Jewish greetings

Le'Shana Tova Tikatevu, greeting card from Montevideo, 1932.

There are several Jewish and Hebrew greetings, farewells, and phrases that are used in Judaism, and in Jewish and Hebrew-speaking communities around the world. Even outside Israel, Hebrew is an important part of Jewish life.^[1] Many Jews, even if they do not speak Hebrew fluently, will know several of these greetings (most are Hebrew, some are Yiddish).^[1]

Shabbat

For the Sabbath, there are several greetings that Jews use to greet one another.

Phrase	Hebrew script	Translation	Pronunciation	Language	Explanation
Shabbat shalom	שַׁבָּת שָׁלוֹם	Peaceful Sabbath	[ʃaˈbat ʃaˈlom]	Hebrew	Used any time on Shabbat, especially at the end of a Shabbat service. Used also preceding Shabbat (in Israel) almost like "have a good weekend."[2]
Gut Shabbes Good Shabbos	גוּט שַׁבָּת Good Shabbos	Good Sabbath	[ɡʊt ˈʃabəs]	Yiddish/English	Used any time on Shabbat, especially in general conversation or when greeting people.[2]
Gut Voch Shavua tov	גוט וואָך שָׁבוּעַ טוֹב	Good week	[ʃaˈvu.a tov]	Yiddish/Hebrew	Used on Saturday nights (after Havdalah) and even on Sundays "shavua tov" is used to wish someone a good coming week.[2]

Holidays

For different chagim and Yom Tov there are different expressions used.

Phrase	Hebrew script	Translation	Pronunciation	Language	Explanation
Chag sameach	חַג שָׂמֵחַ	Happy holiday	[χaɡ saˈme.aχ]	Hebrew	Used as a greeting for the holidays, can insert holiday name in the middle; e.g. "chag Chanukah sameach".[2] Also, for Passover, "chag kasher v'same'ach" (חַג כָּשֵׁר וְשָׂמֵחַ) meaning wishing a happy and kosher holiday.[2]
Moed tov Moadim l'simcha	מועד טובֿ מועדים לשמחה	A good festival period A happy festival period	[ˈmo.ed tov mo.aˈdim l.simˈχa]	Hebrew	Used as a greeting during the chol ha-moed (intermediate days) of the Passover and Sukkot holidays.
Gut Yontiv	גוט יום־טובֿ	Good Yom Tov	[ɡʊt ˈjɔntɪv]	Yiddish/English	Used as a greeting for the Yom Tov holidays.[2] Often spelled Gut Yontif or Gut Yontiff.
L'shanah tovah	לְשָׁנָה טוֹבָה	To a good year	[leʃaˈna toˈva]	Hebrew	Used as a greeting during Rosh Hashanah and the Days of Awe, Also used, simply "shanah tovah" (שָׁנָה טוֹבָה), meaning "a good year", or "shana tova u'metukah" (שָׁנָה טוֹבָה וּמְתוּקָה) meaning "a good and sweet year".[2] The phrase is short for "l'shanah tovah tikatevu ve techatemu" (לְשָׁנָה טוֹבָה תִכָּתֵבוּ וְתֵּחָתֵמוּ), meaning "may you be inscribed and sealed (in the Book of Life) for a good year".[3] A shorter version is often used: "ktiva ve chatima tova" (כְּתִיבָה וְחֲתִימָה טוֹבָה), meaning "(have a) good signature (in the Book of Life)" and literally "good inscribing and signing".[3]
Tzom kal	צוֹם קַל	Easy fast	[tsom kal]	Hebrew	Used to wish someone well for Yom Kippur. The word "happy" is not used because Yom Kippur is meant to be somber holiday, not a happy one.[2]
G'mar Chatima Tovah	גמר חתימה טובה	May you be inscribed for good [in the Book of Life]	[]	Hebrew	Used to wish someone well for Yom Kippur. Tradition teaches that our fate is written on Rosh Hashanah and is sealed on Yom Kippur.[4]

Greetings and farewells

There are several greetings and good-byes used in Hebrew to say hello and farewell to someone.

Phrase	Hebrew script	Translation	Pronunciation	Language	Explanation
Shalom	שָׁלוֹם	Hello, goodbye, peace	[ʃaˈlom]	Hebrew	A Hebrew greeting, based on the root for "completeness". Literally meaning "peace", shalom is used for both hello and goodbye.[5] A cognate with the Arabic-language salaam.
Shalom aleichem	שָׁלוֹם עֲלֵיכֶם	Peace be upon you	[ʃaˈlom ʔaˈlejχem]	Hebrew	This form of greeting was traditional among the Ashkenazi Jewish communities of Eastern Europe. The appropriate response is "Aleichem Shalom" (עֲלֵיכֶם שָׁלוֹם) or "Upon you be peace." (cognate with the Arabic-language "assalamu alaikum" meaning "The peace [of Allah] be upon you.)"

Phrases

These are Hebrew phrases used in Jewish communities both inside and outside of Israel.^[1]

Word	Hebrew script	Translation	Pronunciation	Language	Explanation
Mazal tov / Mazel tov	מַזָּל טוֹב	Good luck	[maˈzal tov] [ˈmazəl tɔv]	Hebrew/Yiddish	Used to mean congratulations. Used in Hebrew (mazal tov) or Yiddish. Used on to indicate good luck has occurred, ex. birthday, bar mitzvah, a new job, or an engagement.[1] Also shouted out at Jewish weddings when the groom (or both fiances) stomps on a glass. It is also used when someone accidentally breaks a glass or a dish.[1] However, NOT normally used on news of a pregnancy, where it is replaced by "b'sha'ah tovah" ("may it happen at a good time/in the proper time").[6]
B'karov etzlech (f.) B'karov etzlecha (m.)	בְּקָרוֹב אֶצְלְךָ	Soon so shall it be by you	[bekaˈʁov ʔetsˈleχ] [bekaˈʁov ʔetsleˈχa]	Hebrew	Used in response to "mazal tov"[1]
B'ezrat HaShem	בְּעֶזְרָת הַשֵּׁם	With God's help	[beʔezˈʁat haˈʃem]	Hebrew	Used by religious Jews when speaking of the future and wanting God's help (similar to "God willing").[1]
Yishar koach	יְשַׁר כֹּחַ	You should have strength	[jiˈʃaʁ ˈko.aχ]	Hebrew	Meaning "good for you", "way to go", or "more power to you". Often used in synagogue after someone has received an honour. The proper response is "baruch teheyeh" (m)/brucha teeheyi (f) meaning "you shall be blessed."[1] [7]
Chazak u'varuch	חֵזָק וּבָרוךְ	Be strong and blessed	[χaˈzak uvaˈʁuχ]	Hebrew	Used in Sephardi synagogues after an honour. The response is "chazak ve'ematz" ("be strong and have courage")
Nu?	?נו	So?	[nu]	Yiddish	A Yiddish interjection used to inquire about how everything went.[1]
Kol ha kavod	כֹּל הַכָּבוֹד	All of the honour	[kol hakaˈvod]	Hebrew	Used for a job well done.[1]
L'chaim	לְחַיִּים	To life	[leχaˈjim] [ləˈχajm]	Hebrew/Yiddish	Hebrew and Yiddish equivalent of saying "cheers" when doing a toast[1]
Gesundheit	געזונטהייט	Health	[ɡəˈzʊnthajt]	Yiddish	Yiddish (and German) equivalent of saying "bless you" when someone sneezes. Also sometimes "tsu gezunt".[2]
Labriut	לבריאות	To Health	[labʁiˈʔut]	Hebrew	Hebrew equivalent of saying "bless you" when someone sneezes.[7]

See also

• Honorifics in Judaism
• Honorifics for the dead in Judaism
• Klal Yisrael
• Oy vey

References

1. Hebrew For Dummies: "Speaking of Favorite Hebrew Expressions"
2. Jew Faq: "Judaism 101: Expressions and Greetings"
3. High Holidays 1: Rosh Ha-Shana, Hebrew: Virtual Ulpan
4. "G'mar Chatimah Tovah from Jspace". Jspace. Retrieved 3 October 2014.
5. Hebrew For Dummies: "Greeting and Saying Good-bye in Hebrew"
6. "In the proper time"
7. Jewish Holiday Greeting Chart on Patheos