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Jewish Word Spelling
Guide
Chicago Jewish Community
Online's Jewish Word Glossary www.juf.org |
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abbr.= abbreviated |
esp.= especially |
Heb.= Hebrew |
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lit.= literally |
n= noun |
pl.= plural |
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pron.= pronounced |
usu.= usually |
v= verb |
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Yid.= Yiddish |
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Agadah
non-legal rabbinic writings
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agunah
lit.=chained one: wife of an M.I.A.;
woman whose husband refuses to grant a divorce
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ahava
(Heb.) love [n]
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ainikle
(Yid.) grandchild
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Aleinu
"It is Upon Us," a concluding hymn
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al kiddush HaShem
for the sanctification of G-d
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alav hashalom
"(May he/she) rest in peace."
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aliyah
lit.=ascent: immigration to Israel
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am ha'aretz
lit.=nation of the land: ignorant
person
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Amidah
lit.=standing: long prayer said while
standing
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Amora'im
lit.=explainers: Gemarah-era
commentators (200-500 C.E.)
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Ani Ma’amin
lit.=I believe: phrase that begins each
of Maimonides’ Thirteen Principles of Faith
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aravot
willow sprigs, used
on Succot
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arba kanfos
lit.=four corners:
tzitzit
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Arba Kanfos
The Four Corners of the Earth
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Aretz
lit.=land: Israel
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aron (hakodesh)
(the holy) cabinet for Sefer Torah
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Aseret HaDibrot
The Ten Commandments
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Aseret Yimei Teshuva
The Ten Days of Repentance between Rosh
HaShanah and Yom Kippur, a time of introspection and
semi-mourning
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Ashkenazi
of Eastern European Jewish tradition
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Ashrei
"Fortunate Are," a popular alphabetic
prayer (Psalm 145)
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Asoroh B'Tevet
winter fast for Babylonian siege of
Jerusalem
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aufruf
held the Shabbat before a wedding, the
throwing of candy, etc. at a groom after he reads the
Haftorah
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Av
11th Jewish month (Jul-Aug), 9th is
Tisha B'Av
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av
(Heb.) father of...
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avel/avelut
mourner/mourning
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aveyra
sin; transgression of a "shalt not"
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avodah
work [n], esp. in service of G-d
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avodah zarah
lit.=strange work: idolatry
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ayrusin
marital engagement
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ayshet chayil
a woman of valor
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Ayshet Chayil
the entire last chapter of Proverbs,
sung on Erev Shabbat and at weddings, describing a
"woman of valor"
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ba'al
(Heb.) master, owner; one
who... |
ba'al habayis
(...of the house) host [n] |
ba'al koreh
(...who reads) Torah reader
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ba’al simcha
(... of happiness) the celebrant, esp. the bar or bat
mitzvah |
ba'al teshuva
(...who returns) newly observant Jew |
ba'al toke'a
(...of the sound) shofar blower |
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ba'alabusta
(Yid.) hostess; friendly woman
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babushka
kerchief worn as headcovering
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bachor
first-born male child
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baheyma
domesticated beast; "Animal!"
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Bamidbar
Numbers (4th bk. of Torah)
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bar mitzva
13-year-old boy now responsible for fulfilling mitzvot;
the ceremony at which this rite of passage occurs |
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bat...
daughter of... |
bat mitzva
12-year-old girl now responsible for fulfilling mitzvot;
the ceremony at which this rite of passage occurs |
B.C.E/C.E.
Before the Common Era/Common Era
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b'dikat chametz
the ceremonial, pre-Pesach search for chametz
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becher
(Yid.) wine goblet |
bedecken the veiling of
the bride
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Beit HaT’futzot
The Diaspora Museum, in Tel Aviv
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b'emet
lit.= in truth: "Really?"; "Really!" |
Be'ersheva
lit.=well of the oath:
Israeli
city in the Negev |
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Beit...
pron."bate": House of... [Sefardi pron.]
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Beit Dinlit.=house
of law: rabbinical court |
Beit HaMikdash
Holy Temple, twice destroyed
also see:
Temple / Jerusalem |
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Beit Lechem
lit.=House of bread (Heb.) Bethlehem, Rachel's burial
place |
Beit (Ha)Midrashroom,
building for religious study |
ben... son
of... |
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bentch
(Yid.) say Grace After Meals |
bentch licht
(Yid.) light and bless the Shabbat candles
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Beth... pron.
"bett": House of... [Ashkenazi pron.] |
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biblical of
the Five Books of Moses, the Prophets, or the Writings
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bikur cholim
visiting the sick
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bimah
Torah-reading table in synagogue
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Birkat HaMazon
lit.=blessing of the food: Grace After Meals |
Birkat Kohanim
the blessing of the kohanim (see "duchan")
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bitachon
(Heb.) trust [n]
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biz hundret un tzvensik yor
lit.=to a hundred and twenty years: "(May you) live a
long life."
[Moses lived to 120]
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blood libel
the pernicious libel that the blood of Christian
children is
used to make kosher wine or matzah
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b’nai mitzvah
more than one bar/bat mitzvah celebrant
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boch'r
yeshiva student
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borscht cold
beet soup
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Boruch Atoh
"Blessed are You..."
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boruch haboh
lit.=bless the arrivers: "Welcome!"
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boychik
(Yid.) boy, term of endearment
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bracha
blessing
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B'reshit
Genesis
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brit (mila)
lit.=covenant: circumcision
[read more...] |
b'samim
fragrant spices smelled during Havdala
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b'shert
destined; one's destined mate/spouse
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b'tayavon
lit.=in appetite: Bon Appetit!
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bubbe (Yid.)
grandmother
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bubbe meiseh
lit.=grandmother's story: old-wive's tale
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bulvan
(Yid.) ox-like person
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bupkes
(Yid.) nothing; something worthless
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b'vakasha
"Please"; "You're welcome."
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cacamamie
half-baked, silly |
calla
(Heb.) bride
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C.E.
Common Era
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Chabad
see "Lubavitch"
[read more] |
chag
holiday, esp. a religious one
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chai
(Heb.) life |
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challah
braided egg bread for Shabbat and
holidays
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chaloshes
(Yid.) disgusting |
chalutz
pioneer; early
Israeli settler, esp. on kibbutz |
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chamalyeh
(Yid.) punch, hard hit [n]
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chametz
leavened products forbidden on Pesach
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Chanukah
winter holiday for defeating the
Syrian Hellenists
[read more...] also
see:
[Chanukah ritual] |
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chanukia
Chanukah menorah |
charoset
Seder condiment of chopped apples,
walnuts, and wine; recalls mortar made by Hebrew
slaves in Egypt
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chas v'sholom
lit.=mercy and peace: "G-d forbid!"
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chasana
wedding |
chasid (pl. chasidim)
member of an Orthodox Jewish sect
Chassidus |
chatchke(s)
knick-knack(s) |
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chaver
(Heb.) friend |
chavruta
study partner or group |
chaya (ruah)
(wicked) wild animal |
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Chazal
abbr. of Chachomim, Zichronom
L'Vracha: our Sages, may their Memories (be) for a
Blessing.
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chazan
cantor |
chazer
pig |
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chazerai
(Yid.) disgusting stuff, trash
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chazuka
claim of ownership based on repeated
use |
cheder
religious lesson, or where it's held
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chesed
(Heb.) kindness |
Cheshvan
2nd Jewish month (Oct-Nov)
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chevra kadisha
lit.=holy association: burial society
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chidush
innovation; revelation
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chilul HaShem
lit.=defamation of the Name: a
scandalous act or statement
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chinuch
early childhood education |
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chiyuv
lit.=obligated: one to whom
an honor is due in shul
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chochma
(Heb.) wisdom |
chochom (pl. chochomim)
sage; wise one |
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chodesh
lit.=new (moon): month |
Chol HaMo'ed
middle 4 days of 8-day holidays, esp. Pesach and Sukkot.
rules of the holiday apply, but work is permitted. |
cholent
24-hour stew for Shabbat, holidays, etc. |
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choson
(Heb.) groom |
chrain
(Yid.) horseradish |
chug
activity group
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Chumash
lit.=five: The Five Books of Moses |
chuppah
wedding canopy |
churban
destruction, ruin [n] |
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chutzpah
sass, moxy; nerve, gall |
chiloni
Israeli
non-affiliated Jew |
Converso
Jew forced to convert under the Inquistion; a modern
descendant living in the southwest U.S. |
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daf yomi
lit.=page of the day: practice of learning a page of
Gemara each day |
darshen
to interpret, esp. in religious issues |
daven
(Yid.) pray |
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Dayenu
"It Would Have Sufficed," a Seder song; "Enough
already!"
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dayun
(Heb.) judge [n] |
derech eretz
lit.=the way of the land: courtesy |
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Diaspora
those Jews not living in Israel |
din
(Heb.) law |
drasha
sermon |
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dreidel
toy top used on Chanukah
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duchan
blessing the congregation [v], done by kohanim
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D'varim
Deuteronomy |
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dvar Torah
lit.=word of Torah: speech on enlightening biblical
passage or any aspect of religious thought |
dybbuk
(Yid.) dead person's soul inhabiting a living person
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Eicha
Lamentations
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Einsatzgruppen
Special Forces of the Nazi Army |
El Al
lit.=to above: Israel's airline |
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Eretz Yisrael
(Heb.) The Land of Israel
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Erev...
lit.=evening: the night before, esp. Shabbat or yom
tov; like New Year's Eve |
eruv
series of posts connected with string that fence in
an area, making it permissible to carry on Shabbat
in that area |
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Elul
12th Jewish month (Aug-Sept) |
emunah
(Heb.) faith |
eppis
something undefinable, a "you-know-what"
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Eishes Chayil - Eishet Chayil
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etrog
citron, used on
Sukkot |
ezra
(Heb.) help [n] |
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Falasha
lit.=wanderer: derogatory name for Ethiopian Jews
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far vus
(Yid.) for what, why |
farblonget
(Yid.) lost |
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farbrengen
(Yid.) party [n], esp. religious or family
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farbrent
(Yid.) burning; zealous |
farfallen
(Yid.) collapsed, fallen in |
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felafel
pita sandwich with fried chick-pea balls
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ferdrimmeled
(Yid.) dreaming, daydreaming |
ferklempt
(Yid.) clenched |
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fermished
(Yid.) mixed up, messed up |
ferpitzed
(Yid.) dressed up |
fershtays
(Yid.) understand |
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fershimmeled
(Yid.) moldy |
ferschnoshked
(Yid.) drunk |
fertootsed
(Yid.) over-dressed, overdone |
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fleischig
containing or relating to meat |
fress
(Yid.) gobble |
fresser
(Yid.) glutton |
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freylach
(Yid.) festive |
frosk
(Yid.) slap |
fumfer
(Yid.) mumble |
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gaon
head of a Babylonian yeshiva; composer of the Talmud
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gabbai
rabbi's synagogue assistant |
Gallil
lit= rolling: the northern, grassy, hilly part of
Israel
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Galut
lit.=exile: where the Diaspora lives |
Gan Aiden
The Garden of Eden |
ganev
thief; clever person |
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gan k’tanim
lit.=garden of (the) small (ones): kindergarten
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gantze megilla
(Yid.) the whole story |
gantze mishpocha
(Yid.) the whole family |
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gartl
(Yid.) belt, sash |
gefilt croht
stuffed cabbage |
gefilte fish
fish cakes |
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gelilah
rolling and re-clothing of Torah scroll after hagbah
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gelt
(Yid.) money, esp. as Chanukah gift |
Gemara
commentary on the Mishna |
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gemilut chasadim
acts of kindness |
genizah
storage/burial for worn-out, but holy, papers,
books, etc. |
ger
convert [n] |
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geshmackt
(Yid.) delicious, lip-smacking |
geshrai
(Yid.) cry, shout, yell [n] |
get
divorce document |
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gezunt
(Yid.) healthy |
gezuntheit
(Yid.) good health |
glatt
lit.=smooth: highest level of fleishig kashrut
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glick
(Yid.) good fortune |
Goldena Medina
lit.=Golden Country: the United States |
golem
automaton; mindless person |
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gomel
one who has just undergone a dangerous experience |
gorgl
(Yid.) neck |
gornisht
(Yid.) nothing, emptiness |
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gottenyu
"Dear G-d!" |
grogger
Purim noisemaker |
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HaAretz
lit.=the land: The Land of Israel |
hachnasat orchim
the welcoming of guests; hospitality |
hader
(Heb.) pride |
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hadasim
myrtle leaves, used on Succot |
Haftorah
after Torah reading, a reading from Prophets, usu.
related in content or theme to parsha just read
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hagbah
raising and display of the Torah scroll after
reading
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Hadassah
U.S.-based Jewish women's organization |
Haggadah
Pesach guidebook, used during Seder |
hakafot
dances around bimah on Succot [n] |
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hak'n a chainik
lit.=banging a kettle: annoying [v] |
halachah
Jewish law |
ha-levai
(Yid.) "If only!" |
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Hallel
holiday prayer of thanks-giving Psalms |
halvah
sesame candy |
hamentash(en)
Purim cookie(s), filled with fruit or poppyseeds
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HaMotzi
the blessing over bread:
Baruch atah Adonai, Elohaynu, melech
ha-olam ha-motzi lechem min ha-aretz....
[read more] |
Hamsa -
This ancient symbol is used as a protective amulet
by Jews. The Jewish name, Hamsa, is derived from the
Semitic root meaning "five." It is usually
worn around the neck or hung on walls or over doors.
see:
hamsa jewelry |
HaShem
The Name (in place of G-d's actual Name) |
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Haskala
19th cent. European Jewish "Enlightenment" |
HaTikvah
lit.=The Hope: Israel's anthem |
Havdala
prayer bidding farewell to Shabbat |
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haymish
lit.=home-like: friendly, joyous |
hefker
abandoned, ownerless
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Herzl, Theodore
early Zionist, Hebrew-language proponent
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hechsher
At one time
a woman did all her family’s preparation in her own
kitchen and it was obvious that pig’s feet, and fish
without scales and fins were not kosher, and milk
which came from a cow and was made into cheese was
kosher.
[read more...] |
Holocaust
always capitalized |
hora
fast, festive circle-dance |
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hoshanah
prayer for hakafot |
Hoshanah Rabbah
holiday at end of Succot |
hummus
chick-pea paste, a Mid-Eastern dish |
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