Glossary

aize bardak (Hebrew)–what a mess

Ashkenazi–Jew from Central and Eastern Europe

bezrat Hashem (Hebrew)–with the help of God

Botz–Israeli thick black coffee

boychik (Yiddish)–little boy

budke (Yiddish)–kiosk

bupkes (Yiddish)–very little; not worth much

boureka–Middle Eastern fluffy pastry, often filled with cheese, potato, or spinach

causus belli (Latin)–justification for conflict

chutzpah (Yiddish)–cheek, audacity

dunam–measure of land equivalent to about 900 square meters. About four dunams to the acre

Fatah–Yasser Arafat’s Palestinian nationalist political party, the largest faction of the Palestine Liberation Organization

fedayeen–Palestinian guerrilla fighters

Golani–Israeli infantry brigade

hanukiah–nine-candle candelabra used for Hanukah services

HaOlam HaZeh–Israeli irreverent weekly news magazine

imam–Mosque prayer leader

inshallah (Arabic)–God willing

kapo–Jewish concentration camp block commander, condemned as Nazi collaborator

Kirya–Israel’s military headquarters in Tel Aviv

kushari–Egyptian dish of rice and lentils and more

kushi (Hebrew)–derogatory slang for black person; means “blackie”

linsen and spätzle–South German lentils and noodle dish

Makim course–squad leaders course in the army

ma’abara–Israeli refugee absorption camps in the 1950s; became synonym for slum or shantytown

meshugge (Yiddish)–crazy person

Mizrahi–Eastern Jews from mostly Arab lands

mulukhiya–Egyptian vegetable dish

Palmach–pre-state Jewish underground that fought British mandate soldiers as well as Arabs

proteksia (Yiddish)–favoritism, using connections to get a job or to achieve something

schmatte trade (Yiddish)–rag trade

Sephardim–Jew of Middle Eastern origin as well as from Spain and Portugal

shlemiel (Yiddish)–dope; clumsy person

Shin Bet–Israel’s domestic secret service. Also known as Shabak and GSS, General Security Service

Ya Allah (Arabic)–exclamation, Oh my God, my dear God!

yekke (Hebrew)–Jew of German-speaking origin. Used semi-humorously for someone who wears a tie and jacket on a hot day, who is punctual and precise