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Here are some handy Hebrew phrases which will help
you connect with people you’ll be meeting: |
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1. Shalom
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Shalom is probably the most well-known word in
Hebrew. It means hello, good-bye and peace.
If you don’t know whether you are coming or going,
shalom (once) is hello and shalom, shalom is
goodbye. In the Hebrew Bible, shalom is used
more than 217 times, mostly meaning peace.
Shalom Aleichem means peace be with you! |
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2. Ma
Shalom-cha
How are you? |
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If you’d like to ask someone how s/he is, you
literally ask, “How is your peace.” Say Ma
Shalom-cha? (that’s a guttural h, not ch as in
church) to a male and
Ma Shalom-aych? (also guttural) to a female.
Every noun in Hebrew is either masculine or
feminine. Radio, for example, is masculine and
television is feminine. Go figure! A good
way to reply to this greeting is, "Baruch HaShem"
which means Praise be the Name (of the Almighty).
All Orthodox Jewish people use this expression.
Sometimes even in every third sentence! |
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3. Boker Tov
Good Morning |
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Boker tov means good morning. Boker
rhymes (almost) with poker and tov rhymes
with stove. I always tell my groups that if
you can’t remember boker tov, just sort of
mumble broken toe and they’ll probably guess what
you’re trying to say. Or, on the other hand,
they might send you to the infirmary! “Boker
tov” is also a breakfast cereal – the Israeli
version of Cheerios. Erev tov means
good evening. |
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4. Bi-va-ka-shah
/ Toe-dah
Please / Thank you |
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Mind your manners: Please is Bi-va-ka-shah.
It also means you’re welcome. Toe-dah means
thank you. Toe-dah Rabah means thank you very
much. No thank you is, Lo, Toe-dah.
B'Toe-dah means with thanksgiving. |
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5. Kamah zeh
oleh?
How much does it cost? |
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Kamah zeh oleh is “how much
does it cost?” It’s always handy to know how
to say in response, “that’s too much.” Zeh
yo-tear Me Die. Don’t forget to stick on,
Lo, Toe-dah. Then the real bargaining
starts! |
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6. Mazal Tov!
Congratulations! |
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Mazal tov means
congratulations. It works for all occasions.
It’s most handy to know when you encounter a bride
and groom on their pre-wedding photo shoot. It
could be at the Western Wall in Jerusalem, in old
Jaffa near the home of Simon the Tanner, or at the
picturesque ruins of Caesarea, where Cornelius the
Centurion was stationed.
At the wedding ceremony itself, right after the
groom smashes the glass (in memory of the
destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem), the guests
shout out mazal tov. That’s why when a waiter
drops a glass in a restaurant or dining room, Jewish
guests automatically respond with “mazal tov.” |
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7. Shalom
Chaverim!
Good-bye my friends |
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Chaver means friend and Chaverim means
friends. Shalom Chaverim is a popular and
easy-to-learn Hebrew song.
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Shalom Chaver was a popular bumper sticker after US
President Bill Clinton eulogized assassinated
Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin in 1995. |
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8. Ay-foe
Where is...? |
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Ay-foe (rhymes with play-dough) means where
is/are. Looking for the restrooms?
Ay-foe Ha-she-rue-team. You could also
look for a sign saying W.C. which stands for water
closet. Sometimes you’ll see signs saying OO.
This is a remnant of the British colonial period.
OO stands for Officers Only.
Where’s the bus is Ay-foe Ha Aw-toe-boose
(The last syllable rhymes with goose.)
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9. Eh-chodd
- Shneye-yeam
One -- Two |
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Eh-chodd: one Shneye – yeam: two
Sha-losh: three Arba:
four Chamaysh: five
Instead of saying one-two-three-go, we say in
Hebrew, shalosh-arBA!!Oops! There's a
mistake here -- I used masculine, but I should have
used feminine! Hebrew numbers take the
feminine gender. If you want to speak
correctly, then you should say Eh-chott -
Sh-tie-yim! |
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10. HaShana
Ha Baa Bi Yerushalayim
Next Year in Jerusalem! |
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Colorful
Colloquialisms and Slang
Sabbaba
is local Jerusalem slang which means
cool or groovy. (High five!)
Achla is awesome like in "that was
an achla performance."
Belagan
is a big mess. That's the normal
situation here!
Yalla
means "Let's go". But be
careful whom you say this to, for it's what
you say to a donkey when you slap it.
(Meaning only use this with a peer!)
Kadahat
means malaria and today an older person will
still use it as slang for something you
sweat over
Sof HaDerech
is literally "end of the road", but it means
outtasight, terrific.
Choleh Cholera
literally translates sick with cholera,
actually means you are out of your mind.
Kukureeku
means cock-a-doodle-doo. Apparently
roosters crow differently in the holy land!
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Copyright 2006,
2015
Gila Yudkin. Permission needed for any reuse. |
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Coming to Jerusalem
soon? Would you
like to find the venues where you can quietly be
transported back in your imagination to the time
of Jesus? To David? To Abraham?
Would you like to ride the local buses and
try out your newly learned Hebrew phrases? Are you eager to eat hummus, kubbeh
or Esau's lentil soup elbow-to-elbow with the
locals?
Make every
minute matter while you "Explore
Jerusalem's Soul" with Gila's
unorthodox guide.
The up-to-date PDF (Adobe Acrobat)
46-page guide gives you the Top Ten places to
meditate on the Bible, the Top Ten lesser-known
churches worth visiting, the Top Ten most
rewarding roof-top views and the Top Ten places
for Middle Eastern soul food.
More...
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Hebrew signs: |
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