Shechinah
the divine presence
shechita
ritual slaughter
sheitel
the wig worn by married women
Shema, beni!
‘Hear, my son!’; exclamation of surprise
Shema Yisrael Adonai Eloheinu
‘Hear, O Israel, the Lord is our God…’; beginning of the most important Jewish prayer
Shemoneh Esrei
the eighteen blessings,
shidduch
arranged marriage
shirayim
the leftovers from the rabbi’s table, revered by the Hassidim as having healing powers
Shir Hama’a lot
‘song of ascents’, sung before the mealtime prayer
shiur
a lesson
shiva pl. shivas
the traditional week-long period of mourning
shlachmones
see mishloach manot
shlattenschammes
gofer, skivvy
shmatten past participle geshmat
to baptise (of a Jew)
shmattes
fabrics; rags
shmontses
unimportant, worthless things
shnoder
to donate
shnorrer
a beggar
shochet
ritual slaughterer
shockel
to rock rhythmically while praying
shofar
ram’s horn blown on Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur (q.v.)
shomer
watchman
shtiebel
small (Hassidic) room for communal prayer
shtraiml
Hassidic fur hat
shul
synagogue
siddur
prayer book
sidra
weekly reading from the Torah
simcha
celebration
Simchas Torah
celebration at the end of the annual cycle of Torah readings
siyum
celebration at the end of a unit of Torah study
sude
solemn Sabbath dinner
sukkah
tabernacle
Sukkot
feast of tabernacles
tallis
prayer shawl
Talmid chochem
Talmud scholar
Talmud-Torah Association
association for the religious education of laypeople
Tata
father
Techías Hameisim
resurrection of the dead
tefillin
phylacteries, black boxes worn on the head and affixed with straps
tehillim
psalms
tekiyoh
a blast on the shofar (q.v.)
Tenach
the Old Testament
tochus
bottom, backside
treyf
forbidden by dietary laws
tsadik
a pious, holy man
tseylem
cross, crucifix
tsibeles
a speciality made from chopped onions
tsuris
sorrow
tzdoke
charity donation
va’ad
a council meeting, synod; committee
viduy
the confession of sins
Voch
the days of the week apart from the Sabbath
voyleh Juden
respected Jews
women’s shul
the part of the synagogue reserved for women
yahrzeit candle
candle lit on the anniversary of the death of a deceased relative
yeshiva
Talmudic college
yis’chadesh
‘May it renew’, word of congratulation used for a new item of clothing
Yisgadal veyiskadash shmey raba
‘Magnified and sanctified be his great name’, the opening words of the Kaddish (q.v.)
yishuv
‘settlement’; term applied to the Jewish population in Palestine
Yom Kippur
Day of Atonement
Yontev
feast, celebration
yontevdik
festive
Yossel Pendrik
derisory name for Christ on the cross