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Mensch or mentsh () is a Yiddish word which literally translates to "person"," person". The Comprehensive English-Yiddish Dictionary. and figuratively means "a person of integrity and honor"." mensch". Merriam-Webster Jewish American humorist Leo Rosten describes a mentsh as "someone to admire and emulate, someone of noble character. The key to being 'a real mensch' is nothing less than character, rectitude, dignity, a sense of what is right, responsible, decorous". (1974). 9780140030686, Penguin. ISBN 9780140030686 The term is used as a high compliment, implying the rarity and value of that individual's qualities.
Mensch has migrated as a loanword into Yinglish and American English with the German language spelling to refer not to a person, but a particularly good person, similar to a "stand-up guy": a person with the qualities one would hope for in a friend or trusted colleague. Mentshlekhkeyt () likewise literally means "humanity" but can also refer to the properties which make a person a mensch.
The word mensch and the underlying concept have had an impact on popular culture. The Mensch on a Bench is a 2012 Hanukkah-themed book and doll set parodying The Elf on the Shelf. A life-size version of the doll was adopted as the mascot of at the World Baseball Classic in 2016. According to pitcher Gabe Cramer, "The Mensch is a great way to have fun in the dugout while reminding us of why we're here and who we're representing".
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