I feel more and more keenly that I don't share a common "language" with most people in the country where I have been living since I left Israel at the end of September 2023. I had to come here all the way to discover that the "treasure" was actually buried back in Israel. So, theoretically, I can leave this country whenever I wish.
But I have decided to stay here davka because of this sociocultural incompatibility of mine with the way most "law-abiding" citizens of this country speak and act. This time, I want to focus on speech.
I often present myself, half seriously, as the only native speaker of the Jewish variety of the local language. Let's call it Jewish X. I have even prepared the following "ten commandments" of Jewish X:
- The worst mistake in Jewish X is trying not to make any mistakes. (= Mistakes are sacred. They mean you're alive and learning.)
- Start speaking. Thought will catch up. (= Jewish X is learned in motion, not in meditation.)
- "I don't know" is a legitimate answer - but don't hide behind it. (= Ignorance is a starting point, not a shelter.)
- Once you know the alef-bet, start teaching it. (= Fluency begins when you pass it on, even imperfectly.)
- Say nice things loudly. Say not-nice things silently. (= Let your words uplift, or let them rest.)
- Don't begin by agreeing. It might offend the other person. (= True respect begins with response, not with nodding.)
- Speak from your stomach, not just your throat. (= Jewish X starts deep in the belly.)
- How you say it matters. Use your face. And your hands. (= Don't speak Jewish X with both hands full.)
- The more fluent you get, the noisier you may seem. (= You're not getting louder. You're getting more expressive.)
- Be serious about using humor. (= It's not just a spice. It's a sacred ingredient.)
You may agree with me that one of the most important common denominators of these "ten commandments" is playfulness. It is through this playfulness-shmaylfulness of mine that I want to "disrupt" the way many local people speak on autopilot, hoping to invite them to join my spontaneous "party" of words, even free of charge. ;-)
In fact, I have already been practicing this on a daily basis. I make Jewish-flavored spontaneous remarks to passers-by on the street, as well as to workers in city offices, post offices, banks, hospitals, supermarkets - in short, almost everywhere. And I seldom fail to bring a smile or even laughter to these "innocent victims", ;-) trying to implement a Chassidic teaching: "A little light dispels a lot of darkness."
You may think this is chutzpah. Although I dislike the word "hate", I have to admit that I hate to agree. But this time I must agree with you. ;-)