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*In Yiddish, the word "poshet" means
simple
When I think of the word "poshet," my mind
turns to the Thornton Wilder play, "Our
Town." It's a play about simple "lebn" (life),
"geveyntlekh" (ordinary) events, learning to not take life for granted, and
treasuring every moment of the day. While the time period is over a "hundert" (100)
years, some things never change: life begins with "geburt" (birth), and
ends with
death and we all share some common
events in between the beginning and the
end
In the 1967 book, "The New York Spy," by Alan Rinzler, we read about Sunday on the Lower East Side, one of the greatest experiences that NYC offers:
"Since Saturday is the Sabbath to most of the area's merchants, Sunday is the great day for buying, selling, trading, bargaining, cajoling, celebrating the great drama of the marketplace. On Sunday one would think that nothing had changed from the earliest ghetto days of the 1900s. The sidewalks of Orchard, Essex, Ludlow, and Rivington Streets are packed, the air is filled with the battle of street cries and the smell of legendary foods. Here are the bagels of yesteryear, and the lox, the pickles, the schmaltz and herring, the bearded Chasids in their frock coats, the second-hand clothing, dried fruits, whitefish and carp, pushcarts and yarmulkas, gefilte fish and knishes, shops called Tannenbaum and Rauch, Russ and Daughters, Anschel Kessel, Zarin, Izak's, and The Smokehouse of Schmulka Bernstein. Take the time to shop and talk. Nosh even or have a meal at Katz's (Houston and First Avenue.) You won't be sorry."
Was life really so "poshet"--simple?
That very same year--1967--the following letter appeared in "A Bintel Brief," Edited by Isaac Metzker:
Dear Editor: I have often read the "Bintel Brief" to learn how you have suggested solutions for the problems of your readers. Now, I would like to tell you my problem. It is difficult for me to write Yiddish so I am writing to you in English. I am a young man twenty years of age. My grandparents brought a precious heritage of Yiddishkeit from Eastern Europe. I remember the good Jewish life they lived. I still remember how they used to sing Jewish songs, speak Yiddish and prepare delicious kosher meals for my parents and me on Friday evenings. These were the best days I have yet known.
However, several years ago my grandparents passed away. My parents and I now reside in the suburbs in an area which lacks the Jewish traditions and customs that I knew as a child. Very few except the older Jewish people in my neighborhood speak Yiddish. Few keep strictly kosher homes, few people observe our wonderful Sabbath in the traditional manner. Most of the young ladies I meet are not the type of Jewish girl I would like. I feel like a stranger among the Jewish girls who are interested only in rock 'n' roll and wear mini skirts. I long for the days I knew as a young boy.
Many aspects of life in this area seem to snuff out whatever remains of our beloved Yiddishkeit. I have recently graduated from a local university and am now starting to attend law school in a larger city. Most of the young people who will be studying there with me will not be Jewish or will be the type of Jew who does not live as one. Most of the people I will come in contact with will not have the same interests I have.
I want to know how my family and I can
perpetuate our traditions. I would also like to know where I can find
people of my age
to share my interests.
Sincerely,
S.T.
In 2008, the dating scene is a little more "poshet": thousands of Jewish singles have found their soul mates on JDate, Ortho-Date, Frumster, JCupid, or Shoahanna's Matches (Their motto: "Our only real competition is Mom!).
DI frage: the question: DOES GROWING OLDER MAKE LIFE MORE "POSHET"?
Bob Schieffer ("Bob Schieffer's America")
writes about "The Sunset of Life." Yes, some things are simpler..."Growing
older
reduces the number of things we need to
worry about. For example, which brand of
motorcycle is most likely to be stolen?...Nor
do I need to know how old Britney Spears
really is or whether tattoos are safe, or
the best place to get body parts pierced,
or to find low-rider blue jeans, or whatever
happened to Monica Lewinsky, or whether
Bill Clinton wore boxers, briefs or jammies with feet on them."
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