There is no doubt that the English vocabulary does not have its own unique (not loaned) word for Chutzpah, but must borrow a Hebrew (Yiddish/Aramaic originally) loan word {*Chutzpah: see end note for detailed definition}; and perhaps this is for good reason. The loan word, chutzpah, is really not even well known among many English speakers, unless they find themselves near the Jewish world. I, for one, never knew exactly what the word meant until I began contact with Israelis nearly seven years ago. Around that same time I heard the word "nu?!" for the first time as well, and learned it was an impatient form of "well?!" {Nu: –interjection. Well? so? so what?} Those are some of the typical words in daily use among Israelis that have somewhat entered the English vocabulary.
Is it odd that they are all words associated with types of complaints?
No, it is not so odd when one considers the fact that in less than 60 years the country of Israel was transformed by Israelis (and her friends, some wealthy Jewish donors of course, among others) to a flourishing, blossoming, world-influencing country, without discovering a huge oil supply (as is the case for some other economically strong countries in the Middle East). Yes, it was done by the demanding, sometimes audacious, sometimes overly assertive "chutzpah" of a people who takes the bull by the horns.
I think what I love the most about the Israeli personality is the venomous disdain they hold for one another when acting out in chutzpah (such as the many notorious line-cutters who berate other line-cutters) and yet demonstrate towards one another a complete devotion in the next wink of an eye should one fall in battle. The common sight among Israelis of sabba (grandpa) being snuggled and preferred by his grandchild is soul-moving enough to make any sabra {Sabra: A Native Born Israeli, literally a prickly fruit of a native cactus: in allusion to being viewed as tough outside but soft inside. First known use 1945.} openly bleed sweet tears of joy. However, truly I am annoyed by the insistent nagging of the nudnik {Nudnik: An obtuse, boring, or bothersome person; a pest. Origin: Yiddish} who involves himself in a complete stranger's business (such as noticing the stranger's purse was left unzipped) and will not cease until the stranger's purse is zipped so as to guard from what the nudnik describes as thieves with chutzpah lurking nearby.
Despite the fact that the Israeli culture at times can feel frustrating and insulting to my own Americanesque superficial love of honeyed words, need for personal space, and privacy to decide for myself - I have become a stronger and more assertive person (without a lot of choice) and find there is something quite lovable and desirable in heel-grabbers like Jacob.
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{Chutzpah: the quality of audacity, for good or for bad. The word derives from the Hebrew word ḥuṣpâ (חֻצְפָּה), meaning "insolence", "audacity", and "impertinence." The modern English usage of the word has taken on a broader meaning, having been popularized through vernacular use in film, literature, and television. In Hebrew, chutzpah is used indignantly, to describe someone who has overstepped the boundaries of accepted behavior with no shame. But in Yiddish, chutzpah has developed ambivalent and even positive connotations. Chutzpah can be used to express admiration for nonconformist but gutsy audacity. Leo Rosten in "The Joys of Yiddish" defines chutzpah as "gall, brazen nerve, effrontery, incredible 'guts,' presumption plus arrogance such as no other word and no other language can do justice to." In this sense, chutzpah expresses both strong disapproval and a grudging admiration. In the same work, Rosten also defined the term as "that quality enshrined in a man who, having killed his mother and father, throws himself on the mercy of the court because he is an orphan."}
Is it odd that they are all words associated with types of complaints?
No, it is not so odd when one considers the fact that in less than 60 years the country of Israel was transformed by Israelis (and her friends, some wealthy Jewish donors of course, among others) to a flourishing, blossoming, world-influencing country, without discovering a huge oil supply (as is the case for some other economically strong countries in the Middle East). Yes, it was done by the demanding, sometimes audacious, sometimes overly assertive "chutzpah" of a people who takes the bull by the horns.
I think what I love the most about the Israeli personality is the venomous disdain they hold for one another when acting out in chutzpah (such as the many notorious line-cutters who berate other line-cutters) and yet demonstrate towards one another a complete devotion in the next wink of an eye should one fall in battle. The common sight among Israelis of sabba (grandpa) being snuggled and preferred by his grandchild is soul-moving enough to make any sabra {Sabra: A Native Born Israeli, literally a prickly fruit of a native cactus: in allusion to being viewed as tough outside but soft inside. First known use 1945.} openly bleed sweet tears of joy. However, truly I am annoyed by the insistent nagging of the nudnik {Nudnik: An obtuse, boring, or bothersome person; a pest. Origin: Yiddish} who involves himself in a complete stranger's business (such as noticing the stranger's purse was left unzipped) and will not cease until the stranger's purse is zipped so as to guard from what the nudnik describes as thieves with chutzpah lurking nearby.
Despite the fact that the Israeli culture at times can feel frustrating and insulting to my own Americanesque superficial love of honeyed words, need for personal space, and privacy to decide for myself - I have become a stronger and more assertive person (without a lot of choice) and find there is something quite lovable and desirable in heel-grabbers like Jacob.
........................................
{Chutzpah: the quality of audacity, for good or for bad. The word derives from the Hebrew word ḥuṣpâ (חֻצְפָּה), meaning "insolence", "audacity", and "impertinence." The modern English usage of the word has taken on a broader meaning, having been popularized through vernacular use in film, literature, and television. In Hebrew, chutzpah is used indignantly, to describe someone who has overstepped the boundaries of accepted behavior with no shame. But in Yiddish, chutzpah has developed ambivalent and even positive connotations. Chutzpah can be used to express admiration for nonconformist but gutsy audacity. Leo Rosten in "The Joys of Yiddish" defines chutzpah as "gall, brazen nerve, effrontery, incredible 'guts,' presumption plus arrogance such as no other word and no other language can do justice to." In this sense, chutzpah expresses both strong disapproval and a grudging admiration. In the same work, Rosten also defined the term as "that quality enshrined in a man who, having killed his mother and father, throws himself on the mercy of the court because he is an orphan."}