The news item that the inimitable Stanley Siegelman chose for his column this week is the announcement that California’s Stanford University is now offering a three-year program in the study of Yiddish literature. Here it is, in Siegelman’s very own brand of Yinglish — a mix of Yiddish and English.

Der Kosher “U”

Bay California’s Stanford U

Forwarding the News

Thoughtful, balanced reporting from the Forward and around the web, bringing you updated news and analysis each day.

Terms(Required)

I agree to the Forward's Terms of Service and Privacy Policy

Email(Required)

Shtudirt men vi tsu zayn a Jew!

Dos iz, m’lernt dort vi azoy

Tsu redn Mama Loshn. Oy!

Talmidim zogn s’iz okay

Ven rekhts tsu links gor lezn zey.

FaynYiddish leynt men — alemen!

Nor vu? In Forverts! Ha! (Vu den?)

Un tsu der “editor in chief”

Zey shraybn (tsu dem Bintl Brief)

M’redt nor Yiddish ven in school!

Bay dem iz Mama Loshn “cool.”

Ven Shabes kumt, men arbit nit

Far UJA “they do their bit,”

Zey trogn yarmilkes oyfn kop

Mit goyish esn “they’re fed up.”

Zey fresn khazer-fleysh nit mer,

“Pinochle” shpiln zey mit “flair,”

Zey esn beygl bay der “ton,”

Un zaltsik lox “they do not shun.”

Ven lebn vert tsu shver un “gray”

Zey kvetshn (Yiddish style) “Oy vey!”

Bay Stanford, iz di tsukunft “bright. Far Mama Loshn, Yiddishkeit.

The Kosher “U”

Oy, mamaloshen is “What’s new”

In California’s Stanford U.

There, Yiddish language now is taught

In grandma’s accent, as it ought.

The students are becoming deft

At reading from the right to left.

They’re scanning now, with speed and skill

The Forverts in original!

(Some even when they have a beef

Write letters to the Bintel Brief.)

They bask in Yiddish rhetoric

The mother tongue gets in its lick.

They shun work on the seventh day

And flock to join the UJA.

They’re wearing skullcaps on the head.

White bread? They’re eating rye instead.

Pig’s knuckles some ate to their shame

Today, pinochle is their game.

The sale of lox and bagel soars

According to the local stores.

When things are bleak and outlook gray

The students kvetch and moan, “Oy vey!”

At Stanford U., they’re not uptight

They flaunt and fly their “Yiddish-kite.”

The Forward is free to read, but it isn’t free to produce

I hope you appreciated this article. Before you go, I’d like to ask you to please support the Forward.

Now more than ever, American Jews need independent news they can trust, with reporting driven by truth, not ideology. We serve you, not any ideological agenda.

At a time when other newsrooms are closing or cutting back, the Forward has removed its paywall and invested additional resources to report on the ground from Israel and around the U.S. on the impact of the war, rising antisemitism and polarized discourse.

Readers like you make it all possible. We’re near the end of our Passover Fundraising Drive, and we have a very ambitious goal of $127,000 by April 21.

This is a great time to support independent Jewish journalism you rely on. Make a Passover gift today!

—  Rachel Fishman Feddersen, Publisher and CEO

Make a Passover Gift Today!

$90 $180

$360

Other amount