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