Jewish English Lexicon

alte kaker

elderly person, old-timer [literally "old shitter"] "A crotchety, fussy, ineffectual old man." (Rosten)

antisemitism

Hatred against Jews.

"Prejudice or discrimination against Jews and the Jewish people" (JPS).

pl. Ashkenazim. "The name given to the group of Jews who were originally from Germany and France (and their descendants)... The Ashkenazim migrated to Central and Eastern Europe during times of oppression" (JPS).

Ashkenazic

Adjectival form for 'Ashkenazim', "The name given to the group of Jews who were originally from Germany and France, and their descendants" (JPS)

bar mitzvah

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

blintz

A folded thin pancake filled with cheese, fruit, or potatoes.

burekas

A Turkish pastry filled with potatoes, other vegetables, and sometimes cheese.

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.

chad gadya

The name of a song sung at the end of the Passover seder.

chag sameach

"Literally, 'Happy Holiday.' The traditional, all-purpose greeting exchanged on almost any Jewish holiday" (JPS).

chutzpah

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

guts (positive)

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.

farkakte

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

farmisht

mixed up, confused, crazy

gezunterheyt

lit., while in good health

"Fine, go ahead" (ironic).

hamentaschen

"Small, triangular-shaped cookies filled with fruit or jam that are eaten on Purim" (JPS)

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")

hummus

A purée of ground chickpeas and sesame seeds.

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.

klutz

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

knaidel

matzah ball; "a dumpling made of matzah meal meal and beaten eggs, usually served in chicken broth, often at the Pesach seder" (JPS)

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

kvell

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

maccabiah

international Jewish sports competition, known as the Jewish Olympics, held (mostly) every four years since 1932; smaller regional competitions held in Jewish community centers around the world

color war / intra-camp competition in a Jewish summer camp

maven

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

mazel

congratulations

luck (good)

mazel tov

congratulations [lit. "good fortune"]

menorah

candelabrum, especially for Chanukah

mensch

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

meshuga

crazy

oy

exclamation of dismay, exasperation, or surprise

oy vey

exclamation of dismay, exasperation, or surprise

pikuach nefesh

The principle that the law of saving a person's life takes precedence over all other laws, with the exception of the laws prohibiting idolatry, incestuous relations, and the murder of an innocent person.

pita

A round, thin bread with a pocket, eaten plain or with filling as a sandwich.

plotz

"1. To split, to burst, to explode. 2. " To be aggravated beyond bearing" (Rosten) [lit. "to explode"]

putz

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

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.