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VIDEO: Learn some fun Yiddish phrases about Rosh Hashanah

As Rosh Hashanah approaches, it’s a great opportunity to learn some common Yiddish words and expressions related to the holiday.

So this week, two clips of my YouTube series, Yiddish Word of the Day, are devoted to the Jewish new year. The first one covers some of its customs, like sending greeting cards to family and friends and blowing the shofar (and also includes a humorous expression that refers to the very long prayer service).

The second clip talks about tzimmes, the sweet Rosh Hashanah dish made of stewed fruits and vegetables. Because it was so popular among the Jews of eastern Europe, you can hear the word tzimmes in a number of Yiddish expressions throughout the year. Learn, for example, how to say “making a big fuss out of nothing”.

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