There are videos of these signs on YouTube at Jewish signs... (1), which contains general vocabulary from "Aaron" to "Levi"; Jewish signs... (2), which contains basic vocabulary from "Maariv" to "Yom Kippur" and a section on Brit Milah; Jewish signs... (3), which has sections on signs for the High Holidays, Passover, Purim, and other Holidays and Misc; and Jewish signs... (4), which has a section on signs for the Holocaust. This webpage is to describe the structure and origin of the signs glossed here and shown on YouTube and can serve as a printed reference if you cannot access the Web.

EXPLANATION OF THE GLOSSING SYSTEM USED

Survival signs (General and Shabbat)

Brit milah

Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur

Passover

Purim

Other Holidays and Misc.

Holocaust

Survival signs (General and Shabbat)

EXPLANATION OF THE GLOSSING SYSTEM USED

Jewish signs an educated interpreter should know (1).General vocabulary from "Aaron" to "Levi".

Aaron, Aharon (haKohain)

(2h)[A], FTs touch area under the throat, separate while moving to the shoulders, then descend down the sides of the chest. (< the breastplate worn by the High Priest).

Abraham, Avraham (Avinu)

[A] strikes the web (between the thumb and forefinger) of [B], like BOTHER, but a single movement. (< Angel stopping Abraham from sacrificing his son Isaac)

aliyah (called to bless the Torah)

SUMMON BLESS TORAH.

aliyah (settle in Israel)

MOVE-AWAY SETTLE ISRAEL.

altar, mizbeach

(2h)[B], POs down, FOs away, touch, separate, and move downwards with palms facing.

Amen!

[A] stamps ulnar [pinky] side against upturned palm of [B].

Amidah, Shemoneh Esreh

SILENT PRAY (see entry for "pray").

ark (in the synagogue), aron

TORAH + (2h)[C] grasps vertical Torah as it is put into a cabinet + CLOSE-DOORS.

Ark (of the Covenant), Aron haBrit

BOX AGREE RELATIONSHIP-WITH-God.

Ashkenaz, Ashkenazic, Ashkenazi, Ashkenazim

[A], PO away from signer, FO up, brushes down cheek. (< an Israeli sign that denotes pale skin, as opposed to the Separdim who have dark skin)

Avot, Avos, Patriarchs

FATHER (2h)LONG-AGO.

bar mitzvah

NDH [bX], PO down, FO > DS, DH [bX] wraps an imaginary strap around the wrist. (< The boy is old enough now to put on tefillin)

bat mitzvah

GIRL + NDH [bX], PO down, FO > DS, DH [bX] wraps an imaginary strap around the wrist. (< The girl is old enough now to put on tefillin, although most girls don't)

(Jewish) Bible, Tahnach

GOD BOOK. (Don't sign JESUS BOOK!)

bimah (synagogue stage)

(2h)[B], POs down, FOs away, touch thumbsides, separate, twist so that POs ><, and move downwards.

bless, blessing, brocha

(2h)[O^], POs ><, held at mouth. Hands are brought downwards while opening to (2h)[5].

cantor, chazzan

C-MUSIC AGENT.

Chanukah

(2h)[4], POs away (some use POs >) signer, FOs up, index fingers touch and then separate while sweeping down and then up in an arc, like the arms of a candelabra.

Chassid, Chassidim, peyot, paiyos

(2h)[1] touch the start of the sideburns and descend in spirals. (< the side curls that some Chassidim wear)

(The) Children of Israel, Bnei Yisrael

(2h)#ALL JEWISH PEOPLE. The first sign is (2h)[A], POs ><, FOs up, are held at shoulder height and move away while opening to (2h)[L].

Chumash, Chumashim

TORAH BOOK, where the first sign is (2h)[S], POs up, twist twice while separating, as if unrolling a scroll.

cohen, kohen (priest), kohanim

The hands are held with thumbs touching, POs face away from signer, and the fingers are held together but split between the middle and ring fingers, like Mr. Spock on Star Trek (Leonard Nemoy is a cohen and got the gesture from the one which is used to bless the people during holidays).

Cohen Gadol, Kohen Gadol, the High Priest

The sign for KOHEN described above + ADVANCED.

concentration camp, death camp

NAZI PRISON.

congregation, tzibbur, kehillah

(2h)[5:], POs down, FOs > signer, hands are drawn away as if looking at a crowd of people.

Conservative

"C".

daaven, pray, prayer, tefillah

(2h)[B], POs up, are crossed over one other, as if reading from a book. The hands are rocked to and fro. (< the rocking movement used by the most religious and the fact that all prayers are canonized and read from a book)

David haMelekh, King David

D-KING.

Diaspora (Jews outside of Israel)

JEWISH PEOPLE LIVE OUTSIDE ISRAEL. See the entry for "Israel", which may be different than you expect.

Diaspora (the Dispersion)

WORLD, JEWISH SPREAD.

Divine Presence, the Shekhinah

GOD TOGETHER US.

Elokim, Elohim, God

GOD.

the Exodus, Yetziat Mitzrayim, Yetzias Mitzrayim

EGYPT, JEWISH PEOPLE ESCAPE + (2h)[S], POs down, FOs away, open to (2h)[5] and move forward with wg.

fast, taanit, tainis, tzom

[B], FO > NDS, draws FT across lips. (< the closing of the lips)

festival, holiday, yom tov

(1) CELEBRATE. (2) (2h)[5], POs ><, tap thumbs on respective sides of chest.

Galut, Galus (as a place), in Exile

OUTSIDE ISRAEL.

Galut, Galus, the Exile

GOD PUNISH JEWISH HOW? LEAVE ISRAEL MUST.

glilah

#DO-DO? TORAH, mime tying a knot in the vertical Torah + (2h)[C] slip down the covering.

Git Shabbes!

GOOD SHABBAT. See entry for "Sabbath".

Haftarah

PREDICT WRITE, EXTRACT. The last sign is (2h)[V], POs ><, FO AWAY. Hands are brought upward while fingers bend into (2h)[V:].

hagbah

#DO-DO? TORAH, LIFT-UP-BY-HANDLES SHOW"all".

Halacha, Jewish Law

JEWISH LAW.

Hallelujah!

CLAP-HANDS + CELEBRATE + open hands into (2h)[5] while lifting, all done in a smooth continuous motion. (< Hebrew, "Let us praise God!")

haShem, Adonai, the Lord

[B], PO up, hand held high sweeps to one side.

Havdalah

(2h)[loose E], POs up, FOs away, hands pronate and supinate. (< watching the fingers' shadows from the candle on your palms)

High Holy Days, Ten Days of Awe, Aseret Yemai T'shuvah

ROSH HASHANA + [B], PO > NDS, sweeps from NDS to DS + palm of [A] is beaten against heart. (< blowing the shofar and the gesture of repentance)

Holocaust, Shoah

MIX-UP DESTROY.

holy, qadosh

PURE. Like the sign CLEAN, but is an intensive form where the DH moves slightly > NDS on the palm before it moves > DS.

Holy of Holies, Qadosh Q'doshim

PLACE TOP* PURE.

incense, b'samim

SMELL + [5^], PO down, starts at end of NDH index finger (incense stick) and circles upwards like smoke.

Isaac, Yitzchak (Avinu)

[I] taps fingertip against throat. (< the attempted sacrifice of Isaac by his father, Abraham)

Isaiah, Yishayahu (haNavi)

NDH [B], PO down, FO > DS is held at chin level, and [I], PO away, FO up, moves under the NDH and up. (< I-PREDICT)

Israel, Yisrael, Eretz Yisrael, haAretz

[5^], PO > signer, strokes imaginary beard on NDS of chin and then DS.

Jacob, Ya'akov (Avinu)

[I] draws an downward arcing line under the lips.

Jew, Jewish, Hebrew

[5^], PO > signer, strokes imaginary beard.

Judaism, Yehadut

JEWISH RELIGION.

Kaddish

K-A-D-D-I-S-H.

Kashrut, Kashrus, kosher

Ulnar [pinky] side of [S] stamps upturned palm. (< the stamp the certifies something is kosher)

Kedusha

(1) PURE is signed three times while hands are raised a bit higher each time. (2) (2h)[B], POs up, are crossed over one other, as if reading from a book, and the body is raised onto tiptoes three times. (< the body language used during this prayer)

kiddush

[5:], PO up, FO away, is raised as if lifting a cup of wine.

King Solomon, Shlomo haMelekh

S-KING.

kippa, yarmulke

(2h)[bC] place a round cap on the top of the head.

L'chayim!

(2h)[C dot] strike together like making a toast + LIFE is signed emphatically.

lehn, read from the Torah

TORAH READ VOICE.

Levi, Levite

(2h)[L], FTs touch area under the throat, separate while moving to the shoulders, then descend down the sides of the chest. (< the breastplate worn by the High Priest).

Jewish signs... (2).Basic vocabulary from "Maariv" to "Yom Kippur".

Maariv, Aravit

EVENING PRAY. The last sign is (2h)[B], POs up, are crossed over one other, as if reading from a book. The hands are rocked to and fro.

Magen David, Mogen Dovid

JEWISH STAR.

Mazel Tov!

(1) CONGRATULATIONS. (2) The Hebrew sign, just for fun, is DH [5^] strikes wrist against the wrist of the NDH [5^], PO up, then [5^] is held high with PO > signer and is brought down and closed into an [O^].

mechitzah

WALL DIVIDE MAN WOMAN.

Menorah (in the Temple)

(2h)[1], POs away from signer, FOs up, index fingers touch and then separate while sweeping down and then up in an arc, like the arms of a candelabra, as they rise the handshape changes to (2h)[3]. (< the seven branches of the Menorah in the Tabernacle and Temple, not the one used for Channukah)

Meshiach, Moshiach, Messiah

M-KING. (< its original meaning "anointed king")

mezzuzah

The DH [G] runs the extended fingertips against the NDH [B], PO facing the dominant side, FO up. (< The shape of a mezzuzah attached to a door)

Mincha

AFTERNOON PRAY. The last sign is (2h)[B], POs up, are crossed over one other, as if reading from a book. The hands are rocked to and fro.

minyan

M-GROUP. (< the minimum number of people that can pray together and say Kaddish)

Misheberach

HONOR PEOPLE NEED BLESSING.

Mishkan, Tabernacle

HASHEM HIS HOUSE CARRY-AROUND DESERT. The last sign is DRY THEREABOUTS.

Mishna

M-TEACH. (< the teaching of the early Rabbis)

mitzvah, commandment

(2h)[M], POs away, FOs up, move antisymmetrically (not like mirror images) from side to side. I prefer this sign to COMMANDMENT (C-LAW) because it emphasizes the idea that you must do something to be a good Jew, not just think nice thoughts. My rabbi in college used to say, "Don't do it, Jew it!"

Moses, Moshe Rabbeinu

M-LAW.

navi, neviyim, prophet

PREDICT AGENT. The first sign is NDH [B], PO down, FO > DS is held higher at chin level, DH [V], PO away, FO up, dips under NDH and rises up.

Orthodox, dati, frum, observant

O-NICE.

Passover, Pesach

[S] taps thumbside against elbow. (< matzah tasting like a CRACKER, and that sign is supposed to be from the habit people had of crushing crackers with their elbows... who knows?).

prayer leader, baal tefillah, shelach tzibbur, shliach tzibbur, shatz

PRAYER LEAD+, where the first sign is (2h)[B], POs up, are crossed over one other, as if reading from a book. The hands are rocked to and fro.

prayer shawl, tallit, tallis

PRAYER (see above) + (2h)[bC] run FTs down respective sides of the chest like a shawl.

Psalms, Tehillim, Tehillot

PRAISE SONG.

Purim

(2h)[P] held at eyes (picture John Travolta dancing) and then hands separate while closing to (2h)[U]. (< the masks that are worn during the holiday)

rabbi, rav

(1) (2h)[R] run FTs down respective sides of the chest like a shawl.

rebbe

(1) RABBI LEAD COMMUNITY. (2) THAT RABBI FREQUENT, where the last sign is [Bb], PO > NDS, FO away, taps on NDH [1], PO > DS, FO up.

Reform

"R".

Rosh Hashana, Jewish New Year

Thumb of [Y] is held close to the lips as if blowing a shofar (ram's horn).

Seder

PASSOVER alt.EAT.

Sephard, Sephardi, Sephardic, Sephardim

(2h)[F] hold onto imaginary bullfighting cap and shake it. (< an Israeli sign)

sermon, drasha, drush

TORAH SPEECH. The first sign is (2h)[S], POs up, twist twice while separating, as if unrolling a scroll. Although Jew's use the word sermon, the Jewish and Christian varieties have a distinctly different flavor to me, and I've been both!

Shabbat, Shabbos, Sabbath

DH [F], PO down, descends between NDH [B], PO down, at the wrist area and the body, then moves away from the body and rises up while changing to [S], PO down. (< starts Friday night sundown and continues to Saturday sundown)

Shabbat shalom!

DH [F], PO down, descends between NDH [B], PO down, at the wrist area and the body, then moves away from the body and rises up while changing to [S], PO down + (2h)[E dot] interlock fingers and descend slightly.

Shacharit, Shacharis

MORNING PRAY. The last sign is (2h)[B], POs up, are crossed over one other, as if reading from a book. The hands are rocked to and fro.

shalom

(1) PEACE. (2) (2h)[E dot] interlock fingers and descend slightly.

Shalom aleichem!

PEACE + upturned palm sweeps from NDS to DS.

Shavuot, Shavuos, the Feast of Weeks

SEVEN-WEEKS. (< the seven week period that extends between Passover and the celebration of Shavuot)

Shema, Sh'ma

Cover eyes with [B] while mouthing "shema".

Shemini Atzeret, Shemini Atzeres

EIGHTH DAY ASSEMBLE, where the last sign is (2h)[S], POs down, FOs ><, move towards each other while opening to (2h)[5wg].

siddur, prayer book

PRAY BOOK, where the first sign is (2h)[B], POs up, are crossed over one other, as if reading from a book. The hands are rocked to and fro.

Simchat Torah, Simchas Torah

HAPPY TORAH, where the second sign is (2h)[S], POs up, twist twice while separating, as if unrolling a scroll.

sukkah

HOUSE but with (2h)[5] to show the flimsy roof.

Sukkot, Sukkos

Looks like TOGETHER, but really represents shaking the lulav.

synagogue, shul, beit knesset, beit tefillah

Can sign (1) S-CHURCH. (2) S,Y-CHURCH, that is, it starts like S-CHURCH, but it strikes first with an [S] handshape, and then with a [Y] handshape.

Talmud, Shas

[A dot], PO down, FO away, moves thumb 3x in upward arc with slight movements to the NDS. (< a gesture that yeshiva students use while they are arguing points of Jewish Law)

tefillin, phylacteries

Strike the FT of [5:] against the forehead and then the bicep to show the leather box that is strapped to the head and the arm.

Tel-Aviv

[L] frames the eye (index above it and thumb below), then moves > DS while closin. (< its famous Purim Parade)

Temple, temple, Beit haMikdash, Beis haMikdash

T-CHURCH.

Torah, sefer Torah, Torah scroll, Pentateuch, the Five Books of Moses

(2h)[S], POs up, twist twice while separating, as if unrolling a scroll.

Torah reader, baal koreh

TORAH READ.

traif, traife, traifah, trafut, traifus

NOT KOSHER, where the second sign is [S] stamps pinkie side against palm of NDH [B], which is an Israeli sign.

tzaddik, tzadeket, tzadekes, tzaddikim, tzidkaniyot

JEWISH STEADFAST, where the second sign is elbow of DH [S] is placed firmly on the dorsal (back) side of [B].

tzedakah

Look like VOTE but the hand starts from higher above and flicks a coin into the charity box.

Yahrzeit

TIME REMEMBER RELATIVE DIE.

Yerushalayim, Jerusalem

The old sign was (1) J CITY, but this is being replaced by Deaf Jews with the Israeli sign (2) touch FTs of [B] to lips, then turn the palm away and lift up as if kissing a mezzuzah on a door post. The origin of this sign is that Jerusalem is famous for it large and beautiful mezzuzot (mezzuzahs). Some Jews are becoming more inclusive and add a bow forward with (2h)[B], POs down to include the Muslims.

yeshiva

Y-COLLEGE.

Yiddish, Iddish

JEWISH GERMAN.

Yom Kippur, Yom haKippurim, Day of Atonement

Beat chest with the palm side of [A].

Here ends the most frequently used signs for an interpreter. Hadran alach (Hebrew for "we will study you again.") Below are some special categories if an interpreter were to work in some less frequent settings. Some of these are repeats of above but are very pertinent to the setting.

Brit milah

Purim

Esther

E-QUEEN.

grogger

[bX], PO > NDS, FO up, circles as if twirling noise maker.

Haman

(2h)[H], touch corners of mouth, then move away as if twirling moustache, ending in (2h)[A], POs > back, FOs up.

megillah, Megillah

(2h)[5:], POs down, FOs ><, hands separate with no simultaneous wg.

Mordechai

[M] strokes beard.

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Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur

Other Holidays

Chanukah, Hanukah, menorah (not the one in the Temple or Tabernacle)

(2h)[4], POs away, FOs up, index fingers touch and then separate while sweeping down and then up in an arc, like the arms of a candelabra.

dreidel, draydel

NDH [B], PO up, mimes holding top while DH [F] mimes spinning it with thumb and index finger of [F].

festival, holiday, holy day, yom tov, yum tif

(1) CELEBRATE. (2) (2h)[5], POs ><, tap thumbs on respective sides of chest. (3) HOLY DAY, where the first sign is (1) SEPARATE. (2) SPECIAL.

flaishig, flaishik, basari, besari

INSIDE HAVE MEAT.

gelt

MONEY COINS CHOCOLATE.

Hoshanah Rabbah

SEVENTH DAY SUKKOT, where the last sign looks like TOGETHER.

Luchot haBrit, Luchos haBris, the Tablets

TEN COMMANDMENT STONE~CARVE-IN-STONE, where the last element is a blending: Leave the NDH in place after STONE and carve into it with the FT of [A dot].

lulav

Looks like TOGETHER, but actually represents the shaking of palm branches + (2h)F-CL'straight vertical shape'.

makhzor, machzor

OPEN-BOOK JEWISH-PRAY HOLIDAY, where the last two signs are one [B], PO up, crossed over the other, as if reading from a book, and the hands are rocked to and fro + and one of the signs for "festival" in this section.

milchig, milchik

INSIDE HAVE MILK.

miracle, nes

GREAT~WORK, where the first sign is (2h)[B], POs away, FOs up, push away once.

Shavuot, Shavuos

SEVEN-WEEKS.

Shemini Atzeret, Shemini Atzeres

EIGHT DAY ASSEMBLE, where the last sign is (2h)[S], POs down, FOs ><, move > each other while opening to (2h)[5wg].

Simchat Torah, Simchas Torah

TORAH CELEBRATE. The first sign is

sukkah

5-HOUSE.

Sukkot, Sukkos

Looks like TOGETHER, but actually represents the shaking of palm branches.

Tisha b'Av

9-TH DAY, JEWISH MONTH A-V.

Yizkor

HOLIDAY MOURNING SERVICE. For the first sign, see "festival" in this section.

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Holocaust