Anyway, at times I amuse my co-workers by breaking into Yiddish. Since I'm not allowed to use profanities in the workplace (dagnab "consideration of others"), I get by with an occasional "kish mine tuches" and "tsu tillas gescheften". (That last one is a Heinz-Kerry favorite.)
After my supervisor called me a "schmuck", however, I had to take him aside and explain what he REALLY called me. I let him know I wasn't offended (I've been called a lot worse, trust me), but saying that to the wrong person could result in getting his butt kicked.
Gey gezunterheyt, y'all.
:-)
I had the same experience as you did in college with Jewish friends! They taught me a bit if Yiddish and turned me on to Leo Rosten and similar authors. I consider those friendships to have been a gift and a blessing. To this day, when I get ticked off, I'll sprinkle Yiddish words in Southern Expressions. Both Yiddish and Southern English are colorful, expressive, and flavorful.
fyi, my first college roommate was an "African Jew", who spoke fluent LADINO.(his parents emigrated to the USA in the 1930s, fleeing the Italian Fascists)
the air in the room would turn BLUE when he was angered about something.
ladino "cuss words" come in REALLY handy at times, too as few Americans understand them. lol.
also, his mom sent us LOTS of Mediterranean goodies as "care packages", when he would return from a weekend at home.
i frequently wished he'd get homesick more often! (btw, have you ever had Kosher PIZZA?????. MMM-MMMMMMM-GOOD!)
free dixie,sw