hakafah

Alternative Spellings

hakafa

Definitions

• a go-around (similar to sivuv)
• parade, processional with the Torah on Simchas Torah

Example Sentences

• "Where did you go for hakafos on Simchas Torah?"
• "Before we go, let's do a hakafah and make sure we saw everyone."

Languages of Origin

Textual Hebrew

Etymology

הקפה

Who Uses This

Religious: Jews who are engaged in religious observance and have some Jewish education
Orthodox: Jews who identify as Orthodox and observe halacha (Jewish law)

Regions

North America

Dictionaries

The JPS Dictionary of Jewish Words, by Joyce Eisenberg and Ellen Scolnic, (Philadelphia, 2001).
The Joys of Hebrew, by Lewis Glinert (New York, 1992).

Notes

Plural: hakafot / hakafos (הקפות). Pronounced ha-ka-FA or huh-KUH-fuh. The go-around usage is more common among Orthodox Jews.