| Words: |
Description: |
Origin: |
| Adonai |
One of the Hebrew words for God, literally ‘our Lord’ |
Hebrew |
| Aleph-Beis / Aleph-Bet |
Yiddish / Hebrew alphabet |
Yiddish/ Hebrew |
| Ashkenazi/c (adj) Ashkenazim (pl noun) |
Jews originating from Germany, Eastern Europe or Russia - now make up approx 80% of the worldwide Jewish community. |
Hebrew |
| Ba’al Tefilah |
Prayer leader |
Hebrew |
| Bar Mitzvah |
Boy’s religious coming of age ceremony at 13 |
Hebrew |
| Ben zekunim |
Son of his old age |
Hebrew |
| Bet Din |
Religious court |
Hebrew |
| Bet Hamidrash |
House of study |
Hebrew |
| Bracha |
Blessing |
Hebrew |
| Bris |
Circumcision |
Yiddish |
| Bubba |
Grandma |
Yiddish |
| Chag / Chagim |
Jewish religious festival/s |
Hebrew |
| Chassid (noun), Chassidic (adj) |
Member of movement of pious Jews started in 18th century, with an emphasis on mysticism and joy in prayer |
Yiddish |
| Chazzan / Chazzonim |
Cantor/s |
Hebrew |
| Chazzanisch |
Adjective from chazzan |
Yiddish |
| Chazzanut |
Jewish liturgical music |
Hebrew |
| Cheder |
Religion school for children, literally ‘room’ |
Hebrew |
| Chumash |
Five books of Moses (The Torah) |
Hebrew |
| Cohanim (singular Cohen) |
Priests |
Hebrew |
| Davven |
Pray |
Hebrew |
| Erev Pesach |
Evening before the first day of Passover |
Hebrew |
| Erev Rosh Hashana |
Evening before the first day of the Jewish New Year |
Hebrew |
| Erev Shabbat |
The evening of Shabbat i.e. Friday evening |
Hebrew |
| Frum |
Religious |
Yiddish |
| Frumkeit |
Religiosity |
Yiddish |
| Goldeneh Medina |
Golden Land |
Yiddish |
| Hachshara |
Preparation for settling in Israel , literally ‘preparation’ |
Hebrew |
| Haggadah/ot |
Book/s used at the Passover meal |
Hebrew |
| Hallel |
Prayer taken from Psalms 113-118 |
Hebrew |
| the Heim |
the homeland |
Yiddish |
| Kabbalist |
Person learned in Kabbalah, the mystical aspect of Judaism |
Hebrew |
| Kashrut |
Jewish law dealing with what food can and cannot be eaten and its preparation |
Hebrew |
| Kehilla |
Congregation or community |
Hebrew |
| Kibbutz / Kibbutzim |
Collective community/ communities in Israel |
Hebrew |
| Kiddush |
Blessing recited over wine to sanctify Shabbat or a Jewish holiday |
Hebrew |
| Knesset |
Israeli Parliament |
Hebrew |
| Leyning |
Chanting a Biblical passage |
Yiddish |
| Lubavitchers |
Member of Lubavitch, one of the largest groups of ultra-orthodox Jews |
Yiddish |
| Ma'ariv |
The evening synagogue service |
Hebrew |
| Ma Nishtanah |
‘Why is this night different?’ – first line of the Four Questions read at the Seder |
Hebrew |
| Machzor |
Festival prayer book |
Hebrew |
| Matzah |
Unleavened bread eaten at Pesach |
Hebrew |
| Meshulach |
Charity collector |
Yiddish |
| Minhag |
Religious custom |
Hebrew |
| Minyan |
Religious quorum of 10 required for prayer |
Hebrew |
| Mischpocha |
Family |
Yiddish |
| Mishnah |
First section of the Talmud |
Hebrew |
| Modeh Ani |
‘I give thanks’ - first words of the prayer that observant Jews recite daily upon waking |
Hebrew |
| Mohel |
Person performing circumcision |
Hebrew |
| Musaf |
Additional prayer service |
Hebrew |
| Niggun / Niggunim |
Wordless song/s |
Hebrew |
| Nisan |
The 7th month of the year in the Jewish calendar falling in March or April in the Gregorian calender |
Hebrew |
| Oleh Chadash |
New immigrant |
Hebrew |
| Oneg Shabbat |
Informal Sabbath gathering , literally ‘the joy of Shabbat’ |
Hebrew |
| Pesach |
Passover |
Hebrew |
| Pesach Sheni |
A second Passover a month later for those unable to celebrate it at the proper time |
Hebrew |
| Purim |
Festival commemorating the deliverance of the Jewish people of ancient Persian from Haman's plot to annihilate them, recorded in the Biblical Book of Esther |
Hebrew |
| Rabbonim |
Plural of rabbi |
Hebrew |
| Rebbe |
Chassidic teacher |
Yiddish |
| Rebbetzin |
Rabbi’s wife |
Yiddish |
| Rosh Hashanah |
Jewish New Year |
Hebrew |
| Sanhedrin |
Assembly of judges appointed in every city in the Land of Israel |
Hebrew |
| Schadchan / Schadchanim |
Matchmaker/s |
Yiddish |
| Schect |
To slaughter according to the laws of kashrut |
Yiddish |
| Schlichut |
From shaliach – emissary |
Hebrew |
| Schochet |
Ritual slaughterer |
Hebrew |
| Schul |
Synagogue |
Yiddish |
| Seder / Sederim |
Passover meal/s |
Hebrew |
| Sedra |
Portion of the Torah |
Hebrew |
| Sefer |
Book |
Hebrew |
| Sephardi/c (adj) Sephardim (pl noun) |
Jews originating from Spain and Portugal, North Africa and Turkey. |
Hebrew |
| Seudah Shlishit |
Last meal of Shabbat |
Hebrew |
| Shabbat |
Sabbath |
Hebrew |
| Shabbes |
Sabbath |
Yiddish |
| Shacharit |
Morning prayers |
Hebrew |
| Shammas |
Synagogue beadle or sexton |
Hebrew |
| Sh'ma Yisrael |
‘Hear O Israel’ - first words of one of the most important Jewish prayers |
Hebrew |
| Shtetl |
Small town in Central or Eastern Europe, usually with a large Jewish population |
Yiddish |
| Talmud |
Collection of ancient Rabbinic writings |
Hebrew |
| Talmud / Talmus Torah |
Religious school providing elementary Jewish education for boys |
Yiddish / Hebrew |
| Torah |
Five books of Moses |
Hebrew |
| Tzedakah |
Charity |
Hebrew |
| Yeshiva |
Seminary |
Hebrew |
| Yeshiva bocher |
Seminary student |
Yiddish |
| Yom Kippur |
Day of Atonement |
Hebrew |
| Yomtov |
Jewish festival |
Hebrew |
| z“l |
Acronym for Zecher Livrocho – of blessed memory |
Hebrew |
| Zemer / Zmirot |
Song / s |
Hebrew |
