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

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S

saba: (Heb.) grandfather
sabra: (Heb.) prickly-pear fruit
Sabra: native Israeli
sakanot nefashot: lit.=dangers of (the) souls: life-endangerment
same'ach: (Heb.) happy
savta: (Heb.) grandmother
Sanhedrin: ancient rabbinical council of 70 sages
saychel: (Yid.) common sense
s'chach: loose thatch used for succah roof, must be from plants
s'char: reward, esp. in the metaphoric sense, for mitzvot
schav: cold soup of leafy vegetables
schlaf: (Yid.) sleep [v]
schlemazel: luckless one
schlemiel: bumbler, one who "can't do anything right"
schlep: carry; drag, lug; drag one's feet; travel a great distance [v], lazy one; unkempt person [n]
schlock: (Yid.) poorly made items or works
schlump: (Yid.) slump, flop [v]; stoop-shouldered person [n]
schmaltz: (Yid.) fat, grease, oil; maudlin sentimentality
schmateh: (Yid.) rag; cheap piece of clothing
schmear: (Yid.) smear, usu. of cream cheese on a bagel; bribe, as in "to grease one's palm" ["The whole schmear" means "the whole ball of wax; all of it"]
schmek: (Yid.) small sample, esp. whiff or taste of food
schmeggege: disorganized person, one who "doesn't have it together"
schmeichl: (Yid.) smile; smooth-talk
schmendrik: (Yid.) dismissible person
schmo: (Yid.) mediocre, average person
schmooze: (Yid.) intimate chat [n]; persuade [v]
schmutz: (Yid.) filth, scum
schnapps: whiskey
schneider: lit.=needle-user: tailor [n]; in gin, to win in a shutout
schnook: gullible person
schnorrer: moocher
schpatzir: stroll [n,v]
schpiel: (Yid.) story; sales pitch (n); play an instrument (v)
schpilkes: lit.=pins: anxiousness
schtatlan: Jewish community representitive to governing authority
schtark(er): (Yid.) strong (person)
schtick: bit, piece; comic act; eccentricity
schtickl(ach): little bit(s) or piece(s)
schtiebl: small synagogue, often a storefront or private home
schlotlz: (Yid) arrogance
schtreiml: large, round, fur-edged hat worn by chasidim
schtuk: trouble, danger
schtum: quiet (n)
seder: Pesach ceremonial meal
sedrah: reading from Tanach
sefer: (Heb.) book, esp. of religious topic
Sefer Torah: the Torah scroll itself
sefirat haOmer: counting of the days of the Omer
segulah: symbol; omen
Sephardi: of Mediterranean Jewish tradition
se'udah: lit.= meal: feast, esp. for Shabbat or holiday
"Sha!": "Shh! Quiet!"
Shabbat: the Sabbath
Shabbat callah: lit.=Sabbath of the Bride; the Sabbath before a wedding, often celebrated festively
shacharit: morning prayer
shadchan: matchmaker
shailah: question, esp. on religious matters
shaliach: messenger; representative; ambassador; Israeli delegate to community, youth group, synagogue, etc.
shaliach tzibur (abbr. shatz): lit.=messenger of (the) congregation: cantor
shalom/"Shalom!": peace; "Hello/Goodbye"
shalom aleichem: lit.=peace to you: "Hello" (response is "Aleichem, shalom")
shalom bayit: lit.=peace of the house: domestic harmony
Shalosh Regalim: lit.=three pilgrimages: Pesach, Shavuot, and Succot
shalosh se'udot: third (and last) meal of Shabbat
Shamayim/ shamayim: Heaven; the sky
shamos: assistant synagogue manager
shamosh: candle that kindles the Chanukah candles
shanda: (Yid.) disgrace, scandal
Shas: an acronym for "Shisha Sidrei (Mishnah)," the "six volumes of the Mishnah," therefore a nickname for the Talmud as a whole (also the name of an Orthodox Israeli political party)
shatnez: the presence of both wool and linen in the same garment, forbidden by the Torah
Shavuot: holiday for receiving the Torah, in autumn
"Shaychus?": lit.=relevance: "What does that have to do with what we're discussing?"
shayna maideleh: (Yid.) beautiful girl
Sh'china: G-d's presence
shchita: kosher slaughtering
shecht: slaughter, esp. in a kosher manner; to defeat soundly, as in sports [slang]
Shehecheyanu: blessing for annual, lifetime, or historic events
sheket/ "Sheket!": (Heb.) quiet, silence; "Pipe down and listen!"
Shema: lit.=Hear (O Israel): a key Jewish prayer
sherutim: lit.=facilities: restroom
Sheva B'rachot: set of seven blessings, said at weddings and at parties for one week after
sheytl: (Yid.) wig, esp. for married women
shiduch: match, in the romantic sense (see shadchan)
shikor: drunk; drunkard
shira (pl. shirim): (Heb.) song
shita: method; tendency, general way of doing things; principle
shiur: lesson; class
shiva: lit.= seven: period of mourning observed for seven days after a family member's funeral
Shiv-asor B'Tamuz: 17th of Tamuz, summer fast day for destruction of Holy Temple
shloshim: period of mourning observed for thirty days after a family member's funeral
shmad: conversion away from Judaism
Sh'mini Atzeret: eighth day of Succot, a holiday
shmita: Shabbat of the land: every seventh year, when Israeli land lies fallow
Shmonah Esrei: lit.=18: shacharit Amidah consisting of 19 blessings (1 was added later, but the name stuck)
shneim-asar chodesh: 12 months, esp. those observed as part of the mourning period until the first yartzeit
Shmot: Exodus (2nd bk. of Torah)
Shoah: lit.=destruction: The Holocaust
shochet: slaughterer who slaughters in the kosher manner
shofar: ram's horn, blown like a bugle on holidays
shomer: observant of (a given mitzvah) [adj]; watcher over a deceased's remains [n]
shok’l: sway meditatively during prayers
shoyn: (Yid.) already
shoyn fergessen: lit.=already forgotten; "I just had it, it's on the tip of my tongue."
shpritz: spray; shower; tirade, diatribe
shul: synagogue
shtetl: Eastern European Jewish village
shoter: (Heb.) police officer
shtus: (Yid.) nonsense; foolishness
shtyging: studying full-time
Shulchan Aruch: lit.=set table: Code of Jewish Law, a major work codifying the halachah
shvach: (Yid.) weak; tepid, unsubstantial
sh'varim: lit.=broken: shofar blast of three short sounds
Shvat: 5th Jewish month (Jan-Feb), 15th is Tu B'Shvat
shvitz: sweat [v]; sauna [n]
siddur: daily prayerbook
simcha: happiness; special happy occasion, esp. bris, wedding, etc.
Simchat Torah: holiday celebrating the completion of the annual cycle of Torah reading, in autumn
siman: sign; omen
"Siman tov u'mazel tov!": lit.=a good sign, a good constellation: a celebratory song, often heard at a simcha
sitzfleish: lit.=sit-flesh: patience, the ability to sit still
Sivan: 9th Jewish month (May-Jun), 5th and 6th are Shavuot
sivivon: (Heb. spinner) dreidel, esp. in Israel
siyum: completion of the study of a section of scripture or Talmud; a celebration thereupon
slicha/ "Slicha!": forgiveness; "Forgive me/Pardon me"
Slichot: prayers of repentance said around High Holidays
smicha: rabbinic ordination
smol: left, left hand; "Turn left."
sof/ "Sof!": lit.=end; "Enough discussion, let's decide!"
"Sof-sof!": lit.=end of ends: (Yid.) "Finally!"
sofer: scribe; author
soneh: enemy
sovev: lit.=around: burial shroud
S.S.: the Nazi infantry, "Brownshirts"
succah (pl. succot): outdoor hut lived in on Succot
Succot: harvest holiday, in autumn
sufganiot: donuts, esp. jelly-filled, served on Chanukah
supersol: lit.=super basket: supermarket
svora: logical argument; proof (similar to its meaning in mathematics or science)

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Jewish Word Glossary

Glossary Key

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