hebrew & yiddish glossary
Ad me'ah v'esrim – (Hebrew) “until 120 years,” used as a blessing to wish someone a long life
Alav/Aleha Hashalom – (Hebrew) honorific for the dead
Amalek – (Hebrew) a term used to represent all those who want to destroy Jews
Ayn Kadma v’achra b’torah – (Aramaic) “There is no early or late in the Torah”, meaning that there is no chronological timeline in the Torah
Baruch Hashem – (Hebrew) blessed is the lord
Boucher – (Hebrew) disgrace, shame, embarrassment
Chabad/Lubavitch – (Hebrew acronym) an Orthodox Jewish Hasidic dynasty
Chametz – (Hebrew) leavening agents that are forbidden to eat during Passover
Chazak – (Hebrew) “strong”
Chilul Hashem – (Hebrew) The opposite of sanctifying God’s holy name
Choshen Mishpat – (Hebrew) breastplate of judgment Tallis or Tallit – (Hebrew) a Jewish prayer shawl
Chuppah – (Hebrew) the canopy a couple stands under during their wedding ceremony
Davka – (Hebrew) saying or doing something just to make a statement or to be purposeful
Duchening – (Yiddish) Askenazi term for the priestly prayer
Erev – (Hebrew) “evening” or “mixed”
Etz – (Hebrew) tree
Farkakte – (Yiddish) defective, lousy, messed up
Goy, Goyim – (Hebrew) “nation,” more generally, a term that means non-Jews
Halakha – (Hebrew) “the way,” describes the totality of Jewish law and observance
Hashem – (Hebrew) a name used for God, literally “the name”
Kabbalah – (Hebrew) the school of thought of Jewish mysticism
Kahal – (Hebrew) “community”
Kavod Harov – (Hebrew) respect of the Rabbi
Kibbutz – (Hebrew) “gathering,” kibbutz is an Israeli collective community
Kibbutznik – A member of a kibbutz
Kiddush Hashem – (Hebrew) The sanctification of God’s holy name
Kohanim – (Hebrew) priests
Lashon Hara – (Hebrew) “the evil tongue,” slander, derogatory speech, gossip
Leviticus – (Greek) the third book of the Torah
Midrash – (Hebrew) ancient rabbinic stories that flesh out and help explain biblical tales
Mikdash Me-at – (Hebrew) small temple, can refer to synagogues, studyhouses, and homes
Minchah – (Hebrew) afternoon prayer
Mishkan – (Hebrew) tabernacle, the Hebrew’s portable dwelling place for God
Mishpatim – (Hebrew) laws
Modeh Ani – (Hebrew) prayer of thanks that is said first thing in the morning
Moshe Rabbeinu – (Hebrew) “Moses our teacher”
Neilah – (Hebrew) closing prayer service of Yom Kippur
Netzach – (Hebrew) endurance
Pekuach Nefesh – (Hebrew) Jewish principle that the sanctity of life generally overrides the observance of ritual
Rebbetzer – (Yiddish) a rabbi’s husband
Rosh Hashanah – (Hebrew) “head of the year,” the Jewish new year
Shabbat – (Hebrew) sabbath, marked from Friday at sundown through Saturday about an hour after sundown, the day of ceasing from the work of the world
Shalom Bayit – (Hebrew) peace in the house
Shep – (Yiddish) to take excessive pride in the accomplishment of another
Shevat – (Hebrew) the fifth month of the civil year and the 11th month of the Jewish year
Shmying – (Yiddish) wandering about with no intended destination
Shomer Kashrut – (Hebrew) one who observes the laws of keeping kosher
Shomer Mitzvot – (Hebrew) one who keeps the Torah’s commandments
Shomer Shabbat – (Hebrew) one who obeys the laws of sabbath
Shtunky – (Yiddish) shorthand for “farshtunkene” which means contemptible or rotten
Tam – (Hebrew) whole, unblemished, innocent, pure
Tchotchke – (Yiddish) a small object that is decorative rather than strictly functional; a trinket
Tefillin – (Hebrew) phylacteries, small square boxes that are worn on the forehead and arm during prayer
Terumah – (Hebrew) offering
Teshuvah – (Hebrew) return or repentance
Tevet – (Hebrew) the fourth month of the civil year and the 10th month of the Jewish year
Toevah – (Hebrew) sinful behavior
Treif – (Hebrew) anything non kosher
Tuchus – (Yiddish) butt or rear end
Ungepatchka – (Yiddish) overly elaborate, excessively decorated, slapped together senselessly, overdone, tacky, ostentatious
Urim V’Tumim – (Hebrew) mysterious objects that were part of the high priest’s breastplate and helped him make important decisions