In this first section, I provide you with about 130 survival signs; these constitute the minimum group of signs you would need to interpret a Shabbat (Sabbath) service with possible mention of future holidays. This is the most frequently interpreted event, especially when there is a Bar/Bat Mitzvah. They are glossed with a symbolic system that is explained at the end of this handout. For definitions of the terms, see Judaism 101 - Glossary of Jewish Terminology or use a web browser to search for "Jewish glossary". This works better than "Jewish dictionary" as a search phrase, which tends to lead you to either Yiddish-English or Hebrew-English dictionaries.

Aaron, Aharon

(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

[S] strikes 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, where the last two signs are (2h)[O^], POs ><, held at mouth and hands are brought downwards while opening to (2h)[5] + (2h)[S], POs up, twist twice while separating, as if unrolling a scroll.

aliyah (settle in Israel)

MOVE-AWAY SETTLE ISRAEL. SETTLE is (2h)[5], POs down, FOs away from signer, move down suddenly. See entry for Israel.

altar, mizbeach

(2h)[A], POs away, FOs up, touch thumbs, separate, and move downwards.

Amen!

There are many signs for this. Here is one suggestion: (2h)[B], FOs up, are pressed together and brought down in a long, deliberate motion.

Amidah, Shemoneh Esreh

SILENT PRAY. Second sign is one [B], PO up, crossed over the other, as if reading from a book. The hands are rocked to and fro.

ark (in the synagogue), aron

TORAH CABINET, that is, (2h)[S], POs up, twist twice while separating, as if unrolling a scroll + (2h)[S] mime open cabinet doors.

Ark (of the Covenant), Aron (haBrit or haKodesh)

BOX PRIEST CARRY-AROUND DESERT. PRIEST is 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

Ashkenazic

EUROPE JEWISH POSS.++, where the last sign is [B], PO away, FO up, moves away slightly multiple times.

the Avot, the Avos, the Patriarchs

[A] strikes between the thumb and forefinger of [B], like BOTHER, but a single movement + [I] taps fingertip against throat + [I] strokes down NDS then DS of chin like the movement in RESTAURANT. (< Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.)

bar mitzvah

NDH [S], 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 + BAR-MITZVAH as above. (< The girl is old enough now to put on tefillin, although most girls don't.)

Bible (Don't sign or say "Old Testament!), Tahnach

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

bimah (the "stage" in a synagogue)

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

bless, blessing, brocha (pl. brachot, brachas)

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

cantor, chazzan

C-MUSIC AGENT.

Channukah (or four other spellings!), menorah (not in Temple times)

(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.

Chassid, Hassid (pl. Chassidim, Hassidim), payos, payot, sidecurls

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

The Children of Israel, B'nai 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 (pl. Chumashim)

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

cohen (pl. cohanim), kohen (pl. kohanim), priest

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, that is, (2h)[B^], POs ><, FOs up, move upwards arcing towards the signer.

concentration camp, death camp

GROUP-TOGETHER"zz" PRISON, (WORK UNTIL/TO DIE). The first sign is grit teeth and wrinkle nose while (2h)[C], POs ><, FOs away, hands are brought together as if pushing people/things together into a group. The second part of this sign phrase, which is in parentheses, need not repeated if the sign is used repeatedly.

congregation, tzibbur, kahal, kehillah

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

Conservative

"C".

davven, 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 usually read from a book.)

David haMelech, Dovid haMelech, King David

D-KING.

Diaspora (Jews outside of Israel)

JEWISH PEOPLE LIVE OUTSIDE ISRAEL. The last sign is [5^], PO > signer, strokes imaginary beard.

Diaspora (the dispersion)

WORLD, JEWISH SPREAD-OUT.

Divine Presence, the Shechinah

GOD TOGETHER US.

Elokim (Elohim), God

GOD.

the Exodus, Yetziat Mitzrayim, Yetzias Mitzrayim

EGYPT, JEWISH PEOPLE ESCAPE EN-MASSE. The last sign is (2h)[S], POs down, FOs away, hands are held close to chest; hands move forward slightly, while opening to (2h)[5], and hands continue to move forward while wiggling.

fast, fasting, tainis, tainit, tzom

[F] draws closed FTs across lips. (< the closing of the lips.)

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..

Galut, Galus (as a place), in Exile

OUTSIDE ISRAEL.

Galut, Galus (the act of exile) the Exile

GOD PUNISH JEWISH HOW? LIVE OUTSIDE ISRAEL MUST.

gelilah

#DO-DO? TORAH, TIE-UP-Torah COVER-Torah. The last two signs are (2h)[bX] mime tying a bow, and then (2h)[C] mime slipping a cylindrical cover on from above.

Git Shabbes!

GOOD SHABBAT. The second sign is 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.

Haftarah

PROPHET 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~SHOW. See TORAH and the last two blended signs are (2h)[S] grab the open scroll by its handles from below, lift it up and turn it so that everyone can see the writing.

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

Palm of [A] touches NDS of chest, then travels upwards while twisting the palm away. There are many variations.

Havdalah

DH [H], PO > signer, FO UP, moves across body like DARK beyond NDH [S], PO DOWN, FO > DS. (< initialization of SUNSET.)

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

TEN D-A-Y + palm of [A] is beaten against heart. (< the gesture of repentance.)

Holocaust, Shoah

MIX-UP DESTROY.

holy, qadosh

(1) SPECIAL. (2) SEPARATE.

Holy of Holies, Qadosh haQ'doshim

TOP* HOLY PLACE. See "holy" above.

incense, b'samim

NDH [1], PO > signer, FO up, is held somewhat low, DH produces SMELL, then [5^], PO down, starts at end of 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

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

Israel, Yisrael, HaAretz, Eretz Yisrael

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

Jacob, Ya'akov (Avinu)

[I] strokes down NDS then DS of chin like the movement in RESTAURANT. (< renamed Israel after he wrestled with the angel.)

Jew, Jewish, Hebrew

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

Judaism

JEWISH RELIGION.

Kaddish

REMEMBER DEAD, PRAY. The last sign is (2h)[B], POs up, are crossed over each other, as if reading from a book. The hands are rocked to and fro. (< although death is never mentioned, its theme is that the death of a good Jew saddens God and he must be comforted.)

Kashrut, Kashrus, kosher

[S] stamps pinkie side against palm of NDH [B]. (< the seal that is stamped to prove something is kosher.)

Kedushah

The sign HOLY is repeated three times, each time signed a little higher in space. HOLY is (1) SEPARATE. (2) SPECIAL.

Kiddush

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

King Solomon, Shlomo haMelech

The sign KING is modified so that it starts with a [K] and ends with an [S].

kippah, yarmulke, skull cap

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

L'chayim!

LIFE is signed emphatically.

lehn, read from the Torah

TORAH~READ. The first sign is (2h)[S], POs up, twist twice while separating, as if unrolling a scroll, and then the NDH can stay in place while the other hand does a one hand verions of READ.

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).

Ma'ariv, 'Aravit

EVERY-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

JEWISH STAR. Not just a wine!

Mashiach, Moshiach, Messiah

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

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 SEPARATE (<) MAN, (>) WOMAN.

Menorah (in times of Moses and the times the Temple was still standing)

(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.)

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.)

Minchah

EVERY-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 BLESS.

Mishkan, Tabernacle

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

Mishna

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

mitzvah, commandment

(1) C-LAW. (2) (2h)[M], POs away, FOs up, move antisymmetrically (not like mirror images) from side to side. I prefer this one 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 Rabainu

M-LAW.

navi (pl. 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, Chag haMatzot

[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?).

the 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, tallis, tallit

PRAYER (see above) + (2h)[bC] run FTs down respective sides of the chest like a shawl. See "the prayer leader" above for the sign for "prayer".

Psalm, Psalms, Tehillim, Tehilla, Tehillot

P-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. This is the common sign, but I love the Israeli one, which is (2) [5], PO up, is held under chin and descends to show the rabbi's long beard.

the reader (of the Torah or other scriptures), baal koreh

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

rebbe

MY* (emphatic) RABBI. That is, [B] hand that would normal touch the chest is held far from it, pauses and then rushes to the chest + either of the two signs listed above for "rabbi, rav".

Reform

R-FREE. (< Reform originally was meant to be a movement that freed Jews from the rituals, but kept the ethics. Now it is returning to many of the rituals.)

Rosh haShannah, Jewish New Year

You can just sign (1) JEWISH NEW YEAR, but a beautiful sign is (2) Thumb of [Y] is held close to the lips as if blowing a shofar (ram's hour), then moves away in an arc upwards.

Sabbath, Shabbat, Shabbos

There are many signs. My favorite is 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.

Seder (Passover meal)

PASSOVER FEAST, that is palm of [A] taps against the elbow of the NDH + alt.EAT.

Sephard, (pl. Sephardim), Sephardic

MIDDLE EAST JEW.

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!

Shabat shalom!

SHABBAT PEACE. The first sign is 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.

Shacharit, Shacharis

EVERY-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

PEACE.

Shalom aleichem!

PEACE + (2h)[B], POs up, FOs away, descend in an honorific index for an individual or spread out for a group of people.

Shavuot, Shavuos, the Feast of Weeks

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

Shema

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

Shemini Atzeret

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

OPEN-BOOK PRAY, where the second 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

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

sukkah

Looks like TOGETHER HOUSE, but the first sign is really for shaking the lulav.

Sukkot, Sukkos, Feast of Tabernacles

Looks like TOGETHER, but really represents shaking the lulav.

synagogue, shul, bait knesset, bait tefillah

Can sign (1) S-CHURCH, but that looks like WORK to me, which I always avoid, smile. I sign (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

[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

You could sign the same thing as "bar-mitzvah" above, but I usually add striking the FT of [5:] against the forehead to show the leather box that is strapped to the head.

Tel-Aviv

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

temple, the Temple, Bait haMikdash, Bais haMikdash, 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.

traif

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

tzaddik

PERSON BEAT-CHEST, CRAZY-FOR. The idea is that the person is a "saint", but Jews really seem to avoid that word, since it sounds too Christian. It's interesting that Catholics also beat their chest at a certain point during the Mass, but this is from the Jewish gesture of repentance. CRAZY-FOR is [5:], PO > singer, FO up, is shaken slightly from side to side. Any other expression of awe could be substituted.

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

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.

2. The High Holidays