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*In Yiddish, a "shtele" is a job
On 6/19/2000, Rosalind Clark wrote the
following letter to the Metro column of
The New York Times:
Dear Diary:
When I was 18, I got my first job, at the
Woolworth Building at 233 Broadway at
Park Place. My salary was $10 a week and
I worked as a file clerk on the 10th floor.
I lived with my parents and eight brothers
and sisters in a tenement in Brooklyn and
we had just the bare necessities of life.
Each day as I entered the Woolworth Building I stood in amazement, admiring
the mosaic ceiling and the beautiful woodwork.
Recently, at the age of 88, I again came to
the Woolworth Building, this time with a
different reaction--much pride and a full
heart. My eldest son, Bruce Clark, a lawyer,
occupies the entire 36th floor.
---------------------------------------------
What's your dream job? A mohel? A mezuze examiner? An "khezhbn-firer?
(accountant) A "apteyker"? (pharmacist)
A "dokter"? (Your mother will kvell!) A "komi-voyazhor"? (traveling
salesman)
Shown below is the Yiddish version of a SIMILAR quiz offered by Espin.com, part of the ecrush network.
Before we start this "Dream Job Quiz," do
you agree that there are 6 seasons of the
"yor" (year)? "vinter," "friling" (spring),
"zumer," "harbst" (autumn), slack and busy?
. agree
. disagree
1. What's your philosophy?
. "Dress British, Think Yiddish"
. "Jesus Saves, Moses Invests"
. "Sell Rosh Hashanah, Buy Yom Kippur"
. Smile and say "schmaltz"
. If you want something, you have to work
for it.
("Gebroteneh teibelech fli'em nit in moil
arein.")
2. What was your best subject in "di mitlshul" (high school)?
. "kunst" (art)
. "visnshaft" (science)
. physical ed (gym)
. "geshikhte" (history/social studies)
. "heym economics" (home economics)
. math
. recess
3. Which would you rather do?
. "zetsn zikh" (sit down)
. "oyfshteln zikh" (stand up)
. run around
. 'shpatsirn" (take a walk for the enjoyment
of the walk)
4. How important is raking in the "groys"
(big) bucks?
. Super important. "Vos gikher, alts beser." (The faster, the better.)
. Pretty important
. A "bisl" (little, not much)
. Yes. "Oyf gelt shteyt di velt." (Money supports the world.)
. Important. Money buys everything except brains. ("Far gelt bakumt men alts, nor kain saichel nit.")
. Not important, as long as I'm doing what I like.
5. Do you want to be "barimt" (famous)?
. Yes, Yes, Yes! ("Yo, Yo, Yo.")
. Um, sure.
. It would be cool, but it's not a priority or
anything.
. Psh. Who cares?
. Don't ask me any questions. ("Freg mir nit keyn kashes.")
6. When there's a project to do, you'd rather
. Work in a group
. Do the whole thing on my own
. Have a small team of "mavens" (experts) do it for me
7. What do you want to do after high school?
8. Which would you rather win?
9. Which do you prefer?
10. Which reality competition or program would you totally nail?
11. When were you born?
12. What magazines do you read?
13. Michael Bloomberg, mayor of NYC, doesn't believe in job titles. What do YOU think about job titles?
14. Which job title really causes you to lakhn" (laugh)?
________________________________________
Marjorie Gottlieb Wolfe is a retired business educator. She is also the
author
of two books: "Yiddish for Dog & Cat Lovers" ($13 plus $3.50 postage/handling)
and "Are Yentas, Kibitzers, &
Tummlers Weapons of Mass Instruction?
Yiddish Trivia" ($12, plus $3.50 postage and handling. To order: contact
her at
19 Market Drive, Syosset, NY 11791.
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