An Honest Guide to Jewish Jargon: What Are They Saying

What Are All These Words People Keep Using?

Walk into a synagogue, attend a Jewish event, or join a Shabbat dinner, and you will quickly notice something: Jewish conversation is peppered with Hebrew, Yiddish, and Aramaic words that can be completely mystifying if you have not grown up with them.

Do not worry -- everyone was a beginner once. This guide will walk you through the most common Jewish terms you are likely to encounter, organized by category, so you can follow along with confidence.

Greetings and Expressions

• Shalom -- Literally "peace." Used as a greeting (hello/goodbye) and as a wish for well-being.
• Shabbat Shalom -- "Peaceful Sabbath" -- the standard Shabbat greeting.
• Chag Sameach -- "Happy holiday" -- used on Jewish holidays.
• Mazal Tov -- "Good luck" or more accurately "congratulations" -- used to celebrate happy occasions like weddings, births, and bar mitzvahs.
• B'ezrat Hashem (B"H) -- "With God's help" -- added when talking about future plans.
• Baruch Hashem -- "Thank God" -- used to express gratitude.
• Yasher Koach -- "More power to you" -- said to congratulate someone who has performed a mitzvah (like reading from the Torah).

Prayer and Worship

• Tefillah -- Prayer.
• Siddur -- The prayer book used for daily and Shabbat services.
• Minyan -- A quorum of ten men required for certain prayers.
• Kiddush -- The blessing over wine that sanctifies Shabbat and holidays. Also refers to the refreshments served after services.
• Bracha (plural: brachot) -- A blessing. Blessings are said before eating, during prayer, and on many other occasions.
• Amidah -- The central standing prayer, also called Shemoneh Esrei (eighteen).
• Shema -- Judaism's central declaration of faith: "Hear, O Israel, the Lord is our God, the Lord is One."

Shabbat and Holidays

• Shabbat (Shabbos) -- The Sabbath, observed from Friday sunset to Saturday night.
• Challah -- Braided bread eaten on Shabbat and holidays.
• Havdalah -- The ceremony marking the end of Shabbat, using wine, spices, and a braided candle.
• Yom Tov -- A major Jewish holiday (literally "good day").
• Chag -- A festival or holiday.

Torah and Learning

• Torah -- The Five Books of Moses; also used broadly to refer to all Jewish learning.
• Halacha -- Jewish law.
• Mitzvah (plural: mitzvot) -- A commandment; also commonly used to mean a good deed.
• Parashah -- The weekly Torah portion.
• D'var Torah -- A short talk or teaching based on the Torah portion.
• Chavruta -- A study partner -- the traditional Jewish way of learning.
• Talmud -- The vast compendium of Jewish law, ethics, stories, and debate.

Food and Kashrut

• Kosher (Kasher) -- "Fit" or "proper" -- food that meets Jewish dietary laws.
• Treif (Treifah) -- Not kosher; forbidden food.
• Fleishig -- Meat or meat-containing foods (Yiddish).
• Milchig -- Dairy or dairy-containing foods (Yiddish).
• Pareve -- Neutral foods that are neither meat nor dairy.
• Hechsher -- A kosher certification symbol on food packaging.

Clothing and Ritual Objects

• Kippah (Yarmulke) -- The head covering worn by Jewish men as a sign of reverence for God.
• Tallit -- A prayer shawl with fringes (tzitzit) on each corner.
• Tefillin -- Small leather boxes containing Torah verses, worn during weekday morning prayer.
• Tzitzit -- Fringes worn on the corners of a four-cornered garment, as commanded by the Torah.
• Mezuzah -- A parchment scroll placed on doorframes of a Jewish home.

Life Cycle

• Brit Milah (Bris) -- Circumcision ceremony for a baby boy on the eighth day.
• Bar Mitzvah / Bat Mitzvah -- The coming-of-age milestone at 13 (boys) or 12 (girls).
• Chuppah -- The wedding canopy.
• Ketubah -- The Jewish marriage contract.
• Shiva -- The seven-day mourning period after a close relative passes away.
• Yahrzeit -- The anniversary of a loved one's death.

People and Roles

• Rabbi -- A Jewish teacher and legal authority. Find one near you.
• Rebbetzin -- A rabbi's wife, often a teacher and community figure in her own right.
• Chazan (Cantor) -- The person who leads the congregation in prayer through song.
• Gabbai -- A synagogue manager or the person who calls people up to the Torah.
• Mohel -- A professional who performs circumcisions.

Values and Concepts

• Chesed -- Lovingkindness.
• Tzedakah -- Charity/justice.
• Teshuvah -- Repentance or return; the process of spiritual growth.
• Emunah -- Faith or trust in God.
• Simcha -- Joy; also used to refer to a joyous celebration.
• Shalom Bayit -- Peace in the home.

Keep Learning

You do not need to memorize this entire list. These words will become familiar naturally as you spend more time in Jewish settings. And if you hear a word you do not know, just ask -- people are always happy to explain. That curiosity is exactly what starting your Jewish journey is all about.