blech

an electric hot plate or "sheet of metal that can be placed over the burners on a stove to retain heat, so that precooked food...can be kept warm during the Sabbath." (JPS)

chazer

"go over; review" (Weiser)

derech eretz

Participating in modern society.

"Good conduct; normal, polite behavior in a social setting." (JPS). Manners, respect.

emunah

"faith"; sometimes contrasted with practical striving in the material world

farbrengen

Noun: a gathering or celebration that includes a spiritual or religious component.

Verb: to hold such a gathering or celebration.

freilach

adj: happy, merry

noun: (frailach or freylekhs) a lively song/dance performed at simchas

fress

To gobble up food; to gorge oneself. "To eat quickly or noisily, like an animal" (JPS)

gemara

"A compilation of 300 years of rabbis' legal and ethical commentaries on the Mishnah...together, the Gemara and the Mishnah comprise the Talmud." (JPS)

geshmak

delicious, delightful

glatt

Showing consistency of reason (Weiser).

Super-kosher (not only of food), or acceptable to the Haredi community.

goyish

"in the manner or style of a non-Jewish person" (JPS), especially something WASPy or "white bread"

gurnisht

"nothing, zilch, zero" (JPS)

heimish

2. Haredi Orthodox

3. at home, comfortable

1. familiar, homey, informal, cozy, warm

kuntz

peculiarity, particular oddness (JPS)

strategy (Weiser)

feat, stunt, trick, challenge, ingenuity

ongepotchket

overly elaborate, excessively decorated, slapped together senselessly

sefer

"A literary composition written particularly of, on, or about the Torah" (Weiser)

Hebrew or Aramaic book

seforim

Religious books written in Hebrew or Aramaic.

Shabbos goy

"A non-Jew who by prearrangement performs chores [that are forbidden] for a Jew on the Sabbath or holidays." (Steinmetz)

shidduch

match

a date in the process of finding one's spouse

arranged spousal match

mate

shluffy

[to go] to sleep (child-directed speech)

shuckle

Literally, "to shake", to sway back and forth during prayer

shvartsa

black person, [lit. "black"]. Often considered offensive in English.

simcha

"A joyous occasion; a celebration" (JPS); usually related to a lifecycle event