gevaltize
v.— «In certain precincts of the Jewish community, a person who insists that the sky is falling, despite ample evidence to the contrary, is said to gevaltize—a neologism derived from the famous Yiddish cry of shock or alarm.» —“Does Abe Foxman Have an Anti-Anti-Semite Problem?” by James Traub New York Times Jan. 14, 2007. (source: Double-Tongued Dictionary)
Further reading
Chad in Hilliard, Florida, wonders about the expression old as Methuselah, meaning “extremely advanced in years.” The phrase references Methuselah, a figure in Jewish, Islamic, and Christian tradition said to be 969 years old when he...
Sean in Oneonta, New York, says that when he was growing up in New Jersey, his family would pile in the car and set off on a surprise adventure, whether a short distance or long, and the kids would be told only that they were going on Buxtehude...