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AMIDAH 
The main prayer of any Jewish service
The Amidah is said standing and means ‘the standing prayer’. Each person says it silently and, in the congregation, there are times when the prayer leader also sings it.
BAR MITZVAH
A 13-year-old Jewish male
This is the age that marks a Jewish boy becoming an adult in the Jewish community. He is seen as responsible for his own behaviour, and can read from the Torah in the service and lead the congregation in prayer. It is a time for family and community celebration. (See also Bat Mitzvah.)
BAT MITZVAH
A 12-year-old or 13-year-old Jewish female
Traditionally a girl was thought to be an adult at the age of 12. She is responsible for her own behaviour and it is a time for family and community celebration. Some congregations mark this at the age of 13, so that girls and boys are treated the same. They give girls, like boys, the chance to read from the Torah in the service and to lead prayers. (See also Bar Mitzvah.)
BRIT MILAH
The ceremony to welcome a baby boy and announce his name to the community
The Brit Milah is normally held when the baby boy is eight days old. It usually takes place in the home but might be in the hospital, if the baby and his mother are still there, or perhaps in the synagogue. In many communities, there are also welcoming and naming ceremonies for baby girls.
DREIDL
The spinning-top that is a traditional and popular game during the festival of Hanukah
Another name for the spinning-top is ‘s’vivon’. Both mean ‘spin’. The spinning-top has four flat sides and the letters are initials of the sentence “A great miracle happened there/here”. (See Hanukah.)
HAGGADAH
The book of stories and songs used during the seder at the beginning of the festival of Pesah
‘Haggadah’ means ‘telling’. The seder tells the story of freedom from slavery, which is the main theme of Pesah. A haggadah is often illustrated with pictures that show slavery and freedom in both ancient and modern times.
HALLAH
The special bread eaten on Shabbat and main festivals
Hallah dough has egg and sometimes sugar, and is often glazed. Hallah for Shabbat is usually plaited. For festivals it may be in the shape of a coil. (See also hallot.)
HALLOT
Plural of hallah
Hallot come in pairs to symbolise the ancient Israelites collecting a double amount of food on Fridays so that they would not have to collect food on Shabbat.
HAMETZ
Leavened foods, such as normal bread and pasta, which Jews do not eat during the festival of Pesah
Hametz is a symbol of slavery and Jews symbolise freedom by not eating hametz during Pesah. Before the festival of Pesah, Jews eat up all the hametz in their home (or remove it, sell it or burn the scraps and crumbs). Jews eat matzah, instead of ordinary bread, during Pesah.
HANUKAH
The winter eight-day Jewish festival of light
‘Hanukah’ means ‘dedication’ and celebrates the Jews’ dedication of the Temple in Jerusalem after their enemies had vandalised it. The Jews relit the menorah with fresh oil. (See also dreidl, hanukiyah, menorah and ner tamid.)
HANUKIYAH
The candle-holder used in the festival of Hanukah
The hanukiyah has eight candle-holders, plus one to hold the ‘helper’ candle that’s used for lighting the eight. On the first evening of Hanukah, one candle is lit and so on up to eight on the eight evening.
HAVDALAH
The ceremony that marks the end of Shabbat and the return to the working week
‘Havdalah’ means ‘separation’ and the ceremony shows that Shabbat is different from the rest of the week. The ceremony uses a plaited candle, spices and wine or grape juice.
HAZZAN
Cantor
A hazzan leads the congregation in singing some of the prayers and sings some parts solo or with a choir. The hazzan might also chant the Torah reading. A synagogue does not need to have a hazzan but the hazzan’s singing is felt to enhance the spiritual quality of the worship and to support the congregation in participating. Cantors are usually men but, in some synagogues today, the cantor may be a woman.
HEBREW
The traditional language of Judaism and the main language in Israel today
The Torah is in Hebrew and so are most Jewish prayers. Hebrew became the main official language of the modern State of Israel. The other official language is Arabic.
ISRAEL
The ancient Jewish homeland and a Jewish country today
Israel is a small country in Western Asia and its capital is Jerusalem. It was the land of the Jewish people in ancient times but the Romans occupied it and drove them out. In 1948 Israel became a Jewish country again.
ISRAELI
A citizen of modern Israel
About 80% of Israelis are Jews and about 20% are Arab. (Also see Hebrew.)
ISRAELITE
A name for the ancient Jews
They were also called ‘Hebrews’.
JERUSALEM
The capital of Israel
Jerusalem is called ‘Yerushalayim’ in Hebrew. King David made Jerusalem the capital of Israel in about 1000 BCE. It was invaded and destroyed many times. It is the capital of the State of Israel today.
JUDAISM
The religion of the Jewish people
The Jewish religion began with the ancient Hebrews in about 2000 BCE. It has grown and developed since then. Judaism is practised on every continent, in many countries.
KADDISH
The prayer that marks endings—the end of a section of a service and also a person’s death
‘Kaddish’ means ‘holy’. The prayer does not mention death or any kind of ending but praises God’s holiness and greatness. (See also shiva.)
KASHRUT
Rules about what Jews should eat (or wear or use)
‘Kashrut’ means ‘properness’. Kashrut is also to do with clothes and certain objects. (See also kosher)
KETUBAH
Jewish marriage document
The bridegroom gives the ketubah to the bride after the wedding. Sometimes a ketubah is beautifully decorated.
KIDDUSH
The blessings for Shabbat, sung before drinking wine or grape juice
‘Kiddush’ means ‘holy’. Singing kiddush shows that Shabbat is holy, meaning that it is completely above all the other days of the week.
KIPPAH
Skull cap
A ‘kippah’ may also be called a ‘kapel’ or a ‘yarmulke’. Jewish men and boys wear a kippah (or other hat or cap) for prayer and religious study and some wear one all the time. Some Jewish women also cover their hair.
KOSHER
Fit or suitable for Jews to eat (or wear or use)
‘Kosher’ can also be written and pronounced ‘kasher’. (See also kashrut.)
MATZAH
Unleavened bread
Matzah is bread that does not contain any yeast and is not left to rise. The dough is baked as soon as it is made. Jews can eat matzah at any time of the year and they eat it instead of ordinary bread during the festival of Pesah. Matzah is a symbol of freedom. (See also hametz.)
MATZOT
Plural of matzah
MENORAH
Seven-branched lamp-holder that stood in the ancient Temple in Jerusalem
Only pure olive oil was used in the menorah. The menorah became one of the symbols for the Jewish people and for Israel. (See also Hanukah.)
MEZUZAH
The box, containing a text on a piece of parchment that is fixed to the doorposts of Jewish homes
The text on the mezuzah parchment contains the first paragraph of the Shema.
MEZUZOT
Plural of mezuzah
MESSIAH
The person or spirit that, according to Jewish belief, God will send to make the world right and start an eternal time of peace
Jews believe that the world is not yet perfect and that the Messiah has not arrived yet.
MITZVAH
A commandment from God to the Jewish people
The commandments are given in the Torah. Sometimes ‘mitzvah’ is used to mean a ‘good deed’ or act of kindness.
MITZVOT
Plural of mitzvah
NER TAMID
A lamp in the synagogue that does not go out
The ner tamid is above the Ark, the cupboard where the Torah scrolls are kept. ‘Ner tamid’ means ‘eternal light’. It is a reminder of the menorah.
PESAH
Spring festival of freedom
Pesah celebrates the ancient Israelites escaping from slavery in ancient times and the importance of freedom for people everywhere. (See also haggadah, hametz, matzah and seder.)
PURIM
A late winter festival
Purim is a time for parties and parades, with fancy dress and disguises.
RABBI
Teacher and leader of a Jewish community
Any adult Jew can lead prayers and read from the Torah in a service. A rabbi teaches, preaches, helps people with their problems and sometimes acts as the representative of the congregation.
ROSH HASHANAH
Jewish new year festival
Rosh HaShanah comes in the autumn. It is a time for looking back over the last year and looking forward to the year to come.
SEDER
The special supper at the beginning of Pesah
The seder has songs, stories and items of food that symbolise slavery and freedom. (See also haggadah.)
SHABBAT
The seventh day of the week, a day of rest and peace
Shabbat lasts from sunset on Friday to sunset on Saturday.
SHAVUOT
The summer festival that celebrates God’s gift of the Torah
SHEMA
A very important Jewish prayer, recited evening and morning
The Shema is made up of three passages from the Torah. ‘Shema’ means ‘Hear!’ because it starts “Hear, Israel!” ‘Israel’ means ‘the Jewish people’, here. The Shema is a prayer in which Jews are talking to each other.
SHIVA
The week of mourning after a funeral
‘Shiva’ means ‘seven’. During shiva, the immediate family members do not go to school or work. (See also kaddish.)
SHOFAR
A ram’s horn
The shofar is blown during prayers on Rosh HaShanah and to mark the end of Yom Kippur.
SHUL
Another name for synagogue
SIDDUR
Book of Jewish prayers
‘Siddur’ means order because the prayers and services are set out in a particular order.
SIMHAT TORAH
Autumn festival to celebrate the Torah
‘Simhat Torah’ means ‘the joy of the Torah’ and is a very lively festival. It comes at the end of the festival of Sukkot. It marks the end—and the immediate beginning again—of the annual cycle of reading the Torah.
SUKKAH
A temporary shelter, used during the festival of Sukkot
A sukkah is made of natural materials and is a reminder of the time when the Israelites lived in temporary huts in the wilderness for 40 years.
SUKKOT
The plural of ‘sukkah’; also name of the week-long autumn festival
Before Sukkot, Jewish families and communities build sukkot in gardens or on balconies and roof-tops. They During Sukkot, they eat and maybe sleep in the sukkah.
SYNAGOGUE
The Jewish community centre
A synagogue is used for prayer, education and social events.
TALLIT
Prayer shawl
On each corner there are special fringes, which are reminders of the mitzvot.
T’FILIN
Small boxes, containing short passages from the Torah, worn on the head and arm during prayer
‘T’filin’ is from a Hebrew word for prayer.
TISHA B’AV
A fast day to mourn the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem about 2000 years ago
TORAH
The most important religious writing for Jews
Traditional Jews believe that the Torah was created by God and revealed to Moses more than 3000 years ago. A part of the Torah is read aloud each week until it is completed in a year (See Simhat Torah.)
TU B’SHEVAT
New Year for trees
It is a minor festival that comes in the winter and is marked by planting saplings and eating fruit.
TZEDAKAH
Justice and charity
Money that is given for a good cause may be called ‘tzedakah’.
YOM HA’ATZMA’UT
Independence day in Israel, celebrated by Jews across the world
YOM HASHO’AH
Holocaust Remembrance Day
YOM KIPPUR
Day for Atonement
A fast day during which Jews ask for forgiveness from God, having already tried to make up with anyone they have hurt. It falls on the tenth day of the Jewish year. See also Rosh HaShanah.)
ZAVAT HALAV UD’VASH
Land flowing with milk and honey—one of the descriptions of Israel