bagel

"A leavened, firm, doughnut shaped roll" (JPS)

Borscht Belt

region in the Catskill Mountains with many summer resorts frequented by Jews, especially in the mid twentieth century

bupkis

Nothing

Something worthless

challah

"The braided egg bread that traditionally is eaten on almost every Jewish holiday and [the Sabbath]" (JPS)

chutzpah

guts (positive)

nerve, audacity, the quality of over-stepping boundries with no shame (negative)

gefilte fish

minced sweet or sour fish, cooked in balls or a log and sliced. [lit., "stuffed fish"(JPS), since the chopped fish used to be placed back in the fish for cooking.]

glitch

flaw; slight problem in a process

goy

"most often used among Jews to refer to someone who is not a Jew" (JPS)

a nation, but not the Jewish nation

Hasid

A follower in a non-religious sense (ironic).

Pious person

A disciple of a rabbi, not only a member of a Hasidic group.

Adherent of a Hasidic Jewish group ("A mystical religious movement founded in Poland" (JPS)

kibbitz

"To socialize aimlessly...To carry on a running commentary" (Rosten)

kibbitzer

Someone who "gives unasked-for advice ... especially as a bystander-observer at a game (bridge, poker, checkers, chess)." (Rosten)

Someone who jokes, fools around.

klezmer

"Eastern European style of instrumental music" (JPS)

klutz

"clumsy, slow-witted...person" (Rosten)

knish

Eastern European dumpling with thin dough filled with potato, kasha, onion, meat, and/or other ingredients

kosher

"acceptable according to Jewish [ritual] law" (JPS); "trustworthy, reliable" (Rosten); acceptable according to dietary laws

kugel

Baked pudding or casserole made with eggs and various ingredients, including noodles, potatoes, or spinach

The South African equivalent of a "Jewish American Princess"

kvell

feel or express pride, "to be extraordinarily pleased" (JPS)

kvetch

"to chronically complain or gripe to others over minor issues" (JPS)

l'chaim

traditional toast. [lit. "to life" (Rosten)]

lox

smoked salmon

maven

"An expert or connoisseur; a specialist" (JPS)

mazel tov

congratulations [lit. "good fortune"]

mensch

"An upright, honorable, a decent person." (Rosten)

meshuga

crazy

nebbish

noun: nerdy, clumsy, awkward person. "An innocuous, ineffectual, weak, helpless, or hapless unfortunate" (Rosten)

no-goodnik

bad person, scoundrel (sometimes humorous or affectionate)

noodge

verb: bore, pester, nag

noun: pest, whiner

nosh

to snack or eat; a snack

nudnik

"A pest, a nag, an annoyer, a monumental bore." (Rosten)

putz

"A fool, an ass, a jerk." (Rosten) [lit. "penis"]

schlemiel

idiot; contemptible person. "Clumsy, bungling person." (Steinmetz)

schlemozel

The constant butt of idiotic or unfortunate happenings

schlep

"To carry, lug" (JPS)

To travel from one place to another when one would prefer not to

An annoyingly long journey

schmaltzy

"Overly sentimental or romantic." (JPS)

schmear

to spread; cream cheese

schmo

a fool; a jerk

schmooze

to make small talk or informally chat; to network, kiss up

schnapps

"A strong, dry liquor." (JPS)

Shabbos goy

"A non-Jew who by prearrangement performs chores [that are forbidden] for a Jew on the Sabbath or holidays." (Steinmetz)

shiksa

"1. A non-Jewish girl. 2. A housemaid. 3. An irreligious or nonobservant Jewish girl. The term is often regarded as disparaging." (Steinmetz)

shlock

something cheap or inferior. "A shoddy, cheaply made article." (Rosten)

shmendrik

jerk, stupid person

shmuck

annoying, irritating person (lit. penis)

shmutz

"Dirt, stain, or filth." (JPS)

shtetl

"A town for village with...Jewish inhabitants, commonly found in Eastern Europe before World War II." (Steinmetz)

tchotchke

trinket, knicknack

yarmulke

religious skullcap

Yiddish

Traditional language of Ashkenazic Jewry. A descendant of High German, its vocabulary is roughly 80% Germanic, 10% Hebrew and 10% Slavic (depending on author/speaker and setting/genre)