Brooklooooyn!
Via AP: “In this Sept. 12, 2005, photo released by the Brooklyn borough president’s office, a sign on the Brooklyn side of the Williamsburg Bridge proclaims ‘Leaving Brooklyn: Oy Vey!’ The sign, bearing the Jewish expression of dismay or hurt, is intended as a way of acknowledging Brooklyn’s large Jewish population. Borough President Marty Markowitz says motorists seeing it know it means ‘Dear me, I’m so sad you’re leaving.'”
I saw that today, it’s hilarious.
I dunno… I feel that it’s a form of stereotyping. Acknowledging your Jewish community through a phrase expressing dismay? Maybe this is my sephard-side speaking, or my New Jew side speaking, but using that phrase to encapsulate Jewish life is a big turn off to me, generally– this particular Yiddiishim seems deeply steeped in shtetl style frailty. For one thing, I know that Brooklyn’s Jewish community is more diverse than this sign lets on. For another, I don’t like the idea that the government is associating Jews with complainers…
(And can I call this a comment and not a kvetch?)
Alright Yiddish revivalists… bring it on… I know it’s coming.
that’s a hoot. Marty knows how to promote. I ran a candidate against him at Brooklyn College in 1969. Marty won. He’s got moxie. And good for him.
Yiddish IS making a comeback. last night, I heard a hansom cab driver with an Irish accent kvetch out an “Oy Vey” while he was complaining to his horse about traffic. He had no clue that the exec dir of the folksbiene yiddish theater was in the car with me, and we both cracked up. Proof positive we’re on the right track in reviving the theater and that the language is coming back in a new and totally unanticipated way. It’s always because it sounds better in yiddish
ronnen, overly paranoid jews piss me off.
but i still loves ya.