Dictionary of Jewish Words (A JPS Guide)

Organized in an A to Z format for easy reference, the Dictionary of Jewish Words contains 1,200 entries derived from Yiddish, Hebrew, Aramaic, and English. The entries include words for and associated with Jewish holidays and life-cycle events, culture, history, the Bible and other sacred texts, worship, and more. Each entry has a pronunciation guide and is cross-referenced to other related terms. The introduction is an excellent primer on the history of Jewish words, their transliteration, and pronunciation. The indexes at the back, arranged by categories, help readers easily find the words they want, even when they don’t know the exact spelling. This handy and very accessible dictionary is an excellent resource not just for Jews, but for anyone who wants to check the meaning, spelling, and/or pronunciation of Jewish words.

Joyce Eisenberg and Ellen Scolnic are the authors of Dictionary of Jewish Words: A JPS Guide. Their speech topics include “Bar and Bat Mitzvah Memories: Coming of Age Through the Ages,” “Shmoozing With the Word Mavens: Defining Moments in Jewish Tradition,” and “From Manna to Mandelbread: Jewish Soul Food Through the Ages.”