Night Terms to Know

Nonfiction: Types An autobiography is a sketch of the author’s entire life, often from birth up until the time of writing. A memoir focuses on one aspect of the writer’s life. Memoirs usually cover a relatively short span of time, and their main purpose is to draw the reader’s attention to a specific theme or circumstance.

Jewish Terms to Know Hasidic – an extremely orthodox and religious Jewish group Kabbalah – Jewish Mysticism Kaddish – Jewish prayer for the dead Maimonides – famous Jewish philosopher

Jewish Terms to Know Messiah – the future messenger of God who will announce peace in the world Palestine – area of the middle east which is now Israel and Jordan Phylacteries – a small leather box containing Hebrew texts, worn by Jewish men during morning prayer

Jewish Terms to Know Rabbi – Jewish religious leader Rosh Hashanah – Jewish New Year Synagogue – a Jewish house of worship and study Temple – holiest place in Judaism, located in Jerusalem

Jewish Terms to Know Talmud – the most important compilation of Jewish oral tradition Yom Kipper – day of Atonement, holiest day of the Jewish year. This is when Jews fast and pray for forgiveness of their sins Zionism – political movement advocating for the establishment of a Jewish state

German Terms to Know Blockälteste – literally, “block elder.” These were inmates in charge of a single concentration camp barrack (ranked above the Kapos but below the Lagerälteste) Lagerälteste – camp leader or camp senior; highest position that a prisoner could reach. Recommended other prisoners for selection Budapest – capital of Hungary Buna – industrial plant at Auschwitz. Used forced labor, thousands of prisoners died here

German Terms to Know Concentration camp – place where Jews were sent to be killed or to work as prisoners Crematorium – a facility containing a furnace for reducing dead bodies to ashes by burning Death camp - camps dedicated to the efficient murder of Jews and other victims; E.g. Auschwitz-Birkenau. The term was also used for concentration camps where thousands died of starvation and disease Gestapo – Nazi police

German Terms to Know Ghetto – the confinement of Jews in an area set apart from the city Kapo – Jewish camp prisoner forced to oversee other prisoners Nazi – a member of the National Socialist Party formed by Adolf Hitler

German Terms to Know SS – “Schutzstaffel” Hitler’s black shirted bodyguards. They became the elite guards trained in brutality and put in charge of concentration camps Selection – term used when the SS forced prisoners to line up for inspection and decided which prisoners would live and which would be killed