Jewish Word Glossary

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