Hush (40 page)

And TZ isn’t a misspelling. Make a sound like a hiss, but put a soft “t” before the hiss.

Because Yiddish was spoken by Jews in many different countries, each sect has developed its own pronunciations for words and phrases. This pronunciation guide is meant to represent the language of the author’s specific sect of
Chassidim
.

Also note that Orthodox Jews consider the name of their deity to be too sacred to be written out fully, so they have adopted the practice of spelling the name as G-d as a sign of respect.

We have used the following letters to represent vowel sounds within the words:

Agudath Yisroel
(ah-guh-DAS YIS-ruh-el): largest and most influential ultra-Orthodox communal organization, representing political and social interests of
Chassidim
to the outside world.

Ba’al Shem Tov
(bah-AL SHAME TOVE): legendary founder of
Chassidic
Judaism (1698–1760).

bachur
(BOO-chir): young, unmarried man.

badchan
(bahd-CHIN): comedian and wedding entertainer.

Bais Medrash
(BAYS MEHD-rish): Grand Synagogue.

Bais Yaakov Times
(BASE yah-COVE TIMES): book series about a group of girls who attend the same Orthodox school.

Bar Mitzvah
(BAR mits-VEH): celebration of a boy’s reaching manhood upon his thirteenth birthday. After the ceremony, he takes his place as a full adult in the religion’s rituals and responsibilities.

Baruch Hashem
(BUH-ruch hah-SHEM): “Blessed is G-d”; commonly used in conversation.

Bas Mitzvah
(BUHT mits-VEH): female coming-of-age celebration; see
Bar Mitzvah
.

Be’ezras Hashem
(bih-ez-RAS hah-SHEM): “With G-d’s Help.”

bekeshe
(BEHK-ish-ih): black overcoat worn by
Chassidim
on the Sabbath and special occasions.

Bikur Cholim
(bih-KUHR CHO-lim): respected organization that helps the sick financially and emotionally.

blatt
(BLOT): section of the Talmud.

bli ayin harah
(BLEE EYE-in HUH-ruh): “without the evil eye”; religious expression believed to prevent the evil eye from cursing a person. Example: “The baby is beautiful,
bli ayin harah.
”

bracha
(BRUH-chuh),
singular
;
brachos
(BRUH-choys),
plural
:
blessing(s).

bubba
(BUH-bih):
grandma.

Chai
(CHEYE): the number 18, which symbolizes life.

chametz
(CHOO-mitz): bread, grains, and leavened products forbidden on Passover.

chassan
(CHEW-sin): groom.

Chassid
(CHOO-sid): follower of a strict form of Orthodox Judaism.

Chassidish Tzietin
(chah-SEE-dish TZEYE-tin):
Chassidic Times
—a weekly newspaper.

Chassidus
(CHAH-sid-oos): Orthodox Jewish sect founded in the Ukraine around 1750, characterized by religious zeal, avoidance of modern dress and customs, and a spirit of prayer, joy, and charity.

Chassidustah
(chah-SEE-dis-TUH):
female
Chassid
.

chatzitsa
(chah-TZEE-tzuh): anything that might prevent contact between a woman’s skin and water during the ritual cleansing; example: nail polish.

chazan
(CHAH-zin): cantor, or the person who leads the congregation in song.

cheder
(CHAY-der): boys’ elementary
yeshiva
, or school.

cherem
(CHAY-rim): ban; a person who violates the
rebbe
’s orders will often be put under a
cherem
and be expelled from the community.

chessed
(CHES-ed): good deeds, charity.

Chillul Hashem
(CHIL-il hah-SHEM): desecration of G-d’s name.

chumash
(CHOO-mish): the five books of the Old Testament.

chuppah
(CHU-pah): canopy under which marriage is performed.

chutzpa
(CHOOTZ-puh): audacity, guts.

cocosh
(CUH-cush): cocoa flavored, as in
cocosh
cake.

D’var Torah
(d-VAHR TOY-ruh): sermon, or a thought, from the Torah.

daven
(DAH-vin): to pray by making a repeated bowing motion.

Eishes Chayil
(AY-shes CHAY-il): “Woman of Valor.”

ervah
(ER-vuh): forbidden; often referring to women’s hair or to sexuality.

fakachtah
(fah-KAHCH-tih): old and broken-down.

fineh bachur
(FEYE-neh BOO-chir): fine, or good, boy.

fineh yingeman
(FEYE-neh YEENG-ih-mahn): fine, or good, young man.

Gan Eden
(GAHN AY-den): Paradise.

ganuv
(GAH-niv): thief.

gehenim
(gi-HEN-im): hell.

gesheften
(gih-SHEF-tin): lies, rumors, or tricks; a deception.

geshmake
(gih-SHMAHK-ih): positive expression of emphasis. Example: “That’s a
geshmakeh
cake!”

gevald
(gih-VALD): expression of wonder, surprise, or frustration.

gezinta
(gih-ZIN-tih): expression of emphasis; see
geshmake
.

goy
(GOY),
singular
;
goyim
(GOY-im),
plural
: gentile(s) or non-Jew(s).

goyishe
(GOY-ih-shuh): in a gentile or non-Jewish way.

goytah
(GOY-tih): female gentile or non-Jew.

graggers
(GRAH-gers): noisemakers used on Purim.

Grand Rebbe
(GRAND REH-bee): leader, or head, rabbi of a sect.

Gut Shabbos
(GIT SHAH-bis): “Good Sabbath”; said on Friday evenings or Saturdays.

Haman
(HUH-mun): historic figure in the Torah who was an evil adviser to the king of Persia and tried to exterminate the Jews.

Hashem
(hah-SHEM): G-d.

Hatzalah
(hah-TZUH-luh): Orthodox ambulance crew run by volunteers.

Havdalah
(hav-DUH-luh): short blessing over wine and candlelight that marks the symbolic end of Sabbath.

kallah
(KAH-luh): bride.

kavanah
(kah-VUH-nuh): sincere focus in prayer, learning, or blessing. Example: “Do not say it out of habit; say it with
kavanah
.”

Kibud Av Va’Em
(kih-BOOD UV voo-AIM): the fifth commandment, “honor one’s father and mother.”

kiddush
(KIH-dish): blessing recited over wine or grape juice to sanctify the Sabbath.

kippa
(KEE-pah): skull cap worn by men at all times, as it says in the Talmud: “Cover your head in order that the fear of heaven may be upon you.”

kneidlech
(ka-NEYED-lich): matzo-meal balls cooked in soup.

kollel
(KOY-lel): higher institution for Torah learning for married men.

kugel
(KOO-gul): strudel.

L’chaim
(li-CHEYE-im): “To life”; blessing used at any celebration over a small cup of wine.

L’Shem Shamayim
(li-SHAME shuh-MEYE-im): “In the name of heaven.”

La’Yehudim
(LAH yi-HEW-dim): “For the Jews.”

latkes
(LAHT-kis): fried potato pancakes traditionally eaten on Chanukah.

litvish
(LITvish): non-
Chassidic
ultra-Orthodox group originating from Lithuania before the Holocaust; just as fanatic as—and in some ways more than—
Chassidim
.

lokshon kugel
(LUHK-shin KOO-gul): noodle strudel.

loshon harah
(LUH-shin HUH-ruh): speaking evil of other Jews.

lulav
(LOO-luv): ripe, green, closed frond from a date palm tree used as a symbol on the high holidays.

Maccabim
(MAH-kah-bim): heroic warriors who defeated the Greeks and rescued the Temple in ancient Israel; their story is celebrated on Chanukah.

maggid shiur
(MAH-gid SHEE-ur): Torah scholar who is a teacher of the Talmud in boys’ high schools.

maidel
(MEYE-del);
also
,
maideleh
(MEYE-de-luh): girl.

Mashgiach
(mahsh-GEE-ach): person who supervises and ensures that kosher establishments are following all necessary practices.

mashgichim
(mahsh-GEE-chim): boy’s moral supervisor in
yeshiva
.

Mashiach
(muh-SHEE-ach): the Messiah.

masmid
(MAHS-mid): one who has the ability to focus intently and for many hours on learning.

matzo
(MAH-tzuh): large crackerlike unleavened bread eaten on Passover.

mazel tov
(MAH-zul TUHV): congratulations.

Me’or Ha’Talmud Cheder
(mih-UHR hah-TAL-mud CHAY-der): name of an Orthodox elementary school.

mechitzah
(mih-CHEE-tzah): wooden or plastic temporary partitions used to separate men and women at celebrations or events.

megillah
(mih-GIL-ah): scroll containing the biblical story of Purim; read in temple on Purim night and morning.

menorah
(min-OY-ruh): candelabra used on Chanukah to light eight candles in memory of the miracle of the Maccabim.

mensch
(MENSH): good, decent person.

meshugah
(mih-SHIH-gih): crazy.

meshugunah
(mih-SHIH-gih-nah): crazy person.

mikvah
(MIK-vih): ritual bath used by a married Jewish woman to purify her body after menstruation and before she can resume sexual relations with her husband.

mincha
(MIN-chih): evening prayers.

minhag
(MIN-hig): tradition.

mishamish
(mih-SHAHM-ish): personal assistant to the
rebbe
.

mishloach manos
(mish-LOY-och MOO-noys): Purim presents given to family and friends on the holiday.