The Devil's Arithmetic  

Vocabulary

holocaust - great destruction of life

Yiddish - a German and Hebrew based language spoken mainly by Jewish people 

translation - change to another form (example - language)

Passover - a Jewish holiday marked by the Seder ritual symbolic of the Hebrews escaping from Egypt

Seder - (Say der) A ceremonial feast usually held on the first night of the Passover where 4 questions are asked by the youngest child attending.  It is a meal that matzos (unleavened bread) is served at.  

unleavened - containing no leaven so it will not rise

Haggadah - (Hag u duh) (the telling) story of the Passover 

afikoman - (of 'ee koe mun) middle of 3 matzos wrapped in cloth used at Seder feast as a game of hide and seek with the winner getting a reward

Dayenu - (Die yae noo) asong sung during the Seder meaning "It would have been enough"  implying God has done so much for us and yet he still keeps doing more

distorted - twisted

exodus - emigration by a large number of people

fraud - trickery

kosher - genuine, obeying the law (Jewish)

guttural - harsh throaty

uncomprehendingly - not understanding

conspiratorial - agreeing with others or plotting in secret

deliberately - carefully

compensation - making up for

celebrants - people celebrating

calluses - a hardened thickened place on the skin

undecipherable - not able to decode

lucid - clear, readily understood

synagogue - a building or place for Jews to worship

shull - Yiddish word for synagogue or place to worship a study

cremated - to burn a dead body to ashes

sonorous - full, deep, or rich in sound

relentlessly - persistent, not letting up

undercurrent - current flowing beneath the surface, an underlying opinion

clarity - clearness

superimposed - to put or lay on top of something

conferred - to give, to have a conference with someone

plaintive - expressing sorrow, sad

adamantly - inflexible, unyielding

billeted - assigned lodging for military personnel

periphery - outer boundary

satchel - a small bag for carrying clothes

impudent - shamelessly bold

canopy - drapery fastened above a bed, throne, or even a person

tremulous - fearful, timid

peasants - small farmers or farm laborers in Europe and Asia

midden - garbage or sewer pile

shtetl - Yiddish word meaning a small village

Reb - teacher or wise person

klezmer band - a band that plays lively, fun Jewish music, usually includes some of the following instruments:  clarinet, trumpet, accordion, trombone, and violin

mikvah - ritual bath to purify anything that is not considered pure - big tub filled with fresh water from a stream or rain

shadcan - Jewish marriage matchmaker

yarmulke - (Yah' mu kuh) cap worn by traditional Jewish men as a sign of recognition and respect to God

zugangi - (zoo gong' e) newcomer, someone who came in

malach ha-mavis - angel of death, bad or evil ruler

The Jewish calendar has a day starting at night time at the first appearance of 3 stars. So their Sabbath starts on Friday night and goes until Saturday night.  In the Jewish calendar the Christian year 2000 is considered to be the Jewish year 5761.