Vey is Mir!

Welcome to Marge’s Yiddish!

Man!  My mom had a Yiddish word or phrase for everything!  From the dopes and the idiots to the slender and not so slender women, she called it as she saw it.

Most people familiar with Yiddish will tell you that there is no direct translation for these terms.  Defining them is always ‘…well it’s a bit like this but not exactly…with some of that but not a lot…’

As such, these words were part of the bricks that make up my DNA.

As Marge slid further down the Alzheimer’s rat hole, speech was the first faculty she lost.  At some point it occurred to me that if I didn’t get what I remembered of these out of my head, they would be lost upon my ‘graduation’…assuming the adage is true that nobody gets out of this alive.

Anyway, I hope you enjoy my contribution to the dwindling world of a language that was forged from hardship and yet, still endures!

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Marge’s Yiddish

This was an interesting project, to say the least.

My first book, Buyer’s Book of Business Branding (yes…shameless self-promotion), aside from the writing, everything else was taken care of for me.

For this one, I ended up with complete control over…everything (as I’m wont to do, but hey – I’ve been in business for myself for the past 30+ years).

All of the words – mine.

All off the photos (except the 2 on the cover) are mine.

All of the graphics – mine.

Book layout?  Yup.

Overseeing all aspects of book production?  I did that!

Designing and building this web site?  Uh huh.

I tell you this so you understand just how much of my soul has gone into this book.

The Book Itself

  • I chose the best quality paper offered
  • I chose the deluxe color option – one of my biggest concerns was the images
    • My photos are my kids and if they didn’t print well, I was going to have to come up with a Plan B
  • I did my damnedest to make the book as accessible to everyone as possible
    • Phonetics
    • Explanations of the phonetics
    • Definitions – at least how I know the words

My friend Robin was sitting shiva with her family.  My book had arrived just days before.  She texted me during to tell me that the book made up a huge portion of conversation.  People were saying ‘I haven’t heard that word in decades’.  They were arguing about pronunciations and definitions, all the while laughing at the images and my snark.

This was my dream reaction!

I was kvelling so much, I cried!

Click below to view a tiny sample of what you’ll find inside.  While there is a bit of pertinent commentary, that majority of this book is devoted to the Yiddish!

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Rich Buyer

From the Jersey suburbs to the gentle rolling hills of Massachusetts to the gritty streets of Manhattan, my path has been eclectic. 

Starting in pre-med, I shifted gears to hospitality, and fine tuned that to fitness, working at the prestigious Canyon Ranch. I moved to Manhattan, teaching in top clubs and training private clients.

By the late ’90s, I transitioned to web design, survived the bust of the dot-com bubble and became an Adjunct Professor at Fordham University, where I taught digital media and animation. I later joined an advertising agency, working with notable brands like Bonne Maman, Fulton Fish Market and McCann’s Oatmeal.

I also explored stand-up comedy at the New York Comedy Club and co-wrote and produced an indie film, *The Networker*. 

Now, in addition to my Branding company being in business for 24 years, I’m a published author; my first book, *Buyer’s Book of Business Branding*.

I am super proud to present my latest effort – *Marge’s Yiddish…as recalled by Chiamschmerril*. 

I do hope you enjoy!

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What You’ll Learn

First and foremost, I wrote this book as a chance to put down in writing, a language I’d only ever heard.  When I hear an unfamiliar word or name, I usually ask for it to be spelled.  Seeing the letters (in my head) helps me embed the word into my brain.

So…writing these words was the first challenge.  Once I started to write them down, I realized I had to write them phonetically as well – how would someone without prior exposure to these words even begin?

So…what you’ll get from this:

  • Words steeped in history and culture
  • Through the phonetics, pieces of a language that are now accessible to all
  • Fun!
    • To know me is to know if ain’t fun, I’d much rather not!
  • The images
    • I’ve been an avid street photographer for decades.  I went through my collection and paired an image with each word
    • Some are right on target, some are somewhere in the neighborhood and some are just there because they make me laugh
  • Some insight into Marge – after all, they did come (to me) from her
  • Some insight into me
  • A bunch of ways to refer to someone was an idiot or an ass
  • A bunch of ways to express joy
  • And if all else fails, the book will make a good door stop

 

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Reviews

A must have for ANYONE who has heard a Yiddish word & ANYONE who loves great photography!
Who knew that a book of Yiddish words and their definitions could make such an impact on my life? When I ordered this book, it was to support a friend and business colleague. Knowing the talent of this man made the purchase a no-brainer…I had to have it!
I was alone when I flipped to the first page…tears of laughter, joy, and remembering times in my life flowed freely as I didn’t have to explain anything to anybody. Who knew that this book was exactly what I needed at this time in my life?
Then my mother-in-law came to my home for her sister’s funeral. Sitting around my dining room table with her, my brother-in-law, and my husband was getting sad & I wanted to change the mood. I brought out this magical collection of thoughts, memories, photography, and POOF! We started to laugh, talk, remember, and share stories of our pasts. My mother-in-law was able to relax for a bit and we all had things to talk about and most importantly for this group, things to disagree about.

Thank you, Chiamschmerril, for sharing Marge’s Yiddish with me and my family. Because of you, she sat at my table and we all were blessed to have her at our table for a kibbitz.
Robin S.
Long Island, NY
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A beautiful and heartfelt book, highly recommended.
I absolutely love this book! The pictures are beautiful, and I can see why the author has written about his ‘yiddish’ memories.
Shaelene M
Ontario, Canada

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What can I say about Marge’s Yiddish and Rich Buyer?

I was honored when Rich asked me for my input in his first draft. I was truly blown away! This is not a boring textbook on how to learn a language. It is a work of art in and of itself!

Rich beautifully paired his stories about Yiddish words with his own raw and gritty images of life on the streets of New York. I loved every minute of the journey!

I did not expect this, but it also helped me connect deeper with my heritage. My grandparents were native German speakers, but they used a lot of the Yiddish expressions that Rich shares in this amazing book. I didn’t know it, but I learned the power of Yiddish to connect people who speak different languages.

I love the book and love that Rich put his heart and soul into it…it shows. Mazel Tov my friend!

Jeff B.
Edmonton, Alberta

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From Jeff’s 11 year old son:

On Chutzpah: Why is that man farting at the cops?

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Wow! A huge thank you to Rich Buyer for the acknowledgment in your new book. I’m thrilled to share it with all my friends, who are loving it just as much as I am. Thank you again—you’re the best!
Juan V.
Long Island, NY