My friend Mameleh is the quintessential New York Jew. She is the umpteenth generation of her family to go to the same synagogue, rent the same summer cabana, honor the same traditions with the same rituals and cuisine as her parents, her grandparents and great grandparents did. As someone who gets restless if I don't move into a new house or city every other year, I am fascinated by the stability of her deep family roots over so many generations.

Mameleh is one of those people who says hello to everyone, knows the name of every member of your family, remembers that you had some back pain and checks to ensure it's healed. Mameleh always sends a gift for new babies and housewarmings. She hugs people with genuine affection and laughs with true gusto. She's my kind of people--confident, effusive, caring and not afraid to tell you the hard truth when you need a reality check ("I'm not going to lie to you. You could have worn something more flattering.")

Because I'm from California, Mameleh thinks I know nothing about the Jewish faith and traditions (because don't you know, there are no Jewish people out there). As such, she has endeavored to indoctrinate me. I have gone willingly into this education, experiencing my first Bar Mitzvah, enjoying traditional Jewish cuisine (Mameleh's latkes are serendipitous) and best of all, adapting Yiddish phrases and words into my everyday lexicon.

Now, I had found occasion to use meshugge, nosh, mensch, schlocky, schmatte, putz and shtupping well before I met Mameleh, but since knowing her, my whole vocabulary has blossomed. I have now incorporated familiar expressions of distress (Oy Vey! Oy Gevalt! Oy Gotenyu!). Or describe how I'm feeling with detail ("After eating sixteen of these rugalach, I feel ibbledick"). I can convey pride ("Your ad page performance this month made me kvell") or dis that mean girl ("Who cares that she's wearing that nice BCBG dress? She's still a meeskite") or talk about the weather ("The beach was like an oven, so any little breeze was a mechayeh").

Not bad for a blonde California shikseh like me.