Jewish English Lexicon

aba

father, dad, daddy

achshav

Now, immediately

ad me'ah v'esrim

[may you/he/she live] "until a hundred and twenty" -- often used as a birthday wish for long life, or when mentioning a person who is getting on in years.

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

aruchat boker

breakfast

ayzeh bahsa

What a misfortune, how unfortunate, bummer

b'emet

"As a matter of fact." (Weiser); "Really?"

b'vakasha

JPS: "Literally, 'please'. It can be used in various ways, including "please go ahead" and at the end of a sentence as 'you're welcome'."

balagan

"a disorderly, confusing, and/or overwhelming situation" (Glinert)

banot

girls

beineinu

between us

beit cafe

coffee house

beit knesset

Jewish place of worship; "synagogue" (JPS)

beseder

allright; fine. [lit. "in order"]; "OK" (Glinert)

beteavon

bon appetit; enjoy your meal; dig in. Glinert: "Literally, 'bon appetit!'"

bitachon

faith, trust

security

boker or

literally, "morning light". said in response to "boker tov."

boker tov

"good morning"

boydem

attic

Breslover

A follower of the Hasidic branch of Judaism that adheres to the teachings of Rabbi Nachman of Breslov, the great-grandson of the Baal Shem Tov.

chalomot paz

Sweet dreams, literally "Golden dreams"

chalutzim

Pioneers in the building of the State of Israel.

chanichim

campers; members of youth movement, as in Hashomer Hatzair

disciples (in a classroom)

chanukiah

Nine-branched menorah / candelabrum used on Chanukah

chatich

a sexy man

chaval

a shame; a waste; "too bad!"

chaval al hazman

Wow! Expression of emphasis from Israeli slang. Original meaning is also used: "waste of time"

chaver

friend

comrade, mister (in left-wing political organizations)

chozer b'teshuva

a returnee to the faith

davka

even; despite expectations to the contrary -- often with a slightly amused or ironic feeling of "wouldn't you know it?" or "of all things" ("of all people" ... etc.)

just to annoy, just to be contrary

"definitely or exactly stated; specifically" (Weiser)

dos

A derogatory term for ultra-Orthodox/Haredi Jews, common in Israel.

dugma ishit

role model, personal example

dugree

Direct, unvarnished, uneuphemistic

eema

mother

eidah

group, cohort; session/unit

ein

None; we / I / you don't have any; there is none.

ein breira

"there is no alternative." (Glinert)

erev tov

good evening

gam ani

"me, too"

Hafgana

Demonstration, protest.

hardal

a label for Israeli Jews who lean towards Haredi (non-modern, strictly Orthodox) and also very nationalistic / Zionist.

hatikvah

literally "the hope." "The Israeli national anthem." (Glinert)

ichsa

an expression of disgust

kadima

forward; onward; hurry up, quickly

a center-left political party in Israel

kelev

dude

dog

ken

Yes

Kinneret

the Sea of Galilee

kippah

"small, round headcovering" (JPS)

kitah aleph

level one; 1st. grade in primary school

kol b'seder

"Everything's fine."

kova

hat

kumkum

hot water urn

labriut

"bless you" (after someone sneezes) [lit., "to health"] (Glinert)

laila tov

"good night"

lamah lo?

"why not?"; "there's no reason not to.

lehitraot

"Goodbye for now, see you again soon" (JPS) "see you later."

lo matim

Inappropriate

m'dor l'dor

from generation to generation

ma

What

ma la'asot

"what can you do?"

ma pitom

expression of surprise: What the heck?

maapilim

Biblical: the group of the Children of Israel that went, unauthorized, to the Land of Israel after the episode with the spies

Jews who immigrated illegally to Palestine during British control in the 1930s and 1940s - Aliyah Bet

machal

a volunteer from outside Israel serving in the Israeli army

madrich

youth counselor or supervisor

mah nishmah?

how are you?

mahtomer / matomeret

What are you saying? or What did you say? or Really??

malshin

verb: To slander, malign, speak loshon hara about somebody.

noun: One who slanders, especially one who turns over a Jew to non-Jewish authorities; informer, stool pigeon, snitch

maspik

enough

matzav

situation

political, military situation in Israel/the Middle East

mayim step

a dance move used in Israeli dance (also known as 'the grapevine')

mefanek

luxurious, elaborate, pampering

being particularly concerned about cleanliness, appearance, and the way things are prepared: finicky, spoiled.

Mizrachi

adj. or noun describing a person or practice (including music and ritual) of Middle Eastern Jewish origin. Lit. "Eastern," "Oriental."

nachon

correct, right

nalashevet

Please sit.

nesiah tovah

"have a good trip"; bon voyage

nu

so what?; so?; hurry up already

oleh

Immigrant to Israel; a person who makes aliyah.

petek

note

plata

electric hotplate used on the Sabbath

rega

wait, hold on; lit. "an instant"

sababa

Awesome. Cool.

savta

grandmother

shana alef

the post-high school gap year that young men and women spend studying at yeshivot and seminaries in Israel

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)