Popular Jewish Terms

Bar Mitzvah

Bar Mitzvah, means literally, son of the commandment. Bar Mitzvah refers to a 13-year old boy who is now required to observe the commandments. Colloquially, Bar Mitzvah has come to mean the celebration commemorating a boy's reaching age 13.

Bas Mitzvah

Bas Mitzvah, means literally, daughter of the commandment. Bas Mitzvah refers to a 12-year old girl who is now required to observe the commandments. Colloquially, Bas Mitzvah has come to mean the celebration commemorating a girl's reaching age 12.

Birkas HaMazon

Birkas HaMazon is a blessing of the food, commonly referred to as Grace After Meals. The recitation of birkas hamazon is called "bentsching" in Yiddish.

Bris

A Bris is the covenant of circumcision. It refers to the ritual circumcision of a male Jewish child, normally performed on the eighth day of his life. A male convert to Judaism also has a bris mila.

Chupah

A Chupah is a bridal canopy used in a Jewish wedding ceremony.

Kiddush

Kiddush means "sanctification". Kiddush is the prayer recited over wine sanctifying Shabbos or a Yom Tov.

Seder

See "Seder" in Passover Terms.

Seuda

Seuda is a meal, specifically a festive or Shabbos meal.

Shabbos

Shabbos is the seventh day of the week, which in the Jewish calendar begins at sunset on Friday and ends after dark on Saturday night.

Succah

A Succah is a temporary outdoor dwelling used during the holiday of Succos.

Yom Tov

Yom Tov refers to the holidays on the Jewish calendar. These include: Rosh Hashana (September or October), Yom Kippur (September or October), Succos (October), Chanukah (December), Tu B'Shvat (January or February), Purim (February or March), Passover (March or April), Shavuot (May or June) Tisha B'Av (July or August).