Showing 58 of 58 words, page 1 of 1
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alte kaker
elderly person, old-timer [literally "old shitter"] "A crotchety, fussy, ineffectual old man." (Rosten)
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antisemitism
Hatred against Jews.
"Prejudice or discrimination against Jews and the Jewish people" (JPS).
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Ashkenazi
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).
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Ashkenazic
Adjectival form for 'Ashkenazim', "The name given to the group of Jews who were originally from Germany and France, and their descendants" (JPS)
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bar mitzvah
Jewish coming-of-age ceremony/celebration for a 13-year-old boy; the boy who has come of age.
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blintz
A folded thin pancake filled with cheese, fruit, or potatoes.
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burekas
A Turkish pastry filled with potatoes, other vegetables, and sometimes cheese.
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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.
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chad gadya
The name of a song sung at the end of the Passover seder.
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chag sameach
"Literally, 'Happy Holiday.' The traditional, all-purpose greeting exchanged on almost any Jewish holiday" (JPS).
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chutzpah
nerve, audacity, the quality of over-stepping boundries with no shame (negative)
guts (positive)
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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).
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Conservative Judaism
originally known as "historical positive Judaism," a denomination that combines observance with an idea of "halachic process." See further comments below.
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farkakte
"lousy, messed up, ridiculous" (JPS) Shitty, full of crap.
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farmisht
mixed up, confused, crazy
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hamentaschen
"Small, triangular-shaped cookies filled with fruit or jam that are eaten on Purim" (JPS)
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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")
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hummus
A purée of ground chickpeas and sesame seeds.
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kibbitz
"To socialize aimlessly...To carry on a running commentary" (Rosten)
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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.
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klutz
"clumsy, slow-witted...person" (Rosten)
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knaidel
matzah ball; "a dumpling made of matzah meal meal and beaten eggs, usually served in chicken broth, often at the Pesach seder" (JPS)
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knish
Eastern European dumpling with thin dough filled with potato, kasha, onion, meat, and/or other ingredients
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kosher
"acceptable according to Jewish [ritual] law" (JPS); "trustworthy, reliable" (Rosten); acceptable according to dietary laws
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kvell
feel or express pride, "to be extraordinarily pleased" (JPS)
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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
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maven
"An expert or connoisseur; a specialist" (JPS)
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mazel tov
congratulations [lit. "good fortune"]
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menorah
candelabrum, especially for Chanukah
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mensch
"An upright, honorable, a decent person." (Rosten)
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meshuga
crazy
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oy
exclamation of dismay, exasperation, or surprise
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oy vey
exclamation of dismay, exasperation, or surprise
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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.
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pita
A round, thin bread with a pocket, eaten plain or with filling as a sandwich.
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plotz
"1. To split, to burst, to explode. 2. " To be aggravated beyond bearing" (Rosten) [lit. "to explode"]
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putz
"A fool, an ass, a jerk." (Rosten) [lit. "penis"]
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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.
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Reform Judaism
A liberal, progressive branch of Judaism that emphasizes choice through knowledge.
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refusenik
Term for Soviet Jews who were not allowed to openly practice Judaism or emigrate from Soviet Union.
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schlimazel
Unlucky person; the constant butt of idiotic or unfortunate happenings
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schmatta
rag, old/ragged piece of clothing, garment
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schmooze
to make small talk or informally chat; to network, kiss up
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shamash
1. candle lit first and then used to light other hanukah candles
3. personal assistant / aide / gofer, especially to a rabbi or in the Hollywood entertainment industry
2. the caretaker of a synagogue.
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shanda
Misbehavior by a particular Jew or Jewish group that leads to embarrassment among the broader Jewish community.
"Scandal, shame." (JPS)
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shmuck
annoying, irritating person (lit. penis)
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shtetl
"A town or village with...Jewish inhabitants, commonly found in Eastern Europe before World War II." (Steinmetz)
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spiel
play, performance, speech. "A long, involved story or tale." (JPS)
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strudel
A pastry made by rolling up a thin sheet of dough with a fruit or cheese filling and baking it.
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tahini
"A creamy paste made from ground sesame seeds" (JPS)
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tchotchke
trinket, knicknack
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tehina
A paste made from ground sesame seeds, used as a dip or spread.
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teiglach
a confection of dough balls dipped in honey/syrup and eaten at Rosh Hashanah
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teshuvah
repentance [lit. "return"]
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yarmulke
religious skullcap
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zaidie
grandpa, grandfather
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