Jewish English Lexicon

apikoros

heretic, non-believer, especially one with great knowledge of Judaism

beit din

A rabbinical court of law that makes judgments on matters of Jewish religious life, especially conversion and divorce.

JPS: "To recite a blessing. It usually refers to Birkat ha-Mazon, the Grace after Meals... The word can also refer to the reciting of any blessing; for example, the expression bentsch licht means to light Shabbat [or Chanukah] candles."

bracha

blessing (in the technical or figurative sense)

chazan

The official at a synagogue who leads the congregation in prayer and song. (JPS)

chazir

1. pork 2. a pig, greedy person (JPS)

daven

pray; lead services

Elohim/Elokim

"One of the many names used to refer to God" (JPS)

fleishig

"The general term for food in the meat category, according to the Jewish dietary laws" (JPS)

fresser

big eater, "pig". "A heavy eater." (JPS)

frum

religious; observant; Orthodox

gaon

"A title of honor for the rabbis and teachers who were the spiritual heads of the Babylonian yeshivot between the 6th and 11th centuries C.E." (JPS)

"A rabbi whose learning was so great that he was given the honorary title of gaon" (Rosten), e.g. the Vilna Gaon

Modern Hebrew: genius (JPS)

gelt

Money (slang usage)

"The foil wrapped chocolate coins that are a traditional Hanukkah treat for children." (JPS)

gematria

"An ancient system of Hebrew numerology," (JPS), in which each Hebrew letter possesses a numerical value, allowing words or phrases to express possible "hidden" meaning (when one adds up the letters' values)

golus

literally "exile" (JPS); outside of the Land of Israel; away from a vibrant Jewish community; the time period since the destruction of the Second Temple at Jerusalem (Glinert)

gonif

thief

haftorah

"A reading from the biblical book of Prophets that is recited in synagogue immediately following the reading of the Torah" (JPS)

haggadah

"The small book of liturgy, prayers, songs, and rituals used at a Pesach seder" (JPS)

halacha

"Jewish law" (JPS)

halevai

"Would that it be so" (Steinmetz, Yiddish and English)

If only

I wish!

hamentaschen

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

havdalah

"literally 'separation'. The ceremony that marks the end of [the Sabbath] on Saturday evening" (JPS)

kaddishl

A son who will say kaddish for a parent (literally, "little kaddish").

kaparot

Ritual performed between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur to remove sins carried out by swinging a chicken over ones head.

kinder

"children" (Rosten)

landsman

Someone who comes from the same or nearby hometown, especially if one or both of you no longer lives there and all the more so if one or both now live far away from home, in which case an entire region (e.g., metro NY) or country e.g., Poland) may be the point of connection.

maariv

the evening prayer

mamzer

bastard [see note]; "A detestable [person] like the colloquial English "He's a bastard"" (Rosten)

mazel

luck (good)

congratulations

mazume

"ready money, cash" (Steinmetz)

"A group of three or more adult males who join together to recite the after-meal blessings..." (Steinmetz).

midrash

stories or explanations that interpret or ellaborate on the Torah's text.

mikvah

"Ritual bath" (JPS)

milchig

"...food in the "dairy" category, according to the Jewish dietary laws...also refers to the utensils and dishes used for cooking, eating, and serving milk products." (JPS)

Mishnah

an authoritative collection of exegetical material embodying the oral tradition of Jewish law and forming the first part of the Talmud.

mishpacha

"Literally, "family". ...The word conveys a warm feeling of friendship." (JPS)

nu

so what?; so?; hurry up already

olav ha-sholom

"peace be upon him"; said of someone who is deceased

parve

1. neither milk nor meat; 2. uninteresting, plain, generic

Pesach

The Jewish Holiday of Passover

Purim

A joyous holiday that takes place in February or March on the 14th of Adar, retelling the story of the Book of Esther.

rebetzin

wife of a rabbi

schach

branches or bamboo used to cover a sukkah

schmegege

"silly or stupid person; simpleton; nitwit" (Steinmetz)

"An untalented loser; a whiner; a petty person" (JPS).

"An unadmirable, petty person" (Rosten)

schnorrer

a begger, a parasite. "A moocher" (JPS)

sechel

"Common sense" (JPS), intelligence

Shabbos

the Jewish Sabbath

shadchen

matchmaker

shamash

1. candle lit first and then used to light other hanukah candles

2. the caretaker of a synagogue.

3. personal assistant / aide / gofer, especially to a rabbi or in the Hollywood entertainment industry

shehecheyanu

the blessing of thanksgiving that celebrates reaching a celebratory moment or marking a significant first

sheitel

wig; worn by some observant jewish women after marriage. "A wig worn by strictly Orthodox...women as a [hair] covering." (Steinberg)

shema

prayer recited in most services as well as at bedtime, and when death is imminent; one of the most important and well-known prayers in Judaism

sheygets

"1. A non-Jewish boy. 2. An impudent youth or man. 3. An irreligious or nonobservant Jew. The term is often regarded as disparaging." (Steinmetz)

smichah

"Rabbinic ordination" (Steinmetz)

Sukkot

The feast of the booths; a fall holiday when Jews live in makeshift huts to represent the time the Israelites spent wandering in the desert.

tachlis

purpose, aim

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

tefillin

Small black boxes containing sections of the shema attached to leather straps and worn around the head and arm during prayer.

"phylacteries"

treif

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

tsorris

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

tzadik

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

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

Someone who does extremely righteous deeds.

tzimmes

"A prolonged procedure, and involved business, a mix-up" (Rosten).

"A sweet, baked dish of vegetables or fruit. Carrot tzimmes, a popular version, includes carrots, sweet potatoes, dried apricots, raisins, sugar, and cinnamon" (JPS).

"Troubles, difficulties, a contretemps" (Rosten).