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The sound of the shofar is the sound of this season. Beginning with the first day of Elul, the month concluded 10 days ago, and continuing through Sukkot, according to tradition, we have the privilege of hearing the sound of the shofar. On Rosh Hashanah, when it is a mitzvah, an obligation to hear the shofar, we heard one hundred blasts, all meant to wake us up, call us back, to the opportunity of a new year, to the truth of ourselves. The sound is meant to shake us into action, to begin in earnest the work of teshuvah, of return, to our truth and God’s truth. Tomorrow afternoon, we will conclude our Yom Kippur worship with a tekiah gedolah, a great tekiah, a long blast that serves as acclamation, exclamation, and supplication all in one. How can a mere sound accomplish all this? Well may we ask.

Most of us fulfill our obligation to hear the shofar by listening while our ba’al tekiah, our shofar-sounder, does all the hard work. Still, hearing the sound—truly hearing—is no easy task. In order for us to truly hear the sound, we must experience it not only as an alarm, a cry rousing us from the outside; we must also experience it as a cry torn from within each one of us, the voice of our own deepest longings to return, to do teshuvah, to become one again with ourselves and with God.

The story I share with you tonight, “The Sound of the Shofar,” is a retelling of a tale by the Ba’al Shem Tov, the Master of the Good Name, the father of modern Hasidism, who led and taught his followers through the middle years of the eighteenth century from the town of Medzhybizh, now Ukraine.

[The following has been adapted from a retelling by Eitan Press.]

There once was a King whose vast realm spanned many lands. The King was good, wise and kind. He knew that the throne was given to him in order to serve his people and he dedicated his life to stewarding and building a kingdom of justice, compassion, and peace. The King had a son, a prince whom he loved very much. The Prince lived in the royal castle with his family and his days were spent studying, practicing arts that would prepare him to govern and learning about people so he could serve them. The Prince was taught that, although he was a prince, he was not here to live just for himself. Rather, he was

here to help others, but one part of a great tapestry of life. The King taught him that invisible threads bound him to all the other people and beings that made up this tapestry, and his task was to tend to this great whole. He learned that human beings should be treated with the utmost respect, that life was sacred and that each of his actions was important. How easy it was to destroy and how hard it was to build. He was trained that the motivations for his actions should come from within himself; he learned not to react but to choose and most importantly, to love his fellow as himself. He learned these and many other lessons and they filled his life with blessing.

Then one day his father, the King, told him he must go to a small town very far from the castle, to a place so far away that most people did not even know that there was a King. He was told to live there, to become acquainted with the people, and to share with them the lessons he had learned in the castle. It pained the heart of the Prince to leave his father, family and everything he loved, but he trusted his father and so he departed on his mission. He journeyed for weeks across the land to the edge of his father’s realm, until he arrived at his destination. Although he wore the royal garb of the castle, none of the people in the town recognized him or his special status. The Prince made his way to the market and his eyes beheld new sights that worried him. The people of this town did not conduct themselves like those who inhabited the castle and its surrounding lands.

The people of this place pushed and shoved one another. They yelled and addressed each other in harsh tones, rather than speaking kindly to one another. The Prince saw people lying in the street and others walking around or over them as if they weren’t there. He saw people walking with eyes downcast, ignoring each other. Without saying a word these people seemed to say that life, their own and others’, was a burden, only so many mouths to feed. As the Prince walked through the market, scanning the faces in the crowd, he saw that people here had forgotten that they were good, that life was a gift, and that their actions mattered.

The Prince yearned to return to the castle, but he felt keenly the responsibility his father had entrusted to him, and so he found work and lodgings and set out to live among the people, to try spread among them the teachings of the King. At first life in this town was painful for the Prince; the smells of poorly tended bodies, the sounds of suffering and the scenes of cruelty or indifference offended his tender sensibilities. It was difficult to bear how rudely the townspeople spoke to each other, and to him. Although the Prince tried to reply courteously, eventually he felt sparks of anger at such treatment. It

seemed as if people found something to argue about even when nothing was wrong, and it grew harder for the Prince to abide the daily teasing, taunting and curses that many accepted as a part of life. Still he tried to set an example by being kind to those around him and by speaking of the importance of loving one’s neighbor. He knew that there was a higher way of living, but most people neither heard, nor cared. Only the nightly games and circuses that served to distract them from their desperate existence held their attention for any length of time.

The Prince’s anger and frustration grew until the desire to run away or lash out stayed with him every waking moment. The Prince began to doubt himself, to believe he was too small to withstand the darkness of the ignorance and suffering he saw all around him. He tried to hold on to the lessons he learned in the castle, but he felt he received only insults for any good deed, and that his kindness was for naught. The Prince’s open heart began to close, and eventually he despaired. He became cynical. It grew harder for him to care about anything, and he began to dislike people for no reason. The quotidian cruelties that surrounded him, the daily acts of self- destruction that once saddened and repulsed him, he now took for granted and even laughed at.

Over time the Prince grew so used to his surroundings, so used to being treated as if he were some sort of object rather than a person, that eventually he forgot all about the King’s mission, forgot his former thoughts and dreams. He grew coarse—numb. It had been so long since he left the castle, so long since he had been in the presence of the King, that all his father’s wisdom, the image of the great tapestry of life, and finally even the knowledge that he was a child of the King, all left him. His robes grew dark with stains, threadbare and torn, and now resembled the mud-colored rags everyone else around him wore. His face changed, for the expressions of love and joy that had formerly always graced his countenance were replaced with a habitual scowl of weariness and ennui. He sought each day only what he required to survive, or, if anything more, a few minutes’ distraction in the form of some spectacle or another from the meaninglessness of his existence.

Things stayed this way for many years until one morning the Prince saw a crowd gathering along the sides of the town’s main highway. He asked a passerby what was happening he was told that the “King” was passing through the town and it was a special day. At first, the Prince, thought perhaps the “King” was another type of circus performer, and so he pushed close to the front of the crowd to get a better view. He saw something in the street he did not expect: uniformed soldiers with

the royal crest emblazoned on their coats. Then the Prince’s eyes went wide, and it was as if a horn blasted inside him, and his heart began to beat in his chest. The Prince, along with the rest of the crowd, stared at the proud soldiers marching in orderly lines and then following behind them came row upon row of royal Knights seated on great horses. Their silver armor gleamed in the sunlight and their bearing was regal and beautiful. Then into view came a golden carriage and in it sat a man whose being emanated love, kindness, justice and mercy — in it sat the King. It seemed as if an invisible light was radiating from the carriage, strengthening and healing all whom it touched. All who saw him now recognized the King. He greeted his subjects with love. He asked if any had seen his son.

In the mind of the Prince a glimmer of remembrance awoke within him. For the first time in a very long time he recalled that he was the son of the King and that something terrible had happened to him. That the King was real. Love was real. Goodness was real. Truth was real. That he was so much more than he appeared to be, more than what he had become. That he was the Prince! He began to weep for how much he had lost, how much he had forgotten. Just then the carriage of the King passed before him. The Prince knew that at any moment he could lose this spark of self-knowledge, this insight of truth. He knew he must do something. But he could not speak for he did not have the words, the gentle language of the castle long forgotten. He could not call out, “Father, it is me!” Nor could he come after the carriage now moving away from him, for he knew that guards would not recognize him, his face now hard, lined with pain, his clothing the coarse, torn garments of the street folk.

All the Prince wanted was to sit once again beside his father the King. The carriage continued on, farther and farther away. He felt as if his heart were going to burst in his chest when suddenly out of his mouth, from the depths of his soul, came a cry, an involuntary piercing wail that passed like a shock-wave through the crowd. Every inch of his being was screaming, screaming, wailing, aching so badly to return to presence of his father the King, to return to his true self, his original being. The crowd, recovering from its initial surprise, ignored the screaming man. The guards around the carriage tightened their grips on their spears, an eye cast backwards, alert for any danger.

But the carriage of the King began to slow and came to a halt. At some unseen signal one of the guards approached the King. He bent in toward the King, listening, then looked at the man weeping in the crowd. The Prince, still looking toward the King, bright eyes on fire, with yearning in his heart and tears streaming down his face, saw the guard. Their eyes met, and the guard’s face lit up with a sudden knowing. To the surprise of all gathered there, the guard walked quickly from the King’s carriage and stood before the ragged, weeping man. Slowly, the guard saluted the Prince, gently took his arm, and led him to the carriage, where the King, his father, awaited him.

It was the Prince’s piercing cry, the same cry he heard when his son was a baby, that the King recognized. The King opened his arms, embraced his son. The Prince had returned.

The story is an allegory. The King is God, whatever you believe to be the source of wisdom, compassion, justice, and truth. The castle represents our origins, that mixture of heaven and earth, the mystery and purity of a newborn child. The distant town represents our broken world, with its many obstacles and distractions vying to separate us from our truth and our dreams. The prince is each of us. His cry is the voice inside each one of us, the voice that still remembers who we truly are behind these masks we wear, beneath these stained and tattered robes. The voice that tells us who we are meant to be. Most of the time this voice is scarcely audible beneath the noise of daily life. Most of the time, it is muffled, either by our pride and our fear, or by forgetfulness.

It is the cry of the shofar, which represents the desperate cry of our souls, if only we find the courage and the humility to let our soul speak its truth, speak its desire to return to ourselves, to become on this Day of Atonement at-one with our truth, inside and out.

So, with the blast of the shofar tomorrow night, that last wild cry, that tekiah gedolah, so may each one of us return.

Gemar hatimah tovah. May you be sealed for truth, for blessing, for wholeness—at-one-ment—in this new year.

Tue, August 28, 2012

*Tishah B’av: A Brief History

urjnetworkadmin / Jewish Holidays /

Tishah B’Av means “Ninth of Av” and refers to a Jewish day of fasting and mourning.

Excerpted from The Jewish Home by Daniel B. Syme. URJ Press

Traditionally Tishah B’Av is the darkest of all days, a time set aside for mourning the destruction of both ancient Temples in Jerusalem. As on Yom Kippur, the fast extends until the following sundown. In the synagogue, the Book of lamentations is changed, as are kinot, dirges written during the Middle Ages. Sitting on low stools, a shivah custom, congregants also read sections of the books of Jeremiah and Job, as well as biblical and talmudic passages dealing with the Temples’ destruction.

Reform Judaism has never assigned a central religious role to the ancient Temple. To the early Reformers, mourning the destruction of the Temple in such elaborate fashion did not seem meaningful, especially since Reform has not idealized the rebuilding of the Temple, as has Jewish tradition. For most Reform Jews, then, 586 b.c.e. and 70 c.e. are important dates in Jewish history, but Tishah B’Av has faded in importance as a ritual observance. In order to understand the mournful nature of Tishah B’Av, then, we must enter the traditional mind as we look back into history.

The First Temple in Jerusalem was constructed during the reign of King Solomon (965 b.c.e.–925 b.c.e.). Solomon’s father, King David, had wished to build the Temple, but was not allowed to do so. The Bible relates that God disqualified David because of his many military campaigns. The Temple was to be a holy place, a place of peace. Therefore, only a king who had not shed blood could bring it into being. Thus, Solomon, whose Hebrew name was Shlomo (from shalom, peace), inherited this sacred task.

Solomon built the First Temple with the assistance of King Hiram of Tyre. Hiram sent his Phoenician artists and builders magnificent stone from his nation’s quarries and the beautiful cedars of Lebanon to aid in the task.

The finished Temple was an awesome structure. Situated on a mountain 2/500 feet high, it had courtyard, a sanctuary, and a small room called the Holy of Holie, entered only once a year by the high priest. It was in the Temple that the kohanim (priests) offered the ancient sacrifices on behalf of the people, assisted by the Levites.

In 586 b.c.e., the Babylonian army surrounded Jerusalem. Led by their general, Bebuchadnezzar, they broke into the city and conquered it. Then, on the Ninth of Av, they destroyed the Temple. The Jews were sent into exile, crushed and despondent. According to some scholars, the prophet Jeremiah, grieving for the Temple, composed Psalm 137, in which he wrote: “By the waters of Babylon, we lay down and wept for thee Zion.” A people who had grounded their entire religious system in a priestly Temple structure suddenly had it torn away from them.

Even as he mourned, Jeremiah still had hope. He told the people that they would one day return to Jerusalem and rebuild the Temple. He was correct. Some sixty years later, Persia conquered Babylonia, and the Persian King Cyrus allowed the Jews to return home. They rebuilt the Temple but it was not nearly as magnificent as Solomon’s Temple had been. Still, the Jews rejoiced, for once again they had an opportunity to be led by their priests and to offer sacrifices in their holiest site. It was this rebuilt Temple that King Antiochus defiled in 168 b.c.e., and which the Maccabees reconsecrated three years later. But the Building of the Second Temple was yet to come.

The Second Temple was enhanced and expanded during the first century b.c.e by King Herod, one of the cruelest rulers in Jewish history. Deciding that the rebuilt Temple was not to his liking, Herod decided to expand it. He partially leveled the previous site, then oversaw the construction of a Temple that rivaled that of Solomon’s in grandeur.

Herod had intended to continually add new structures to the Temple grounds, but the work was never completed. In 70 c.e., Roman legions, led by the General Titus, conquered Jerusalem and destroyed the Temple. It was the Ninth of Av. Once again, the Jews were sent into exile, this time to Rome.

Some historians have expressed doubt that the actual destruction of both Temples occurred on the Ninth of Av, but there is no disputing the fact that the day became a symbol of Jewish tragedy. The synagogue ultimately replaced the Temple. [New forms of worship and religious leadership were created.] But Jew continued to hope and pray that the Temple would be restored. The prayer book and songs expressed this yearning, and Tisha B’Av became a vehicle for expressing that deep sorrow.

Thu, July 26, 2012

Celebrate Shabbat at Home

urjnetworkadmin / Shabbat /

Celebrating shabbat at home with family and friends creates a warm and wonderful end to your week. Saying or singing blessings over family, candles, wine and challah helps make it sacred. Enjoy this guide from Larchmont Temple, NY. Shabbat Shalom!

Shabbat at Home PDF download

Thu, July 26, 2012

18 Little Things You Can Do For Shabbat

urjnetworkadmin / Shabbat /

1. Invite friends.

2. Ask guests to prepare a Shabbat blessing, song, or story

3. Set a special table for Shabbat dinner.

4. Use a special tablecloth.

5. Arrange fresh flowers in your home.

6. Polish the silver.

7. Pour a nice wine.

8. Bake or buy a challah.

9. Give thanks for the blessings of the week.

10. Light special candles.

11. Read a Shabbat prayer…then read it again.

12. Say blessings over the wine and challah.

13. Sing some nice songs.

14. Listen to the quiet peace of a dinner at home…without phone, TV, or radio.

15. Take a Shabbat walk.

16. Be open to moments of wonder, of soulful encounter.

17. Pause for a moment as Shabbat ends on Saturday night. Sing havdalah!

18. Look forward to the next week’s Shabbat celebration.

Thu, July 26, 2012

Glossary of Words and Terms for Jewish Living

urjnetworkadmin / Interfaith Family Resources /

Judaism is more than just a religion: it’s a culture, a language, a way of life. And, integrated fully into these Jewish traditions are unique words and sayings. Though words may have different roots or origins (Hebrew, Yiddish, German), their meanings are universal throughout the Jewish community. This glossary introduces some of the more common sayings appropriate for lifestyle and holiday events.

BEGINNINGS

Berachah (pl. Berachot) – Blessing.

Shehecheyanu – Literally: “[God] who has kept us alive”.This is the blessing for beginnings, happy occasions. It is also said at candle-lighting, Kiddush, and at certain other specific times during festival observance.

BIRTH

B’rit Milah – Covenant of circumcision, traditionally performed on the eighth day of a boy’s life.

Mohel – Highly skilled ritual circumciser.

Kvater/Kvaterin– Godfather/Godmother: those who carry the baby into the b’rit ceremony

Sandak – Person who holds the baby during the ceremony.

Seudat Mitzvah – A festive meal which honors the observance of a mitzvah.

Mi Sheberach – Literally: “May the One who blessed”. A prayer usually, but not solely, recited after a person has been honored with a Torah blessing. There are various forms of this prayer, one of which is used to name a child.

B’rit HaChayim – Literally: “covenant of life”. A home ceremony for the naming of baby girls.

Pidyon Haben/Habat – Literally: “redemption of the (first-born) son/daughter.”Home ceremony which takes place on the thirty-first day of a child’s life.

Kiddush Pe’ter Rechem – Modern ceremony celebrating the birth of the first child.

Ken Ayin Hara (Kinna Hurra) – Literally: “against the evil eye.”

CHANUKAH

Chanukah – Literally: dedication.

Chanukat HaBayit – Literally: dedication of the house.Ceremonial hanging of the mezuzah.

Menorah – Seven- or eight-branched candelabra. Most commonly used to refer to the eight-branched Chanukah lamp.

Chanukiah – Eight-branched Chanukah menorah.

Gelt – Yiddish word for “money”; given as a Chanukah present, used for playing dreidel.

Dreidel – Yiddish for “top”; used in Chanukah game. Known in Hebrew as “sevivon“.

Nes Gadol Hayah Sham – Literally: “A great miracle happened there.”First letters of these four words are found on the dreidel.

Latke – Yiddish word for “pancake”. Potato latkes are traditionally eaten on Chanukah.

Sufganiyot– Jelly doughnuts served in Israel on Chanukah.

CONVERSION

Ger/Gioret – “One who is invited to join the Hebrew tribe.”The masculine and feminine forms of the Hebrew term for convert.

Gerut – Conversion.

Halachah – Jewish Law.

Kabbalat Ol Mitzvot– Literally: “acceptance of the yoke if the commandments.”

Tevilah – Immersion in a ritual bath (mikveh) or any natural body of water which can serve as a mikveh.

Milah – Ritual circumcision.

DEATH

Gan Eden – Literally: Garden of Eden; paradise.

Gehinom – Literally: Valley of Hinom; place of punishment.

Kevod HaMet – Honor due to the dead.

Taharah – Ritual purification.

Tachrichim – Burial shrouds.

Chevrah Kadisha – Group of people entrusted with the mitzvah of preparing the body for burial.

El Malei Rachamim – Literally: “God, full of compassion”; memorial prayer.

Keriah – Tearing of a garment or a ribbon as an expression of grief.

Shivah – Seven-day mourning period beginning with the burial.

Sheloshim – Thirty-day mourning period.

Unveiling – Dedication of the grave marker.

Yahrzeit– Anniversary of the death.

Kaddish – Prayer praising God. There are several Kaddish prayers recited during the service, one of which is recited in memory of the departed.

Yizkor – Memorial services held on Yom Kippur and on the last day of Pesach, Shavout, and Sukot.

Seudat Havra’ah – Literally: meal of condolence; prepared by the friends of the mourners.

Mitzvah – Commandment; obligatory responses to our Jewish traditions.

Minyan – Quorum of ten people necessary for public prayer.

Tzedakah – Literally: justice, righteousness; the Hebrew word we use for charity.

JEWISH EDUCATION

Bar/Bat (Bas) Mitzvah – Ceremony marking youngster’s reaching the age of religious majority.

Haftarah – Selection from the Prophets read or chanted after the weekly Torah portion.

Talit (Talis) – Prayer shawl.

Hebrew School – After-school Hebrew classes.

Sunday School – Classes in history, customs, and ceremonies.

Religious School – Term that includes both Sunday school and Hebrew school, though in some synagogues it refers to only Sunday school. Sometimes Religious school is referred to as Torah school.

Cheder – Old-fashioned term for Hebrew school. In Eastern Europe, it was the primary school.

Shabbaton (pl. Shabbatonim) – A Sabbath program of study and celebration.

Kallah (pl. Kallot) – A conclave or retreat.

Chavurah (pl. Chavurot) – Informal group which meets together for study and celebration.

Ulpan (pl. Ulpanim) – Intensive Hebrew course.

MARRIAGE & HOME

Kiddushin – Marriage.

Ketubah (pl. Ketubot) – Marriage contract.

Chatan – Groom.

Kalah – Bride.

Chuppah – Canopy; it can be a talit, velvet or silk canopy, or floral arrangement.

Ring – Traditionally it is solid, without stones.

“Harei at mekudeshet li betaba’at zo kedat Mosheh v’Yisrael”– Literally: “Behold you are consecrated unto me, with this ring, according to the Law of Moses and Israel.” This is the Hebrew nuptial formula.

Sheva Berachot – Seven traditional blessings recited or chanted after the exchange of rings.

Kiddush Cup – For wine, which is drunk after the Sheva Berachot.

Glass to Break – There are various interpretations of the symbolism. The traditional explanation is that the glass is broken in memory of the destruction of the Temple.

Yichud – Time spent alone together by the bride and groom immediately after the wedding ceremony.

Aufruf – Calling up of the bridegroom for Torah blessings on the Shabbat preceding the wedding.

Mikveh – Ritual bath traditionally visited by the bride prior to the wedding.

Fasting – Bridal couple traditionally fasts on the wedding day prior to the ceremony.

Get – Religious divorce.

Chanukat HaBayit– Literally: dedication of the house.

Mezuzah – Ritual object consisting of a casing and a klaf (scroll) which is put on the doorpost(s) of the house.

Klaf – Handwritten mezuzah scroll containing Deuteronomy 6:4-9, 11:13-21.

Pushke – Tzedakah box.

Kosher – Ritually fit.

Trefe – Literally: torn apart; food that is not ritually fit. It is the opposite of kosher.

Parve – Containing neither meat/meat derivatives nor milk/milk derivatives and which can be eaten with either milk or meat meals, e.g., fruits, vegetables, eggs.

Milchig – Foods derived from milk or milk products.

Fleishig – Foods derived from meat or meat products.

PESACH

Pesach – Passover.

Seder – Literally: order; refers to program of prayers and rituals for the home celebration.

Haggadah (pl. Haggadot) – Literally: telling.It is our duty to tell the story of Passover, particularly to the children.

Matzah – The unleavened bread eaten in recollection of the hurried departure from Egypt. The eating of matzah is obligatory only at the seder. During the rest of Pesach, one may abstain from matzah as long as all chamets is avoided.

Chamets – Leavened bread and anything made with wheat, rye, barley, oats, and spelt unless supervised to ensure that it has not leavened.

The Four Cups – Each has a specific place in the service. The first serves as the Kiddush; the second is taken at the conclusion of the first part of the seder; the third is the cup marking the conclusion of the grace after the meal; the fourth cup comes at the conclusion of the seder. The four cups are said to refer to the promises of redemption made by God to Israel.

The Four Questions – Questions asked at the seder. The answers to the questions form the rest of the Haggadah.

The Cup of Elijah – Elijah is the herald of the Messianic Era when justice and peace will be realized.

Karpas – A green herb such as parsley or a green vegetable such as celery or watercress. It symbolizes spring.

Maror – The bitter herbs such as horseradish symbolizing the bitter plight of the enslaved Israelites.

Charoset – A mixture of fruits, nuts, and wine. Its color and consistency is a reminder of the bricks and mortar used by the Israelite slaves.

Shank Bone – Symbolic of the paschal sacrifice.

Egg – Represents the additional Passover festive offering, the “chagigah,” in the Temple.

Afikoman – A Greek word meaning “dessert.” We make the matzah the official dessert of the seder meal. To keep the children alert during the seder, the afikoman is hidden. The children find it and the leader of the seder must redeem it.

Opening the Door – We open the door to welcome symbolically the prophet Elijah.

Ma’ot Chitim – Literally: wheat money; money collected prior to Passover to assist the needy to celebrate the holiday.

Shabbat HaGadol– Literally: the Great Sabbath preceding Passover.

PURIM

Purim – Literally: lots.

Megillah (pl. Megillot) – Literally: scroll. There are five megillot in the Bible. The one read on Purim is Megillat Esther.

Grogger – Noisemaker used to drown out Haman’s name.

Purim Schpiel – Humorous play put on at Purim.

Shabbat Zachor– The Shabbat immediately preceding Purim. Its name is taken from the additional Torah portion read that day- Deuteronomy 25:17-19 – which begins with the word “zachor” (remember).

Mishlo’ach Manot– Sending portions of food to friends to celebrate the holiday; also referred to as “Shalach Monos“.

Hamantashen – Filled three-cornered pastries supposed to represent Haman’s hat.

ROSH HASHANAH

Rosh Hashanah – Literally: the “head of the year”; the New Year.

High Holy Days – Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. Also known as the “High Holidays” or “the Holidays”.

Shofar – Ram’s horn.

Chet – Literally: “missing the mark”; a Hebrew term for sin.

Teshuvah – Literally: “returning”; a Hebrew term for repentance.

Selichot – Penitential prayers.

Tashlich – Traditional ceremony in which individuals symbolically cast their sins into a body of water.

L’Shanah Tovah Tikatevu – New Year greeting meaning “May you be inscribed (in the Book of Life) for a good year,” sometimes shortened to “Shanah Tovah“.

Yom Tov – Literally: “a good day”.The term has come to mean “holiday”. It is often pronounced Yuntiff and the standard holiday greeting is “Good Yuntiff”.

Gemar Chatimah Tovah – Literally: “May you finally be inscribed (in the Book of Life) for good”. After Rosh Hashanah and through Yom Kippur, this greeting is used.

Machzor – High Holy Day prayer book.

SHABBAT

Shabbat – Sabbath.

Shabbos – Yiddish and Ashkenazic Hebrew pronunciation for the Sabbath.

Kodesh – Holy.

Kavanah – Intention.

Mitzvah – Commandments.

Minyan – Quorum of ten necessary for public worship.

Challah – Braided egg bread, for Shabbat and festivals.

Kiddush – Blessing recited or chanted over wine, emphasizing the holiness of Shabbat and festivals.

Tzedakah Box (Pushke in Yiddish) – Container for collecting money for charitable purposes. It is customary to give tzedakah prior to candlelighting in the home.

Havdalah – Literally: separation. Ceremony on Saturday night, dividing the Sabbath from the beginning of the week.

SHAVUOT

Shavuot – Literally: “weeks”. This festival occurs seven weeks after Pesach.

Confirmation – Ceremony marking completion of the religious school courses, often held on Shavuot.

Blintzes – Cheese- or fruit-filled crepes.

SIMCHAT TORAH

Simchat Torah – Literally: “Joy of the Torah.”Holiday marking the conclusion of the yearly cycle of Torah readings and the beginning of the new cycle.

Torah – Literally: “teaching.”In a narrow sense it is the Five Books of Moses, hand-written on a parchment scroll. In a broad sense, it is everything which flows from this (i.e. Judaism).

TaNaCH – Acronym for Torah, Nevi’im (Prophets), and Ketuvim (Writings)- the three sections of the Hebrew Bible.

Bimah – The raised platform in the synagogue where the Torah is read.

Aliyah -Literally: “going up”; the honor of being called to recite the blessings over the Torah.

Parashah – The weekly Torah portion.

Shemini Atseret – Literally: “the eighth day of assembly”; conclusion of Sukot.

Hakafah (pl. Hakafot)– Torah procession(s) around the sanctuary.

SUKKOT

Sukkot – Feast of Booths. Name of one of the Three Pilgrimage Festivals.

Sukah (pl. Sukot) – Booths, hut, or tabernacle covered with branches and decorated with hanging fruit, vegetables, and other decorations.

Ushpizin – Mythic guests invited to the sukkah.

Lulav– Palm branch, with myrtle and willow sprigs attached.

Etrog – Citron.

Hakafah (pl. Hakafot) – Procession, circling the sanctuary with the Torah.

YOM HA ATZMA-UT

Yom HaAtzma-ut – Literally: “Day of Independence”; Israeli Independence Day.

Diaspora – Jewish communities outside of Israel.

Galut – Exile.

Zionism – The belief that there should be a Jewish homeland in Zion (Israel).

Hora – Israeli folk dance.

YOM HaSHOAH

Yom HaShoah – Literally: “Holocaust Day.” A day set aside to remember the Holocaust and to honor the memory of those who perished.Shtetl (pl. Shtetlach) – A small Jewish village in Eastern Europe.

Yiddish – Judeo-German; the everyday language of the Jews of Eastern Europe.

Mamaloshen – Literally: “mother language”; affectionate term for Yiddish.

Pogrom – Organized attach on the Jewish community.

Anti-Semitism – An irrational hatred of Jews.

YOM KIPPURYom Kippur – Day of Atonement.

Shabbat Shuvah – Sabbath of Return, between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. It gets its name from its haftarah which begins “Shuvah Yisrael, Return, O Israel” (Hosea 14:2).

Kol Nidrei – Literally: all vows. Opening prayer for Yom Kippur eve.

Yizkor – Memorial service recited on Yom Kippur, as well as the last days of Sukot, Pesach, and Shavuot.

Yahrzheit Candle – Memorial candle lit on the anniversary of a loved one’s death and also on those days when Yizkor is recited.

Find more interfaith family resources on the Union’s Department of Outreach and Membershipwebsite.

Wed, May 23, 2012

Becoming a Jew

urjnetworkadmin / Interfaith Family Resources /

A pamphlet that answers basic questions about conversion in an easily accessible question and answer format.

Becoming a Jew

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