Gimpel Beynish the Matchmaker
(Gimpl Beynish der Shadkhn)
Yiddish Comics of the early 20th century

Translation and commentary by Jane Peppler
Click here to read about and order the seven Gimpel books I've published.

Comics read right to left. Click on any comic strip for larger view.

Monday, August 29, 2016

Suzy's mom cuts out the middleman. 12-20-1914

I still wonder how to know whether matchmakers were still widely used in New York in 1914 or whether Gimpel was an anachronism. Here we see even an old-fashioned mother may prefer to avoid paying a matchmaking fee. Gimpel's occupation was soon going to be even less profitable.



December 20, 1914: Oh well, sometimes a matchmaking fee can be ruined by anybody.
  1. GB: Here she is, Jake. I have the honor of presenting - Miss Suzy.
  2. Suzy: My mother's here too. Mama, this is Mister Jake.
  3. Suzy's mother: Who's this Jew? He's a familiar soul, somehow.
  4. Suzy's mother: We don't need a matchmaker. We'll manage without you.
  5. GB: You're a swindler, that what you are, a thief, a robber!

12-20-1914
מאלע װער עס קען אַמאָל קאַליע מאַכען שדכנות.

1
גימפּעל בײניש: דאָס איז זיא, דזשײק. האָב דיא עהרע פֿאָרצושטעלען – מיסס סוזי.
2
סוזי: אָט איז דאָך דיא מאַמע אױך דאָ. מאַמע, דאָס איז מיסטער דזשײק.
3
סוזי׳ס מאַמע: װער איז דער איד? עפּעס אַ בעקאַנטער נפֿש, דאַכט זיך.
4
סוזי׳ס מאַמע: מען דאַרף ניט קײן שדכנים. מיר װעלען אױסקומען אָהן אײַך.
5
גימפּעל בײניש: איהר זײַט אַ שװינדלערין, זײַט איהר, אַ גנבֿ׳טע, אַ רױבערין.

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