Moment Top Ten

By | Nov 16, 2011

Version Jew.0

Is your Yiddish rusty? Want to whip up a kosher culinary masterpiece? Trying to remember which prayer to say as you cast off your sins on Rosh Hashanah? Don’t worry—there’s an app for it!

Oy!

Ever wonder when it’s okay to toss out an “oy”? The opportunities, it seems, are endless. The Oy! app for iPhones and iPads provides five recorded variations on the go-to favorite for moments when no other expression of dismay will work. Does the situation call for a full-blown “oy gevalt”? Done. Need a classic “oy vey”? No problem. The app even covers that perennial favorite, “oy yoy yoy.”

 

Jewish Mother

The makers of Jewish Mother have remedied the logistical difficulties of constant maternal accomp-animent: In lieu of an actual mother, a virtual version programmed with more than 100 phrases follows users. “Happy Hanukkah, bubbeleh,” she might say. “Of course, I’d be happier if you had kids.” The digi-mom even spouts out different phrases based on gender and marital status.

Gematria Calculator

Gematria, part of Kabbalistic thought, assigns a numerical value to each of the Hebrew alphabet’s 22 letters, used to decode deeper meanings in Hebrew words and phrases. For those unable to perform such complex calculations in their heads, the Gematria Calculator determines the numerical values of phrases in Jewish texts, making the trajectory to spiritual reward a little less mathematically onerous.

Jewish Temple Jigsaw

Re-jigger this app’s puzzle pieces to form the Holy Temple, known in Hebrew as Beit HaMikdash. Those who solve the puzzle are rewarded—the screen flashes: “You built a Beis Hamikdash!” Not even King David could say that.

iTashlich

Tashlich, the Rosh Hashanah ceremony in which pieces of bread symbolizing sins are cast into a body of running water, has gone high-tech. This handy app explains the ritual and provides audio of the main prayer in both English and Hebrew, as well as the Hebrew text of the three primary blessings. It also prompts reflection on possible modern sins, such as, “Have you used other people’s unsecured wireless Internet?”

Jew Booth

Sure, that photo of you at cousin Jake’s wedding looks nice, but does it need a little Jewish je ne sais quoi? Jew Booth is here to help. Take any photo and make it distinctly Jewish by adding a kippah, a Star of David necklace or other Jewish accoutrements. Your Facebook friends will think you’ve undergone a religious transformation when they see photos of you wearing a black fedora; whether or not you clue them in to Jew Booth’s photographic trickery is up to you.

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