Der Yiddish Vinkl received two of Stanley Siegelman’s inimitable witty poems written in reaction to current events. To prevent readers from misinterpreting the following poem as a snide Jewish poke at a Christian denomination, they are asked to read next week’s Vinkl as well, “Hooray, Hooray, der Rebbe iz Gey.”

Oy Vey, Oy Vey, der Bishop iz Gey

Der nayer bishop — er iz gey!

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)

“Nor zorg zikh nit — es iz okey!”

— Azoy derklert, mit groys “élan”

Di Kirkh Episcopeylian.

Galokhim mit zeyer bishop-boss

Dertseyln goyim, “Don’t be cross.

A naye tsayt iz mit undz yetst

Zoln ale congregants be blessed.”

Vos nokh? A blumbe makhn zey

Vos zogt, “Okey tsu zayn a gey.”

Di blumbe (sha! gib nit a lakh)

Makht zaynen gey a koshere zakh!

Di feygelakh arum der velt

Vern lebedik. Der bishop kvelt!

Nur epes kukt oys zeyer mies

Tsu khevre in der diocese:

“Nisht kosher,” shrayen zey, gants “pissed,”

“Azoy zogt undzer Yeyzes Krist!”

Der bishop’s heylik vi a malekh

Er iz a guter, fayner galekh.

Eyn kleyne zakh (zog nit “oy oy”)

Er libt a man, un nit a froy,

Zayn “tsimer meyt” iz nisht a “gal.”

Zi’s take zayn “Episco-pal.”

A “schism” vegn vos er meg

Kumt yetst — a tseylem in dem veg.*

Mir vintshn im parnose, glik

Vayl er khapt on der bishopric

“Gey” un “galekh” — aza “mixture”!

S’iz verbotn in di “scripture”?

Der entfer veyst nor Got aleyn

Zoln ale zogn yetst “Omeyn.”

*“Tseylem” means “cross,” and “veg” means “way.”

Hence, the line refers to a “crossroad.”

Oy Vey, Oy Vey, the Bishop is Gay

The bishop just installed is gay!

“No need to fret — it’s quite okay,”

Asseverates, with great élan,

The church Episcopalian.

The clergy, with their bishop-boss,

Tell congregants, “Do not be cross.

The times are altered, for the best,

May all parishioners be blessed.”

What’s more, they have devised this seal:

“Guys can be gentile and genteel.”

(The purpose is to guilt-suppress

And make things kosher, sans distress.)

To sympathizers round the world

A battle flag has been unfurled.

But something feels so very queer,

The diocesan critics sneer,

And charge the situation’s treyf,

Un-Christian, wicked and unsafe.

A clergyman of great success,

The bishop brims with holiness.

One little item mars the paean:

He loves a man. Is that obscene?

His roommate, un-canonical,

Is truly his Episco-pal.

Will “schism” now divide the church

And leave our bishop in the lurch?

We wish him well, this maverick,

As he takes on the bishopric.

“Gay” and “priest” is quite a mixture

That may be proscribed by scripture.

The answer lies with God, not men.

Let’s hold our peace and say “Amen.”

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. Support our work by becoming a Forward Member and connect with our journalism and your community.

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

—  Rachel Fishman Feddersen, Publisher and CEO

Support our mission to tell the Jewish story fully and fairly.

$90 $180

$360

Other amount