SHONDA: noun. informal US. In Jewish usage: a person, thing, or act that brings shame or scandal; a disgrace.
My Grandma Braff (my mother’s mother) arrived in the United States at the age of 15. Her instructions upon arrival with her younger sister were simple…learn English immediately, GET A JOB IMMEDIATELY, and never place your laundry on the window sill to dry! My Grandma Braff’s eldest sister had already arrived, settled in, married a man twice her age, became a stepmother, and was too soon pregnant, ALL THE WHILE still in her teens. The other instructions, according to my Grandma Braff’s recollections were to learn the good jargon (phrases like “what’s new,” “how are you doing,” “what are you up to,”) and to REMEMBER THE bad jargon, like any word considered a swear word (my Grandmother’s older sister informed my Grandmother, it was easy to know those words, because the person's veins, who was using those words would look swollen, and as angry as they seemed, suddenly would look around and whisper a SWEAR WORD!) BUT, my Grandma Braff was told, only repeat those words at home and learn the YIDDISH translation for them. Oh, yeah, and never use the English or Yiddish translation for a swear word in front of a male relative, AND NEVER IN FRONT OF ANY MAN WHO MIGHT BE CONSIDERED A PROPER SUITER! (which in those days was any Jewish man NOT a relative!)
It was NOT until I was in my teens, that I heard my Grandmother swear in English. We were standing in line, at Rosen’s Drug Store to pick up her prescription. A long line and a long wait, because back in the day, you asked a lot of questions of the Pharmacist, and they took the time to answer. There was a man, however who wasn’t having any of it. He was yelling “I have a rash, it itches, all I want is some cream.” He pushed his way forward, moving about half a dozen people. My Grandma and I were next in line when this man stood in front of my grandmother. My grandmother always carried an umbrella, (she said it was just in case it rained, BUT I soon discovered, the UMBRELLA was actually a weapon. The man is about to push ahead of my Grandma, when she says, with her ruby red painted lips pursed so tightly, I thought she had fangs like a snake. She raised her umbrella from the pointed edge and hissed, “YOU PUTZ!” If you come one-inch closer, I will make you SHIT in your pants! WTF, I was shocked, and so was the guy. My Grandma raised her pointed end of the umbrella higher, “GO!” she demanded, and he did! Placing the umbrella pointed side down, as if nothing had happened, my Grandma looked at me and said, “Such a SHONDA, I hope his mother passed away before she realized she gave birth to a SHONDA!”
TODAY, I READ THIS REPORT, AND I IMMEDIATELY RECALLED THIS GRANDMA BRAFF STORY!...U.S. Capitol Police leaders learned that Trump supporters were discussing ways to infiltrate tunnels around the complex and target Democratic members of Congress on Jan. 6 but failed to act on the threats, according to a new Senate report summing up what it says were PROFOUND INTELLIGENCE AND SECURITY FAILURES that contributed to one of the worst incidents of domestic terrorism in U.S. history. The report also says that officers complained about a lack of leadership within the department as they tried to repel the attack — and that top leaders were virtually silent as they begged for help… The report also criticizes the actions of the FBI and DHS, noting that neither published an intelligence bulletin before the Jan. 6 counting of the Electoral College votes despite widespread public indications of significant and possible violent protests planned in Washington. Both agencies have defended their actions. (NBC/NEWS)
