![]() Someone even created Mashuga Nutz, which was even referenced in a “Friends” episode! From the chaos of a family vacation to the insanity of a Brooklyn playground at 3:45 p.m., it’s easy to call things meshuganeh. This Yiddish word for crazy is perfect for lots of situations. Perfect for the bedroom that looks like a tornado just ran through it, the toddler covered in cream cheese or spaghetti sauce, the floor covered in the sesame seeds that have been methodically scraped off of the preschooler’s bagel, or even just the hoops we jump through to figure out after school childcare for our kiddos. Used in the phrase, “ Eizeh balegan!” (what a mess!). It means mess, but it also can be used to mean…well…a shitshow. I’ve started using it with my kids and it just makes me so happy to think about using the language of my grandparents and great-grandparents. ![]() It makes me think of my grandparents, and it always made me feel special. This phrase means “pretty face” ( shayna=pretty, punim=face) and it’s what my grandma always used to call me. Used like, “Dance class? It’s such a schlep and by the time we get there, I’ve always forgotten the ballet slippers at home!” To schlep is to go a great distance that’s a bit out of your way, usually carrying something cumbersome and sometimes unnecessary. And when you have to move all that kid stuff around, that’s schlepping. When you have babies you suddenly come into a lot of stuff: strollers, baby carriers, high-chairs, diaper bags (and all that stuff you put in them), baby food makers, toys, cribs, swings…the list goes on. If you’re looking to add a few Jewish words to your family’s lexicon, look no further than this list, featuring my absolute favorite Jewish words. All of these together create our own unique family language. My son has taken to calling me Ima instead of Mommy because it feels more special to him. My husband’s go-to name for a pretend person is Chaim Yankel. I’m pretty sure my kids think I don’t know the word “head” because I only ever call it by the Yiddish word keppe (especially when I’m giving it a kiss!). I love the way certain phrases, sounds, and words add up to a special family vocabulary.
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