Hebrew from the Bible The Jewish Bible is largely written in biblical Hebrew, with a section of Daniel and Ezra-Nehemiah written in Aramaic. Jews emphasize the necessity of learning the original book in its original language because of its sacredness. Although many Jews know some English, it is not considered adequate for reading the Torah. Hebrew is the language of Israel today. It is also known as Judeo-Arabic because it originates from Arabic and Persian words and phrases that entered the language through contact with Jews and their languages (Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek). Although Jews continue to speak Hebrew, they are mostly fluent in English. This is because most Jews only learn Hebrew as a second language; most become proficient enough in speaking it to follow the religious practices but not well enough to have an active social life in the community. The few Jews who do speak Hebrew may be found among the older generation or within certain Orthodox communities. They will often talk about "reading the Torah in the original language" instead of "reading the Torah in Hebrew." Most modern Israelis cannot understand Hebrew, which is why the majority listen to prayers in English. However, Israeli law requires that certain prayers be said in Hebrew on important holidays and at other major events such as elections.