Jewish English Lexicon

The Chosen People

refers to the jewish people as a whole having a unique relationship with god; (translation of hebrew phrase "am nivchar")

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)

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

tisch

a festive friday night gathering, often involving alcohol and singing [lit. "table"]. in hasidic circles, the rebbe often hosts a tisch with hundreds of hasidim at which he shares his teachings.

Tizke vetichye vita'arich yamim

May you have the fortune to have a long and good life!

Tizku Leshanim rabot

Wishing you many, many years!

toda

"thank you"

toivel

to immerse dishes in a ritual bath (mikvah) to render them usable in a kosher kitchen

Torah

Literally, "teaching". 1. The five books of moses. 2. Jewish law and values in general.

Torah reading

a section of the torah read on certain days during the week. (translation of hebrew phrase "kriyas hatorah")

toranut

tour of duty, esp. the task of serving and clearing food, and/or setting and clearing plates, at communal meals at Jewish summer camp

The people given the job of toranut

Tot Shabbat

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

tov

"good", "okay"

treif

(adj or noun) food prohibited by the jewish dietary laws

triple-h

good-looking Jewish female ("hot Hebrew honey")

trop

Series of traditional chanting/melodic patterns used in reading the Torah and other books of the Tanakh in communal prayer services.

Diacritic-like marks in printed editions of the Tanakh (and the tikkun, a book that enables people to learn to chant from the Torah, haftarah, etc.) that indicate the chanting/melodic pattern to be used with each word.

truntor

old broken down car/ jalopy

tsekrochen

slovenly, [feeling] feeble or fragile, usually owing to minor illness or a night of excess.

tseloznik

a cute, mischievous child

a spoiled child

tsemisht

mixed-up, confused

tsibur

The public.

The (Jewish) community.

A prayer group.

tsniusdik

modest, discrete, especially according to Orthodox norms of dress, comportment, and gender interaction

tsorris

"Troubles, woes, worries, suffering." (Rosten)

tsu gezunt

a response after another person sneezes (analogous to "bless you")

Tu b'Av

the 15th of Av, sometimes associated with romantic love and jokingly called 'Jewish Valentine's Day'.

Tu Bishvat

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

tuches

buttocks

tuches afn tisch

lay your cards on the table [lit. "backside on the table"]

tumler

"A funmaker, a 'live wire,' a clown, a prankster, the 'life of the party." (Rosten)

tuna bagel

a person (usually a young, Hasidic man) who appears to be religious but is in part or in whole not observant; OR who is observant and wears Hasidic garb, but otherwise behaves like non-Hasidic Orthodox Jews

tush

buttocks

tzadik

Common name for the 18th letter of the Hebrew alphabet (tzadi / tzade).

Someone who does extremely righteous deeds.

A highly learned and esteemed rabbinic leader (sometimes used as an alternative name for a Hasidic rebbe).

TzaHaL

acronym for: ts'va ha-haganah le-yisrael, the Israeli defense force (IDF)

tzedakah

charity, money given to charity

tzedek, tzedek tirdof

"justice, justice, you will pursue." (Deuteronomy 16:20)

tzevet

staff member

staff

tzitzit

A garment worn under the shirt by Orthodox men and boys, with a tassel hanging down from each of the four corners.

The fringes on a tallit (tallis) prayer shawl or on a tallit katan.

tznius

(n.) modesty, discretion, especially according to Orthodox norms of dress, comportment, and gender interaction

(adj.) modest, discrete, especially according to Orthodox norms of dress, comportment, and gender interaction

tzom kal

"have an easy fast"; used as a greeting on Jewish fast days, especially Yom Kippur

tzrif

cabin/bunk

unaffiliated

Refers to members of the Jewish population who are not involved with a synagogue or other Jewish community organizations.

unetaneh tokef

a particular High Holiday prayer recited on Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur

ungepatchke

overdone, tacky, ostentatious, overcomplicated. "Excessively and unaesthetically decorated; overly baroque." (Rosten)

unveiling

the ceremony marking the unveiling of a deceased person's headstone one year after his or her burial

upsherin

the first haircut of a 3 year old; [lit. 'cutting off']

ushpizin

transcendent "guests" welcomed into the sukkah during Sukkot, one per day

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.