Borscht Belt

region in the Catskill Mountains with many summer resorts frequented by Jews, especially in the mid twentieth century

goyish

"in the manner or style of a non-Jewish person" (JPS), especially something WASPy or "white bread"

kasha

buckwheat groats, commonly served with bowtie noodles ('kasha varnishkes'); porridge

kasha varnishkes

kasha (buckwheat groats) with bowtie noodles

ongepotchket

"Excessively and unaesthetically decorated; overly baroque." (Rosten)

overly elaborate, excessively decorated, slapped together senselessly, overdone, tacky, ostentatious, overcomplicated.

shnook

"An incompetent person who is deserving of pity but also likable" (JPS); "A customer easily persuaded, a sucker." (H.L. Mencken, American Language)

tsu gezunt

a response after another person sneezes (analogous to "bless you")

yenta

"A scandal spreader, a rumormongerer." (Rosten). Usually applied to women.