Night
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Places/Terms to Know
Sighet: town in Transylvania where Elie lived before being deported to the concentration camps.
Talmud: the collection of writings and teachings of the early rabbis in the 5th and 6th centuries
interpreting the Torah; it is the most important text after the Tanakh (Hebrew Bible). Elie is devoted
to its studies before his internment.
Tanakh: the written Torah (or Hebrew Bible); includes the book of laws, prophets, and writings;
Christians refer to this as the Old Testament
Kabbalah (Cabbala): Jewish mystical writings; traditionally not taught to anyone under the age of 40
Zohar: the primary written work in the mystical tradition of Kabbalah
cattle trains (wagons): Train cars used to transport the Jews to the concentration camps.
Gestapo: the Nazi secret police; ruthlessly suppressed opposition to the Nazis in Germany and
occupied Europe
yellow star: A decree comes from the Germans that all Jews wear this identifying symbol. Elie's
father's response to the decree is that at least no one dies of it. (dramatic irony)
ghettos: Jewish settlements set up by the Germans. Two ghettos are created in Sighet before the
Jews are deported to the concentration camps.
Auschwitz: The first concentration camp to which the Jews of Sighet are taken. Elie and his father
spend three weeks there before being relocated to Buna.
Birkenau: The reception center for Auschwitz. Elie and his father are separated from the female
members of the family. Elie's mother and youngest sister are exterminated at Birkenau.
Kapo: a prisoner who acted as an overseer of his fellow inmates in the Nazi concentration camps
crematory: The fiery furnace where many Jews are sent to their deaths.
baton: Dr. Mengele uses it to separate the prisoners to the left and to the right. The selection
process is used to determine those who live and those who die.
Kaddish: A prayer for the dead. Akiba Drumer asks fellow prisoners to recite the Kaddish for him.
A-7713: The identification number engraved on Elie's arm at Auschwitz.
Buna: The second concentration camp to which Elie and his father are taken; it is at Buna where
they face the hardest labor and abuse.
Palestine: the land that is now the country of Israel; At Auschwitz, Elie and his friends, Yossi and
Tibi talk about going to Palestine after the war. Earlier in the novel, Elie suggests that they relocate to
Palestine. Elie's father says that he is too old to start over.
Elie's gold crown: A Jewish dentist from Czechoslovakia tries to extract Elie's gold crown without
success. However, Franek, the foreman, gets Elie's gold crown by tormenting his father.
pipel: a young boy who is a kapo’s servant in a concentration camp
gallows: The place of several hangings, including the pipel with the face of an angel.
bell: The bell regulates everything in the camp. It signals roll call and even the selection.
Gleiwitz: The camp the prisoners reach during the winter march.
Juliek's violin: Juliek plays the violin in a room full of dying men. In the morning, Elie finds Juliek
dead and the violin smashed.
Beethoven's concerto: The piece that Juliek plays before his death.
Buchenwald: The concentration camp where Elie's father dies. A Jewish resistance takes control of
the camp.
Anti-Semitism: hatred, hostility or prejudice against Jews.
Hasidic: Orthodox Jews that maintain a lifestyle separate from the non-Jewish world
Maimonides: famous Jewish philosopher and rabbinic scholar (1135-1204); his writings have been
very influential
Passover: ancient eight day festival commemorating the freeing of the Israelites from Egyptian
slavery; happens in April or March
rabbi: a Jewish religious teacher
rebbe: usually translated to mean “Grand Rabbi”; the leader of a Hasidic community
Rosh Hashanah: Jewish New Year; start of the Days of Awe; culminates in Yom Kippur
Yom Kippur: sacred day of rest and prayer; a time of introspection; a time of atonement for sins;
considered the most important holiday of the Jewish year. The name "Yom Kippur" means "Day of
Atonement."
Sabbath (Shabbat): the day of rest; begins at sunset on Friday and lasts until sunset on Saturday
Shavout: a holiday celebrating the giving of the Torah on Mt. Sinai (commandments); happens in
May or June
Shekhinah: a Hebrew word meaning the dwelling or settling presence of God
Shoah: Hebrew word for the Holocaust
synagogue: Jewish house of worship
Zionism: a political movement to create and maintain a Jewish state; the word is derived from Zion,
another name for Jerusalem