Hebrew Reading Crash Course

Bonus Class

Welcome to NJOP’s Bonus Class for Read Hebrew America’s Hebrew Reading Crash Courses!
We’ve included a list of more than 100 words and phrases that every Jew should know. You will find the female version of the word or phrases in parenthesis.

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Explanation	Transliteration	Hebrew
Miscellaneous Words
Conversation	seecha
Don’t worry	ahl tid’ag
No problem!	ain b’aya
Okay	b’seder
Everything is okay	ha’kol’ b’seder
One day at a time	yom yom
So, so	kacha, kacha
Quiet	sheket
This is, that’s it	zeh’hoo
Best wishes for success	b’hatzlacha
Thank G-d	baruch Hashem
100%	may’ah ah’chooz
Lovely, fine, wonderful, very nice	yoh’fee
It will be good	yeeh’yeh tohv
Certainly, of course	b’vah’die
It’s a pleasure, it was pleasant	na’eem m’ohd
Peace, goodbye, hello	shalom
How are you?	mah sh’lohm’cha (sh’loh’maych)
What is your name?	aych kohrim lecha (lach)
Where are you from?	may’ayin atah (aht)
Really	b’emet
Maybe	oo’lie
May it be at a good time	b’sha’ah tovah
Welcome	b’roochim ha’ba’im
Thank you very much	todah rabbah
Please, you’re welcome, don’t mention it	b’vakasha
Excuse me, forgiveness	s’licha
It’s nothing	ahl lo davar
One more time, again	ohd pa’am
Together	b’yachad	בְּיַחַד
Patience, tolerance	savla’noot
See you again, goodbye	l’hitra’oht
What’s doing?	mah nishma?
How much does this cost?	kah’mah zeh oleh
There is nothing that can be done	ayn mah la’asoht
Nerve (What nerve!)	chutz’pah
Have a good trip, bon voyage Related Jewish Treat	n’siyah tovah
Best wishes for a speedy recovery, complete recovery (lit.)	refu’ah shelaymah
G-d bless you – To your health (said after a sneeze)	livree’oot
Marriage
Wedding	chah’too’nah
Bride Related Jewish Treat	kallah
Groom Related Jewish Treat	chatan
Celebration, happiness, joy	simcha
Ketuba – Jewish marriage contract Related Jewish Treat	k’toovah
Chupah – marriage canopy	chupah
Rav – Rabbi Related Jewish Treat	Rav
Chazzan – Cantor	Chazzan
Good luck, congratulations	mazal tov
To your health, cheers, to life (lit.) Related Jewish Treat	l’chayim
Joyous Occasions
Family	mishpacha
Daughter Related Jewish Treat Related Jewish Treat	bat
Son	bayn
Circumcision Related Jewish Treat	b’rit meelah
Circumciser, Mohel Related Jewish Treat	mohel
Religious duty, obligation, colloquial – good deed	mitzvah/mitzvot (pl.)
Bat Mitzvah Related Jewish Treat	bat mitzvah
Bar Mitzvah Related Jewish Treat	bar mitzvah
Skullcap, yarmulkah	keepah
Tefillin, phylacteries Related Jewish Treat	te’fillin
Seudah – festive meal Related Jewish Treat	se’oodah
Happy Birthday Related Jewish Treat	Yom Hooledet Sameach
Death
Kaddish (prayer said by mourner daily or on Yahrzeit	Kaddish
Yizkor – remember (memorial prayer)	Yizkor
FuneralRelated Jewish Treat	l’vaya
Seven (days of mourning)Related Jewish Treat Related Jewish Treat	shiv’a
State of mourning	ah’vay’loot
Yahrzeit (Yiddish for the annual memorial of the day of passing)	Yom Hashana
Shabbat
Shabbat – SabbathRelated Twebrew School Post Related Twebrew School Post	shabbat
Bracha – blessing	b’racha
CandlesRelated Twebrew School Post Related Twebrew School Post Related Twebrew School Post	nay’roht
Kabbalat Shabbat – inauguration of the Sabbath	Kabbalat Shabbat
WineRelated Twebrew School Post	yah’yin
Kiddush – blessing said over wine Related Twebrew School Post	Kee’doosh
Challah – loaf of bread eaten on ShabbatRelated Twebrew School Post	challah
Ha’motzee – the blessing on breadRelated Twebrew School Post	Ha’motzee
AmenRelated Jewish Treat	ah’main
Zemirot – religious songs (sung at Shabbat table)Related Twebrew School Post	Z’mee’roht
Grace After MealsRelated Jewish Treat	Beerchat Ha’mahzone
Peaceful Shabbat (greeting)	shabbat shalom
Havdalah – prayer at the end of ShabbatRelated Jewish Treat	Havdallah
Have a good weekRelated Jewish Treat	shavoo’ah tov
Synagogue
SynagogueRelated Jewish Treat	bayt k’nesset
Tefilah – prayer	t’feelah
The Holy ArkRelated Jewish Treat	Aron Ha’kohdesh
TorahRelated Jewish Treat	Torah
Siddur – prayer bookRelated Jewish Treat	See’doohr
Aliya – being called up to the Torah * see Israel section for another translation of AliyaRelated Jewish Treat	Ah’lee’ah
Parsha – portion of the Torah (scripture)Related Jewish Treat	parashah	פָּרָשַׁת הַשָּׁבוּעַ
Minyan – group of ten adults needed for prayerRelated Jewish Treat	minyahn
Talit – Jewish prayer shawl	talit
Rosh Hashanah
Rosh Hashanah – head of the year, Jewish New YearRelated Jewish Treat	Rosh hashanah
Tashlich – prayer associated with casting away one’s sins	Tashlich
Return, repentanceRelated Jewish Treat Related Jewish Treat	t’shuvah
Tzedakah – charityRelated Jewish Treat Related Jewish Treat	tzedakah
Shofar – ram’s hornRelated Jewish Treat	shofar
(A blessing for) a good and sweet yearRelated Jewish Treat	shana tova oo’m’too’kah
Yom Kippur
Yom Kippur – Day of AtonementRelated Jewish Treat	Yom Kippur
Kol Nidrei prayer – a prayer about nullifying vows – all vows (lit.)Related Jewish Treat	Kol Nidrei
High Holidays – Days of Awe	Yamin No’rah’im
Sukkot
Sukkot – TabernaclesRelated Jewish Treat	Soo’coat
Lulav – palm branchRelated Jewish Treat	Loolav
Etrog – citronRelated Jewish Treat	Etrohg	אתרוג
Dancing in a circle with the Torah on the holiday of Simchat Torah (le’ha’keef – to surround)Related Jewish Treat	Hakafot	הקפות
Sukkah – hutRelated Jewish Treat	Soo’kah	סוּכָּה
Chanukah
Chanukah – Festival of LightsRelated Jewish Treat	Chanukah
Donuts	soof’gahnee’oat
Dreidel – spinning topRelated Jewish Treat	s’vee’vohn
Menorah – lampRelated Jewish Treat	Menorah
Latkes – potato pancakes	L’vee’voat
Purim
PurimRelated Jewish Treat	Poorim
Mishloach Manot – gifts of food given on PurimRelated Jewish Treat	Mishloach Ma’noat
The book of EstherRelated Jewish Treat	Megillat Esther
Passover
PassoverRelated Jewish Treat	Peh’sach
Seder – order, name of special meal and proceedings for the first and second nights of PassoverRelated Jewish Treat	Say’dehr
Haggadah – Telling (of the story)Related Jewish Treat	Haggadah
Mah Nishtana – Why is this different?, song sung at the sederRelated Jewish Treat	Mah Nishtana
Dayeinu – enough – song sung at the seder	da’yay’noo
Bitter herbsRelated Jewish Treat	Maror
Afikoman – piece of matzah eaten as dessert at the seder	Ahfee’ko’man
Elijah’s CupRelated Jewish Treat	Kos Shel Ay’lee’yahoo
Shavuot
Shavuot, Pentacost, weeks(lit.)Related Jewish Treat	Sha’voo’oat
The Book of RuthRelated Jewish Treat	Megillat Root
Mt. SinaiRelated Jewish Treat Related Jewish Treat	Hahr Sinai
The Ten CommandmentsRelated Jewish Treat	Aseret Ha’dib’roat
Israel
Israel	Yisrael
Land of Israel	Eh’retz Yisrael
State of IsraelRelated Jewish Treat	M’deenat Yisrael
“*Aliya – immigration to Israel see “sanctuary” section for another translation of Aliya”	Ah’lee’ah
JerusalemRelated Jewish Treat	Y’roo’sha’lah’yim
Kotel – The Wall, The Western WallRelated Jewish Treat	Ha’koh’tel
Hatikvah – The Hope, Israel’s National AnthemRelated Jewish Treat	Ha’tikvah

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Hebrew

Throughout Jewish history, Hebrew has been a connection between Jewish communities around the world. For many modern Jews, learning Hebrew is the first step to reconnecting with their roots.

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