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

L

Ladino
the Jewish-Spanish language
Lag BaOmer
the thirty-third day of the Omer, minor spring holiday
lahadam
acronym for "lo hayu devorim meolam," or "never were (these) things from this world": to categorical deny; "Never happened!" 
lamden
lit.=learned one: scholar
Lamed Vovnik 
lit.=one of the 36: righteous person who often labors in anonymity. According to tradition, the world continues to exist due to the merits of these unknown 36 individuals.
landsman
fellow native (usu. of place in Old Country)
landsmanshaft(en)
organization(s) of fellow natives
langeh loksh
lit.= long noodle: (Yid) tall, thin, gangly person
lashon harah
lit.=bad language: slander, gossip
Lashon HaKodesh
lit.=holy tongue: Hebrew
latke
potato pancake, esp. for Chanukah
lavayah
lit.=escort, procession: funeral
layn
read from the Torah, etc., with trop
"L'chaim!"
"To Life!" (a traditional toast, like "Cheers!")
leibedikeh
(Yid.) lively, full of life
leiben ahf dein kop 
lit.=life on your head: "Good job! Nice work!"
lechem
(Heb.) bread
lechen di finger
finger-lickingly tasty
lev
(Heb.) heart
levi (pl. leviim)
member of the tribe of Levi, but not a descendant of Moses or Aaron; thus, a member of the priest-assistant class
licht
lit.=light: Shabbat or yom tov candles
Likud
Israeli conservative political party
lobbus
tiny terror, esp. a child or small animal
loch in kopf
lit.=a hole in (the) head: "the last thing I need"
lochshen
wide noodles, esp. for kugel
"L'shanah tova"
lit.=for a good year: Rosh HaShanah greeting
l'shem shoma'im 
lit.=for the sake of Heaven: altruistic
Lubavitch
large and influential chaisidic group focusing on outreach
luftmensch
lit=air man: one without visible means of (monetary) support
lulav
palm frond. used on Succot