Jewish English Lexicon

a long life

Used to greet a mourner after someone has died.

ad me'ah v'esrim

[may you/he/she live] "until a hundred and twenty" -- often used as a birthday wish for long life, or when mentioning a person who is getting on in years.

Aibishter

God, lit. "supreme one" or "the one above"

amcha

the every-man, everyday people; the folk (as opposed to the elite)

bageling

Inserting a Jewish phrase or concept into a conversation in order to indicate that one is Jewish or to determine whether the other person is Jewish.

Identifying another person as a Jew.

Be well

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

belfer

assistant teacher of children in a Hebrew school or cheyder

bench gomel

to say the blessing (called Gomel) said after someone survives a life-threatening situation; often recited pro forma after surviving childbirth or trans-oceanic travel

blat

a page of Talmud (equivalent of Hebrew דף daf)

bodek

also a brand of vegetables that has been checked for insects

check, especially looking for insects that would render produce non-kosher

Breslover

A follower of the Hasidic branch of Judaism that adheres to the teachings of Rabbi Nachman of Breslov, the great-grandson of the Baal Shem Tov.

chabadsker

n., a follower of Chabad Lubavitch (i.e., a Lubavitcher Hasid), often pejorative

adj., of or relating to Chabad Lubavitch (i.e., Lubavitcher), often pejorative

chaleria

Plague or cholera (literal or metaphorical)

"wreck," in the phrase "nervous choleria." A person who behaves wildly or badly.

chassidish

Adhering to Hasidism, a mystical brand of Orthodox Judaism; having traits associated with Hasidim

chumradik

stringent, used to imply that a person is making the most strict halachic ruling, or follows additional restrictions in his or her practice

collect

gather funds or fundraise for an institution.

farfufket

befuddled, taken aback, disoriented, confused

faribel

to have a grievance, to be aggrieved

grievance

FFB

Short for "frum from birth." Refers to someone who grew up in a religious home, the opposite of a BT (ba'al teshuvah) who became religious as an adult.

FFT

'Frum from Tuesday' - a satire on 'FFB'. Denotes a very recent BT, usually someone who has not mastered the rituals / social cues of Orthodox practice.

fluden

log-shaped pastry stuffed with apricot preserves, chopped dates, walnuts, and raisins

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

gebrokts

(2) People who hold by the stringency against eating wetted matzah.

(1) Matzah that is mixed with liquid during cooking; avoided by scrupulously observant because of the possibility that unbaked flour in the matzah could be exposed to the liquid and thereby become chametz, forbidden during Passover.

gefrunzled

slighted, insulted, feeling unappreciated

geza

n. good lineage, adj. having good lineage. people from the right families that go back generations within a given Orthodox community

ghattis

derogatory term for working-class or boorish Afrikaaner person

goyte

non-Jewish woman, especially domestic worker

grizhidiker

nagging, annoying person

Gut Morgen

"Good morning!"

heicha kedusha

abbreviated version of the repetition of the Shmona Esre / Amidah

helzel

chicken neck, poultry neck, stuffed poultry neck, the skin around the chicken's neck which is then stuffed

I wish you well to wear it

A saying uttered on seeing a friend or relative wearing a new garment or accessory. It is value-neutral, not implying that the garment is nice, just that it is new.

Itchy

Ashkenazi Jew

Jewishness

Ethnic or cultural Jewish identity, as distinct from "Judaism"

The quality of being a Jew, not limited to (nor necessarily excluding) religion, ethnicity, biology, or nationality.

Kahal

Synagogue, shul, congregation

(the people of) a Jewish community

kapote

long black coat worn by Hasidic men

khamer

jackass, donkey

kimmel

"kimmel bread" is rye bread with caraway seeds on top

kitke

braided egg-bread eaten on the Sabbath (known as challah elsewhere)

klafte

a naughty or nasty woman; a bitch

klug

curse, but not a severe one

koppel

skullcap, kippah, yarmulke

Kratsmach

Tongue-in-cheek way of referring to "Christmas," especially among Jews who want to avoid uttering the name of Christ.

lapa

An animal's paw, dirty hands, especially that of a child or a lascivious man.

leichter

a small candle holder used to light the Sabbath candles, or the candelabrum itself

leyn

to chant torah, haftarah or megillah

Litvish

"Lithuanian"; associated with the rational, intellectual culture of Lithuanian Jewry; Yeshivish

lobbus

a young mischievous person with a lot of chutzpah

a rascal, mischievous or cheeky child (usually a boy)

make

To urinate or defecate

malshin

noun: One who slanders, especially one who turns over a Jew to non-Jewish authorities; informer, stool pigeon, snitch

verb: To slander, malign, speak loshon hara about somebody.

Manischewitz

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

mechula

broke, bust, bankrupt, spoiled

mekayam

to fulfill an obligation

mekayim

to fulfill, perform, carry out, realize (e.g., a great mitzvah, prophecy, goal)

meorer

to arouse an inappropriate impulse

mesameach

to gladden another person

meshichist

someone who believes that Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson, the Rebbe of Chabad Hasidism, is the Messiah

mevater

to nullify one's desires for the good of others

mezakeh

to acquire; strengthen

moserim

informers

negel vasser

literally "nail water"; refers to the practice of washing ones hands immediately after waking

nicht shabbos geret

Not to speak of on Shabbat (used when a subject is not suitable for the Holy Shabbat, primarily business and money manners, to indicate that one shouldn't discuss it). Usually followed by a short comment about the "forbidden" subject.

nisayon

trial and tribulation; a test of faith

nishtikeit

a nobody

oirik

Derogatory reference to a non-Jewish male, especially a common labourer

on one foot

translation of Hebrew "al regel achat" or Yiddish "af eyn fus": off-the-cuff; quick, quickly, quick answer (from a Talmudic story about Rabbi Hillel summarizing the Torah to a potential convert while standing on one foot)

ongeshnosket

inebriated, drunk

oso ha-Ish

literally "that man", an irreverent/euphemistic reference to Jesus of Nazereth

pachech

a complainer

pastrami

Smoked, seasoned deli meat

Peruvian

an unsavoury character

pish

urinate

urine

pishachs

(vulgar) urine, piss

pizza bagel

A person of (non-Jewish) Italian and Jewish descent.

polkeys

thighs (esp. of a chicken or baby)

prakes

Stuffed cabbage, also known by holiptshes, goluptshes, and golomkes, among other names

pritsus

immoral behavior

pshetl

subtle or hair-splitting argument about a Jewish text

dvar torah (Orthodox)

pshh

exclamation of respect

putzing, putzed

wasting time [offensive]

rebbeyish

pertaining to the Hasidic rebbe

reckel

long black coat worn by Yeshivish men

savtadik

(1) something that reminds one favorably of one's savfta (grandmother); (2) something that meets with savta's approval

schlissel

key

schlong

a penis

shaina maidel

pretty girl

well-behaved girl (female equivalent of mensch, which is sometimes used just for males but is often used for males and females)

shaloshudes

the traditional third meal of the sabbath, eaten saturday afternoon or evening beginning before the sabbath has ended. [lit. "three meals"]

shecht

to slaughter meat according to the rituals of kashrut

shefele

sweety, Lit. "lamb"

shissel

A bowl, especially for mixing

shkotz

berating term for a mischievous Jewish boy

shlogn kapores

to make oneself feel guilty.

the custom of symbolically transferring one's sins to a chicken (or coins) before Yom Kippur, done by moving the chicken (or coins) in a circle around one's head.