Cholent (CHOH-luhnt)—A slow-cooking stew of beans, potatoes, and sometimes meat, traditionally prepared before the Sabbath and kept warm to be eaten at lunch on Saturday.
Kreplach (KREP-lekh)—Small dumplings filled with meat, cheese, or potato.
Mamaleh (MAH-muh-luh)—Literally, “sweet little mother,” but often used to mean “sweet little girl.”
Shabbes (SHAH-biss)—The day of Sabbath, which stretches from dusk on Friday to after nightfall on Saturday.
Shema (Shuh-MAH)—The central prayer of the Jewish religion, proclaiming the oneness of God, which is recited morning and evening.
Shiva (SHIH-vuh)—The traditional week of mourning after a Jew is buried, during which bereaved family members sit on cushions or a low couch, attended by visitors.
Shochet (SHOW-khet)—A slaughterer who is qualified by Jewish law to check that an animal is fit for consumption and to kill it in the quickest way.
Shtetl (SHTEH-t’l)—A small town or village where mostly Jews lived in Eastern Europe, up until the Second World War.
Shul (SHOOL)—Synagogue; a Jewish place of worship and study and also the center of the community.
Tsigele (TSIH-guh-luh)—A little goat.
Yarmulke (YAHR-muhl-kuh)—Skullcap or kippah, worn by most observant males at all times and by other Jewish males (and sometimes females) in the synagogue and while praying.