mizrah

or miz·rach

[ Sephardic Hebrew meez-rahkh; Ashkenazic Hebrew miz-rahkh ]

noun

, Hebrew.

1. a decorative figure, usually bearing an inscription, that is hung on the eastern wall in Jewish homes or synagogues to indicate the direction to face in prayer.
2. the eastern wall in a synagogue, which contains the Holy Ark.

Word History and Origins

Origin of mizrah¹

mizrāḥ literally, east