Anti-Semitism - Discrimination against or persecution of the Jews because of their religious beliefs or race.

Aron Hakodesh- The Holy Arc in which the Torah scroll is kept.

Baptism - The rite of initiation into the Christian faith.

Bar Mitzvah - Son of the commandments. When a boy becomes a full member of the community at age 13.

Bat Mitzvah - Daughter of the commandments. When a girl becomes a full member of the community at age 12.

Circumcision - The removal of the foreskin.

Confessional - Wooden barrier placed between a priest and a person who is confessing their sins.

Confirmation - Rite of initiation into full membership of the church.

Covenant - A biblical term describing an 'agreement' between God and his people.

Diaspora - Jews living in Israel

Dispersion - Jews living outside Israel

Excatnedua - Literally means, "from the throne." Used by the Pope when making statements. Means he is speaking with all authority of God - his word must be accepted by all Catholics.

Font - Receptacle used to hold water for the baptism of a baby.

Gentile - Non-Jewish

Haggadah - meaning 'story.' The book in which stories and songs are read out from during the sedar on Passover.

Hanukkah - Jewish festival of lights.

Havdalah - The service in a Jew's house at the end of the Sabbath day.

Hebrew - The language of the Torah and Jewish prayer books.

Huppah - Used in Jewish marriages, a huppah is the canopy which the married couple stand under. It symbolizes the Jewish home that they will build together.

Incarnation - The belief that in Jesus Christ, God became a human being.

Ketubah - Hebrew wedding contract.

Kiddush - Special prayer recited at the beginning of the Sabbath day and on other holy days.

Kosher - A word meaning 'fit' which describes any food that is killed and prepared according to laws laid down in the Jewish scriptures.

Latkes - Yiddish word for the 'Jewish chips' or potato pancakes eaten during Chanukah.

Levivot - Hebrew word for the 'Jewish chips' or potato pancakes eaten during Chanukah.

Matrimony - Rite of marriage.

Mezuzah - A declaration of the Jewish faith which affirms the monotheistic nature of Judaism. It contains part of the shema which is written on parchment by a scribe. The mezuzah is usually placed on the wall around the house and kissed or touched when passed.

Mishnah - The code of Jewish law edited by Rabbi Judah, the prince in the 2nd century. Next to the Bibles, the most sacred of Jewish books. The rules for the Sabbath are mainly found in the mishnah. 

Mohel - Circumciser. A professor who carries out circumcision on young Jewish boys.

Monotheism - A belief in only one god.

Ner Tamid - the everburning light which is set above the Holy Ark and symbolises the eternal presence of God.

Nicene Creed - One of the earliest statements of Christian belief thought to have been the first drawn up by the Council of Nicea in 325 CE.

Pentateuch - The five books of Moses contained in the Torah scroll.

Pidyon ha-ben - Redemption of the first-born

Polytheism - A belief in more that one god.

Protestants - People who do not accept authority of the Pope.

Pulpit - Elevated stand in the church where the sermon is delivered.

Rabbi - "Teacher" a Jewish minister who teaches Judaism. Leads the people into worship.

Resurrection - An act of the dead coming back to life.

Sabbath - The seventh day of the week put aside for rest as well as worship.

Second Coming - Christians believe that Jesus will come again to this earth, as he has not yet completed the four tasks of the Messiah. It is during the 'Second Coming' that he will judge the world.

Seder - The ceremonial meal which takes place at home during Passover in which stories and songs are read out from the haggadah.

Shechita - Traditional laws concerning the methods in which animals are killed for them to be kosher.

Shema - Jewish prayer which states the belief that there is only one god.

Shochet - A man in the Jewish community who is authorized to kill animals according to the shechita.

Skull cap - See Yarmulka.

Succah (sukkah) - A type of Jewish tent built during the festival of Succot. This tent does not have a proper roof and it is decorated with fruit and leaves.

Synagogue - A place of worship for the Jewish people. It is a place of prayer, study, as well as a place to discuss problems.

Tallit - A Jewish prayer shawl.

Teffilin - Also known as phylacteries. The teffilin consists of two small boxes made of leather and containing verses from the Bible. These are worn on the forehead and upper arm during Bar Mitzvah ceremonies.

Teraifa - meaning 'torn.' Is used to describe a food which is not allowed to be eaten by the Jews.

Torah Scroll - The first section of the Old Testament which contains the Pentateuch. (the five books of Moses) The scroll is written in Hebrew by hand on a parchment which is made of a kosher animal. The scroll is read from right to left and the text itself is never touched by hand, so a yad is used to point to the words being read.

Trinity, The - The Christian view of God. That He is three 'persons' (Father, Son and the Holy Spirit) in one God.

Western Wall - The only part of the Jewish Temple in Jerusalem which remains today. It is a place of pilgrimage and prayer. Many Jews write petitions or prayers addressed to God on pieces of paper which they place in cracks in the wall. At the wall, men are seperated from women, and the men must wear the skull caps to show that they recognise the wall as a holy place.

Yad - The pointer which is used to point to words on the Torah scroll, as it is not allowed to be touched by hand.

Yahzeit - A memorial candle which is lit each year on the anniversary of the death of close Jewish relatives. The candle burns for at least 24 hours to help keep memories alive.

Yarmulka - The skull cap which is worn by Jewish males. (13 years and over) It is worn during prayer and when in the presence of a holy place. (Jewish males are required to wear the yarmulka when visiting the Western Wall)