Vos makht a yid?

by ALEX WEISER

In Yiddish, one colorful way Jews can greet each other is with the saying, “?װאָס מאַכט אַ ייִד” (vos makht a yid?). Literally this means, “what does a Jew make?” Idiomatically it means something like, “what’s doing man?” Possible answers range from clever, to חוצפּהדיק (khutspedik). Below find a compendium of possible responses. Please note that these literal meanings can have a variety of implications depending on their context. 

The answer could begin: 

“...מע...“ אָדער ”אַ ייִד”

“me...” or “a yid...”
“one…” or “a Jew…”

ending with any of the following:

מאַכט מיט די הענט

makht mit di hent
does it with the hands

מאַכט מיט די זײַטן

makht mit di zaytn
does it with the sides

מאַכט זיך נישט װיסנדיק

makht zikh nisht visendik 
plays dumb

מאַכט אַ ברית

makht a bris
makes a bris

מאַכט נישט קיין ברית

makht nisht keyn bris
doesn’t make a bris (nothing spectacular is new)

מאַכט קינדער

makht kinder
makes children

מאַכט אַ טומל

makht a tuml 
makes a noise

מאַכט אַ גװאַלד / מאַכט גװאַלדן

makht a gvald / makht gvaldn
makes a noise, a brouhahaha, makes a nuisance, raises an alarm

מאַכט פּליטה

makht pleyte
runs away, flees, goes belly up

מאַכט אַ צימעס

makht a tsimes
makes a big deal

Or, in classic Yiddish fashion, one can answer with a question:

?װאָס [נאָך] זאָל מען מאַכן

Vos [nokh] zol men makhn? 
What [more] should one do? / What [more] do you expect?

?װאָס נאָך דאַרף מען מאַכן

Vos nokh darf men makhn? 
What more need one do?

?װאָס נאָך קען מען מאַכן

Vos nokh ken men makhn?
What more can one do?

Alex Weiser is YIVO’s Programs Manager.

Do you have any other responses? Share them with us! 
Email Alex Weiser at aweiser@yivo.cjh.org.