Covenant/B'rit
Mutual promise between 2 parties(deep significance)
Diaspora
the dispersion of the Jews outside Israel to other countries
Havdalah
A religious ceremony that symbolically ends the Shabbat, usually recited over kosher wine or kosher grape juice.
Yetzer ha-ra
bad inclinations
Yetzer ha-tov
good inclinations
Olam Ha-Ba
the world to come
Mizvot
a commandment of the Jewish law
Rabbi
Authorized teacher/master of the Torah/classical Jewish tradition
Kosher
The term used for food allowed under Jewish dietary laws
Kashrut
laws pertaining to permissible (kosher) and forbidden foods and their preparation
Shabbat (Sabbath)
Friday night at sunset until Saturday sunset. Holy Day in Judaism(day God rested after creation)
Torah
First five books of the Hebrew Bible(Books of Moses)
Tanakh
the Jewish scriptures which consist of three divisions--the Torah, Nev'im(prophets), and Ketuvim(writings)
Mishnah
A text that describes and explains the Jewish code of law that was previously orally communicated
Talmud
A collection of teachings and commentaries on Jewish law
Gemara
A text containing the interpretations of thousands of rabbis and outlines the importance of 613 commandments of Jewish law
Shacharit
morning prayer
Mincha
afternoon prayer
Ma'ariv/Arvit
evening prayer
Shema/ Shema Yisrael
The central affirmation of Judaism; expresses belief in the singularity of god
Mashiack/Messiah
"Anointed one"; a redeemer/descendant of David who would restore united Israel and usher in an age of justice ,peace and plenty
Teshuvah
Repentance; The process of "return" to the good graces of God and the Jewish community through 1) acknowledging wrongdoing, 2) experiencing and expressing remorse, 3) apologizing to the victim, 4) making compensation if possible, 5) taking tangible steps to avoid same wrong in future
Tzedakah
"Righteousness/Justice"; The biblical mitzvah(commandment) to give to the needy.
Tefilin
Small black leather boxes containing verses of the Torah that Orthodox Jews bind to forehead and non-dominant arm during morning prayer(fulfills commandment to love god with heart and soul)
Tikkum Olam
repairing the world;usually through doing service/being good
Halakhah
The legal part of Jewish religion that was developed in rabbinic writings
Kedushah
holiness,reflecting the goal and requirement of all Jewish people to be holy.
Shekinah
The divine presence of God
Yawm al-din
Day of Judgement
Aggadah
Traditions of the rabbis. The nonlegal story aspect of rabbinic literature.
Brit-Covanent
The agreement made between god and Abraham/Moses and the Jewish people- the Jewish expression of monotheism.
Ark of the Covenant
A sacred chest that housed the tablets of the Ten Commandments. It was placed within the sanctuary where God would come and dwell.
Bar Mitzvah
the religious initiation ceremony of a Jewish boy who has reached the age of 13 and is regarded as ready to observe religious precepts and eligible to take part in public worship.
Bat Mitzvah
Coming-of-age ceremony for a young Jewish girl
Days of Awe (High Holy Days)
The ten days starting with Rosh Hashanah and ending with Yom Kippur are commonly known as the Days of Awe or the Days of Repentance. This is a time for serious introspection, a time to consider the sins of the previous year and repent before Yom Kippur.
Passover (Pesach)
an annual Jewish holiday celebrated in the Jewish month of Nissan. Refers to the fact that God "passed over" the houses of the Jews when he was slaying the firstborn sons of the Egyptians during the final of the ten plagues. Lasts eight days, and on the first and last days of the holiday, work is prohibited.
Prophet
A person selected by God to speak to people on God's behalf and convey a message or teaching. Role modesl of holiness and set standards for the community.
Seder
A Jewish ritual feast that commemorates the beginning of Passover. It involves a retelling of the story of the Israelites' liberation from Egypt in the Book of Exodus. jewish families tell and discuss the story, drink wine, and eat matza.
Yarhzeit
-a time of remembering the dead by reciting the Kaddish, during this one lights a 24-hour candle, the participants will remember a person who has died it could be recent or in the past
Zionism
The term "Zionism" was coined in 1890 by Nathan Birnbaum. Its general definition means the national movement for the return of the Jewish people to their homeland and the resumption of Jewish sovereignty in the Land of Israel
Abraham
The patriarch, the father of the lineage of faith by the Jewish Chrisitan and Islamic traditions
Beracha
(Blessing); a type of Jewish prayer in which God is blessed for examples, in Kiddush (blessing recited over wine) at the beginning of a festival
Bārit Milah
Commandment of Judaism that calls for the removal of the foreskin, signifies the covenant that Abraham made with God
Conservative Judaism
Reacting to early Jewish Reform movements by attempting to retain clear links to Jewish law and tradition, while at the same time adapting to modern situations
Deuteronomy
5th book in the 5 books of Moses, follows the narration of Mosesā death and contains retellings of events that occurred in the Torah
Exodus
The 2nd books of the Five books of Moses(torah), tells the story of Moses, who led the people of Israel out of the chains of slavery in Egypt (Exodus)
Genesis
The first book of the Five books of Moses, details the Jewish understanding of the universe, from the seven days of creation
Hannukah
Eight-day Jewish holiday, celebrating the oil lamp that was not even supposed to last a day, lasting 7 days, in the Temple of Jerusalem
Hasidic
āThe pious oneā; those who have developed extraordinary devotion to spirituality of Jewish life (originated in Polandmid-18 centaury
Leviticus
The 3rd book of the Five Books of Moses details the priestly obligations the formed and the Spirituals heart of the forty-year journey in the wilderness. It is almost completely devoid of narrative
The Book of Numbers
The fourth book of the 5 Books of Moses, details the Israelites journey through the wilderness
Orthodox Judaism
The sect of Judaism that affirms its commitment to the āunchangingā divine revelation of the Torah
Purim
The Jewish festival commemorating the legendary rescue of the Jewish people from the threat of extermination in Persia, celebration includes dressing up in costume
Menorah
7-branch candelabrum used during Hannukah
Reform Judaism
Originated in 19th centaury Europe; emphasizes the legitimacy of change, the commanding importance of ethical monotheism and liberal Jewish commitment to ethical teaching above ritual observances
Mount Sinai
The holy mountain on which Moses is said to to have received the 10 commandments