charoset
A mixture of fruits, nuts, spices and wine eaten as part of the Passover seder. Its color and consistency reminds us of the bricks and mortar used by the Israelite slaves.
chatan
"Groom."
chavurah
Informal group that meets for worship, study and celebration; plural: chavurot, havurot.
cheder
"Hebrew school" (old-fashioned). In Eastern Europe, it was elementary school.
chet
"Missing the mark;" a Hebrew term for sin.
chevrah kadisha
"Sacred society;" organization whose members are entrusted with the mitzvah of preparing a body for burial.
chol hamo-eid
"Secular part of the occasion;" during Passover and Sukkot, the intermediate days of the festival.
chuppah
"Canopy" under which a couple is married, often thought to represent their first home as a married couple. Typically the roof of the canopy is composed of cloth; a tallit is sometimes used for this purpose. "Chuppah" can also refer to the entire wedding ceremony.
confirmation
Ceremony acknowleging one's commitment to Jewish life and the completion of religious school studies; often held on Shavuot.
the Diaspora
Jewish communities outside Israel.