When the whole world seems Jewish

By Joel H. Cohen

NEW YORK — Years ago, in the wide-open office of a trade newspaper where I worked, a young woman staffer suddenly stood up and declared in a loud, clear voice: “When you’re in love, the whole world is Jewish.” And then she quietly sat down.

I don’t know how long her love lasted, but I’ve never forgotten what she said. Because often, it does, indeed, feel as if the whole world is Jewish.

Some current indicators: The New York Times, in recent weeks, headlined a story about a self-help guru:  “Eat, Pray, Kvetch” …The Times’ crossword puzzle, not usually thought of as a bastion of Yiddish or Hebrew, frequently employs such words as yenta and shtetl. And when in need of a word to fill four blank spaces, the Hebrew months of Adar or Elul do the job. So do Aviv to follow Tel, or, for three spaces, Ner, to go with Tamid (clue: “Jewish synagogue eternal light”)

Everyday conversations involving Jews and non-Jews alike are peppered with such Yiddishisms as oy, shlep, schlemiel, maven, and mensch. Virtually everybody enjoys a nosh, is fond of tchotchkes, and knows or suspects when something is or isn’t kosher. And the same folks often express congratulations with a mazal-tov, while a go-to person who acts as your mentor and looks out for your welfare is sometimes known as your “rabbi.”

Less complimentary are descriptions of a bad guy as a goniff or shyster.

Professional communicators, when in search of just the right word, sometimes rely on Yiddish. During recent political campaign coverage, for instance, TV  pundits, including Irish-Catholics, commented on candidates’ mishegas, proposals that would avail them bubkes, or situations that have them shvitzing. Comedians, Jewish or not, have been doing shtick for ages.

The two Christian major-party nominees for U.S. President each have a Jewish son-in-law, and one has a daughter who converted to Judaism.

Speaking of marriage, a video gone viral recounts the wonderful musical surprise given to a an obviously thrilled Latino-American bride Her father’s wedding toast quickly blossomed into a full-blown, rousing song-and-dance musical presentation of “To Life, To Life, L’Chaim” from Fiddler on the Roof, with scores of relatives and guests participating. The idea for the surprise, a month in rehearsal, came from the groom, Lin-Manuel Miranda, of Puerto-Rican descent, rapper, composer, writer,who created the role of “Hamilton.” (Win gave the “ch” in “l’chaim its authentic  pronunciation.)

Also relating to theater, a popular TV documentary (Broadway Musicals: A Jewish Legacy) illustrates how Jewish composers used Yiddish and Hebrew musical themes in their theater offerings for American audiences. One pleasantly surprising example cited is that the opening notes of George Gershwin’s “It Ain’t Necessarily So” in “Porgy and Bess” – ironically questioning the validity of  some Biblical accounts – have the same tune as the opening blessing chanted when someone is called to the Torah,

Years ago, perhaps thinking about the then-whispered  recipe for success — “Dress British, think Yiddish.” – in mind, Sir Robin sang in “Spamalot,” “In any great adventure, if you don’t want to lose … you won’t succeed on Broadway if you don’t have any Jews.”

The Jewish influence isn’t limited to Broadway or U.S. coastal regions. For instance, when dear non-Jewish friends of our daughter-in-law and son had a baby boy, they named him Cohen, not a common first name in Montana, where they then lived or, for that matter, in any other locale.

Way back when only a small part of the world was Jewish, The Merchant of Venice had a Jewish theme, albeit an unpleasant one. And, despite what some amateur comedians have contended, in “(pardon the expression) “Hamlet,” William Shakespeare did not write ”Tisha B’av all, to thine ownself be true.” But he certainly could have…and, had he been in love at the time. he most probably would have.

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Cohen is a freelance writer based in New York.  Comments intended for publication in the space below MUST be accompanied by the letter writer’s first and last name and by his/ her city and state of residence (city and country for those outside the United States.)