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P. 120
expressed a dislike for some of the (exhausted) principal. “Well, Billy,” said responded, “Zolst dervorgehn vehren!
Knesset members! the principal, “what’s your excuse?” (you should choke on it!)” He was so
Billy was quiet for a few seconds but shocked at the response that he began
School Tales suddenly blurted out that he was not at coughing and choking.
Having worked in the Baltimore City fault because the teacher hated him,
school system for many years, I and he hated the teacher. Suddenly his Years later, I received a phone call
observed many forms of chutzpa. A top grandmother punched him with great from him, and he began uttering the
incident of chutzpa was committed by gusto and yelled, “Shut up!” first line of the Shema prayer. He was
a parent of a student who had been calling from a hospital. Was this his way
given speech therapy. Another semes- Did Billy quiet down? you may ask. of doing teshuva, or was he stating that
ter arrived, and the child was no longer He was quieter than a mouse in a he still was a Yid? Vehr vais (who
in need of the service. This was decid- house with a cat! His grandma did not knows)? Only the Boss.
ed by a committee that included the tolerate chutzpa.
speech therapist, the vice-principal, and Parade Shocker
other choshuveh (important) staff Antiquated Chutzpa A few years ago, there was a “stand
members. After retiring from the school system I with Israel” parade in Baltimore. A
took an interest in collectibles. And large crowd gathered and joined the
The father of the student attended what is a collectible? you may ask. Iz parade, many individuals holding
the meeting, and things were going dher enfehr (the answer is) just about beautiful Israeli flags. A few musical
rather smoothly when he suddenly any item imaginable. groups participated, and many of the
reached in his pocket and removed a Jewish day schools were represented.
large pen knife. He opened the knife I began working in an antique shop There was minimal fear of anti-
and thrust it into the table while shout- on Sundays. Nu, where does chutzpa Semites, but there was one shocker.
ing, “I want speech!” The police were enter the picture? Hair zich tsue (give a “Were there terrorists? you may ask.
notified, and the fahrtumult (chaotic) listen). Not exactly. Rather, while marching,
meeting came to a grinding halt. we passed a group of youngsters
Interestingly, the youngster received Another Jewish sales person who brazenly waving PLO flags and hold-
speech for another semester! The worked there was a “cultural” Yid. Doss ing anti-Israel posters. Were they from
moral of the story: Sometimes chutzpa hayst (that means) that he could speak Saudi Arabia, Jordan, or Iraq? you may
pays! Yiddish and enjoyed the Yiddish the- ask. The answer is, none of the above:
ater. When it came to Yiddishkeit They were Neturei Karta! Their dress
Another school maiseh: Billy Smith (Judaism), though, he fifed (ignored) it. I was Jewish and their chutzpa was
(not his real name) was suspended once asked him about wearing tefilin, unparalleled! (Nu, let’s be dan lekaf
from school for a week because his and his response was, “Isaac, don’t try zechus. Perhaps they were Arabs in
conduct was totally unacceptable. to proselytize me.” disguise.)
What did he do? you may ask. Billy
placed a wad of gum on the teacher’s One day, he was sitting at the store May we arrive at a time when chutz-
chair. Prior to returning to school, Billy counter munching a sandwich. pa is a thing of the past, which will
and a parent were to discuss the inci- Suddenly, he blurted out, “Isaac, do you occur when people practice the holy
dent with the principal. Billy’s mother know what I’m eating? I’m eating a Torah maxim that states: “Ve’ahavta
was unable to attend, so his grand- chazer (pig meat) sandwich.” He was lerei’echa kamocha – Love others as
mother took her place. aware that I was an observant Yid, so much as yourself.” To that piece of wis-
the chutzpa was twofold. First, he was dom, we have to add just one thing:
Three sat in the principal’s office: violating Jewish law, and second, he Don’t forget to love yourself! ◆
grandma, Billy, and the oysgemahtert was causing anguish to another Yid. I
looked him square in the eye and
112 u www.wherewhatwhen.com u
Knesset members! the principal, “what’s your excuse?” (you should choke on it!)” He was so
Billy was quiet for a few seconds but shocked at the response that he began
School Tales suddenly blurted out that he was not at coughing and choking.
Having worked in the Baltimore City fault because the teacher hated him,
school system for many years, I and he hated the teacher. Suddenly his Years later, I received a phone call
observed many forms of chutzpa. A top grandmother punched him with great from him, and he began uttering the
incident of chutzpa was committed by gusto and yelled, “Shut up!” first line of the Shema prayer. He was
a parent of a student who had been calling from a hospital. Was this his way
given speech therapy. Another semes- Did Billy quiet down? you may ask. of doing teshuva, or was he stating that
ter arrived, and the child was no longer He was quieter than a mouse in a he still was a Yid? Vehr vais (who
in need of the service. This was decid- house with a cat! His grandma did not knows)? Only the Boss.
ed by a committee that included the tolerate chutzpa.
speech therapist, the vice-principal, and Parade Shocker
other choshuveh (important) staff Antiquated Chutzpa A few years ago, there was a “stand
members. After retiring from the school system I with Israel” parade in Baltimore. A
took an interest in collectibles. And large crowd gathered and joined the
The father of the student attended what is a collectible? you may ask. Iz parade, many individuals holding
the meeting, and things were going dher enfehr (the answer is) just about beautiful Israeli flags. A few musical
rather smoothly when he suddenly any item imaginable. groups participated, and many of the
reached in his pocket and removed a Jewish day schools were represented.
large pen knife. He opened the knife I began working in an antique shop There was minimal fear of anti-
and thrust it into the table while shout- on Sundays. Nu, where does chutzpa Semites, but there was one shocker.
ing, “I want speech!” The police were enter the picture? Hair zich tsue (give a “Were there terrorists? you may ask.
notified, and the fahrtumult (chaotic) listen). Not exactly. Rather, while marching,
meeting came to a grinding halt. we passed a group of youngsters
Interestingly, the youngster received Another Jewish sales person who brazenly waving PLO flags and hold-
speech for another semester! The worked there was a “cultural” Yid. Doss ing anti-Israel posters. Were they from
moral of the story: Sometimes chutzpa hayst (that means) that he could speak Saudi Arabia, Jordan, or Iraq? you may
pays! Yiddish and enjoyed the Yiddish the- ask. The answer is, none of the above:
ater. When it came to Yiddishkeit They were Neturei Karta! Their dress
Another school maiseh: Billy Smith (Judaism), though, he fifed (ignored) it. I was Jewish and their chutzpa was
(not his real name) was suspended once asked him about wearing tefilin, unparalleled! (Nu, let’s be dan lekaf
from school for a week because his and his response was, “Isaac, don’t try zechus. Perhaps they were Arabs in
conduct was totally unacceptable. to proselytize me.” disguise.)
What did he do? you may ask. Billy
placed a wad of gum on the teacher’s One day, he was sitting at the store May we arrive at a time when chutz-
chair. Prior to returning to school, Billy counter munching a sandwich. pa is a thing of the past, which will
and a parent were to discuss the inci- Suddenly, he blurted out, “Isaac, do you occur when people practice the holy
dent with the principal. Billy’s mother know what I’m eating? I’m eating a Torah maxim that states: “Ve’ahavta
was unable to attend, so his grand- chazer (pig meat) sandwich.” He was lerei’echa kamocha – Love others as
mother took her place. aware that I was an observant Yid, so much as yourself.” To that piece of wis-
the chutzpa was twofold. First, he was dom, we have to add just one thing:
Three sat in the principal’s office: violating Jewish law, and second, he Don’t forget to love yourself! ◆
grandma, Billy, and the oysgemahtert was causing anguish to another Yid. I
looked him square in the eye and
112 u www.wherewhatwhen.com u
