What is the Yiddish word for congratulations?

Lang lebn zolt ir!

If the question refers to the widespread superstitious response to a sneeze,

the most common in Yiddish is some form of

"geh-ZOONT", "tzoom geh-ZOONT", or "geh-ZOONT-hite".

All have their origin in the German "gesundheit", meaning "health".

In our family, there was a complex, colorful ritual.

Those within earshot of the sneeze would acknowledge it with:

First sneeze: "geh-ZOONT" ("health")

Second sneeze: "tsum LAY-bn" ("to life")

Third sneeze: "tsu ZINE ah GOOT-air YING-gl" ("to be a good boy"),

while at the same time, the sneezor had the responsibility of tugging discreetly

at his earlobe after each sneeze ... a less widely practiced superstition tracing

back to the Russian side of the family. (This refinement is usually discarded

soon after age 5, although this contributor has worked more than ten times

that duration, so far without success. )