Fiddling Around in Yiddish

The opening strains of Traditsye are unmistakable. And while I don't understand the Yiddish words, I've seen Fiddler on the Roof enough times to comprehend what is being sung.

Thanks to my Facebook friend, Rachelle, I recently became aware of Fiddler on the Roof in Yiddish. She's already seen the play -- this recording was made with the 2018 Broadway cast.

Now, I grant you, I was raised Catholic, and while I suspect I may have been Jewish in a prior life, I have no ties to this culture in my current life. That is, aside from the few Yiddish phrases I've picked up from Harry over the years.

But knowing that "schvitz" means sweat, a "pischer" is a greenhorn and "meshugga" means crazy does not a fluent speaker of Yiddish make.

And yet, it doesn't matter. This recording touches all kinds of nerves. The humor and angst, love and sorrow, joy and frustration -- all resonate with this shiksa -- or is it "goy"? (There's a lot of blowback over the word "shiksa," as I discovered doing a quick search of the word.)

Maybe someday I will be fortunate enough to see the play. In the meantime, I can enjoy the music. I downloaded the soundtrack from the library, but soon, I'll go out and buy the CD.

Lekhayim!