To me, the biggest mark of success for Honey and Me will be if readers love the particulars of Milla and Honey’s life, friendship, and escapades—and also find in it something universal, in which they see themselves, whatever kind of home or community they come from.

My youngest child is now almost at the age where she can read my old favorites to herself, as well as discover new ones. I hope and wish for her and her siblings, and for all children, that they grow up seeing their lives reflected back, and also find themselves in lives completely different from their own.

In Honey and Me, Milla and Honey don’t speak Yiddish (nor fluent native Hebrew), but below are words, terms, and phrases that are part of their everyday world and spoken language.

H = Hebrew

Y = Yiddish

abba (H)—dad

Adar (H)—the sixth month on the Jewish calendar

afikomen (H)—a piece of matzah hidden by children at the Passover seder

alte kaker (Y)—an old fogey

Amidah (H)—also known as the Shemonah Esrei, a silent prayer said standing

ani (H)—me/I

b’vakashah (H)—please

bar mitzvah (H)—coming of age at thirteen for a Jewish boy

Baruch Dayan ha’Emet (H)—Blessed is the True Judge; said upon hearing someone has died

baruch Hashem (H)—thank God, blessed is God

bat (bas) mitzvah (H)—coming of age at twelve for a Jewish girl

bat (bas) Torah (H)—a girl who observes Jewish laws and traditions

beseder (H)—okay, fine, all right

bima (H)—the table from which the Torah scroll is read during the synagogue service

bocher (Y)—an unmarried (usually young) man

bubbie (Y)—grandma

“Chad Gadya” (Aramaic)—a song about a goat sung at the end of the Passover seder

Chag Kasher v’Sameach (H)—Happy and Kosher Holiday; said on Passover

challah (H)—a bread loaf, often braided, eaten on Shabbat and festivals

chametz (H)—leavened grains, the consumption of which is forbidden in any form on Passover

chaseneh (Y)—wedding

chazerai (Y)—junk

chesed (H)—a primary Jewish ethical virtue; usually translated as “loving-kindness”

chevra kadisha (H)—Jewish burial volunteer committee

Chumash (H)—the five books of the Torah printed in book form (rather than a scroll for prayer service)

chutzpadik (Y)—cheeky, brazen

devorah/Devorah (H)—bee/the Hebrew name for Deborah

dvash (H)—honey

eire kichel (Y)—a light, sweet, and crunchy dough puff

etrog (H)—a citron fruit used with the lulav during the holiday of Succot

farbissineh (Y)—a sourpuss

farkakteh (Y)—lousy, messed up, ridiculous

gefilte fish (Y)—a ground fish loaf or patties traditionally eaten as an appetizer on Shabbat and festivals

Giveret (H)—Mrs.

gragger (Y)—noisemaker used on Purim

Gut/Good Shabbos (Y)—Good Sabbath

Gut Yontef (Y)—Good Festival, Happy Holiday

Gut Yor (Y)—Good Year, Happy New Year; said at Rosh Hashanah

Hagaddah (H)—the book of prayers, blessings, rituals, fables, and songs recited at the Passover seder

Hakadosh Baruch Hu (H)—another word for God

hamantaschen (Y)—triangle-shaped cookies with sweet filling, eaten on Purim

Hamotzi (H)—the blessing made before eating bread

Hamotzi lechem min ha’aretz (H)—the blessing over bread thanking God, “who brings forth bread from the earth”