In the Glossary are explanations of all the words in bold in my Articles. This includes where appropriate, the English translation from Hebrew or Aramaic. Where you see ch, this indicates a guttural pronunciation as in Loch.
Aliyah – (Hebrew – going up) – the honour (Mitzvah) of going up onto the Bimah to read the Torah blessings. Also the word for emigrating to Israel.
Aramaic – an ancient language that originated among the Arameans between 700 BCE and 600 CE.
Aron Hakodesh – (Hebrew – Holy Ark) – the focal point of every synagogue containing the Torah scrolls. It must face towards the Holy City of Jerusalem.
Ashkenazi – Refers to Jews who settled in Europe during the Middle Ages, particularly in Germany, France and Eastern Europe. They make up the majority of the Jewish global population.
Aufruf – (Yiddish – calling up) – The ceremony of the groom (and the bride in Progressive communities) being called up to read the Torah blessings. (See Life Cycle Events).
Bar/Bat Mitzvah – ( Hebrew – son/daughter of the Commandment). The initiation into adulthood of the Jewish child, usually at the age of 13.
Bat Chayil – ( Hebrew – daughter of worth) – the Orthodox ceremony for a girl instead of Bat Mitzvah.
B.C.E. – ‘Before the Common Era’. Used by Jews instead of BC.
Bedecken – ( Yiddish – covering) The custom of the groom ‘veiling’ the bride before the wedding ceremony.(See Life Cycle Events).
Beit Din – ( Hebrew – house of judgement) – the Jewish Court.
Bikkurim – ( Hebrew – first fruits) – traditionally seven agricultural products offered as a sacrificial gift. They are wheat, barley, figs, dates, grapes (or wine), olives and pomegranates.
Bimah – ( Hebrew – platform, pulpit) – the raised platform where the Rabbi stands to take the service and read the Torah etc. In Orthodox synagogues, this is found in the centre of the synagogue, separate from the Holy Ark. In Progressive synagogues, it is located in front of it. (See The Synagogue).
Brit Milah – ( Hebrew – Covenant of Circumcision) – commonly known as ‘The Bris’. The traditional ceremony performed on Jewish males on the eighth day of life. (See Life Cycle Events).
Cantor (Chazan) – the Prayer Singer.
C.E. – ‘Common Era’. Used by Jews instead of AD.
Chai – (Hebrew – life) – the Hebrew letters used as a Jewish symbol.
Challah ( Hebrew- Bread dough) – the slightly sweetened loaf baked in a plaited shape for Shabbat and a spiral or crown shape for Rosh Hashanah. (See Traditional Jewish Recipes).
Chametz -( Hebrew – Leavened, Risen ) – wheat, oats, rye, barley or spelt which has been added to water for longer than 18 minutes, leading to rising or fermentation. It includes leavening agents such as yeast, sourdough and foods made from such mixtures eg: bread, rolls, biscuits and pasta. Ashkenazi Jews also consider rice, beans, sesame seeds and edamame beans to be Chametz. (See Passover).
Chanucah – Hebrew – Dedication) – the eight day winter Festival of Light.
Chanuciah – ( as above ) – the eight branched candlestick used during Chanucah.
Charoset – a sweet paste made of apples, raisins, nuts, wine and cinnamon representing the cement used by the Jewish slaves in Egypt to build Pharoah’s cities and palaces. (See Traditional Jewish Recipes and Passover )
Chazan – Cantor (Prayer Singer) in Orthodox Synagogues.
Cheder – ( Hebrew- Room) – Jewish Religion School.
Chevra Kedusha – ( Aramaic – Holy Society) – specially trained members of the community who ensure that the body of a deceased Jew is prepared correctly for burial. (See Life Cycle Events).
Chuppah – (Hebrew – covering) – the canopy under which the Jewish wedding ceremony takes place. (See Life Cycle Events).
Chumash– ( Hebrew – Five) – the Torah in book form, with English and explanations.
Classical Hebrew – the ‘block’ Hebrew letters used in the Torah and our liturgy. (Modern Hebrew is the vernacular used in Israel today).
Colours – Blue and White are the symbolic colours of Judaism – Blue being a reminder of God in Heaven, above the sky and White symbolising holiness and purity. (See Symbols of Judaism).
Covenant – the agreement made between God and the Jewish people. (See The Jewish Cocept of God/The Covenant).
Crown – A symbol used to represent God’s majesty. We praise God as ‘the King of the Universe’.
Deuteronomy – the fifth Book of the Torah.
Diaspora – Jews living outside Israel.
Dreidel – ( Yiddish – turn around ) – the four sided spinning top whose sides spell out ‘A Great Miracle Happened There’. A game which remembers the story of Chanucah. Also known as a Sevivon in Hebrew.
D’var Torah – ( Hebrew- the word of the Torah) – sometimes known as the Drasha – the sermon which gives the insight to the weekly Torah portion.
Eternal/Everlasting Light – see Ner Tamid
Exodus – the second Book of the Torah. It features the story of the freedom of the Jews from slavery in Egypt. (See Passover and Jewish Festival Stories).
Gelt – (Yiddish- Chanucah Money) – money given as a present during Chanucah. These days chocolate coins are given as a substitute.
Genesis– the first Book of the Torah.
Get/Gett – ( Hebrew – divorce document) – the Orthodox religious document given by a husband to his wife on their divorce. It ‘sets her free’ to remarry and remain in the Orthodox community.
Greggor – ( Hebrew – noisemaker) – used during the reading of the Megillah. (See Purim).
Haftarah – ( Hebrew- parting, taking leave) – a section from the Books of the Prophets (Nevi’im) which is themed to the Torah reading and read after it.
Haggadah ( Hebrew- Narration) – the Passover Prayer Book.
Halacha ( Hebrew- to Go, Walk) – Jewish Law.
Hamantaschen – ( Yiddish – Haman’s pockets) – a triangular sweet pastry eaten at Purim because the legend says that Haman planned to fill his pockets with Jewish gold. Another theory is that they are shaped like his three cornered hat. In Hebrew they are known as ‘Oznei Haman’ – Haman’s ears, because they were supposedly triangular. (See Traditional Jewish Recipes and Purim).
Haredi – Jews within Orthodox Judaism characterised by a strict adherence to Halacha. Sometimes known as Ultra Orthodox.
Hasidic – A branch of Haredi Jews.
Havdalah ( Hebrew- Separation) – the ceremony which ends Shabbat.
Hebrew – the language of Judaism. Two types- Classical Hebrew found in the Torah and Prayer books and Modern Hebrew used in everyday life in Israel.
Hebrew or Jewish Calendar – a lunar calendar which determines the dates of Jewish festivals. (See The Jewish Year).
Hebrew Name – given to a Jewish child at his/her baby blessing. The first name is usually one from the Torah or a relative. This is followed by ‘son/daughter of’ the father’s first Hebrew name or in Progressive Judaism, by the names of both parents. (See Life Cycle Events).
High Holy Days – the ten day period lasting from Rosh Hashanah to Yom Kippur. The days in between are known as the Ten Days of Repentance.
Holy Ark – see Aron Hakodesh.
Israel – known as The Promised Land in the Torah. The Jewish homeland, officially recognised as a State in 1948. Also known as the Holy Land and Zion.
Jerusalem – the Holy city in the Holy Land of Israel. The centre for ancient and modern day pilgrimage.
Kabbalat Torah – (Hebrew – receiving, accepting the Torah) is a ceremony offered by Progressive Communities to 15 or 16 year old post Bar/Bat Mitzvah students.
Kaddish – (Hebrew – Sancification/ Holy) – the traditional prayer for mourners. The central theme is the praise and sanctification of God’s name. It is read during all prayer services and at funerals. ( See Life Cycle Events).
Kashrut/Kosher ( Hebrew – fit, proper ie: according to the rules in the Torah) – The Jewish Food Laws.
Keriah – ( Hebrew – to tear, rend) – an Orthodox practice to cut a few inches of an outer garment or a black ribbon pinned to their clothes, on hearing of the death of a loved one or at the funeral. (See Life Cycle Events).
Ketubah – ( Hebrew – written commitment) – the Marriage Contract, often beautifully decorated, which is read aloud at Jewish wedding ceremonies. (See Life Cycle Events).
Ketuvim – ( Hebrew – writings) – eleven Books of Writings forming the third section in the Tenach.
Kiddish ( Hebrew – Sanctification) – the welcoming ceremony for Shabbat. Also used to name the Blessings over wine and Challah after the Shabbat morning service.
Kiddish Cup – the ornate cup used to bless the Kiddish wine.
Kiddish Wine – the Kosher wine used for sanctification.
Kippah pl Kippot ( Hebrew – cap) – the skull cap, also known as the Yarmulke or Koppel. The prayer cap, worn to respect God and to remember that He is above you. Traditionally worn by males but now by some Progressive Jewish women. Kippot can be any colour, fabric and design. (See How and Why Jews Pray).
Kittel – ( Yiddish) – A white cotton robe or shroud worn by Orthodox Jews on certain religious occasions and especially around the body of an Orthodox Jew before burial. (See Life Cycle Events).
Knesset – The Israeli Parliament based in Jerusalem.
Koppel – (Yiddish) See above.
Kosher – See Kashrut
Leviticus – the third Book of the Torah.
Liberal – ( see Progressive) – another name for the Progressive Movement.
Lions – used as a symbol on Jewish artefacts such as the Parochet and Torah breastplates. As such they act as ‘guardians’ of the Torah. They also symbolise the might and power of God. (See Symbols of Judaism).
Ma Nishtanah – ( Hebrew – Why is this night?) the Four Questions asked by the child at the Seder. (See Passover).
Maccabees – ( Aramaic – hammers) – the Jewish rebel fighters led by Judah who defeated the Syrian army in the story of Chanucah. They founded the Hasmonean dynasty.
Machzor – ( Hebrew – cycle) – the Prayer Book used during the High Holy Days.
Magen David – see Star of David.
Manna – an edible substance which God provided for the Israelites during their wandering through the desert on the way to the Promised Land. It is described as some sort of ‘fine, flake-like thing’. They were commanded to collect twice as much on the sixth day so as not to be working on Shabbat. Hence we usually have two loaves of Challah at Friday Kiddish.
Maror – Bitter herbs (grated horseradish) eaten at Passover to symbolise the misery of the Jewish slaves in Egypt.
Matriarchs – the Jewish matriarchs are Sarah, Rebecca, Rachel and Leah.
Matzah pl Matzot – the unleavened bread eaten during Passover. (See Traditional Jewish Recipes)
Megillah – ( Hebrew – scroll) – The Book of Esther found in the Books of Ketuvim and read at Purim. Because the story is a long and complicated one, the Yiddish expression ‘ the whole Megillah’ has come to mean a long, seemingly endless tale. (See Jewish Festival Stories).
Menorah – ( Hebrew – Candlestick) – the seven branched candlestick originally made of gold and decorated with almond blossom flowers.(Originally made according to God’s commandment and placed on the Ark of the Covenant in the desert sanctuary during the 40 years wandering in the wilderness.) Now used only as a symbol, not as a ‘working’ candlestick. See also Chanuciah. (See Chanucah).
Messiah – ( Hebrew – One anointed with oil) – a priestly and kingly figure who will change the world in accordance with the Will of God and who will herald a time when all will live in peace and harmony.
Messianic Age – A time aspired to when all will live in peace and harmony.
Mezzuzah – ( Hebrew – doorpost) – a box containing the Shema, nailed on to the upper right hand side of the doorpost. A reminder to say the prayer inside. (See How and Why Jews Pray).
Mikveh – (Hebrew – collection, as of water) – a Holy bath containing natural, flowing water, used for purification purposes.
Minyan – (Hebrew – number, reckoning) – a quorum of ten Jewish male adults needed to hold communal prayer in Orthodox groups.
Mitzvah pl Mitzvot – ( Hebrew – commandment) – it also means ‘honour’ – a deed one does in order to follow the Commandments. In its wider sense it means an act of kindness.
Mizrachi – ( Hebrew – Eastern) – a subdivision of Sephardi Jews who originate from North Africa and the Middle East.
Mohel – a Jew specially trained in the practice of Brit Milah – Circumcision. (See Life Cycle Events).
Monotheism – belief in one God.
Ner Tamid – ( Hebrew- Everlasting or Eternal light). This is the beautiful light above the Aron Hakodesh in the Synagogue which always stay lit, representing God’s Eternal presence.
Nevi’im – ( Hebrew- Prophets) – Eight Books of the Prophets which form the second part of the Tenach.
Numbers – the forth Book of the Torah.
Omer – ( Hebrew- amount of grain, sheaf) – the period of forty nine days/ seven weeks between the second day of Passover and Shavuot. According to the Torah it took exactly seven weeks for the Israelites to travel from Egypt to the foot of Mount Sinai.
Orthodox – Traditionally Jewish. (See Subdivisions within Judaism).
Parasha pl Parashiyot – ( Hebrew- portion) The predetermined section of the Torah.
There are fifty four Parashiyot in the Torah. Also known as the Sidra or Sedra. (Hebrew – order).
Pareve / Parve – ( Hebrew – neutral) Food that is neither meat nor dairy and can be eaten with both. (See Kashrut).
Paraochet – ( Hebrew – curtains) The decorated curtain either in front or behind the doors of the Holy Ark. (See The Synagogue).
Passover / Pesach – Eight day Springtime celebration remembering the Exodus from Egypt.
Patriarchs – the Jewish Patriarchs are Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.
Payot – ( Hebrew- Sideburns) – kept long and sometimes curly by some in the Orthodox community, particularly Haredi and Hasidic Jews.
Progressive – an extension of the Reform movement to further modernise Judaism. (I have often used this word in my articles as a generalisation of all Reform movements.) (See Subdivisions within Judaism).
Purim – (Hebrew – lots ie: lottery tickets) – a celebration in early spring which celebrates the events in the Book of Esther.
Rabbi – ( Hebrew – teacher, scholar) – Jewish religious leader. In Orthodox Judaism they are always male. In Progressive Judaism they may be female.
Reform – a Jewish movement formed in the 19th Century to ‘reform’ ie: modernise Judaism.(See Subdivisions within Judaism).
Revelation – the ‘revealing’ of the Torah by God to Moses on Mount Sinai. (See Shavuot).
Rimonim – ( Hebrew – pomegranates) – the finials on top of the wooden rollers of the Torah. The seeds of the pomegranate represent the numerous Commandments in the Torah.
Rosh Hashanah – (Hebrew – head of the year) – the celebration of the Jewish New Year.
Sanctuary – the inner sanctum of the Synagogue.
Schul – the Yiddish word for Synagogue.
Seder – ( Hebrew – order) – the meal/service held on the first and/or second night of Passover. Sometimes a Seder is also held on the festival of Tu B’Shevat.
Selichot – ( Hebrew – forgiveness) – the prayers and poems said especially during the Ten days of Repentance leading up to Yom Kippur.
Sephardi – Refers to Jews who originated in Spain and Portugal. They make up 15-20% of the global Jewish population.
Sermon – the morally uplifting talk given by the Rabbi a during the Service. It is usually themed to the Torah reading. (See Order of Shabbat Morning Service).
Services – Prayer sessions.
Sevivon – see Dreidel. (See Chanucah).
Shabbat – ( Hebrew – rest, cessation, seven) – the Jewish day of rest, beginning on Friday evening and ending at sunset on Saturday evening.
Shammash – ( Hebrew – servant, helper) – the candle, lit with a match, that is used to light the others during the festival of Chanucah.
Shavuot – (Hebrew- weeks) – pilgrimage festival seven weeks after Passover which celebrates the harvest of the First Fruits and the Revelation of the Torah at Mount Sinai.
Shechitah – the Jewish religious and humane method of slaughtering animals and fowl to render them Kosher according to Halacha.(See Kashrut).
Sheital – ( Yiddish – wig) – worn by married Orthodox married women to conform with the requirement of Halacha to cover their hair.
Shema – ( Hebrew – listen, hear – pronounced Sh’MA – emphasis on last syllable ) – the most important prayer in Judaism. A praise of God’s name.
Shochet – the officially certified butcher of animals and fowl to render them Kosher according to Halacha. (See Kashrut).
Shofar – the Ram’s horn traditionally blown at The High Holy Days.
Shtreimal – ( Yiddish – fur hat) – worn by Hasidic men on Shabbat and festivals.
Siddur – ( Hebrew – order) – the Jewish prayer book.
Sidra / Sedra – see Parasha. (See Torah).
Simchat Torah – ( Hebrew- Rejoicing of the Torah) – the festival a week after Sukkot when the last part of the Torah is read and then the first part, beginning a new cycle.
Star Of David in Hebrew known as Magen ( Shield ) David.The most commonly used symbol of Judaism named after King David ( of David and Goliath fame). During battles, David protected himself with a shield on which was the six pointed star. It is made up of two equilateral triangles, one inverted over the other. It appears on the Israeli flag.
Sukkot – (Hebrew- booths, huts ) – the autumn harvest festival. Sukkah is the singular.
Synagogue – ( – Greek – place of meeting) – the Jewish place of worship.
Taharah – ( Hebrew- purification) – the ritual cleansing of the body of a deceased Jew. (See Life Cycle Events).
Tallit – ( Hebrew – fringed garment) the prayer shawl. (See How and Why Jews Pray).
Talmud – ( Hebrew – to teach, learn) – the primary source of Jewish Law (Halacha) and theology. It has two components: the Mishnah- a written version of Rabbinical Oral Torah and the Gemara – a further explanation of the Mishnah.
Tashlich – ( Hebrew – casting off) – the practice of throwing crumbs into flowing water on the afternoon of Rosh Hashanah which symbolically represent our sins being cast off.
Tefillin – ( Hebrew – prayer) – the prayer boxes or phylacteries.(See How and Why Jews Pray).
Temple – the centre of Jewish worship built on the Temple Mount in the Old City of Jerusalem. The first Temple (known as Solomon’s Temple) was destroyed by the Babylonians in 586 B.C.E. and the second by the Romans in 70 C.E. The Western Wall is the only remaining part.
Tenach – ( Hebrew) – compilation of the letters T for Torah, N for Nevi’im, Ch for Ketuvim (Ch and K derive from the same Hebrew letter). The collection of Hebrew Scriptures, often known as the Hebrew Bible.
Ten Commandments – Given to Moses on two tablets of stone by God on Mount Sinai. The key focus of Jewish practice. (See Halacha, Symbols of Judaism and Shavuot)
Ten Days of Repentance/Penitence – these occur between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. (See The High Holy Days).
Terefah – see Treif
Teshuvah – ( Hebrew – returning) – the process of repentance, ie: returning to God. There are three stages- confession, regret and a promise not to repeat the sin. (See The High Holy Days).
Tikkun – A book containing the ‘unpointed’ Hebrew text in the Torah.
Torah – ( Hebrew – teach, learn, law) – the Jewish Holy Book consisting of the first five books of the Old Testament.
Tree of Life – A symbol of Judaism representing continuity. It also is a metaphor for the Torah. There are 3 references in the Book of Proverbs which refer to the Torah as ‘A Tree of Life for all who grasp it’.
Treif – sometimes known as Terefah ( Hebrew – torn ) – Non Kosher foods.(See Kashrut).
Tu B’Shevat – ( Hebrew – the 15th day of the month of Shevat) – The springtime festival known as The New Year for Trees.
Tzedakah – ( Hebrew – righteousness, charity) A wider meaning is the religious obligation to do what is right and just; emphasised in Judaism as being a fundamental part of spiritual life.
Tzitzit – ( Hebrew – tassels, fringes) – found both on a plain poncho style garment- the Tallit Katan ( Hebrew- small) or the Tallit Gadol ( Hebrew-large). (See How and Why Jews Pray).
Ultra Orthodox– See Haredi/Hasidic. (See Subdivisions within Judaism).
Ushpizin – ( Hebrew – guests) – the seven traditional ancestors who are invited into the Sukkah. They are Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, Aaron and David.
Western Wall – ( also known as the Wailing Wall) – the most Holy site in Jerusalem as it is the only surviving wall of the Second Temple, destroyed by the Romans in 70 CE. A common tradition is to place prayers written on pieces of paper into the cracks in the Wall. Nowadays there are separate areas for men and women to pray.
Yad – ( Hebrew – hand) – the pointer used to follow the words when reading the Torah.
Yarmulke – (Yiddish) See Kippah.
Yarzheit – ( Yiddish – anniversary/ candle) – the memorial candle lit for the deceased. Also refers to the anniversary date of the death. (See Life Cycle Events).
Yichud – (Hebrew – seclusion) – a short period of time (usually 8 minutes) for the bride and groom to be alone following the wedding ceremony. (See Life Cycle Events).
Yiddish – the language of Ashkenazi Jews, a German dialect which integrates Hebrew and Aramaic among others.
Yom Kippur – (Hebrew – the Day of Atonement).
Zion – Named after Mount Zion in Jerusalem, now used to refer to the whole of Israel.
Zionism – the nationalist movement for the development and protection of Israel.