A ku iz gefloygn ibern dakh un geleygt an ey.

We Jews love sarcasm almost as much as we love to go camping.

Get it? Sarcasm.

This saying is one of many Yiddish expressions that is just dripping with the stuff. We’re all familiar with the expressions “when pigs fly” and “when hell freezes over.” These work. They serve their purpose in a strictly utilitarian, rudimentary and one-dimensional way. In our adage, however, we Jews take things a step further by layering on an additional dimension of absurdity. In this way we are able to achieve a one-two punch of sarcasm, thus ensuring the target is not just sufficiently mocked, but profusely.

Just call us overachievers.

Appropriate usage?

Following a hopping early bird supper at the senior center, Morty and Joe moved on to the local diner for coffee and a Danish, and to go over the early-evening’s events. Joe could hardly contain himself and Morty felt a rare gratitude for the glaucoma he suffered in his right eye because it partially obscured the sight of Joe’s goofy and yellowing grin. When was the last time he soaked those fakakta things!?

Joe: “I swear, Morty, that Gladys has it bad for me! I mean, how many trips to the hot bar can one woman make? I don’t think it was a coincidence that your ol’ Joe here happened to be at the table right next to the brisket! No chance! What’d I tell ya? She was giving me the eye all night!”

Morty: “Sure, Joe, and A cow flew over the roof and laid an egg.”

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