name to Malcolm X
College in the late 1960s. It was named after
Theodore Herzl (1860-1904), an early leader
for the movement to form an independent
Jewish state.
Refers to eighteenth-century German regiments
in service with the British Empire that fought
against American colonists during the
American Revolutionary War.
Also known as the High Holy Days. The
Hebrew translates literally to “Days of Awe.”
The holidays strictly include Rosh Hashanah
(the Jewish New Year) and Yom Kippur (the
Day of Atonement). By extension, it also
includes the ten days between those two
holidays, which are called the “Ten Days of
Repentance.” By further extension, this
includes the entire forty days before Yom
Kippur to represent the forty days Moses spent
on Mt. Sinai before coming down with the Ten
Commandments. Usually, however, most
discussions of the High Holidays involve only
the days between Rosh Hashanah and Yom
Kippur.
Joe Hill (1879(?)-1915) was a SwedishAmerican labor activist, songwriter, and
member of the Industrial Workers of the World.
He was executed for murder in 1915. Many
believe that he was framed for the crime, and
pleas for clemency turned his case into a major
media event with such prominent personalities
as Woodrow Wilson and Helen Keller coming
to Hill’s aid.
Hither (“over there”) and kop (“head”). Means
something akin to “here and there” or “all over
the place.”
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Hocking my Chinek
Hootnanny
House of David
Hungry Eye
“If I had the wings of an
angel….”
I.G.A.
Indians
In like flynn
“The Internationale”
Ist
Judas
Giving me such a headache.
Hootenanny. An informal performance by folk
singers, typically with participation by the
audience.
A religious commune established in the early
20th century that was known for, among other
things, growing hair out.
hungry i. A San Francisco nightclub operated in
the mid-1950s and early 1960s by Enrico
Banducci at 599 Jackson Street in the North
Beach district. The hungry i was instrumental in
launching the careers of singer Barbra Steisand,
folk group The Kingston Trio and comedians
Lenny Bruce, Mort Sahl, Jonathan Winters,
Professor Irwin Corey, Woody Allen, Dick
Cavett, Phyllis Diller, the Smothers Brothers,
and Joan Rivers.
Lyrics to “The Prisoner’s Song,” written in
1924 by Guy and Robert Massey. The full verse
reads:
“Now if I had the wings of an angel
Over these prison walls I would fly,
And I’d fly to the arms of my poor darlin’,
And there I’d be willing to die.”
Independent Grocers Alliance. Many
independent supermarkets take the initials as
the store name for brand recognition.
Either refers to the slaughter of the indigenous
people of North America (Native Americans)
by European settlers or to the Indian struggle
for independence against Great Britain led by
Gandhi.
To be extremely or emphatically successful,
often in a sexual or romantic context. A
reference to Australian actor Erroll Flynn
(1909-1959), known for his swashbuckling
roles and his reputation as a hard-drinking
ladies’ man off-camera.
A French socialist anthem written in the 1800s
and known throughout the world.
See Vey Ist Meir!
Judas Iscariot was, according to the New
Testament, one of the twelve original Apostles
of Jesus. He is most traditionally known for his
role in Jesus' betrayal into the hands of Roman
authorities.
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Juniper Knoll
Jacob’s Ladder
Kalookie
Kenocker
Khazer
Kiddish
Kikes
Kimosabe
Kiss the Torah
Kleine
Kleinerkeit
Klugistmeir
Kockem
Kopf
Kosher
Kraut
Krebbs, Maynard G.
The actual Camp Juniper Knoll is a girl scout
camp in East Troy, Wisconsin, approximately
100 miles north of Chicago.
A spiritual with additional lyrics by Pete
Seeger. In the Bible, the term comes from a
prophetic dream by the patriarch Jacob of a
ladder ascending to heaven: “And he dreamed
that there was a ladder set up on the earth, and
the top of it reached to heaven, and behold, the
angels of God were ascending and descending
on it.” (Genesis 28:12–13)
Denotes any form of basic rummy played with
104 cards (a doubled pack) plus jokers.
See Mr. Gontzah Kenocker
Chazer. Pig.
Kiddush (literally, "sanctification") is a blessing
recited over wine or grape juice to sanctify
Shabbat, a Jewish holiday, or a Bar Mitzvah.
The term is used to refer to a ceremonial meal
served at a synagogue following the recitation
of kiddush at the conclusion of services, in
which refreshments (traditionally including
cake, crackers, and fish).
Racial slur for a Jewish person.
Kemo Sabe. Greeting from Tonto to the Lone
Ranger on The Lone Ranger. Translates to
“trusty scout.”
This is a Jewish tradition at a Bar Mitzvah.
During the service, the Torah is walked around
the synagogue and the congregants are
traditionally supposed to kiss it (though it is
considered unsanitary to actually kiss the
Torah, instead people touch their prayer books
or the ends of their ceremonial shawls to the
Torah and then kiss that).
See Mein Kleine Mensch
Little one.
See also Mein kleinerkeit/kleinikeit
See Mr. Klugistmeir
Chachem. Wise guy, clever one.
See also Reb Kochum/Kuchem
See A schtinken auffen kopf
Food that meets rules of Jewish dietary laws.
Here, slang for right, perfect, clean, proper.
A German (pejorative).
The beatnik sidekick on the 1960s TV show
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The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis, played by
actor Bob Denver (1935-2005). He is portrayed
a stereotypical beatnik with a goatee, hip slang
usage, and an unkempt bohemian appearance.
Krupa (1909-1973) was an influential American
Krupa, Gene
jazz and big band drummer and composer
known for his highly energetic and flamboyant
style. He is credited with inventing the rim shot
on the snare drum.
The nation’s longest-running newspaper
Kup’s column
column, started in 1943 and running for nearly
60 years. Writer Irv Kupcinet (1912-2003) was
an avid supporter of Jewish causes.
Beaming with pride and happiness.
Kvelling
To life.
L’chiam
Like the Red Sea had opened up Reference to the story of Moses in which he
parted the Red Sea to allow the Jews to escape
Egypt.
In Harriet Beecher Stowe (1811-1896)’s Uncle
Little Liza running across the
Tom’s Cabin, a slave woman named Eliza
ice
escapes to Ohio when she overhears that her
master is planning on selling her. She manages
to cross the Ohio River to freedom by walking
across the ice flows.
Lithuanian Jews.
Litvaks
Hospital founded by the sisters of St. Vincent
Lourdes
de Paul.
Let him go.
Lus’em Gayn
See Vas machst du?
Machst
A Hindi term for a Brahmin sage. Nate is using
Mahatma
the term ironically.
A game of Chinese origin usually played by
Mah-jongg
four persons with tiles resembling dominoes
and bearing various designs, which are drawn
and discarded until one player wins with a hand
of four combinations of three tiles each and a
pair of matching tiles.
A dummy manipulated by American
Mahoney, Jerry
ventriloquist Paul Winchell (1922-2005).
Winchell started out with Mahoney on radio in
the 1940s and had a TV show called WinchellMahoney Time from 1965-68.
Fabricate a story.
Make shit up outta whole cloth
Mother dear.
Mamala
Literally, “almond bread.” A Jewish dessert
Mandel Brot
similar to Italian biscotti.
12
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p. 61
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p. 68
p. 67
p. 103
p. 59
p. 45
p. 57
p. 27
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p. 8
p. 119
p. 70, 71
Manhattan
Marshall Fields
Mason, Perry
Mazel Tov
Mazik
Medea
Megillah
Mein Heartzen
Mein Kleine Mensch
Mein kleinerkeit/kleinikeit
Meir
Menorah
Mensch(-en)
Menschkeit
Methuslah
Miller, Glenn
Mishagas
Mishpuchah
Mishugie
Mr. Gontzah Kenocker
Mr. Klugistmeir
Mit weldshmerz
A shirt manufactured by the Manhattan Shirt
Company.
Marshall Field and Company (Marshall Field’s)
was a department store in Chicago that grew to
be a major chain before becoming acquired by
Macy’s Inc. in 2005.
Fictional defense attorney who originally was
the main character in numerous pieces of
detective fiction authored by Erle Stanley
Gardner (1889-1970).
Good luck. Loads of luck. Congratulations.
Brat.
A woman in Greek mythology who killed her
children as revenge for her husband’s infidelity.
Scroll or the Book of Ester. In slang, it means
the whole works, the complete details, a long
meaningless rigamarole.
My love.
My little gentleman.
My little one.
See Vey Ist Meir!
A traditional Jewish candelabra consisting of
either seven branches (for use in temples) or
nine branches (for Hanukkah specifically).
Good boy(s).
See also Mein Kleine Mensch
Dignity, manners, respect.
Methuselah. The longest-living person in the
Bible. Nate is calling Rob an old man because
of his unshaven face.
Alton Glenn Miller (1904-1944) was an
American jazz musician, arranger, composer
and band leader of the swing era. Was one of
the best-selling recording artists from 1939 to
1942, leading one of the best known Big Bands.
While traveling to entertain U.S. troops in
France during World War II, Miller’s plane
disappeared in bad weather. His body has never
been found.
Mishegas. Madness, insanity.
Mishpocheh. Family.
Mishugeh. Crazy.
Mr. Gantseh K’nacker. Mr. Big Shot.
Mr. Klug iz mir. Mr. Smart Alec. Literally, “Mr.
Woe-is-me.”
With despair.
13
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pp. 69, 100
p. 23
p. 34
pp. 75, 98, 113
p. 119
p. 69
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p. 109
p. 12
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p. 77
p. 38
p. 69
Mitziah
Mitzvah
Morris, Johnny
Mossick
Mumsur
Murdle-ize
Murphy, Audey
“My Yiddishe Mama”
Nafkehs
Nischt Gefharlacht
Nostrovia
Nu
“Oh, Mein Papa”
Oi/Oy
Okie
Old Black Joe
Orah-tay
Parr, Jack
Metsiyeh. Big bargain.
A good deed.
Morris (b. 1935) was a former NFL running
back/wide receiver who spent his entire ten year
career with the Chicago Bears. A year after the
Bears won the 1963 Super Bowl, Morris played
his best season, with 93 receptions for 1212
yards and 10 touchdowns.
Mossik. Troublemaker, naughty boy, imp.
Mamzer. Technically means “one born out of
wedlock” but is taken to mean a rotten, nasty,
unreliable person.
To utterly destroy.
Audie Murphy (1924-1971) was a muchdecorated soldier who served in the European
Theater of the Second World War, he later went
on to have a successful movie career including
the popular To Hell and Back.
A song made famous by Sophie Tucker (18841966) in the 1920s, which plays on stereotypes
of the Jewish mother and symbolizes nostalgia
for the Old World.
Whores.
Nischt Geferlech. Not so bad.
A Russian cheer translating to “to health.”
So? Well?
A traditional German song about a clown father
written by Paul Burkhard (1911-1977) in 1939.
Yiddish exclamation to denote disgust, pain,
astonishment, or rapture.
p. 110
pp. 63, 64
p. 6
p. 78
pp. 24, 74
p. 11
p. 23
p. 111
pp. 37, 77
p. 105
p. 21
p. 44
p. 111
pp. 12, 25,
26, 34, 53,
67, 76
pp. 76, 77,
114
A migrant farm worker from the south-central
United States, especially one seeking work in
the West or Southwest during the 1930s and
1940s. Often characterized by a ragged,
unkempt appearance.
A nineteenth century American folksong by
p. 68
Stephen Collins Foster (1826-1864) that reflects
upon a friendship with enslaved farm workers
and the grief after their passing. Old Black Joe
is embodied as a dignified, gentle, elderly farm
worker.
See Torah
p. 51
Parr (1918-2004) was the host of The Tonight
p. 102
Show from 1957-1962. At the time of the play,
the current Tonight Show host would have been
14
Patchentuchas
Penny ante
Pesach
Pesadicha
Philidelphia lawyer
Pish
Pisher
Plotz(-ing)
Prayer shawl
Punim
Putz
Rabbi
Rachmaunus
Rambling Rob Roman
Johnny Carson (1925-2005).
See Chief Patchentuchas
Small time, or two-bit. Originated as a poker
term.
Passover, the Jewish holy day and festival
commemorating the Hebrews escape from
enslavement in Egypt. The holiday also marks
the beginning of the harvest season.
Kosher for Passover. When Pharaoh freed the
Hebrews, their departure from Egypt was so
hasty that they did not have time to let their
breads finish rising. As a result, during
Passover there are strict prohibitions against
foods with leavening or yeast. In order for a
wine to be kosher, it must be created under a
rabbi's immediate supervision, with only
Sabbath-observant Jewish males touching the
grapes from the crushing phase through the
bottling. Kosher for Passover wine must
additionally be made from a mold that has not
been grown on bread (such as sugar or fruit)
and must exclude several common
preservatives, like potassium sorbate.
Philadelphia lawyer. A term used to describe a
lawyer who knows the most detailed and
minute points of law.
Piss.
Male infant, a little squirt, a nobody.
Burst(-ing). Going crazy.
The Jewish prayer shawl (tallit) is worn in the
synagogue on Shabbat and holidays. The tallit
has special twined and knotted fringes known
as tzitzit attached to its four corners. The tallit
can be made of any materials except a mixture
of wool and linen interwoven which is strictly
prohibited by the Torah. Most traditional tallits
are worn in wool.
A cute face.
Fool, idiot, jerk. Literally, an obscenity for a
flaccid penis (“prick”).
A person trained in Jewish law, ritual, and
tradition and ordained for leadership of a
Jewish congregation, especially one serving as
chief religious official of a synagogue.
Rakhmones. Compassion, mercy, pity.
A reference to the song “Ramblin Man,” written
15
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p. 10
p. 20
p. 102
pp. 5, 25, 26.
pp. 3, 17
pp. 11, 12, 37
p. 65
p. 13
p. 40
pp. 9, 16, 32,
38, 62, 65,
82, 87, 88,
90, 98, 120
p. 66
p. 77
Reb Kochum/Kuchem
Reb-sach
“Reformed,
Conservative…Orthodox”
Riverview
The Rosenbergs
Rosie the Riveter
Running Bear
in 1951 by Hank Williams (1923-1953).
Reb Chachem. A smart, clever one. “Reb”
translates to “Mr.” or “Rabbi,” titles given to
learned and respected men. Nate is using the
term ironically.
Smarty-pants.
The three main branches of 20th Century
American Judaism. Orthodox Judaism is the
most traditional branch of Judaism and
emphasizes observance of both the moral and
ritual obligations of traditional Jewish law.
Reform Judaism teaches that Judaism’s ethical
laws are binding while ritual laws can be
adapted to fit modern society. It favors
individual choice over obligatory beliefs and
practices. Conservative Judaism occupies a
middle ground between the two other branches.
It seeks to preserve the structure and content of
traditional Jewish observance, while allowing
for adaptations to fit modern circumstances.
An amusement park in Chicago, open from
1904-1967.
Julius (1918-1953) and Ethel (1915-1953)
Rosenberg were Jewish-American communists
who were executed for espionage. Although
evidence seemed to connect Julius to giving Abomb secrets to Russia, Ethel’s involvement
was much more murky, and anti-Semitic
prejudices fueled the flames of public opinion
against them. The Rosenbergs’ execution was
the first of civilians, for espionage, in United
States history.
A cultural icon, representing the women who
worked in war factories during World War II.
Although Rosie the Riveters took on male
dominated trades during WWII, women were
expected to return to their everyday housework
once men returned from the war. Instead
women chose to return to traditional work such
as clerical or administration positions.
The title and main character of a song sung
famously by Johnny Preston (b. 1939) about a
Native American brave who is kept from his
beloved Little White Dove, because the two are
in rival tribes. The story concludes with the two
trying to unite by swimming through a river that
16
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p. 43
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p. 68
Sacco and Vanzetti
Sa-cock
Satin cap
Schkutzim
Schlemiel
Schlep
Schlepsach
Schmatte
Schmeckel
Schmendrick
Schmoe
Schmuck
Schmutzic
Schpilkes
Schtarker
Schtick
Schtimmer
Schtinken
Schtum still like a schtimmer
Schtupping
Schvartz(-er/-ahs)
Schvartzer Choleria
Schvester Esther
Schvitz(-ing)
Seagram’s
separates them, and sadly drowning.
Ferdinando Nicola Sacco (1891-1927) and
Bartolomeo Vanzetti (1888-1927) were two
Italian-born laborers and anarchists who were
executed after being convicted of murder. The
case was scrutinized for using anti-immigrant,
anti-Italian, and anti-anarchist sentiments to
swing the jury. Protests erupted all over the
world for the executions.
Butcher.
Refers to a yarmulke or kippah, worn by Jews
to show respect for God when they enter a
synagogue. See also Yarmalke (p. 111).
Shkotzim. Naughty Jewish boys.
Shlemiel. Clumsy bungler. Inept person.
Shlep. To go somewhere unwillingly or where
you may be unwanted.
Shlepsach. Foul ball.
Shmatte. Rag, something worthless.
Shmeckel. A fast-talker. A swindler.
Shmendrik. Nincompoop. An inept or
indifferent person.
Shmoe. Native person, easy to deceive. A goof.
Shmuck. Fool, idiot, jerk. Literally an obscenity
for an erect penis
Shmutsik. Crummy, dirty.
Shpilkes. Pins and needles. Nerves, anxiety.
Shtarker. Brave one. Also, thug, hoodlum.
Shtick. Gimmick.
See Schtum still like a schtimmer
See A schtinken auffen kopf
Shtum still like a shtimmer.
Quiet and still like a mute.
Shtupping. Filling. Also a vulgarism for sex
(“fucking”).
Shvartz(-er/ahs). Black (pejorative).
Shvartzer Choleria. Evil black woman.
Shvester Estjer. Sister Esther.
Shvitz(-ing). Sweat(-ing).
See also Are you taking a schvitz in there?
Seagram’s and VO appear to actually be the
same brand. The VO in Seagram’s VO stands
for “very own.”
17
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p. 59
p. 64
pp. 4, 12,
103
p. 4
pp. 35, 65,
117
p. 110
pp. 9, 101
p. 21
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pp. 90, 106
p. 55
p.104
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pp. 19, 20
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68, 115
p. 26
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p. 20
Section Eight
Seeger, Pete
Self-hating Jew
Serge suit
Shabass/Shabbas
Shaegitz/Shaygitz
She spits – three times
Shicker
Shiksahs
Shinola
Shlock
Shofar
Shoot the Chutes
Refers to Section VIII of the World War II-era
United States Army Regulation 615-360, which
provided for the discharge of those deemed
unfit for military service. Also came to mean
any serviceperson given such a discharge or
behaving as if deserving such a discharge.
Peter “Pete” Seeger (b. 1919) is an American
folk singer and a key figure in the mid-20th
century American folk music revival. As a song
writer, he is most famous for the protest songs
“Turn, Turn, Turn” and “If I Had a Hammer.”
Is also known for contributing additional lyrics
to the spiritual “Jacob’s Ladder.”
This phrase, started in the 1930s, refers to the
accusation that some Jewish person allegedly
holds beliefs. It is often used as a political tool
discount Jews who disagree with Israeli policy.
Serge is a strong-twilled fabric commonly used
for suiting.
Shabbat. The seventh day of the Jewish week.
A day of rest in Judaism, observed from
sundown Friday until sundown Saturday.
Shygets. Non-Jewish boy.
It is Jewish tradition to spit three times in
reaction to something especially good or evil.
This is done because three is considered a
mystical number in Judaism. Saying “pooh,
pooh, pooh” was substituted for spitting after
spitting became offensive.
See You’re get Shicker
Non-Jewish women.
A brand of wax shoe polish that was available
in the early to mid-20th century. Shinola was
immortalized in colloquial English by the
phrase “You don't know shit from Shinola,”
which first became widely popular during
World War II.
Shoddy merchandise.
The shofar, an animal horn blown during
services on the holiday, is the most
recognizable symbol of Rosh Hashanah. The
shofar is typically made from a ram’s horn, but
the horn of any kosher animal can be used
except for a cow or an ox.
A water ride at Riverview similar to a log
flume.
18
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p. 109
pp. 66, 67
p. 65
pp. 4, 15
pp. 96, 103
pp. 12, 107
p. 93
p. 106
p. 32
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p. 103
Shul
Silvertone
Simcahs
Smelt
Sons of Judah
Speiler
Squaw
Strosch
Stuckey’s
Tatala
The chaya from the veldt
The prayer for the dead
The ten million Russians and
the twenty million Chinese
Thomas McCann shoes
The Three Stooges
Yiddish word indicating a school or a place
where people gather to study together.
“Synagogue” and “shul” are often used
interchangeably by Jews to describe the
communal house of worship and study.
A cheap brand of guitar made by Sears.
Joyous times.
A fish found in the Great Lakes.
A formal title for the Jewish people. Most Jews
are considered to have descended from the tribe
of Israel led by Judah, son of Jacob and Leah.
Spieler. A person with an extravagant line of
talk.
A spelling of the Algonquin Indian morpheme
meaning, “woman.” The phrase has often been
considered offensive.
Strash. Threat.
The Stuckey's restaurant and store chain began
as a roadside pecan stand outside of Eastman in
the early 1930s. By the 1960s, the stores, which
catered to travelers, had spread across the
country.
Toddler/child (masculine).
The big butter and egg man. The big shot from
the country.
In Judaism, during the first year after a death,
the children of a dead parent and the dead
person’s sisters and brothers attend synagogue
regularly to recite a special prayer for the dead
called the kaddish, the “hallowing” or “making
holy.” Each year, on the anniversary of the
death, Jews recite the kaddish in memory of a
dead family member. Most Jews also light a
candle in their home on the anniversary as a
reminder of their departed relative.
Approximate casualties of World War II.
pp. 18, 59,
60, 71, 73,
120
Brand of leather shoes that reached its peak of
popularity in the 1950s and 60s. Was known for
a blend of high-quality leather and affordable
pricing.
An American vaudeville and comedy act of the
early to mid-20th century best known for their
numerous short subject films. Their hallmark
was physical slapstick comedy punctuated by
quickly-delivered one-liners, within outrageous
p. 91
19
p. 80
p. 21
p. 103
p. 64
p. 49
p. 29
p. 106
p. 19
p. 119
p. 50
p. 74
p. 68
p. 66
Tockeh
Tomashevsky
Torah
Troubabour
Tsimus
Tsouris
Umblek/Umbleck
Uncle Milty
V.A.
Vahnzen
Vahrf
Vas machst du?
Vaya’avod Yisrael
Vayivrach ya’akov sedeh Aram
Veldt
Vey Ist Meir!
V.O.
storylines.
Tahkeh. Really! Certainly! Is that so?
Refers to Boris Thomashefsky (1868-1939), a
star of the Yiddish theatre in the early to mid20th century.
Meaning “instruction” or “direction.” It refers
to the first five books of the Tanah (the Jewish
Bible), according to Jewish tradition given to
Moses on Mt. Sinai and transmitted from
generation to generation. The Torah is written
in Hebrew on parchment. As there is no
punctuation and there are no vowels, one of the
challenges for a Bar Mitzvah is learning to read
the text. A book called a tikkun is used to aid in
this process.
Troubadour. One of a class of 12th- and 13thcentury lyric poets who flourished chiefly in the
south of France and the north of Italy and
whose major theme was courtly love. Also, a
singer, especially of folk songs.
See Carrot Tsimus
Troubles, misery.
Umblek. Unlucky one. Natural-born loser.
A nickname of Milton Berle (1908-2002), the
comedian and TV and radio personality who
hosted The Milton Berle Show in the 1940s and
50s. By the time of the action of High Holidays,
Berle’s popularity had faded, the show had been
cancelled, and the host was reduced to hosting
the game show Jackpot Bowling where he
delivered quips between contestants.
Veterans Affairs.
Bedbug.
See Give it the Vahrf
How are you?
Excerpt from Billy’s Haftorah (Hosea 12:13).
The complete verse translates as: “Jacob fled to
the land of Aram, and [there] Israel served for a
wife, and for a wife he herded sheep.”
See The chaya from the veldt
Exclamation of sadness or annoyance.
Translates literally to “Woe is me!”
VO and Seagram’s appear to actually be the
same brand. The VO in Seagram’s VO stands
for “very own.”
20
pp. 18, 26
p. 105
pp. 51, 64,
65, 90
p. 77
p. 103
pp. 26, 115
pp. 23, 32,
33, 115
p. 66
p. 22
p. 35
p. 17
p. 45
p. 46
p. 50
p. 23
p. 20
Wampum
Weldzhmerz
We leave that to Beaver
When we are pricked do we not
bleed
Wops
Yam
Yarmalke
Yentah
Yeshivah Bocher
Yidlach
Sargeant York
You’re get Shicker
Yuntov
Beads of polished shells strung in strands, belts,
or sashes used by North American Indians.
Although highly valued, especially by Native
Americans in the Iroquois Confederacy
(primarily concentrated in present-day New
York), wampum was not a form of currency. It
was used to call a council, seat council
members in the correct order, speak at a
council, elect a chief, depose a chief (the chiefs
were always men, but women elected and
deposed them), for adoption ceremonies, during
mourning, as records and deeds, as gifts, and as
ornament. Wampum did, however, serve as
money for the colonists. It had value, was easily
divisible, and was scarce because it took a lot of
labor to make, and was consequently adopted as
money. It was legal tender in all 13 original
colonies, and at least as late as 1701 New York
was still setting the official rate.
See Mit weldzhmerz
A play on the TV series Leave it to Beaver that
ran in the 1950s and 60s and exemplified the
idealized pleasant, suburban family of the midtwentieth century.
Line spoken by Shylock the Jew in The
Merchant of Venice, Act III, Scene 1. Shylock
is saying that Jews are human just like everyone
else.
Italians (pejorative).
See Gay cocken affen yam, Alter!
Traditionally, Jewish males cover their heads
with a yarmulke or kippah (commonly in the
shape of a round skull cap) to show respect for
God when they enter a synagogue. By saying
“pass the Yarmalke,” Rob is making a joke at
the phrase “pass the hat.”
Yenteh. Gabby. Talkative.
Student that studies the Torah.
Jewish/Judaism.
Alvin York (1887-1964) was the mostdecorated American soldier of the First World
War. His exploits were later made into a movie
titled Sergeant York. Gary Cooper (1901-1961)
played York.
You’ll become a drunk.
Holiday.
21
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p. 12
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pp. 9, 65
p. 23
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22