There's the story of a little Jewish girl who, in the process of growing up, discovered that more than anything else she wanted to be able to mow the lawn. But each season she was told that she was too young. The great day came, however, when her "tatteh" decided that, at last, was she old enough to do the task.
She did the 1/4-acre lot like a "balmelocheh"--a skilled worker--and completed the job with great delight. Having finished admiring her work, she began to cat long, envious glances across the fence at the neighbor's lawn, which also needed cutting.
The neighbor, seeing her interest, said,
"Rachel, would you like to cut MY lawn?" And the little girl enthusiastically said,
"Yes. Es tut mir a groisseh hanoeh!" (It gives me a great pleasure!).
"Well, let's see...how about $8.00?" said the neighbor.
The little girl's punim fell, and she turned away, shaking her "kep" (head).
"What's the matter?" asked the neighbor.
"I only have $4.00," said the little girl.

In 2003, Rachel would have a degree in Horticulture and Landscape Architecture from Purdue University...and her father would be "k'velen."
Perhaps you recall Dilbert's episode #12. Dilbert is frustrated with all the little pointless holidays. Dogbert gets Congress to pass a law revoking all the holidays and making the only holiday Dogbert Day.

Scott Adams, the creator of Dilbert, would be surprised to learn that on April 24, 2003, we celebrate "Take Our Daughters And Sons To Work Day." The Ms. Foundation for Women has expanded its highly successful "Take Our Daughters To Work Day."

How important is this change? Marty Nemko, expert on both career and educational issues, said in an E-mail:

If your son reads his school textbook, he will see males, at least white males, primarily portrayed as oppressors. If your son watches TV today, he will see males disproportionately painted as boors, morons, abusers, or sleazy businessmen. Boys commit suicide at more than twice the rate of girls. Today, boys, at least as much as girls, need to see positive male role models. So, moms, take your sons to work and be sure to show them positive male role models as well as female.

This new century will bring new employment opportunities that require a wide array of skills, training, education, and experience. Few of our children can appreciate "Mandy Patinkin in Concert: Mama Loshen," especially when he sings "Motl Der Opreyter"--a song about a sweatshop worker who struggles to support his family.

Today, we hear our sons and daughters reciting, "No. No. Tall is small and grande is medium." Their job title: Barista--at the local Starbucks. Their skills are sharpened by the Zen repetition of the grind, pull, tap and push.

Wasn't it Bill Gates who told a group of high school grads, "Television is NOT real life. In real life people actually have to leave the coffee shop to go to jobs"? And despite the fact that Americans are barraged with corporate layoffs, bankruptcies, and an unemployment rate of 6 percent, how can we explain paying $3.25 for a 16 oz. cup of "Bee My Honey Latte"?

Other college grads want to write "observational humor" for Jerry Seinfeld, and sketch comedy ("where Did Vincent Van Gogh?")
One Yeshiva University student wants to perform in the hilarious and heartfelt show, "Borscht Belt Babes." (A singles convention at the Concord Hotel. No headline entertainment due to a hurricane in Miami. Three bodacious babes come to the rescue!)

"A lebedikeh velt" (happy-go-lucky people) envy our many Jewish movie directors and producers: Carl Reiner, Barry Levinson, Steven Spielberg, Neil Simon, Stanley Kubrick, and Roman Polanski. One NYU student idolizes Richard Lowenstein, who produced the 2001 movie titled, "He Died With A Falafel In His Hand." (I kid you not!) This off-beat comedy stars Danny (Noah Taylor), who wants to be a writer. He has not been successful, but continues to carry an Underwood typewriter with him and uses a roll of teletype paper instead of individual sheets because he heard that Jack Keroauc felt that pages are limiting.

A generation ago, Hollywood Jews were overwhelmingly secular. It was felt that a show-business career and religious observance didn't mix. Today there are a surprising number of young Orthodox Jews among the industry's movers and shakers. Orthodox Jews write for Jay Leno and Bill Cosby. Another Jew, Jon Hotchkiss, wrote for Craig Kilbourne and Politically Incorrect With Bill Maher.

David Steinberg, production executive for Walt Disney Feature Animation, believes his "kipph" looks like just one funky L.A. style choice. And there's comedic rabbi, Sydney Mintz ("Watch out for those Jewish telegram messages saying: START WORRYING. DETAILS TO FOLLOW LATER.") And then there's Bob Alper, rabbi/stand-up comic. One Christmas he entertained with a comedy routine called "Yule in the Shul."

Someone once told Rabbi Alper that he looks like former British Prime Minister, John Major. His reply:

"I told them, yea, and when I wear a dress, I look like Margaret Thatcher."

Another Jewish youngster would like to perform stand-up comedy at "Dangerfield's," "Caroline's on Broadway," and "Take the FUNNY and Run." His brother wants to perform in "Les Ballets Trockadro de Monte Carlo." This is a company of professional male dancers who perform the full range of the ballet and modern dance repertoire. He's preparing to play the part of Sveltlana Lofatkina, the lyrical, lissome, long-legged Svaltlana. Playbill says that "This limber gamine has captivated hearts since her auspicious debut as Talyusha, the Left Nostrol, in the ballet drawn from The Nose by N. Gogol. She is renowned for her portrayal of sensitive tortured neurotic ladies and other kvetches."'

One young entrepreneur wants to open a second joint Jewish-Catholic Karaoke place of worship; sort of an old world God with a New Age spin--a combination between Fiddler on the Roof, Lord of the Dance, and the Buena Vista Club. (See the movie, "Keeping The Faith").

Another HSG plans on obtaining a graduate certificate in emergency planning administration, a very hot area since Sept. 11.

And, since my 34-year-old son, Dan, has been selling packaging supplies to farmers in Colorado, Wyoming, Iowa, and S. Dakota, he has expressed interest in becoming a Yiddisher cowherd. He tells the story of Tex Goldstein who had a large ranch in Kansas. One year, as he watched in horror while his ranch-hand branded his cattle, he said, "Please God, next year we'll get labels."

Well, whatever field our children/grandchildren enter, we should be sure that they understand the meaning of these work-related
Yiddish words:
"plagenzich, mutshen zich" To sweat out a job
"oysgemutshe" Worked to death
"mechalel shabbes" Working on the Sabbath
"mordeven zich" To work hard
"foiler" Lazy man
"parnosseh" Livelihood
"patsher" Person who performs work in a slipshod way
"Saichel" (common sense) tells us that we should encourage our families to participate in "Take Our Daughters And Sons To Work Day." Oh, yes, "Zog a por verter" (Say a few words) of advice to the kids:

Life is not divided into 42-minute periods or semesters. You don' t get two months off during the summer and mid-year breaks. Very few employers are interested in helping you find yourself. Do that on your own time, dahling.