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HEBREW UNIVERSITY DICTIONARY 1. R eg a: Most commonly shouted by disgruntled people as the bus doors close on their bags or legs, much to the delight of the bus driver. It has endless uses and is occasionally accompanied by an upturned hand shoved in your face while the person you’re trying to talk to finishes doing whatever they were doing. 2. Nahag: The devil’s spawn. He has no compassion for people with babies, strollers, packages, or 2 broken legs — he will close the door on them all. Much less evil if you own a Chofshi Chodshi, the nahag will scowl and yell if you attempt to pay him with anything larger than 2 NIS. He is a creative driver. His goal is to be a #23 driver, which would allow him to drive from Mt. Scopus to downtown in 1.5 minutes, stopping only to shout at rock throwers in East Jerusalem. 3. C h eeseto a st Men: No one can really tell them apart-only the woman behind the counter (is she their mother/lover/sister?) really knows. They make cheesetoast, a multi-meal favorite, and say nothing except, “CHEESETOAST! Who has cheesetoast?” Students, in return say nothing to them except “Cheesetoast?!?!”, as in “May I have some...,” or “Where the hell is my damn... ”) When spotted on campus, they are ignored by lofty OYP students, who whisper, “There’s the cheesetoast man” as they go by. 4. Frank's: Cafeteria popular with OYP students, or daily lunch consisting of schnitzel, chips or rice, and salad. No one is allowed to get anything else- you may as well learn to love it. Used in conversation as a noun, “Do you want to go and get some Frank’s?” or an adjective, only when eating outside, “Look at that schnitzel- it’s got that Frank’s shine.” Sinatra would never come here-sorry. 5. Yesh Tor Can: Expression indicating a group, crowd, or some other formation that is supposed to resemble a line. Most often heard in the Forum post office by the bitter American man behind the counter, who occasionally adds “chaver” at the end for a personal touch. Also heard while waiting to board an Egged bus by smug Israelis as they push you and your friends’ matching LL. Bean backpacks out of the way. 6. Shilshool: See “A Dahabian Diarrheay.” 7. Naots: Israeli Birkenstock look-a likes. Worn by OYPers who swore they’d NEVER wear Birkenstocks. 8. Shekel V ’C hetzi RabotaiI: The most common ploy used by Machane Yehudah vendors to increase business. It doesn’t matter that they’re selling red peppers for 9 NIS; they know that students love a supposed bargain. If you’re female, this becomes a mating call; it is often followed by profuse and insincere compliments, ie-"Your eyes are as green as these MELAFAFONIM!! SHEKEL V’CHETZI RABOTAI!!!” 9. Eshtanor: A felafel of mammoth proportions that for some unknown reason is not available on Saturday nights. Also a part of the lyrics of a popular dance song in Israel- “Ecstasy, ESHTANOR, Ecstasy, ESHTANOR...” Why is there so much bread left over at the bottom? 10. B ’zman: Literally, “on time.” when a hardy yearbook staff member ventured into the OSA office to ask for an example, no one there had ever heard of this expression. Puzzled, the OSA workers continued laminating next year’s vitally important Package Deal cards. 11. Ain Bayah: Everything that strikes Americans as a problem of any degree, for example, the wrong ulpan class, being late for an appointment, the snow, illness, war, is viewed as NO PROBLEM to the Israeli public. When confronting an Israeli with what seems to be a BA YAH, they will shake their head, wave their hand, and murmur, “AIN BAYAH.”