Word Prompt - GEVALT - Hillel Fuld

There are some words that are undeniably Jewish, some things you’ll always hear in a movie when the character is Jewish. Chutzpah, for example. Or gevalt. Who hasn’t heard the phrase “Oy gevalt”?

The interesting thing about the word gevalt is that it changes based on context. It could mean that someone is alarmed or realized something very bad. Alternatively, it could be used to express gratitude to Hashem. Sometimes you might see someone elevate their hands to the sky while chanting “gevalt.”

Gevalt is a Yiddish word but has been adopted to be used in modern Hebrew and even beyond. It’s just one of those words that most people will recognize.