Glossary
Amidah: called “the eighteen” (even though there are really 19); the blessings said 3 times a day, composed in 5th century BCE, also called Semoneh Esreia
Aliya: the honor of being called to read blessings in the synagogue; also, emigrating to
Ashkanazi: descendants of Jews originally from
B.C.E.: rather than using B.C., “before Christ,” many Jews and Jewish books use B.C.E., meaning “before the Common Era.”
Bar mitzvah: coming-of-age ritual when a Jewish boy is thirteen and has completed the required Jewish studies; he is called to the Bima to read his Haftorah; after the service there is a celebration
Bat mitzvah: ritual celebrated in Reform and Conservative congregations to mark a Jewish girl’s coming of age (at age 12). In Orthodox Judaism, upon reaching age 12 a Jewish girl is considered a Jewish woman and is obligated to observe the laws, but since women do not lead the service, she does not do a Torah or Haftorah reading as do Reform and Conservative girls. However, it is customary for some sort of celebration to mark the coming of age in all three groups, Orthodox, Reform, and Conservative.
Bentching: saying a blessing, usually grace after meals
Bet din, beit din: the rabbinical “court” of three orthodox men; they preside over matters such as the granting of a get (a divorce) or a conversion
Bima: the platform in the synagogue where the Torah is read
Bris (also brith, brit): ritual circumcision as a sign of a male becoming a Jew; done the eighth day after the birth
Bubbe, bubbah: grandmother
Bubkes, bupkis: nothing, worthless (literally: goat turds)
C.E.: “Common Era,” used instead of A.D., which is latin for “In the year of our Lord.”
Cantor (also hazzan): person who sings and chants to lead the congregation in prayer
Challah: egg bread, braided; often served at—but not limited to—Sabbath meals
Chanuka: (see Hanukkah)
Chasidim (see Hasidim)
Chosen People: the Jews, who, according to the Torah, were picked by God to receive the gift of the Torah and to have the duty to be “A light to all nations.”
Chuppah: canopy under which the wedding party stands
Chutzpah: audacity—“of all the nerve!” is like saying “what chutzpah!”
Conservative Judaism: first appeared in the 1840’s. It is more strict than Reform Judaism in its adherence to Jewish law, but it is more liberal than Orthodox Judaism.
Covenant: contract, agreement, specifically the agreement between Abraham and God
Davening: reciting prayers—required for orthodox men three times daily (more during Sabbath and holidays)
Dreck: dirt, crap
Dreidel: a toy top, spun at Hanukkah in a children’s game; the Hebrew letters—on each of the four sides—represent the words “A great miracle happened there.”
Eruv: a boundary or border, erected around a community, within which one may carry objects during the sabbath
Etrog (citron): the largest, most beautiful lemon available, it is held in the left hand, close to the heart, during the blessing of the etrog and lulav during Sukkot
Fleishig: made with meat
Frum: observant, strict in following Jewish law
Get: Jewish divorce document; it nullifies the ketuba (marriage contract)
Glatt kosher: kosher food held to the most rigorous standard
Goy (pl. goyim): a word for non-Jews; literally the Hebrew word means “nations,” as in the sense that the Hebrew people were to be “a light among nations”
Haftorah: the scripture passage from the prophets read in the synagogue service
Haggadah: “the telling,” the book read aloud during the seder (Passover meal) that tells the Passover story through narration, commentary, songs, and prayers
Hakafah: “circuit,” the march around the synagogue while carrying the Torah scrolls
Halachah: Jewish law
Hanukkah: an early winter feast celebrating a victory in a war for independence in the 2nd century, the Festival of Light, lasts for eight days
Ha-shem: “the name,” –i.e. God
Hasid (pl. Hasidim) a member of an orthodox sect begun in Poland in the 18th century, emphasizing worship through mysticism and joy; their appearance is distinctive because of the side curls (payes) the boys wear and the hats and coats many of the men followers wear
Kabbalah: a tradition of Jewish mysticism; it first appeared in the 12th century
Kahnahora: the Jewish equivalent of “knock on wood.”
Kashrut: kosher laws
Ketubah: a marriage contract signed before the wedding, written in beautiful Hebrew calligraphy and richly ornamented
Kibitz: to look over others’ shoulders and give unsolicited advice
Kiddish: blessing of the wine and of the Sabbath
Kiddish cup: ceremonial wine glass
Kippah: skullcap worn by Jewish men and boys in synagogue; Orthodox men and boys wear it at other times as well
Klezmer: eastern-European-sounding music often heard at Jewish weddings and celebrations; if a clarinet is wailing, think klezmer
Klutz: a clumsy person
Kvell: to be overcome with happiness
Kvetch: complain
Latke: potato pancake, a specialty at Hanukkah; my youngest son’s nickname
L’chayim: a wonderful Yiddish toast “To life!”
Lost tribes of
Lubavitcher (also Chabad-Lubavitcher): one of the largest Hasidic movements, based in
Lulav: three branches—palm, willow, and myrtle—in a holder; used during Sukkot; they are held in the right hand, and a lemon in the other, while a blessing is recited; this follows the description of what to do during the holiday as given in Leviticus 23.
Machzor: “cycle,” the prayer book for the holidays
Magen David: “shield of David,” six-pointed star which has become a symbol of Judaism
Maimonides: great Jewish thinker of the 12th century CE who composed the 13 Principles of Faith
Matzah (pl. matzot): unleavened bread eaten by Israelites when they fled from
Maven: a know-it-all, a so-called expert
Mazel: good luck
Mazel tov: “Congratulations!”
Megillah: scroll, “the whole megillah” is the entire story of the Purim holiday found in the book of Esther
Melacha: constructive work (forbidden on Sabbath)
Menorah: candelabrum; the one for Hanukah has 9 branches
Meshugge:: crazy
Mezuzah: a case on the doorpost of a Jewish home; it contains a small parchment inscribed with the Shema, the prayer that begins “Hear, O Israel.”
Mensch: a good person
Milchig: dairy, made with milk
Minyan: quorum needed for communal prayer (10 men)
Midrash: a collection of early interpretations and commentaries on the Torah
Mishna: the collection of oral law forming the basic part of the Talmud; it was compiled by the 3rd century C.E. It was necessary because Jews were dispersed throughout many lands needed to have one standard way to practice their religion.
Mishegas: craziness
Mishpachah, mishpocheh: the extended family
Mitnagdim: literally "opponents"; those who refused to join Hasidim, preferring a more scholarly approach to Judaism
Mitzvah (pl. mitzvot) religious commandment (there are 613); also used in the sense of a good deed
Moshiach: “anointed one,” the person who will be designated King by God at some future time
Mohel: person trained to perform ritual circumcisions
MOT: member of the tribe
Musaf: the service added on the sabbath and on holidays; it follows the morning service
Lubavitcher: (also Chabad) one of the largest Hasidic movements, it is based in
Naches: pleasure derived from the achievements of one’s children
Nebbish: a loser, a milquetoast, an ineffectual man
Nosh: a little snack, a little something to eat
Nu? : well?.....
Orthodox Judaism: the branch of Judaism which is most traditional and most strict in its observance of Jewish law. Major divisions of orthodoxy include Modern Orthodox and Hasidic.
Oy veh!: oh dear!
Parasha: weekly portion of the Torah to be read aloud at synagogue service
Pareve: neutral dishes, neither meat nor dairy, which can be served alone or with meat or dairy meals, according to kosher laws
Payes: side curls worn by Hasidic men and boys
Pesach: Passover, a major holiday during which there is a festive ritual meal featuring symbolic foods and a retelling of the Exodus story; the story, along with commentary and songs and prayers, is contained in a book called the Haggadah
Phylacteries: see Tefillin
Piyutim: hymns
Plotz: to explode, to die, as in “Oy veh, my son is dating a shiksa and I could just plotz.”
Purim: a merry festival, held late in winter, celebrating how Queen Esther saved her people from extermination in
Rabbi: “teacher,” the scholar learned in the Torah who is chosen to lead the congregation
Rachmones: pity, compassion
Rebbe: Hasidic term for rabbi
Reform Judaism: the branch of Judaism least strict in its observance of Jewish law; it was first institutionalized in Germany in the 1840’s and has become the largest of the three basic divisions (reform, conservative, and orthodox) in North America. It asserts that much of the religious code of law no longer applies since Jews are dispersed among many nations and therefore act as citizens of those nations. However, the basic moral laws of Judaism are, of course, still operable and necessary.
Schlep: to pull or drag
Schmeer: a helping of cream cheese spread on a bagel; also a bribe
Sedakah (Tzedakah): charity
Selihot: prayers of repentance
Sephardi (pl. Sephardim) descendants of Jews originally from what is
Shabbat (shabbos in Yiddish): the Sabbath, which begins at sundown on Friday and ends on Saturday at nightfall (approximately 45 minutes after sundown)
Shavuot (also Savuos) : a holiday celebrated in May or June, considered the conclusion of the cycle begun by Passover; it is also called the Feast of Weeks since it falls seven weeks after the second day of Passover; most importantly, the holiday celebrates God’s giving the law to Moses; originally Savuot was an agricultural holiday celebrating the grain harvest
Shaygets: a non-Jewish boy or man
Shema Yisrael: “hear,
Sheitel, shaytl: wig worn to cover head of married orthodox women
Shiksa: a non-Jewish girl or woman; from the Hebrew word for “blemish”
Simchat Torah: important holiday marking the end of the annual Torah reading and the beginning of a new year of Torah reading
Shiva: seven-day period of mourning
Shmuck: dope, jerk (obscene slang from the Yiddish word for penis)
Shofar: ram’s horn, which is blown during the morning service during both days of Roshashana, the Jewish New Year
Shtetl: small Jewish village in
Shul: synagogue, temple
Simcha: a celebration
Siddur: jewish prayer book; most of the prayers were compiled during the 9th century in
Society for Humanistic Judaism: organization whose mission is to enhance Jewish identity through study and practice of Jewish history and culture; however, it does not promote or practice worship.
Streimel: black fur hat which some Hasidic jews wear
Sukkot: An important and joyous seven-day holiday following on the fifth day after Yom Kippur. Originally a harvest festival of thanksgiving, it commemorates the desert wandering of forty years. Observant Jews build temporary shelters, called sukkot—booths—outside and use them for eating all meals and even, in some cases, sleeping.
Sukkuh: temporary house for eating and often sleeping during Sukkot, to remind Jews of where they lived as they wandered in the desert
Talmud: the compilation of law and custom that includes the early part, the Mishna, which was set by 200 C.E., and the later part, the Gemarah, which was established by the mid sixteenth century
Tallit: prayer shawl worn both during synagogue services and during private prayer at home
Tchotchkes: knickknacks, such as figurines
Tefillin (also phylacteries): a pair of black leather boxes containing scrolls of parchment inscribed with biblical verses worn by observant men during weekday morning prayers. One is placed above the forehead, and the other is strapped around the arm, hand, and fingers. The black leather straps which hold them in place are knotted in the form of specified Hebrew letters. Wearing these boxes honors the order to bind the commandments “on thy arm and on thy head.”
Tikkun: “fixing”; tikkun olam: healing or fixing the world; sometimes interpreted as one’s spiritual purpose on earth
Tisha B’Av: a day of mourning and fasting to commemorate the destruction of the First Temple in Jerusalem in 586 B.C.E. ; this day, which falls in summer, is the end of a three week period beginning with a fast on Shiva Asar B’Tammuz, the day when the walls of Jerusalem were breached
Toches, tuchis: Yiddish for derriere
Torah (from the Hebrew “to point the way”): the central element of Judaism, the first five books of the Hebrew Bible: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy; commonly called The Books of Moses; in a broader sense Torah refers to the entire content of Judaism—its commentaries and interpretations as well as all the scriptures
Torah portion: the scripture passage from the Torah read aloud in synagogue
Trayf: food that is non-kosher
Tsuris: troubles, problems
Tush: bottom, derriere, toches
Tzitzes: fringes on garments, to remind the wearer of the 613 Jewish laws
Verklemmt: all choked up with emotion
Verbissene: sourpuss, embittered person
Wailing Wall: (also Western Wall, also Kotel): a tremendously important site in
Yahrzeit: anniversary of someone’s death
Yarmulke: skullcap, kippah
Yente: a nosy, gossipy woman
Yeshiva: Jewish school
Yiddish: language spoken by Ashkenazi Jews, it is related to German and eastern European languages such as Polish but is written using the Hebrew alphabet
Zaydeh, zeydie: grandfather
Zaftig: pleasingly plump, curvy (said of women, not of men); literally it means juicy!
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