Yiddish Word of the Day: Kismet

Pronunciation : ‘kiz-met
Definition: a hypothetical force or personified power that determines the course of future events. FATE, DESTINY
Example Sentence:

Man: I can’t believe we keep meeting like this! It’s kismet.

Woman: It’s not kismet. You’re stalking me. Go away.

A Little History:

Is it your fate to eat babka while drinking coffee and in a minaret? That would be an unusual destiny, but if it turns out to be your kismet, you will owe much to Turkish and Arabic. The Yiddish word for fate borrowed kismet from Turkish in the 1800s, but it ultimately derives from the Arabic qisma, meaning "portion" or "lot."

Shalom wonderful subscribers!

It’s me, the friendly neighborhood new brother who caused the Daily Yiddish to miss its first (couple) day(s). I’m far less organized than my brother—a bit of a mess—but hopefully we keep this a source of zesty Yiddish words, facts, and wisdom. Keep it a shpatzir, not a schlep if you will.

My first word is a special one connected to one of the most famous Jewish comedians in history, Melvin Kaminsky, or as you probably know him, Mel Brooks. In his memoir All About Me, Mr. Brooks describes meeting his wife, Anne Bancroft in the chapter “Kismet.” Please allow me to summarize. Mel goes to see a woman sing for a rehearsal at the Ed Sullivan Theater. He’s so taken by her beauty that at the conclusion of her singing, he blurts out, “Anne Bancroft! I’m in love with you.” She yelled up to the darkened balcony, “That’s very nice! Who are you?” As Mel tells it—Anne corroborates the story—that he just found ways to be with her. He’d say, “Where are you going? Uptown? Me too. Let’s split a cab.” He’d call her friends and agent asking where she’d be and he’d show up. Finally, after a week, they met at a dinner party. He said, “I can’t believe we keep meeting like this! It’s Kismet.” “It’s not kismet,” she replied. “You’re stalking me. Grow up and ask me out like an adult.” So he did, she said yes, and they had an incredible 41 years.

This, of course, leads to the philosophical question: do we make our own Kismet, or does Kismet make us?

Have a great Monday and I will see you all tomorrow… probably. If it’s our Kismet.