Jewish English Lexicon

anticirc

Growing movement of Jews and non-Jews who are opposed to circumcision.

bagel

"A leavened, firm, doughnut shaped roll" (JPS)

bar mitzvah

Jewish coming-of-age ceremony/celebration for a 13-year-old boy; the boy who has come of age.

in gender egalitarian communities, the ceremony of a 13- (or 12-) year-old girl's first calling up to the Torah, symbolizing her adulthood in Jewish life. can also refer to the girl herself. In Orthodox communities, refers to celebration of girl turning 12. "Celebration of a Jewish girl's coming of age; a girl who has reached that age." (Glinert)

BCE

Before the Common Era (used in place of B.C.). Steinmetz: "...recently, a new awareness of the Christian character of these abbreviations have led many Jewish writers and editors to replace them with [C.E. And B.C.E.]"

Be well

Closing to a letter or conversation: Take care, be healthy

Borscht Belt

region in the Catskill Mountains with many summer resorts frequented by Jews, especially in the mid twentieth century

Bujew

a Jew who practices Buddhism; a Jew interested in Eastern spirituality

bupkis

Nothing

Something worthless

Chabad

an outreach-oriented branch of Hasidic Judaism that follows the Lubavitcher Rebbe. Chabad has thousands of branches around the world, including at many college campuses.

challah

"The braided egg bread that traditionally is eaten on almost every Jewish holiday and [the Sabbath]" (JPS)

chutzpah

guts (positive)

nerve, audacity, the quality of over-stepping boundries with no shame (negative)

Cohen

"A made descendent of the family of Aaron, of the tribe of Levi. Aaron and his descendants were consecrated to the service of God... in the Tabernacle... in the desert and later the Holy Temple" (Steinmetz). Often poorly translated as "priest," though the term "Levite" or "Aaronite" is more accurate, especially due to Christian usage (Steinmetz).

Conservative Judaism

originally known as "historical positive Judaism," a denomination that combines observance with an idea of "halachic process." See further comments below.

dreidel

"A small, four-sided spinning top used in a game during Chanukah" (JPS); the top itself

falafel

the deep-fried chick pea ball itself

a Middle Eastern sandwich featuring a deep-fried ball made of chick peas and spices inside pita bread, often served with other vegetables, hummus, and techina

farkakte

"lousy, messed up, ridiculous" (JPS) Shitty, full of crap.

from your mouth to God's ears

response to a good wish or blessing that mentions future events: I want that to happen, but I'm not sure it will.

futz

waste time (usually "futz around")

tinker with; make small changes

gefilte fish

minced sweet or sour fish, cooked in balls or a log and sliced. [lit., "stuffed fish"(JPS), since the chopped fish used to be placed back in the fish for cooking.]

gesundheit

Health. (Bless you) - said in response to a sneeze.

glitch

flaw; slight problem in a process

goy

a nation, but not the Jewish nation

"most often used among Jews to refer to someone who is not a Jew" (JPS)

halleluyah

praise God

hamsa

a hand-shaped amulet (often a wall-hanging or jewelry) conferring good luck or protection, popular in Israel and originally from the Middle East / North Africa

hanukkah

The winter-time festival that commemorates the rededication of the Temple after the Maccabean revolt in the second century B.C.E. (lit. "dedication")

Hasid

Pious person

A disciple of a rabbi, not only a member of a Hasidic group.

Adherent of a Hasidic Jewish group ("A mystical religious movement founded in Poland" (JPS)

A follower in a non-religious sense (ironic).

Haskalah

19th century Jewish Enlightenment, in which modern philosophy and literature entered Jewish consciousness

Hillel

a rabbi often quoted in Pirkei Avot and the Talmud who was martyred by the Romans, famous for his disputations with Shammai

an organization for Jewish college life, especially in North America

JAP

Jewish American Princess

JDate

A popular dating site for Jewish singles.

Kabbalah

a Jewish mystical work, sometimes used as a catch-all term for Jewish mysticism. "The Jewish mystical tradition" (JPS)

kibbitz

"To socialize aimlessly...To carry on a running commentary" (Rosten)

kibbitzer

Someone who "gives unasked-for advice ... especially as a bystander-observer at a game (bridge, poker, checkers, chess)." (Rosten)

Someone who jokes, fools around.

kibbutz

"[Israeli agricultural] collective" (Glinert) Most settlements in Israeli which originally began as kibbutzim now function as regular municipalities.

klezmer

"Eastern European style of instrumental music" (JPS)

klutz

"clumsy, slow-witted...person" (Rosten)

Knesset

Israel's parliament

knish

Eastern European dumpling with thin dough filled with potato, kasha, onion, meat, and/or other ingredients

kosher

"acceptable according to Jewish [ritual] law" (JPS); "trustworthy, reliable" (Rosten); acceptable according to dietary laws

krav maga

A form of mixed martial arts developed in the Israeli Army but popularized worldwide. Literally means "contact combat"

kugel

Baked pudding or casserole made with eggs and various ingredients, including noodles, potatoes, or spinach

The South African equivalent of a "Jewish American Princess"

kvell

feel or express pride, "to be extraordinarily pleased" (JPS)

kvetch

"to chronically complain or gripe to others over minor issues" (JPS)

l'chaim

traditional toast. [lit. "to life" (Rosten)]

Ladino

Judeo-Spanish language

Land of Israel

not just the state of Israel but the physical place

latka

"a potato pancake [fried in oil traditionally eaten on Chanukah]" (Rosten)

lox

smoked salmon

Maimonidean

Having to do with Maimonides, the Jewish rabbi, physician and scholar who lived in the 12th century

Manischewitz

sweet brand of wine often used by American Jews for ritual purposes

mannah

the food that fell from the sky to feed the wandering Israelites in the Bible

matzoh

unleavened bread eaten on Passover

matzoh ball

dumpling made with matzah meal and eggs and generally served in chicken soup

maven

"An expert or connoisseur; a specialist" (JPS)

mazel tov

congratulations [lit. "good fortune"]

mazume

"ready money, cash" (Steinmetz)

"A group of three or more adult males who join together to recite the after-meal blessings..." (Steinmetz).

menorah

candelabrum, especially for Chanukah

mensch

"An upright, honorable, a decent person." (Rosten)

meshuga

crazy

mezuzah

a piece of parchment with the Shema written on it that is then placed in a case and mounted on doorways in keeping with the Biblical commandment mentioned in the Shema

mitzvah

Literally, "commandment"

good deed

nebbish

noun: nerdy, clumsy, awkward person. "An innocuous, ineffectual, weak, helpless, or hapless unfortunate" (Rosten)

nice Jewish boy

Jewish male, in pop culture it often indicates nebbishy traits and lack of traditional masculinity

no-goodnik

bad person, scoundrel (sometimes humorous or affectionate)

noodge

noun: pest, whiner

verb: bore, pester, nag

nosh

to snack or eat; a snack

nudnik

"A pest, a nag, an annoyer, a monumental bore." (Rosten)

oy

exclamation of dismay, exasperation, or surprise

oy vey

exclamation of dismay, exasperation, or surprise

pastrami

Smoked, seasoned deli meat

pish

urinate

urine

putz

"A fool, an ass, a jerk." (Rosten) [lit. "penis"]

putzing, putzed

wasting time [offensive]

Reform

a Jewish movement founded on principles of the Jewish Enlightenment (Haskalah), which rejected the binding nature of the Law and attempted to concentrate on the prophetic message; it is now the largest movement in the United States, and has an additional 1 million adherents worldwide.

Rosh Hashanah

The Jewish new year

sabra

a prickly pear, "tough and prickly on the outside, tender and sweet on the inside--a description that many say fits citizens of the Jewish state." (JPS)

schlemiel

idiot; contemptible person. "Clumsy, bungling person." (Steinmetz)

schlemozel

The constant butt of idiotic or unfortunate happenings

schlep

To travel from one place to another when one would prefer not to

An annoyingly long journey

"To carry, lug" (JPS)

schlong

a penis

schmaltzy

"Overly sentimental or romantic." (JPS)

schmear

to spread; cream cheese

schmo

a fool; a jerk

schmooze

to make small talk or informally chat; to network, kiss up

schnapps

"A strong, dry liquor." (JPS)

schvitz

sweat (v., n.)

steam bath (n.)

seder

order, orderliness, system, routine

The name for the six sections of the Mishnah.

A ceremony involving recitations, singing, food, and drink typically associated with Passover, but also with Tu B'shvat and Rosh Hashanah.

period for Torah study

Sephardic

Jews whose ancestors came from the Iberian Peninsula before the Jewish expulsion

Shabbat

The Jewish Sabbath; Saturday

Shabbos goy

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

shalom

hello, goodbye, peace

shanda

"Scandal, shame." (JPS)

Misbehavior by a particular Jew or Jewish group that leads to embarrassment among the broader Jewish community.

shawarma

Thinly cut meat (usually lamb, but may be chicken, beef, or other meat) cooked on a vertical rotating spit. Often served on a laffa (large pita type bread, but flat like a pizza dough and without a pocket) and with French fries ("chips" in Israel). Sometimes served on pita.

shiksa

"1. A non-Jewish girl. 2. A housemaid. 3. An irreligious or nonobservant Jewish girl. The term is often regarded as disparaging." (Steinmetz)

shivah

week-long period of mourning after the death of a relative, during which close relatives stay at home and greet visitors. mourners traditionally sit on low stools during this time, so someone in mourning is said to be 'sitting shiva'.