Jewish Learning

Shabbat Guide

Shabbat Guide

JUF is pleased to provide this basic guide to celebrating Shabbat.

The Holocaust Project

Encyclopedia Britannica Holocaust Project

JUF partners with Encyclopedia Britannica to bring you their collection of Britannica's Holocaust Project resources.

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Jewish Word Glossary

Glossary Key

abbr. = abbreviated
esp .= especially
Heb. = Hebrew
lit. = literally
n = noun
pl. = plural
pron. = pronounced
usu. = usually
v = verb
Yid. = Yiddish

A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L
M | N | O | P | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z

G

gaon
head of a Babylonian yeshiva; composer of the Talmud
gabbai
rabbi's synagogue assistant during prayer service
gadol (hador)
lit.=great person (of the generation): leader, esp. in religious sense
Gallil
lit= rolling: the northern, grassy, hilly part of Israel
Galut
lit.=exile: where the Diaspora lives
"Gam ze ya'avor"
lit.=also this will pass: "This, too, shall pass"
"Gam zu l'tovah"
lit.=also this for good: "Everything happens for the best"
Gan Aiden
The Garden of Eden
ganev
thief; clever person
gan k’tanim
lit.=garden of (the) small (ones): kindergarten
gantze
(Yid.) whole, entire
gantze megilla
(Yid.) the whole story
gantze mishpocha
(Yid.) the whole family
gartl
(Yid.) belt, sash (from same word as "girdle")
g'dilah
lit.=bigness: (Yid.) the "big deal"
gebentched
(Yid.) blessed
gebrokts
foods involving matzah or maztah meal mixed with liquid, esp, matzah balls, matzah brei, kreplach, and pastries
gefelt 
(Yid.) pleasing
gefilt croht
stuffed cabbage
gefilte fish
fish cakes (originally stuffed in fish skin)
gei avek 
lit.=go away: "Get out of here! Scram!"
gei gezunterheit
"Go in good health"
"Gei feifen afen yam!" 
lit.=go whistle over [the] sea: "Go entertain someone else!"
"Gei in dr'erd!"
lit.=go in the earth: "Drop dead!"
gelilah
rolling and re-clothing of Torah scroll after hagbah
gelt
(Yid.) money, esp. as Chanukah gift
Gemara
commentary on the Mishna
gematria
Jewish numerology based on numerical value given to Hebrew letters
gemilut chasadim
acts of kindness
genizah
storage/burial for worn-out, but holy, papers, books, etc.
"Genug (shoyn)!"
(Yid.) "Enough (already)!"
ger
convert [n]
geshmack
lit.=(lip-)smacking: tasty
gesheft
(Yid.) business
geshrai
(Yid.) cry, shout, yell [n]
get
divorce document
"Gevalt!"
lit.=scream: "Oh, wow!"; "Oh, no!", "Help!"
gevaltik
powerful, worthy of a cry of "Oy, gevalt!"
gezerah
temporary rabbinic injunction or order, responding to a specific circumstance
gezunt
(Yid.) healthy
gezunt-heit
(Yid.) good health
glatt
lit.=smooth: highest level of fleishig kashrut
glick
(Yid.) good fortune
glomp
lit=cabbage stalk: (Yid.) useless one
Goldena Medina
lit.=Golden Country: the United States
golem
automaton; mindless one
gomel
one who has just undergone a dangerous experience
gorgl
(Yid.) neck
gornisht
(Yid.) nothing, emptiness
"Gornisht helfen"
lit=nothing helps: (Yid.) "Forget it.";"It's hopeless."
"Gottenyu!"
"Dear G-d!"
grieven
small, crunchy bits of  fried chicken skin, eaten as a snack
grogger
Purim noisemaker
groys
(Yid.) large (but not necessarily disgusting)
grubber yung
lit=grubby youngster: ill-mannered adolescent, punk
grushah
divorcee (woman)
"Gutteh voch"
lit.=good week: (Yid.) "Have a nice week," a post-Havdalah greeting