Jewish English Lexicon

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)

anticirc

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

asina

Just like this/that, thus, in this manner. Such, even if.

Avodah b'gashmiut

serving God through the physical / material world (Hasidic concept)

avrech

A yeshiva student, or a young man who learns in a kollel.

A working person (non full time learner) who supports or is associated with Torah institutions

A young married male.

ayzeh bahsa

What a misfortune, how unfortunate, bummer

b'shalom

"in peace" (used to sign off in written correspondence)

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.

Bayit Sheni

Second Temple, period of the Second Temple

A place one repairs to for debauchery after being expelled from one's initial location.

Be well

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

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

Birkat Habayit

“blessing for the house,” usually refers to a decorative piece of calligraphy for the home

Birthright

A free 10-day trip to Israel for young Diaspora Jews ages 18-26. Over 400,000 Jews have been to Israel on Birthright.

black hat

Haredi; describing people or traditions of the right end of the Orthodox continuum, encompassing Hasidic and non-Hasidic (or just non-Hasidic) Orthodox Jews, of whom the men wear black hats

bli ayin hara

Formula said in conjunction with a positive statement to ward off the evil eye. Lit. "without the evil eye."

bodek

also a brand of vegetables that has been checked for insects

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

boker or

literally, "morning light". said in response to "boker tov."

Common translation of the Hebrew "tzror ha-hayim," referring to a transcendent realm where the souls of righteous are kept in safekeeping. Part of a phrase often inscribed on headstones or said in reference to the dead, meaning "may their soul be bound in the bond of eternal life."

bragas

underwear

break fast

the meal that takes place after a fast

brecha

pool

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.

bruchim haba'im

welcome! [lit. "blessed are those who come"]

Buenas semanas

Have a good week / what one says after making havdallah

cashew

a person of Catholic and Jewish heritage

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

chadar ochel

dining hall, dining room

chaleria

Plague or cholera (literal or metaphorical)

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

chalomot paz

Sweet dreams, literally "Golden dreams"

chanichim

campers; members of youth movement, as in Hashomer Hatzair

disciples (in a classroom)

chashuv

Important; of high status

chassidish

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

chatich

a sexy man

chatzi kaddish

half kaddish: prayer that praises God and occurs several times during services, marking the separation between different parts of the service.

chatzos

halachic midday and midnight

chaval

a shame; a waste; "too bad!"

chaval al hazman

Wow! Expression of emphasis from Israeli slang. Original meaning is also used: "waste of time"

chesedik

kind

chosenness

Notion that Jews are God's chosen people, based on biblical quotes.

chozer b'teshuva

a returnee to the faith

chozer be-sheelah

someone raised Orthodox who chooses not to be aligned with the practice or ideology of Orthodox Judaism

Chrismukkah

"Chrismukkah is a pop-culture portmanteau neologism referring to the merging of the holidays of Christianity's Christmas and Judaism's Hanukkah." (Wikipedia)

chumradik

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

CJLS

a committee of Conservative Rabbis that meets semi-yearly to review t'shuvot (halachic proposals)

collect

gather funds or fundraise for an institution.

conservadox

of a manner of Jewish religious practice that is considered to be intermediate between the Conservative and Orthodox movements in liturgy, observance, etc.

continuity

An objective, often expressed in response to rising rates of interfaith marriage, to ensure that Judaism is transmitted from one generation to the next.

convener

an organization that brings people or organizations together

counting the omer

counting of each of the forty-nine days between the Jewish holidays of Passover and Shavuos

da'as torah

Intuitive knowledge that comes from a lifetime of Torah study.

The authoritative wisdom of the tradition mediated by "gedolim" or great rabbis.

Dahak

A joke. Or someone or something who is funny.

dan l'kaf zechus

give the benefit of the doubt

De carne

Meaty / fleshing

De queso

Dairy / milchig / cheesy

dos

A derogatory term for ultra-Orthodox/Haredi Jews, common in Israel.

dugma

example

dugma ishit

role model, personal example

dugree

Direct, unvarnished, uneuphemistic

eats out

Describes willingness of otherwise kosher-observant person to eat in non-supervised restaurant; connotation is that they will not eat non-kosher food (meat, shellfish etc), but are not concerned about the status of food prepared in otherwise non-kosher kitchen.

egal

adj. describing a non-Orthodox Jewish prayer group or service in which men and women can participate equally and a mechitzah (boundary separating women from men) is not used.

eidah

group, cohort; session/unit

ein

None; we / I / you don't have any; there is none.

engagement

The degree to which an individual is active in or affiliated with a Jewish communal activity or organization, or to which a Jewish institution encourages such activity

es shtayt geshribn

"It is written."

Escapamiento bueno

May the results be good/ said upon hearing of a pregnancy/ said before giving birth

etz chaim

tree of life

ever-dying people

reference to Simon Rawidowicz quote that Jews have long seen themselves in danger of decline

faribel

to have a grievance, to be aggrieved

grievance

federation

A local Jewish philanthropy which raises and distributes funds for social welfare, social services and educational needs in local communities and overseas, especially Israel.

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.

flexidox

Halachically observant but in a flexible way. Reflecting the original intent and spirit of Orthodoxy, rather than the superficial details. Flexidox (adj.): Orthodox in spirit, flexible in practice; culturally rather than halachically Orthodox

fluden

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

from strength to strength

phrase of blessing used on momentous occasions

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

gaga

A version of dodgeball played in a hexagonal or octagonal "pit," sometimes referred to as "Israeli dodgeball." Gaga is common in Jewish summer camps, schools, and community gatherings and has spread to non-Jewish settings as well.

gam ani

"me, too"

gaveta

Locker behind the synagogue seat.

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.

geza

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

give/get

The amount of money that a board member of an organization is responsible to contribute, either by a personal donation ("give") or by the member's individual fundraising ("get").

gondi

A Persian Jewish soup, commonly prepared on Shabbat, consisting of a meatball/meat dumpling prepared with ground chickpeas in a chicken or meat broth.

good for the Jews

an expression, often used ironically, to ask what the effect of a given event will be on the Jewish community.

goyte

non-Jewish woman, especially domestic worker

Gut Morgen

"Good morning!"

Hadeed

Awesome.

hajj

to stop, "enough" (slang)

Half Shabbas

Describes Sabbath observance by someone (usually a teenager) who observes Shabbat in every respect - except one: they text/SMS/tweet on Shabbat (or use other digital communication). May extend to using other electronic/digital devices as well (e.g. tablets).

halleluyah

praise God

hamevin yavin

"those who understand will understand." "You know what I'm talking about."

Hanukkah Alegre

Happy hannukah!

Harry

A single, yeshivish male (see bochur) who is less culturally yeshivish than his peers.

heeb

slang term used to describe a Jewish person

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

hitbodedut

solitary prayer

hoda'ot

announcements

hot dairy (out) / cold dairy (out)

a standard of kashrut held by some non-Orthodox Jews, which allows certain foods but not others to be eaten in non-kosher restaurants; "cold dairy" refers to unheated non-meat products such as a bagel with cream cheese, cold cereal, salads, or cottage cheese, while "hot dairy" refers to cooked dishes containing vegetables, fish or dairy.

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.

ichsa

an expression of disgust

inside/outside

Dealing with a text directly (inside) or discussion about a text (outside) during different segments of a study session

Itchy

Ashkenazi Jew

JAP

Jewish American Princess

JBA

Jew by Association

JDate

A popular dating site for Jewish singles.

JDub

An American Jew who is not Syrian (usually refers to Ashkenazim)

Jew Bub

"Jewish Bubble"; the network of Jewish organizations and social circles in which Jews interact mostly with other Jews

Jew crew

group of Jews who hang out together

Jewdar

ability to detect individuals' Jewishness (on analogy with "gaydar" and ultimately "radar")

Jewfro

a large, frizzy hairstyle, sported by Jewish men (on analogy with "afro")

Jewish geography

a "game" in which Jews attempt to identify common friends or acquaintances

Jewish professional

An employee, excluding support staff, of an institution, including a synagogue, non-profit organization, and school, specifically or largely devoted to a Jewish cause or agenda.

Jewishly

(Adverb) related to or in a manner that accords with religious or cultural values or knowledge common or important to the Jewish people

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.

Jewitch

A Jew who is a witch or pagan.

Jewy

Highly identified Jewishly, either outwardly in terms of actions and affiliations, or inwardly based on self-definition.

Demonstating stereotypical or conspicuous appearance or behaviors that identify one as a Jew.

JFK

Acronym: "Just for Kiddush." A joking or dismissive designation for a person who skips Saturday morning services but arrives at synagogue for the kiddush luncheon

justo

True, right.

Kab Shab

Abbreviated form of Kabalat Shabbat (the Friday night prayer service).

kadima

a center-left political party in Israel

forward; onward; hurry up, quickly

kadosh

holy

Kahal

(the people of) a Jewish community

Synagogue, shul, congregation

kapara!

[the relatively minor mishap should be] an Atonement [for my/our/your sins, rather than something more serious]

kapote

long black coat worn by Hasidic men

keitzed m'rakdim

dancing before the groom and bride at a wedding, more often called 'wedding shtick'

kelev

dude

dog

ken

Yes

KFP

An abbreviation "kosher for Passover," meaning that the food fulfills the religious requirements to be eaten during Passover.

kiki riki

brand name of clothing shells (thin, simple shirts; worn by Orthodox women under more revealing ones to provide coverage)

Kinneret

the Sea of Galilee

kitah aleph

level one; 1st. grade in primary school

klafte

a naughty or nasty woman; a bitch

klug

curse, but not a severe one

knis

Synagogue, Syrian word for 'shul'

kol b'seder

"Everything's fine."

kollel

Institution where married men pursue advanced Talmudic study and, often in conjunction with their wives, offer classes and other rabbinic services to the Jewish community around them, especially in non-Orthodox neighborhoods.

kollel rabbi

A man who learns (studies traditional texts) - generally full-time - and offers classes and other services to the (non-Orthodox) Jewish community.

koppel

skullcap, kippah, yarmulke

kova

hat

Kratsmach

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

krav maga

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

kumkum

hot water urn

kuracha

Tefillin bag

L'dor va'dor

Literally "from generation to generation"

l'shalom

"in peace," lit. "to (or toward) peace"

la kashya

Not a problem, no difficulty. When two (Talmudic) opinions appear to contradict each other, "la kashya" signals that a resolution is at hand.

laila tov

"good night"

lamah lo?

"why not?"; "there's no reason not to.

Land of Israel

not just the state of Israel but the physical place

lapa

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

lay leader

a member of the board of directors for a Jewish non-profit organization

an adult who helps coordinate programs of a Jewish organization in a volunteer capacity

leichter

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

leyn

to chant torah, haftarah or megillah

light

light Shabbat or holiday candles

limudei kodesh

"holy studies"; Jewish religious studies

Litvish

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

lo matim

Inappropriate

lonso

stupid person, bear

LWMO

'Left wing Modern Orthodox'. The liberal wing of Modern Orthodoxy, in both attitude and observance.

M.O.T.

"member of the tribe;" a Jew

m'dor l'dor

from generation to generation

ma

What

ma la'asot

"what can you do?"

maapilim

Jews who immigrated illegally to Palestine during British control in the 1930s and 1940s - Aliyah Bet

Biblical: the group of the Children of Israel that went, unauthorized, to the Land of Israel after the episode with the spies

mabrouk

an expression of joyous congratulation used by Sephardi Jews equivalent to "Mazal tov!"

machal

a volunteer from outside Israel serving in the Israeli army

machane

Summer camp [lit. "camp"]

mah nishmah?

how are you?

mahtomer / matomeret

What are you saying? or What did you say? or Really??

Maimonidean

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

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

maspik

enough

matbea

blueprint, structure, form

matzah pizza

A nickname for Massapequa, a Long Island, NY, suburb with sizable Jewish and Italian populations.

a dish eaten by American Jews during Passover, where a piece of matzah is covered with tomato sauce and cheese, and placed in the oven.

mayim step

a dance move used in Israeli dance (also known as 'the grapevine')

meforshim

any set of commentaries on classic religious texts

the rabbis who wrote such commentaries

mekayam

to fulfill an obligation

member of the tribe

non-derogitory slang term used to identify a Jewish person

menucha

Rest or rest time

meorer

to arouse an inappropriate impulse

merkaz

central area (of a given space)

mesameach

to gladden another person

mevater

to nullify one's desires for the good of others

mezakeh

to acquire; strengthen

midrasha

Orthodox women's seminary, especially in Israel

Co-ed supplementary Jewish religious school, usually Reform

milah

ritual circumcision

minhag hamakom

local custom

mish

verb. To mix; to eat at other families' houses during the week of Passover.

mission

An organized trip meant to expose participants to the work of a nonprofit organization, raise awareness of a cause, and/or deliver supplies or services to a deserving population. Unlike the Christian use of the word "mission," Jewish missions do not signify a proselytizing motive.

Mizrachi

adj. or noun describing a person or practice (including music and ritual) of Middle Eastern Jewish origin. Lit. "Eastern," "Oriental."

mora

Teacher - Female

Munchos y buenos

Many good ones (with good health). Said for a birthday, anniversary or other happy occasion.

muvan me'elav

self-evident

Nachshon

Trailblazer. Initiator. Someone who takes a risk when others are not willing to.

nalashevet

Please sit.

name game

The attempt to identify whether someone is Jewish based upon whether their name 'sounds' Jewish.

nedivut

generosity

negel vasser

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

negiah

"touching"; usually used in the phrase "shomer negiah", which is the custom of avoiding touch with members of the opposite sex outside of one's family

nekiyus hadibur

Literally "purity of one's speech"

neros

candles

nice Jewish boy

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

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.

nikayon

time set aside for cleaning / tidying up (at camp)

nisayon

trial and tribulation; a test of faith

nishtikeit

a nobody

OB"M

"of blessed memory"

Off the derech

No longer religious/observant; now following a non-religious/non-observant lifestyle.

ohel

structure built over a grave, especially that of the Lubavitcher Rebbe

tent (in a summer camp setting)

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)

oneg

a informal, festive gathering Friday night involving food, casual Torah study, Jewish songs, etc.

Open Orthodox

a breakaway movement to the left of Modern Orthodoxy, declared outside of acceptable Orthodox boundaries by most mainstream Orthodox rabbis

oso ha-Ish

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

pachech

a complainer

pastrami

Smoked, seasoned deli meat

patrilineal

Being considered Jewish because one's father but not mother is Jewish.

peoplehood

sense of belonging to the world Jewish people

petek

note

peula

activity

peulat erev

evening program

Pew

Shorthand reference to “A Portrait of Jewish Americans,” a comprehensive survey, released in October 2013 by the Pew Research Center’s Religion and Public Life Project. Upon its release, the survey's findings on population, Jewish identity, and interfaith marriage seemed likely to play a central role in determining priorities for myriad Jewish institutions.

pish

urine

urinate

pishachs

(vulgar) urine, piss

pishkado i limon

Literally 'fish and lemon'. Used when trying to change the subject, normally when the topic of conversation is inappropriate (e.g., talking about business on Shabbat, talking about a deceased person)

pizza bagel

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

plata

electric hotplate used on the Sabbath

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

Purim Alegre

Happy Purim!

putzing, putzed

wasting time [offensive]

rebbeyish

pertaining to the Hasidic rebbe

reckel

long black coat worn by Yeshivish men

Recon

Adj. Of or pertaining to Reconstructionist Judaism (a movement founded by Rabbi M. M. Kaplan, emphasizing Judaism as a civilization more than a religion).

religious school

after-school jewish supplementary education, usually from elementary through high school. may occur during the week or on sundays.

renewal

An alternative stream of rabbis and congregations, independent of the "mainstream" denominations, that fosters an open and experimental approach to Judaism, often drawing from the Jewish mystical tradition and non-Jewish spiritual traditions.

Practices and beliefs in keeping with the philosphy of the renewal movement.

rosh edah

supervisor of staff member responsible for a particular age group at summer camp

RWMO

'Right-wing Modern Orthodox' - often University-educated and open to (certain) professional training and education, but seriously committed to halakhic observance.

S/Y

Syrian Jew

sababa

Awesome. Cool.

Salud y vida

Have health and long life! Said in response to Buenas semanas / Shavua tov.

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

seminary

Post-high school learning program for women; usually located in Jerusalem and associated with an Orthodox religious outlook

shabash

Well done!

Money thrown on bride and groom at a wedding (Mountain Jews).

Shabbos elevator

elevator used on the Sabbath that stops automatically on each floor to allow religious Jews to use it without operating electric equipment

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"]

shana alef

the post-high school gap year that young men and women spend studying at yeshivot and seminaries in Israel

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.

shecht

to slaughter meat according to the rituals of kashrut

shefele

sweety, Lit. "lamb"

shilshul

diarrhea

shir

song

shira

singing session

shissel

A bowl, especially for mixing

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.

shmais

a Lubavitch news website: http://shmais.com/

Whack, wallop, smack

shmecky

child-appropriate word for penis

affectionate term used to describe a child, often connoting silly or slightly naughty behavior

shmira

"guard duty"

"watching over the body of a dead person prior to burial"

shoo

An emphatic "what!?"

shtim

(often with preposition "with") to jibe, gel, concur, harmonize; without prep., equivalent to colloquial English "to add up; make sense"

shtup

verb, have sexual intercourse

noun, the act of sexual intercourse

shtus

nonsense

shutim

responsa - rabbinic rulings

shvantz

very rude man, lowlife, snitch

penis, dick

tail

Si kiere El Dyo

(Literally) If it is God's will -An expression that nothing is certain, or completely in our hands -a mild expression of doubt, like "If it turns out that way"

sifria

library

sivuv

noun: a go-around, walk-around, lap, especially one done in order to double-check something

slivovitz

plum brandy, often consumed on passover because it doesn't contain fermented grains.

snag

Misnaged (non-Hasidic Orthodox Jew)

spodik

fur hat, similar to but taller (more cylindrical) than a shtreimel, worn by certain Chassidic groups

talmudic

1. literally, having to do with the talmud 2. a debate that was complex and had many sides

tefach

A halachic unit of measure: four fingers (a palm's breadth) high.

Tefillin date

A date on which the male brings along his tefillin, in the expectation that he may spend the night with his date (because he is conscientious about the mitzvah of tefillin and the need to put on his tefillin the following morning).

teiku

The question remains unanswered.

An unanswered question.

tekes

ceremony, usually surrounding something identified as Israeli or Jewish

Thanksgivukkah

"Thanksgivukkah is a pop-culture portmanteau neologism given to the convergence of the American holiday of Thanksgiving and the first day of the Jewish holiday of Hanukkah on Thursday, November 28, 2013" (Wikipedia)

Three Weeks

a period of semi-mourning commemorating the destruction of the first and second temples in jerusalem. "The three weeks between shiva asar betamuz (17th of Tamuz), when the walls of Jerusalem were breached, and Tisha b'Av (9th of Av), when the Temple was destroyed." (Steinmetz)