religion, faith - institution to express belief in a divine power; "he was raised in the Baptist religion"; "a member of his own faith contradicted him"

Jewish Orthodoxy, Orthodox Judaism - Jews who strictly observe the Mosaic Law as interpreted in the Talmud

Conservative Judaism - Jews who keep some of the requirements of the Mosaic Law but allow for adaptation of other requirements (as some of the dietary laws) to fit modern circumstances

Reform Judaism - the most liberal Jews; Jews who do not follow the Talmud strictly but try to adapt all of the historical forms of Judaism to the modern world

Jewry - Jews collectively

mitsvah, mitzvah - (Judaism) a good deed performed out of religious duty

aliyah - (Judaism) immigration of Jews to Israel; "students making aliyah"

mikvah - (Hebrew) a ritual purification and cleansing bath that Orthodox Jews take on certain occasions (as before Sabbath or after menstruation)

Passover supper, Seder - (Judaism) the ceremonial dinner on the first night (or both nights) of Passover

Ark, Ark of the Covenant - (Judaism) sacred chest where the ancient Hebrews kept the two tablets containing the Ten Commandments

holy of holies, sanctum sanctorum - (Judaism) sanctuary comprised of the innermost chamber of the Tabernacle in the temple of Solomon where the Ark of the Covenant was kept

menorah - (Judaism) a candelabrum with nine branches; used during the Hanukkah festival

Menorah - (Judaism) a candelabrum with seven branches used in ceremonies to symbolize the seven days of creation

prayer shawl, tallith, tallis - (Judaism) a shawl with a ritually knotted fringe at each corner; worn by Jews at morning prayer

synagogue, tabernacle, temple - (Judaism) the place of worship for a Jewish congregation

Tabernacle - (Judaism) a portable sanctuary in which the Jews carried the Ark of the Covenant on their exodus

Qabbala, Qabbalah, Cabala, Cabbala, Cabbalah, Kabala, Kabbala, Kabbalah - an esoteric theosophy of rabbinical origin based on the Hebrew scriptures and developed between the 7th and 18th centuries

Cabalism, Kabbalism - the doctrines of the Kabbalah

mitsvah, mitzvah - (Judaism) a precept or commandment of the Jewish law

monotheism - belief in a single God

Orthodox Judaism - beliefs and practices of a Judaic sect that strictly observes Mosaic Law

Conservative Judaism - beliefs and practices of Conservative Jews

Reform Judaism - beliefs and practices of Reform Jews

Megillah - (Judaism) the scroll of parchment that contains the biblical story of Esther; traditionally read in synagogues to celebrate Purim

Torah - (Judaism) the scroll of parchment on which the first five books of the Hebrew Scripture is written; is used in a synagogue during services

Talmudic literature - (Judaism) ancient rabbinical writings

aliyah - (Judaism) the honor of being called up to the reading desk in the synagogue to read from the Torah; "he was called on for an aliyah"

phylactery, tefillin - (Judaism) either of two small leather cases containing texts from the Hebrew Scriptures (known collectively as tefillin); traditionally worn (on the forehead and the left arm) by Jewish men during morning prayer

Hallel - (Judaism) a chant of praise (Psalms 113 through 118) used at Passover and Shabuoth and Sukkoth and Hanukkah and Rosh Hodesh

bar mitzvah - (Judaism) an initiation ceremony marking the 13th birthday of a Jewish boy and signifying the beginning of religious responsibility; "a bar mitzvah is an important social event"

bas mitzvah, bat mitzvah, bath mitzvah - (Judaism) an initiation ceremony marking the 12th birthday of a Jewish girl and signifying the beginning of religious responsibility

blintz, blintze - (Judaism) thin pancake folded around a filling and fried or baked

challah, hallah - (Judaism) a loaf of white bread containing eggs and leavened with yeast; often formed into braided loaves and glazed with eggs before baking

Jewish rye, Jewish rye bread - (Judaism) bread made with rye flour; usually contains caraway seeds

kishke, stuffed derma - (Judaism) roasted fowl intestines with a seasoned filling of matzo meal and suet

dibbuk, dybbuk - (Jewish folklore) a demon that enters the body of a living person and controls that body's behavior

Kabbalist, Cabalist - a student of the Jewish Kabbalah

golem - (Jewish folklore) an artificially created human being that is given life by supernatural means

Sabbatarian - one who observes Saturday as the Sabbath (as in Judaism)

Hebrew calendar, Jewish calendar - (Judaism) the calendar used by the Jews; dates from 3761 BC (the assumed date of the creation of the world); a lunar year of 354 days is adjusted to the solar year by periodic leap years

Jewish New Year, Rosh Hashana, Rosh Hashanah, Rosh Hashona, Rosh Hashonah - (Judaism) a solemn Jewish feast day celebrated on the 1st or 1st and 2nd of Tishri; noted for the blowing of the shofar