aseret y'mei teshuvah

"Ten Days of Penitence" (Glinert), the ten days between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur.

b'shalom

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

b'tzelem Elohim

lit. "in God's image"

ba'al tekiah

"The title for the person who blows the shofar on Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur" (JPS).

bruchim haba'im

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

chag sameach

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

chanichim

disciples (in a classroom)

campers; members of youth movement, as in Hashomer Hatzair

chatan bereshit

"Bridegroom of Genesis" (Glinert), an honor given to an important member of the community on the holiday of Simchat Torah where the honoree is called up to the Torah for the last reading, which contains the first lines of the Torah.

chatan torah

"Bridegroom of the Torah" (Glinert), an honor given to an important member of the community on the holiday of Simchat Torah where the honoree is called up to the Torah for the penultimate reading, which contains the last lines of the Torah.

chaver

comrade, mister (in left-wing political organizations)

friend

hachnosas kallah

charitable support for poor young women to get married

hafsaka

break or interruption

harbotzas hatorah

spreading of Torah knowledge

Kab Shab

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

kallah

Jewish communal gathering, conference

bride

kavanah

"Attention to the meaning, spirit, and purpose of words" (Weiser)

intent

kesiva vechasima tova

"A good writing and sealing (in the Book of Life)!" Formal Ashkenazi greeting on Rosh Hashanah.

L'dor va'dor

from generation to generation

l'shalom

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

leshana tova tikateivu

"(May you) be inscribed for a good year (in the Book of Life)!" A formal greeting exchanged bu Ashkenazim on Rosh Hashanah.

marbitz torah

one who spreads Torah knowledge

to spread Torah knowledge

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.

Rosh Chodesh

start of a new month in the Hebrew calendar

ruach

spirit, "spiritedness, morale" (JPS)

shidduch

arranged spousal match

a date in the process of finding one's spouse

match

mate

tachlis

purpose, aim

practical details of a matter, "brass tacks" (as in, "Let's get down to brass tacks.")

tikkun olam

kabbalistic concept of mystically repairing the fabric of the world through the performance of mitzvot

"repairing (the) world," making the world a better place through volunteering, social justice work, and philanthropy

Tot Shabbat

A synagogue-based service or play group for young children on Shabbat.

Tu Bishvat

Jewish Arbor Day, the New Year for Trees, literally 'the 15th day of Shevat'.

tza'ar ba'alei chayim

pity for living creatures (Steinmetz), or compassion for animals.

va'ad

"committee or council" (Steinmetz), group convened for a particular purpose, including rabbinical council, kashrut supervisory council, youth group/synagogue board of directors, study group, etc.