The History of the Jews in New Zealand

Glossary

Glossary

Ab Beth Din Presiding judge of an ecclesiastical court.
Aliyah To be called to the Reading of the Law.
Aliyoth Callings to the Reading of the Law.
Almemah The raised dais in the synagogue.
Ashkenazi(m) Eastern European Jew(s), or those who pray according to their rites. German(s).
Atuas Gods.
Bameh Madlikin "With what does one light?" An extract from the Talmud recited in some synagogues at the Friday evening services.
Bate Din Ecclesiastical courts.
Barmitzvah Literally "a son of the commandment". A lad who becomes thirteen years of age; the ceremony associated with it.
Ba'al Koreh The Reader of the Law.
Beth Din An ecclesiastical court.
Beth El The House of God.
Bimah The raised dais in the synagogue.
Brith A covenant. A circumcision.
Chevra Kadishah Burial Society.
Choveve Zion Lovers of Zion.
Eben Sappir Sapphire stone.
Eretz Israel The Land of Israel.
Ethrog A citron.
Gabbai d'Beth Almin Treasurer or supervisor of the cemetery.
Gere Zedek Righteous proselytes. Those who convert to Judaism because of belief.
Get A Jewish divorce.
Habonim The builders. A society of that name.
Hagesher The Bridge.
Haka A native Maori dance.
Hathan Bereshith "The Bridegroom of the Beginning". The person called to read the first portion of Genesis on the Festival of the Rejoicing of the Law.
Hathan Torah "The Bridegroom of the Law". The person called to read the last portion of the Pentateuch on the Festival of the Rejoicing of the Law.
Haphtorah The selection from the prophets read in the synagogues on Sabbaths and Festivals.
Hazzan Cantor. Reader.
Hevra Kadishah Burial Society.
Kaddish A mourner's prayer.
Kashered Made fit to be consumed or used according to Jewish dietary laws.
Kashruth Appertaining to Jewish dietary laws.
Kehilah Congregation. Community.
Knesseth Israel The Assembly of Israel.
Ketubah. Ketuboth Compulsory Jewish marriage maintenance agreement(s).
Kiddush Sanctification prayer recited over wine on Friday and Festival nights and on Sabbath and Festival mornings.
Kosher That which is fit to be consumed according to Jewish dietary laws.
Kol Nidre The Day of Atonement evening service.
Lulav A branch of the palm tree.
Matzah Unleavened bread.
Megilah A scroll. The scroll or the Book of Esther.
Metahar House Mortuary Chapel. The place where a dead body is cleansed.
Mezuzah. Mezuzoth The prayer(s) affixed to the right door posts of Jewish homes.
Minyan(im) A quorum of ten men over thirteen years of age, necessary if a service is to be considered a public service. A group (s) who conduct services in a room.
Minhag Polen The Polish custom. The Polish rite.
Mikvah A ritual bath.
Mizrahi Of the east. A society of that name.
Mohel(im) Circumcisor(s).
Morenu Our Teacher.
Neveh Zedek A righteous habitation. A name usually given to an orphanage.
Pa A fortified Maori village.
Padraos Portuguese coins.
Pakeha White man.
Purim The Feast of Lots. The Feast of Esther.
Rangatira no Uropi A gentleman from Europe.
Rosh Hashanah The Jewish New Year.
Sandek The person who holds the child during the circumcision ceremony.
Seder Order. The service at home on the first and second nights of the Passover.
Sedra The portion of the Law read in the synagogues on Sabbaths.
Sefer Barmitzvah The Barmitzvah Book of the Jewish National Fund.
Sefer Hamdinah The State Book of the Jewish National Fund.
Sefer Hayeled The Children's Book of the Jewish National Fund.
Sefer Torah The Scroll of the Law.
Sephardi(m) Spanish and Portuguese Jews and those who follow their ritual.
Sgan Vice. A person who stands next to the Reader of the Law and elects who should be called to the Torah.
Shehitah The act of ritual slaughtering.
Shema Hear. A prayer recited in the evening and morning which commences with that word.
Shivah The seven days of mourning for a close relative.
Shmud Conversion to Christianity.
Shofar A ram's horn.
Shohet(im) Ritual slaughterer(s).
Shool ganav Synagogue thief.
Sifre Torah Scrolls of the Law.
Simhas Torah The Festival of the Rejoicing of the Law.
Succah A booth used during the Tabernacle Festival.
Succoth The Tabernacle Festival.
Talith A praying shawl.
Torah The Law. The Scroll of the Law.
Trefah Unfit for consumption according to the Jewish dietary laws.
Tu B'Shvat The 15th of the Hebrew month of Shvat. Arbour Day. The New Year for Trees.
Utu Compensation, revenge (Maori).
Whare A Maori dwelling.
Yahrzeit The anniversary of a death.
Yeshivah. Yeshivoth Talmudical college(s).
Yekum Purkon May salvation be granted. A prayer recited on Sabbath mornings.
Yom Kippur The Day of Atonement.