Kol Nidre
"All Vows;" prayer recited on the eve of Yom Kippur, the holiest day on the Jewish calendar;
latke
"Pancake" (Yiddish); fried potato pancake often eaten on Hanukkah; plural: latkes.
machzor
"Cycle;" High Holiday prayerbook; plural: machzorim.
menorah
Seven- or nine-branched candelabra; commonly refers to the nine-branched Hanukkah lamp; plural: menorot.
N'ilah
Literally, “locking.” The service that concludes Yom Kippur. The name alludes to the metaphorical locking of the heavenly gates at the end of the day.
Nes Gadol Hayah Sham
"A great miracle happened there;" the first letter of each of these words is found on the dreidel.
Shabbat Shuvah
"Sabbath of Return;" the Shabbat (sabbath) between the holidays of Rosh HaShanah and Yom Kippur. A special haftarah is read and traditionally the rabbi gives a sermon related to repentance.
shofar
Ram’s horn most commonly blown throughout the month of Elul and during the High Holiday season.
Simchat Torah
"Rejoicing in the Law;" holiday that celebrates the completion (and then the beginning) of the annual reading of the Torah.
Selichot
"Forgiveness;" special penitential prayers recited during Elul and the High Holidays.