The Content Jedi Blog

The purpose of blogs in marketing is to demonstrate thought-leadership.

I’ve written my fair share of those kinds of posts, and this blog is not one of them. Friends, sometimes it’s okay to just have a little fun. To that end, I’m picking up from where I left off a while back when I wrote My 5 Favorite Yiddish Words Are… with this one. 

For the longest time, I’ve heard that Yiddish is a dying language. If that’s the case, then it’s a zombie, because it’s still here, and it’s not going to die if I have something to say about it.

1. Yenta/Yente

A yenta is a busybody or gossip. 

I grapple with this, because while I don’t like gossip spread about me, I love hearing it about others. 

More traditionally, a yenta is a matchmaker. If your parents ever made you watch Fiddler on the Roof, you’ll recall the character named Yente. I have horrible memories of Fiddler on the Roof. This is not because I didn’t enjoy it, but the night I saw the musical when I was 7, I had apocalyptic food poisoning and spent four days in the hospital on an IV. Worse was that my parents thought it would be a good idea to hire a Ronald McDonald to visit me and cheer me up. I spent those 10 minutes hiding under the hospital bed in my gown. 

For real.

2. Schnorrer 

I’m in love with Yiddish because it is so onomatopoeiatic.

For you ignoramuses who slept through that grammar school lesson, an onomatopoeia is a word that sounds like its meaning—like ignoramuses.

When you hear schnorrer, I think it’s pretty obvious that you don’t want to ever be called that. Need convincing? A schnorrer is a freeloader and moocher, someone always looking to get something for nothing. 

Say it out loud, “Will you get a load of that schnorrer?” 

It’s so fun!

3. Gonif/Ganef 

Who are the thieves and crooks in your life? 

Everyone knows a gonif or four. 

“Watch your wallet around him. He’s a real gonif.”

It means a literal thief or figuratively, a shady or untrustworthy person.

Schnorrers and gonifs travel well together.

4. Farbissina Punim

While shayna punim means pretty face, farbissina punim is a bitter face or sourpuss. 

It’s a kinder way of saying resting bitch face. Actually, I don’t know about that. 

What I do know is that there’s no greater example of a farbissina punim than climate activist turned antisemite, Greta Thunberg. Just Google her, and you’ll see exactly what I’m talking about.

5. Gay Kaken Ofn Yahm

This is the crème de la crème of Yiddish. 

Buckle up. 

The transliteration of Gay kaken ofn yahm is: Go shit in the ocean. 

When “Get lost” or “Get out of here with that nonsense” doesn’t sate your exasperation, give “Gay kaken ofn yahm” a whirl. 

I’d like to think that at some point in their lives, the Jewish sages, Maimonides, Rabbenu Tam, and Rabbi Meir of Rothenburg, uttered this to obstinate students. 

What I do know for sure is that your Grandma, Bubbe, or Safta have said it at least once. 

Fellow Jews, keep speaking Yiddish, and to my gentile brothers and sisters, it’s never too late to start.

About the Author, David Telisman

I am a Writer and Content Creator, and I work with businesses to inspire their customers to buy from them. I believe that my clients deserve to feel proud of how their content marketing looks and what it says, and I deliver by providing expert copywriting and marketing solutions.

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