bimah
The platform in the synagogue from which which worship services are led and from which the Torah is read. The bimah, usually raised, can be placed in the front or the middle of the sanctuary.
Birkat HaHammah
Blessing of the sun.” Birkat HaHammah is observed by the Jewish community every 28 years to celebrate the return of the sun to its original place in the heavens at the precise day and time of its creation.
blintze
Cheese- or fruit-filled crepes; plural: blintzes.
b'rit hachayim
"Covenant of life." A home ceremony for welcoming and naming a baby girl.
b'rit milah
"Covenant of circumcision," traditionally performed on the eighth day of a boy's life. One of the three covenants in the Hebrew Bible. This is the covenant of Abraham—see Genesis 17.
b'tzelem Elohim
Literally "in the image of God;" the concept—from Genesis 1:27: “God created humankind in God’s image”—that because all humanity is created in the image of God, each person is equally valued.
challah
A braided egg bread eaten on Shabbat and festivals. Today challah comes in many flavors and varieties, including chocolate chip, gluten free, and vegan. Plural: challot.
chameitz
Foods not eaten during Passover. Chameitz typically includes leavened bread or any food that contains wheat, rye, barley, oats, or spelt, unless production has been supervised to ensure that it has not leavened.
chanukat habayit
Literally, “dedication of the house;" ceremony during which a mezuzah is affixed to a doorpost.
hanukkiyah
Nine-branched candelabra used during Hanukkah – eight branches for each night of the holiday, plus another branch (often taller, central, or more prominently displayed) for the shamash (helper) candle, which is used to light the others.