Showing 174 of 174 words, page 1 of 1
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adon olam
a hymn in the traditional Jewish liturgy, usually recited before Shacharit and often sung after services in synagogue, made up of traits attributed to God
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Adoshem
God
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aliyah
immigration to Israel
"calling to the reading of the Torah" (Glinert)
ascent
ascent of the soul of a deceased person to a higher level, as is believed to happen on their yartzeit
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almemar
the platform on which the Torah is read in synagogue; the bima
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alte kaker
elderly person, old-timer [literally "old shitter"] "A crotchety, fussy, ineffectual old man." (Rosten)
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apikoros
heretic, non-believer, especially one with great knowledge of Judaism
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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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askan
A person who is influential in working for the community
Activist
A Jewish communal or social worker (Steinmetz)
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aufruf
Celebration when, traditionally, the groom, and as of recently in egalitarian communities, the engaged couple is called to the Torah the Shabbat before their wedding; that aliyah itself (aufruf means literally "to call up").
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avodah
Work, generally.
"A unique part of the Musaf service on Yom Kippur, the Avodah prayers describe the sacrificial ritual in the Temple in ancient Jerusalem on the Day of Atonement" (Eisenberg).
"Service and worship of God" (Eisenberg).
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ba'al tshuvah
a Jew raised non-religious who becomes Orthodox, [lit. 'one who returns/repents']
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baal koreh
The individual who chants Torah from the scroll at a synagogue. Sometimes used to refer specifically to a person capable of learning and chanting an entire parsha, or to a professional/paid reader as opposed to an amateur. (Literally, "master of reading" or "one who reads")
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balaboosta
1) Female head of household 2) Impressively competent homemaker
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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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bedieved
"done just well enough to fulfill a need or duty; perfunctorily" (Weiser, Frumspeak)
done after the fact (in an acceptable, but still not ideal, manner); ex post facto
"under duress, or done when no options are available; as a last resort" (Weiser, Frumspeak)
"resentfully; without enthusiasm; begrudgingly" (Weiser, Frumspeak)
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beit din
A rabbinical court of law that makes judgments on matters of Jewish religious life, especially conversion and divorce.
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beit knesset
Jewish place of worship; "synagogue" (JPS)
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berya
"Complimentary term for a talented, competent, energetic woman, especially one who gets a lot done - and does it well - around the house." (JPS Dictionary of Words)
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Birkat Hamazon
The blessing after food, referring to the four blessing Grace After Meals said after consuming bread. Referred to in many communities as "bentching," or simply as "birkat" in some Jewish summer camps.
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Borscht Belt
region in the Catskill Mountains with many summer resorts frequented by Jews, especially in the mid twentieth century
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BT
ba'al teshuva, returnee to faith, Jew who chose to become Orthodox
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bubbale
sweetie, darling [term of endearment]
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bubbe meise
"old wive's tale"; an untrue story, sometimes related to superstition
"Something of little importance, an inconsequential thing or minor happening." (JPS)
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Bujew
a Jew who practices Buddhism; a Jew interested in Eastern spirituality
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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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Chabad house
a synagogue/residence/outreach center operated by Chabad-Lubabvitch, usually run by a Rabbi and wife, and often their children.
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chazak u'baruch
"be strong and be blessed," usually said to someone who participated in a religious service in some way (for example, has an aliyah, makes a donation, opens the ark, etc.)
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Chazal
a collective term that refers to all Jewish sages of the Mishna, Tosefta and Talmud eras
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cheder
Hebrew and religious classes (often on Sundays) for elementary school children.
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chumrah
a religious stringency
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chutzpah
guts (positive)
nerve, audacity, the quality of over-stepping boundries with no shame (negative)
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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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dayan
a rabbinic judge who may directly question and cross-examine witnesses
a judge who sits and adjudicates cases involving religious practices or spiritual matters
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duchen
A ritual where the kohanim recite the Priestly Blessing (Num. 6:24-26), blessing the rest of the congregation.
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falafel
a Middle Eastern sandwich featuring a deep-fried ball made of chick peas and spices inside pita bread, often served with other vegetables, hummus, and techina
the deep-fried chick pea ball itself
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farfel
a side dish including bits of noodle, often sauteed with vegetables and beef or chicken stock
noodle pellets
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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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g'mar chatima tova
"A customary greeting among Jews on Yom Kippur [and the period between Yom Kippur and Rosh haShanah]" (JPS). lit. "a good end of [the process of] sealing [in the Book of Life]".
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get
a writ or deed of divorce
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gevald
an interjection of alarm
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gmar tov
Greeting/closing used between Rosh Hashana and the end of Yom Kippur. Lit. 'good conclusion'
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gribines
Deep-fried skin of chicken or goose, often prepared with onion and schmatlz. Also called cracklings.
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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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Hashem
God, lit. "the name"
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Haskalah
19th century Jewish Enlightenment, in which modern philosophy and literature entered Jewish consciousness
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havdalah
"literally 'separation'. The ceremony that marks the end of [the Sabbath] on Saturday evening" (JPS)
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Hillel
a rabbi often quoted in Pirkei Avot and the Talmud who was martyred by the Romans, famous for his disputations with Shammai
an organization for Jewish college life, especially in North America
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isru chag
"The day after the end of Pesach, Sukkos, and Shavuos, regarded as a semi-holiday on which mourning is curbed and fasting prohibited" (Dictionary of Jewish Usage)
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kasha
buckwheat groats, commonly served with bowtie noodles ('kasha varnishkes'); porridge
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kasha varnishkes
kasha (buckwheat groats) with bowtie noodles
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keinehora
"no evil eye" (Rosten). "An expression said to ward off the evil eye or bad luck in general; the verbal equivalent of knocking on wood." (JPS)
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keppy
head, little head (informal, diminutive, often in child-directed speech)
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khremzl
"A fried fritter or latke, made of matzah meal and eggs, that may be stuffed with ground meat, nuts, or fruit. An old-fashioned Pesach recipe." (JPS Dictionary)
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kibbitz
"To socialize aimlessly...To carry on a running commentary" (Rosten)
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kibbitzer
Someone who jokes, fools around.
Someone who "gives unasked-for advice ... especially as a bystander-observer at a game (bridge, poker, checkers, chess)." (Rosten)
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kippah
"small, round headcovering" (JPS)
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kishka
"Stuffed derma: a sausagelike comestible of meat, flour, and spices stuffed into intestine casing and baked" (Rosten) Also, "guts," literally, Slavic. (Wikipedia)
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kishkas
Intestines, gut
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kittel
hite robe that is worn by religious Jews on Yom Kippur, when leading High Holiday services, when leading a Passover seder, by grooms at weddings, and as a burial shroud
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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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kugel
The South African equivalent of a "Jewish American Princess"
Baked pudding or casserole made with eggs and various ingredients, including noodles, potatoes, or spinach
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kvell
feel or express pride, "to be extraordinarily pleased" (JPS)
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lechatchila
"done in the best possible way; optimally" (Weiser, Frumspeak)
"occurring at the beginning; at first; initially" (Weiser, Frumspeak)
"to begin with; altogether" (Weiser, Frumspeak)
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leibedik
lively, enthusiastic; warm, heartfelt
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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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marit ayin
suspicious-looking action; doing something that may cause an observer to think that one violated halachah and thus arouse suspicion, or alternatively, doing something that could mislead somebody to interpret than an action is permitted and then violate halachah him/herself
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maven
"An expert or connoisseur; a specialist" (JPS)
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mayofes
a servile person (see note below)
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mazume
"A group of three or more adult males who join together to recite the after-meal blessings..." (Steinmetz).
"ready money, cash" (Steinmetz)
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mechaye
"Pleasure, enjoyment, a real joy" (Rosten); something that gives great joy
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mechuten
the father of one's child's spouse, though can sometimes be used to refer to the grandfather of one's grandchild's spouse.
In laws, more generally (http://www.pass.to/glossary/gloz2.htm#letm).
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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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mishkan
the tabernacle or temporary sanctuary in which the Divine Presence dwelled during the Jews’ journeys through the desert
the portion of the tabernacle and the Temple building before the Holy of Holies which contained the inner altar, the table for the showbread, and the menorah
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Mishneh Torah
a 12th-century code of religious law in fourteen parts written by Moses Maimonides
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Moadim lesimcha
Happy holiday! Greeting used on the intermediate days of Pesach and Sukkot (known as chol ha-moed).
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moadon
clubhouse, lounge
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Modern Orthodox
'Modern Orthodox'. Observant, but open to the outside world, general culture and education; not 'Yeshivish' or 'Haredi'.
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Mutar
Permitted for a Jew to do.
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naches
"Proud pleasure, special joy--particularly from the achievements of a child... 2. Psychological reward or gratification." (Rosten)
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nachon
correct, right
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nigun
"A wordless melody; a tune" (JPS)
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nittel nacht
Christmas Eve
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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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oy vey iz mir
woe is me
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patshke
"1. To fuss or "mess around" inefficiently and inexpertly. 2. To dawdle, to waste time." (Rosten)
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pisk
mouth, loud-mouth, similar to English slang "trap" for mouth.
Colloquialism: an eloquent or garrulous speaker. (Rosten)
(vulgar) snout, grimace (Steinmetz)
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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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pupik
Navel, belly button
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Purim
A joyous holiday that takes place in February or March on the 14th of Adar, retelling the story of the Book of Esther.
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putz
"A fool, an ass, a jerk." (Rosten) [lit. "penis"]
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rebetzin
wife of a rabbi
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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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refua shlema
"Get well soon." Lit. "full recovery"
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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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responsa
Written decisions and legal rulings by rabbis appointed to be legal deciders.
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sandak
The person given the honor of assisting the mohel at the brit milah. The sandek may hold the child on his lap during the circumcision or, as is common today, just hold the baby for a moment in a symbolic fashion. The honor is often given to one of the baby's grandfathers or to another relative or close friend" (Eisenberg).
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schlemozel
The constant butt of idiotic or unfortunate happenings
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schmatta
rag, old/ragged piece of clothing, garment
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schmo
a fool; a jerk
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schmooze
to make small talk or informally chat; to network, kiss up
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schnoder
"to pledge a donation" (Steinmetz).
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Shabbat Shalom
Used as a greeting or departing line (hello or goodbye) on or before Shabbat. Literally "peaceful Sabbath."
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shalom zachar
welcoming party to celebrate the birth of a son, usually held at the house of the child's parents on the first Friday night after his birth
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shalosh regalim
The three major holidays in the Jewish calendar: Passover, Shavuot [Pentecost], and Sukkot [Tabernacles].
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shamash
2. the caretaker of a synagogue.
3. personal assistant / aide / gofer, especially to a rabbi or in the Hollywood entertainment industry
1. candle lit first and then used to light other hanukah candles
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shanda
"Scandal, shame." (JPS)
Misbehavior by a particular Jew or Jewish group that leads to embarrassment among the broader Jewish community.
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shatnez
mixture of wool and linen in a garment, which is prohibited by Jewish law
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shechita
Kosher animal slaughter.
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shehecheyanu
the blessing of thanksgiving that celebrates reaching a celebratory moment or marking a significant first
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shekel
"1. The silver coin...used by the Jews in Biblical times...Today, it is the name for the monetary unit in the State of Israel. 2. Slang for cash or money." (JPS)
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Sheket
Quiet!
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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
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shemini atzeret
Holiday celebrated the day after the seven-day holiday of Sukkot.
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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)
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shlump
an unkempt person, a loser
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shmura
a type of matzah adhering to more stringent interpretations of permissible matzah for Passover
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shomer
a chaperone, protector, or guard
a camp counselor on duty
one who keeps vigil over a dead body before it is buried
adj. observant, observing the laws of kosher, shabbat, or negiya (not touching members of the opposite gender outside of family)
a member of Hashomer Hatzair or a camper or counselor at a Hashomer Hatzair camp
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shtadlan
an intercessor
an elected or self-appointed Jewish emissary pleading the cause of his people before the authorities
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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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Shulchan Aruch
a code of Jewish Law (halachah) written by Rabbi Joseph Caro in four sections, based on the Arba Turim (Tur); with its various commentaries, it is considered the central redaction of Jewish Law.
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sidra
weekly Torah portion
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siyum
literally, "completion" traditionally means completing studying of a tractate of talmud, often with a ceremony and celebration following, but can be used for the completion of another course of study.
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sofer
A scribe trained in transcribing the Torah, mezuzah, tefillin scriptures and other religious texts on parchment.
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sufganiyot
jelly-filled donuts traditionally eaten on Chanukah
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tachlis
purpose, aim
practical details of a matter, "brass tacks" (as in, "Let's get down to brass tacks.")
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tate
dad
little boy; especially when using diminutive tatele / tattele / tattaleh / tattale / tateleh (in child-directed speech)
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tchotchke
trinket, knicknack
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tefillah
prayer, services, or an individual prayer
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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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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.
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tsedreyt
mixed up, twisted, distorted, turned around
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tsu gezunt
a response after another person sneezes (analogous to "bless you")
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tzadik
Someone who does extremely righteous deeds.
A highly learned and esteemed rabbinic leader (sometimes used as an alternative name for a Hasidic rebbe).
Common name for the 18th letter of the Hebrew alphabet (tzadi / tzade).
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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.
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tznius
(adj.) modest, discrete, especially according to Orthodox norms of dress, comportment, and gender interaction
(n.) modesty, discretion, especially according to Orthodox norms of dress, comportment, and gender interaction
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ushpizin
transcendent "guests" welcomed into the sukkah during Sukkot, one per day
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verklempt
choked up; speechless; unable to express one's feelings/emotions overly emotional
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wimpel
a long, linen sash used as a binding for the Sefer Torah by Jews of German (Yekke) origin
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yamim noraim
high holy days, Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur
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yarmulke
religious skullcap
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Yerushalayim
Jerusalem
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yeshiva
traditionally, an institution that focuses on teaching Talmud to boys and young men. Today yeshivas exist for men and women.
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yichus
"Pedigree, lineage, family background." (JPS)
Bragging rights based on respected family history
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yid
a Jewish person
A derogatory term used by non-Jews for a Jewish person (particularly so in Great Britain).
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yiddishkeit
"Jewishness"; sometimes used interchangeably with 'Judaism' or 'Jewish culture'
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yigdal
hymn often sung at the end of a prayer service, based on Maimonides' Thirteen Principles of Faith
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zaidie
grandpa, grandfather
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zei gezunt
be healthy, be well; farewell!
(humorous) a recommendation for greater sophistication or awareness: "get real"
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zichrono livracha
may his memory be for a blessing (often abbreviated 'z"l')
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zivug
(n.) mate, predestined match
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