Judaism Flashcards
Abayudaya
a small community of Jews living in Eastern Uganda
Abraham
the father of the Jewish people, God made a covenant with him, promising him land and descendants, which was sealed by circumcision
Aiba Kanfot
a small version of the tallit that Jews used during persecution as it was easier to hide
Aleinu
closing prayer in the synagogue
Amidah
the standing prayer, recited at the three daily services at the Synagogue and consists of three opening blessings, three closing blessings and three intermediate blessings
Aramaic
language that the Ketubah is written in, similar to Hebrew
Aron Hakodesh
the Ark, the holiest part of the Synagogue as it contains the Torah scroll
Ashkenazim
Jews from Middle East or North African descent
Attah
Hebrew for you
Bar Mitzvah
celebrations of a boy coming of age at age 13, literally means Son of Commandment
Baruch
Hebrew for blessings
Bat Mitzvah
celebrations of a girl coming of age at age 12, literally means Daughter of Commandment
Beit Knesset
House of Assembly (name for the Synagogue)
Beit Tefilah
House of Prayer (name for the Synagogue)
Bentsch
to recite the Birkat Hamazon
Bentscher
a booklet containing prayers and blessings
Birkat Hamazon
various prayers said after activities such as eating
Bimah
the reading platform in the synagogue from which the Torah is read from
Brit Bat
naming ceremony for girls in Reform Judaism, happens at 30 days old
Brit Milah
the religious ceremony of circumcision that happens when a boy is eight days old, where the boy becomes a member of the Jewish people of God
Challah
special bread for Shabbat
Charity
refers to the requirement for Jews to give at least ten percent of the excess income to charity, as Jews believe it is injust not to give to those in need
Chazzan
the cantor, person who sings in the synagogue
Cheres
Hebrew for clay
Chesed
belief in the importance of kindness
Chassidic
a branch of Orthodox Judaism
Chosen
breast plate for the Torah
Chukim
Mitzvot that don’t have an obvious reason
Chumash
book form of the Torah as opposed to a scroll
Chuppah
a canopy held up by four poles which two people get married underneath
Cultural Judaism
a sect of Judaism who see Judaism as part of their history, but do not follow the Mitzvot
Deborah
the judge who ruled Israel
Decalogue
name for the Ten Commandments
Diaspora
when the Jews spread out across the world following the Holocaust
Dietary Laws
the food laws that were given by God to the Jews which relate to what may and may not be eaten and in what combination and to the preparation of food
Domus Conversorum
an institution in London which used to forcibly convert Jews to Christianity, founded in 1232
Dreidel
a spinning top with Hebrew letters on it, played with by Jewish children during Hannukkah
Elijah
guardian angel of children, said to be present at all Brit Milahs
Epistemic Distance
the distance that God keeps from humans, allowing them to make their own mistakes
Esther
a biblical queen who saved her people from persecution
Ethical Commandments
commandments about how to treat others
Etz Hayim
the tree of life in the Garden of Eden
Elohim
Hebrew for Supreme One, another name for God
Gan Eden
literally Garden of Eden, mentioned in the Talmud and refers to a heavenly realm where righteous souls rest
Gehinnon
the average person descends to a place of punishment and/or purification, generally referred to as Gehinnon, named from a valley south of Jerusalem. After a twelve-month period, a soul takes its place in Gan Eden. Some say after this the wicked a destroyed and cease to exist, others say they are tortured forever
Gemara
the second part of the Talmud after the Torah
God as One
the belief that there is one God
Greggar
a rattle or noisemaker traditionally used by children during Purim
Hag Ha-Aviv
another word for Pesach
Halachic Law
mitzvot that dictate the day-to-day life of Jews
Hashem
Hebrew for the name, name for God
Hawdalah
division, praise God for separating Jews and Non-Jews
Hevra Kadisha
an organisation of Jewish people who prepare a dead Jew for burial and protect their body until the funeral
Holocaust
mass genocide of six million Jews by the Nazis
Judgement
the belief of many Jews in a Day of Judgement when God will judge the living and the dead, rewarding all good people, both Jews and non-Jews
Kashrut
Jewish dietary laws
Ketubah
Jewish wedding certificates
Ketuvin
writings, third part of the Talmud after the Nevi’im
Kiddushin
betrothal or engagement, usually lasts about twelve months and holds the same legal status as a normal engagement
Kippar
skull cap
Kiddush
a ceremony of prayer and blessing over wine, performed by the head of a Jewish household, at the beginning of Shabbat or a ceremony
Kohen
a descendant of the original priests
Korech
a special sandwich, also known as a Hillel Sandwich, eaten at Pesach, which consists of bitter herbs and Matzah
Kosher
food that is clean and fits the requirements of Jewish laws
Law-Giver
refers to God’s giving of the Law to Moses on Mount Sinai
Liberal Judaism
a form of progressive Judaism which seems to combine traditional beliefs and practices with modern interpretations
Masorti Jews
Jews who respect academic teachings as a way to learn about the world better and believe they should find out everything about God’s world
Matzah
symbolic bread in Judaism, as it was all the Isrealites had to eat when they fled Egypt as there wasn’t time for the bead to rise
Mazel Tov
Hebrew for good luck
Meal of Eggs
meal eaten following a burial in Judaism
Megillot
five books that relate to Jewish Holy Days, eg Esther
Messiah
literally ‘the anointed one’, Orthodox Jews believe that a Messiah will be a human person sent by God to establish justice and peace on the earth. For Reform Jews, the Messiah is a symbolic figure
Messianic Age
a time of world peace, established by the Messiah
Messianic Jew
a Jew who believes that Jesus is the Messiah
Mezuzah
small box containing the Shema, stuck on the front door to Jewish homes
Mezuzot
the piece of paper inside the Mezuzah with the Shema written on it
Midrashic
early interpretations of Jewish beliefs
Mikvah
Jewish holy bath
Miriam
Moses’s sister, played a significant part in saving Moses from being killed as a baby, and then became a prophetess when Moses led the Israelites out of Egypt
Mishna
first major written collection of Jewish scriptures
Mishnah
first part of the Talmud after the Torah
Mishpatim
mitzvot with an obvious reason
Mitzvah
the 613 commandments/rules
Mitzvot
singular of Mitzvah
Mohel
man who performs a circumcision
Mohelet
woman who performs a circumcision, not allowed in Orthodox Judaism
Moses
the person through whom God set free the Israelites from slavery in Egypt, to whom God gave the Ten Commandments and through whom God made a covenant with Israel
Mourning Rituals
refers to set practices that are carried out by Jews as a way of grieving for loved ones who have died
Ner Tamid
the ever-burning light that is above and in front of the Aron Hakodesh and burns continually as a symbol of God’s presence
Nevi’im
writings of the prophets, part of the Talmud
Olam-Ha-Ba
literally means the World to Come and is a later development of Jewish belief mentioned in the Talmud and suggests that if a righteous person suffers in this life time, they will be rewarded in life to come
Olive Oil
oil that kings will be anointed with, that the Messiah will one day be anointed with
Orthodox Judaism
Jews who believe God gave the complete Torah to Moses and therefore live according to Jewish laws and traditions
Pareve
foods that you can eat constantly according to Jewish law that contain neither meat nor dairy
Pentateuch
another name for the Torah
Pesach
Passover, celebrates the Exodus from Egypt, celebrated in Spring
Pikuach Nefesh
the mitzvah of saving a life, which overrides all other religious laws, except incest, murder and idolatry
Pomegranate
eaten on Rosh Hashanah to represent the Commandments
Pushke Box
a box kept in a Jewish household where spare change is put to be given to charity
Redemption of hte Firstborn
where the firstborn child is offered to the Temple
Reform Judaism
Jews who believe the Torah was inspired by God and was developed through their history, therefore laws may be changed or adapted as modern life changes
Resurrection
the belief of many Jews in a future age where the dead will rise from their graves to live again
Rimonim
used to unroll the Torah scrolls
Ritual Commandments
commandments about how to worship God
Rosh Hashanah
the Jewish New Year, the start of the ten day period of High Holy Days that culminates in Yom Kippur and marks the beginning of God’s judgement of his people
Sandek
Jewish equivalent of a godparent, usually the grandfather
Seder Plate
plate containing symbolic food that is eaten during Pesach
Beitzah
a hard-boiled egg that represents the circle of life
Haroset
on the Sedar Plate a sweet paste to represent the mortar between the bricks that the Jews were forced to lay, from the Hebrew word cheres, clay
Hazeret
the second bitter herb on the seder plate, often romaine lettuce, not always included
Karpas
a green vegetable, often parsley, that is placed on the sedar plate to represent the initial flourishing of the Jews in Egypt. In Ashkenazi culture, this dipped in salt water to represent the tears of the slaves, in Sephardi culture it is dipped in vinegar to represent hope
Maror
a bitter herb, often horseradish, used to symbolise the bitterness of slavery
Zeroa
a shank bone on the Sedar plate that represents the lamb that the Jews sacrificed as the special Passover offering when the temple stood in Jerusalem, sometimes substituted with roast beat, to symbolise the colour of blood
Sefer Torah
a small handwritten copy of the Torah
Sephardic Torah
small branch of Jews who have several of their own unique traditions, usually from Spanish or Portuguese descendant
Shabbat
Holy day of the week, a day of spiritual renewal beginning at sunset of Friday and continuing to nightfall on Saturday
Shechita
the right way to kill animals in accordance to Jewish law
Shekinah
the divine presence which indicates that God is a Being beyond human understanding yet whose presence may be experienced
Shema
declaration of belief in one God
Sheol
grave or pit that is the only thing mentioned in the Tenakh about life after death
Shoah
Holocaust
Shofar
the ram’s horn blown during Shabbat
Shochet
someone hired to kill an animal so that it is Kosher
Shul
school, name for the Synagogue
Siddur
Jewish prayer book
Sifrei Torah
Torah scrolls
Sinai
the mountain where Moses received the Law from God and where the Covenant between God and Israel was made
Social Commandments
commandments about people’s relationship with other people
Sofer
a Jewish scribe who writes Torah scrolls and other pieces of scripture
Song Songs
a Jewish book that is most infused with images of love and sexuality
Synagogue
means coming together, a building for Jewish public worship, study and gathering
Tabula
a game traditionally played by Jewish children during celebrations, similar to Backgammon
Tallit
Jewish prayer shawl
Talmud
the oral law, Jews believe that this law was given to Moses and then eventually written down and explained by the Rabbis and consists of the Mishnah and the Gemara
Tefillin
small box containing the Shema, worn on the head and left arm
Tenakh
books that comprise the Jewish scriptures that falls into three parts, Torah, Nevi’im and Ketuvim, believed by many Jews to have been given to Moses by God on Mount Sinai
Tikkun Olam
the Jewish belief in healing the world, making the world a better place
Trefah
forbidden food, literally means torn, doesn’t fit Jewish dietary requirements
Tzedakah
literally means justice, an important belief in Judaism
Tzitzit
tassles on the prayer shawl
Yad
used to read Torah scrolls
Yahrzeit
the yearly anniversary of a death of a loved one, marked by lighting a candle
Yamulke
skull cap
Yeshivot
Orthodox Jewish colleges for studying Tenakh and Talmud
Yom Kippur
Day of Atonement, a day of penitence and fasting on the tenth day after Rosh Hashanah, the holiest day of the year for Jews
Zionist
someone who believes that Israel should be developed only for Jews
