Languages Spoken in Israel Besides the Hebrew Language Languages Spoken in Israel Besides the Hebrew Language When most people think of the language of Israel, if they do not mistakenly think that the language spoken is Israeli, they know that the Hebrew language is the majority language. Nonetheless, Hebrew is not the only language spoken in Israel. In fact, Arabic is also an official language, and there are a number of other semi-official languages. If you visit Israel, you will notice that virtually all official signs are in Hebrew, Arabic and English. Due to the fact that Hebrew is not the native tongue for many Israelis, many governmental publications and other official documents are available in a number of languages. Approximately 20% of Israeli citizens are Arab and they generally do not speak Hebrew at home. Due to the fact that Arab citizens often live in their own communities and have governmental services available to them in their native Arabic language, many of them never learn Hebrew at a very high level. This changes for Arabs who choose to go the universities in Israel, at which point they must reach a certain level of proficiency in Hebrew in order to continue in their studies. Many official documents are also available in the Russian language.

Approximately one million Russian immigrants have come to Israel in the last 20 years or so, and while most of them have learned Hebrew and their children have grown up learning and speaking Hebrew, Russian will remain the first language for many of them. Amharic, an Ethiopian language, is also a very common sight, as many Ethiopians have immigrated to Israel since the 1970s and 1980s. Like the Russian immigrants, most of the Ethiopian immigrants have also come to learn Hebrew since coming to Israel; however, there are still many who are more comfortable speaking and reading their native Amharic. Despite the many different languages written and spoken in Israel, the Hebrew language is, on one level or another, spoken by almost everyone and is a common unifying element for nearly all of Israel’s residents. TOLL FREE 1-866-800-5602 Languages in Israel Languages in Israel Languages in Israel Hebrew, the language of the Bible, and Arabic are the official languages of the State of Israel. Hebrew (and Arabic too) is written from right to left.

On this Page: Accommodations » Hebrew, the language of the Bible, and Arabic are the official languages of the State of Israel. Hebrew (and Arabic too) is written from right to left. It was less than a century and a half ago that Hebrew was still considered a language solely for prayer and completely obsolete on a day-to-day basis. The restoration of Hebrew was a vastly significant factor in the success of the Zionist dream. Updating a “dead” language was a task led virtually in its entirety by one man, Russian-born Eliezer ben Yehuda, and it is a story of extraordinary vision and drama. His biography, Tongue of the Prophets, by Robert St. John, is utterly fascinating and a perfect read for visitors to Israel. All Israeli school children learn Hebrew, Arabic and English, and good English is spoken by virtually everyone in the country. Israel, a country peopled by many who have come from some 120 countries, is a multi-lingual country, with vast numbers of Israelis also speaking Russian, French, Spanish, Yiddish and tens of other tongues.

Almost every highway and street sign is in English as well as Hebrew (and Arabic), and English language newspapers, magazine and books are available everywhere. Should Hebrew Be Israel’s Official Language? Has It Ever Been? – Tablet Magazine September 12, 2014 • 12:00 AM (Flickr/maxg) The Knesset, its break postponed due to the war in Gaza, is wrapping up its summer session with a bang: Late last month, a small group of legislators began promoting a bill that would designate Hebrew as the Jewish state’s sole official language. “In most nations in the world, the official language is that which is spoken by the majority of the population,” says the bill . “Therefore, in Israel, Hebrew has a status that ought to be cemented into law.

Passing this bill will contribute to the social cohesiveness in Israel, as well as to constructing a collective identity necessary to create mutual trust and preserve the values of democracy.” To the bill’s detractors—a surprising coalition that includes liberal politicians and old-school Likud lions like Israel’s current president, Reuven Rivlin, and former minister of defense Moshe Arens —all this talk of cohesiveness and collective identity was just Newspeak intended to dull the bill’s true purpose, namely, demoting the status of Arabic as Israel’s other official language. Conferring any special status on Hebrew, these critics argued, was nothing more than a cheap political provocation aimed at upsetting the already deeply tense relationship between Israeli Jews and Arabs. As is so often the case with ideologically tinged disputes, the current brouhaha obscures deeper—and more pressing—realities. First of all, Arabic is not an official language in Israel. Neither is Hebrew: Like so much of Israel’s legal code, this issue, too, rests on ordinances passed by the Mandatory British government in Palestine.

According to Article 82 of the Palestine Order in Council , passed in August of 1922, “All Ordinances, official notices, and official forms of the Government and all official notices of local authorities and municipalities in areas to be prescribed by order of the High Commissioner, shall be published in English, Arabic, and Hebrew. The three languages may be used in debates and discussions in the Legislative Council, and, subject to any regulations to be made from time to time, in the Government offices and the Law Courts.” Because it stops short of declaring any language official, court cases parsing Article 82 after the establishment of the State of Israel in 1948 came to two key conclusions. The first was that there can be little doubt that the Mandatory government fully intended for Arabic to be considered an official state language. The second pertained to the meaning and usage of an official language. To take Article 82 at its word, we should define an official language as one in which citizens can file grievances, one that parliamentarians can use in addressing the plenum, and that the state uses in its official documents.

When court cases challenging the Mandatory status quo started trickling in, Israeli judges held these considerations in mind, protecting Arabic’s status as an official language in some cases but strongly denying it in others. The Adalah case is a perfect embodiment of this nuanced approach. In 1999, Adalah, the Legal Center for Arab Minority Rights in Israel, alongside the Association for Civil Rights in Israel, filed a petition against a host of mixed-population municipalities—cities and towns like Ramle, Lod, Akko, and Tel Aviv-Yaffo shared by Jewish and Arab residents—demanding that they add Arabic to all traffic, street, and other signs conveying necessary information. The Supreme Court found in favor of the petitioners, ruling that all local authorities whose Arab populations were larger than 6 percent were obligated to have Arabic on their signs. But the decision, the court took care to clarify, did not constitute a precedent concerning Arabic’s overall status as an official language.

Put simply, the Adalah case—like most of the precedents and pieces of legislation before it or since—recognizes Arabic to be the language of a sizable minority and requires that this minority be given adequate information and access whenever it is directly concerned, but it also recognizes that most of the affairs of the state at large are conducted exclusively in Hebrew, giving it primacy over any other language. This is why election ballots, for example, must contain Hebrew letters clearly marking the names of candidates or political parties; writing in Arabic is common but not mandatory. Those members of Knesset who now wish to crown Hebrew the state’s language, then, are merely asking to make official what is already—in practice and in precedent—the law of the land. And those thundering against the new bill are overlooking a much more dire threat: Earlier this year, Shai Piron, Israel’s minister of education, announced a significant reduction in the number of hours devoted to Arabic in Israeli schools. According to his reform, slated to take effect soon, Israeli students will only learn Arabic between seventh and ninth grade, a one-year reduction that would almost certainly deliver a critical blow to the state of Arabic as a high-school subject.

Last year, for example, while 150,000 Israeli teenagers took their Bagrut, or matriculation exam, in English, fewer than 10,000 did so in Arabic. Also, of all of Israel’s high schools, only 40 required that tenth-graders study Arabic, with only 200 more offering the language as an elective. Rather than quibble over the largely meaningless symbolism of official languages—meaningless because the law provides enough protection against language-based discrimination to non-Hebrew speakers—anyone who truly cares about Arabic’s status should rally against its disappearance from Israel’s schools. Politics aside, a nation with a large Arabic minority, firmly planted in a region that speaks, writes, sings, and dreams in Arabic, should do everything in its power to make sure its sons and daughters speak the language as well. Whether you believe that Israel should make an effort to reconcile with its Arabic-speaking neighbors or engage them in a protracted war of self-defense, speaking the language is key.

And Israel should be confident enough to understand that while Hebrew, a miracle of a modern linguistic revival, should be celebrated and protected and upheld, being able to speak to another person in his or her language or read Naguib Mahfouz in the original or tune in to what those dissidents are posting online from Cairo to Tunis will only make life richer. *** Like this article? Sign up for our Daily Digest to get Tablet Magazine’s new content in your inbox each morning. Liel Leibovitz is a senior writer for Tablet Magazine. Useful Hebrew for Travelers: Words & Phrases to Use in Israel Bloglovin Okay, so I’ve already shared plenty of tips on my favorite things to do and places to see in Israel, but one of the things I haven’t covered is the language. The very first time I traveled to Israel, I quickly become fascinated with the language. But not in such a positive way. Israel has two official languages: Hebrew and Arabic. The sounds are similar, both read right-to-left, but if you look at the letters, the two languages appear quite different. That’s because Hebrew uses block letters and Arabic uses script.

If you look at many (but strangely not all) of the street signs in Tel Aviv, you’ll quickly notice the complications of a country with two languages. And honestly, if you ask me, the Arabic script is strangely beautiful while the Hebrew letters come across as big and clunky. In speech, I always preferred the sound of Arabic over Hebrew. But in Tel Aviv, you’ll find Hebrew to be the go-to language. Also important to note is that just about everyone in Israel and even Palestine speak perfectly fine English. In Israel it’s even highly likely that the Israelis you might be speaking to are actually American—ones who’ve made Aliyah. Made what now?! Yeah, that’s what I felt the first time I heard the phrase in Israel. That’s why below you’ll find a random selection of the Hebrew words and phrases that you’re likely to come across. I’ve tried to simply share their meanings but with some helpful tips on how and why you might have to use these Hebrew words. Hebrew Words for Travelers Hebrew Alphabet So with Hebrew being a different alphabet and all, there are some English-ified words based on pronunciation. That’s what you see below.

Basic Hebrew for Travelers Shalom Literally means “peace” and if you learn one word to use in Israel, make it this one. Used for hellos and goodbyes, and plenty of other uses in between. Sababa Alright, this is your basic “cool”, “great”, “alright”. A word to use whenever you really feel like. I essentially see its’ use as similar to awesome in USA English . Want to go to the beach? Sababa. Want to ride bikes? Sababa. Want to make out on the roof? Sababa. Beseder When awesome is too much, but you don’t want to turn down that make-out session. This is a more neutral word for “let’s do this. Okay, everything’s in order. Chen & Lo Yes & no. Tip: Chen is pronounced “ken.” Just imagine you’re saying yes to Ken . Ma nishmá What’s up? Friendly way of asking friends “do you want to go to the beach and have a good time, maybe buy some cheap beers and make up funny stories about the tourists on the beach?” Also related: Ma koreh (what’s happening?) Ech holech How’s it going?

Just another way of saying the same-ol’, same-ol’. Toda (also Toda Raba) Thanks and “Thanks a lot!” This is a fun word to say because it sounds like you’re a 5-year-old who’s just finished a dance recital. Ta-da! Be te’avon If you like to eat, you’ll learn this one quick. It’s Hebrew for Bon Apetit! L’chaim The toast/cheers when you clink beer glasses, it translates “to life!” Bevakasha Spend enough time around Israelis and you might quickly discover an innate sense of brusqueness. But that doesn’t mean they avoid basic manners. Bevakasha is the Hebrew word for please. Slicha Lest you forget you’re in the Middle East, learn slicha early in your trip. It’s Hebrew for excuse me or sorry! You’ll use it when cutting in front of people in queues, when brushing past them on the crowded Tel Aviv boulevards, and when climbing over other passengers in the Israel public transport. Tov When something goes well, say tov — it’s Hebrew for “good” and has plenty of uses in everyday conversations.

Boker tov — Good morning Laila tov — Good evening Mazel tov — Good fortune (literally) but you’ll know it as a congratulatory phrase from pop culture Lehitra’ot See you / bye. As in adios, amigo! Nachon Like the Hebrew word tov, nachon has plenty of uses. It could translate as “right” or “correct”, but in a friendly, casual way, usually in reply to a new friend’s ridiculous suggestion. Person A: Let’s get some hash and go to a rave in the desert! Person B: Nachon. Fun Hebrew Words Ach shely (or Achi) In American frats you’ve got “brah”, and in Israel, you’ve got ach shely. Roughly translates as “My Brother” (or Brother). Arsim (or Ars) There are chavs in England, bogans in Australia, douchebag gangsters & white trash in America and arsim in Israel. Like obscenity, you’ll know it when you see it. Gever Slang for man, for when you’re just not already enough of a machismo .

Other Words Worth Knowing for Travel Within Israel Shabbat (also Shabbos) The Jewish holy day, if you’re in Israel on a Friday evening, you’ll have plenty of opportunities to learn about Shabbat. If you ask around, I’m sure you could get invited to a Shabbat dinner. And if you do, then you’ll need to know the next Hebrew phrase… Shabbat Shalom (also Good Shabbos) The Jewish greeting on Shabbat. Shekel That’s the currency. It’s a fun word, don’t you think? Good luck figuring out the conversion. It’s always been at an odd amount when I visited, which makes quick conversions in my head rather difficult. Kibbutz One of those unusual, quirky things you’ll only find in Israel, a Kibbutz is historically a collective community based around the Utopian ideals of harmonious living. Farming is often essential to the success of a Kibbutz and you’ll find them scattered throughout Israel’s countryside. Many are home to great restaurants and cafes, or even strange amusements like an ostrich farm (one I went to near the Sea of Galille).

It’s possible to volunteer at a Kibbutz where you work for your room & board (plus a small salary) but it typically requires a minimum 3-month contract. So if you’re on a short trip, it’s possible to visit independently or on day trips & tours from Jerusalem. Sherut Sheruts are essentially shared taxis. You’ll find them as public transport between most major cities in Israel, but also as an alternative to Tel Aviv’s confusing public transportation. They’re often easier and more convenient than the actual government public transportation—and worth the few extra shekels. Birthright This isn’t a Hebrew word, but it’s a thing worth knowing about it depending upon when you visit. The Birthright program is a program set up for young Jews around the world (famously America) to come to Israel. Essentially if you can prove you’re Jewish (which can be rather complicated), this association offers you a 10-day, all-expenses paid trip around Israel. Thousands of Birthright tourists arrive every year, most commonly in the summer, but also in December and January. The program allows applicants from 18-26 and has several restrictions.

If you’re just a tourist yourself in Israel, you’ll likely bump into a Birthright group or two—they’re hard to miss. (Note: I’ve never taken a Birthright trip myself, but they’re nearly impossible to miss.) Making Aliyah If you run into enough Birthright tours in Israel, then this is a phrase you might hear a lot. Making Aliyah refers to the process of immigration to Israel for Jews. As a relatively small country, Israel provides citizenship to Jews around the world. There’s a lot that goes into this subject, and nothing I really care to talk about — but knowing the fact that if someone says they’re “considering making Aliyah” — just know that it means they’re considering immigrating to Israel. Zionism Yeah that’s a big, loaded word, right there. Zionism is essentially Jewish nationalism for a Jewish state in what is Israel today. Zionists typically believe that they should immigrate to the Jewish homeland. For better or worse, it’s a word you should probably be aware of when traveling in Israel. There are whole books on the history of Zionism as well as critics and supporters of the movement & ideology. * * * Did you enjoy this post on useful Hebrew words and phrases?

How do you find using the language when traveling in Israel? Ed: Note the first edition of this guide mistakenly left out the word used when clinking beer glasses. 99 BBC - Languages - Hebrew - A Guide to Hebrew - 10 facts about the Hebrew language A Guide to Hebrew A Guide to Hebrew - 10 facts about the Hebrew language Check the Hebrew-only version 1. Where is Hebrew spoken? Hebrew is one of the official languages of the State of Israel, as well as Arabic. Hebrew is spoken in Israel and in many Jewish communities around the world, and you are likely to find Hebrew speakers where there are large Jewish communities, for example in the USA (where there are more than 5 millions Jews), France (approximately 490,000 Jews) and Canada (approximately 375,000 Jews). The Hebrew language found in the Bible (with the other language found in the Bible being Aramaic) is considered Classical or Biblical Hebrew עברית קלאסית [ivrit klasit]. This language evolved towards the end of the 19th century, into a language used for daily life - Modern Hebrew עברית מודרנית [ivrit modernit].

It is this Modern Hebrew that is now spoken around the world, while Classical Hebrew is still used for prayer. 2. What you already know about Hebrew There are many names which come from the Bible and are widely used as English names, such as Adam אדם, Benjamin חלטורה [chaltoora] – a sideline, moonlighting, shoddy work or low quality performance; פלקט [plakat] - a placard. 3. How hard is it to learn Hebrew? It could be difficult to learn the Hebrew alphabet, which contains 22 characters. Unlike in most European languages, words are written from right to left. As with most Semitic languages, there are certain sounds that will be new and difficult to pronounce. These are mostly created at the back of the throat. For example, in the word חבר [chaver], friend the sound of the first syllable 'cha' is a very similar sound to the one uttered for the 'ch' in the word ‘loch’ in Scotland. The pronunciation of the R sound in Hebrew is a guttural sound, much like in French.

The Hebrew version of the famous “The rain in Spain”, ברד ירד בדרום ספרד [Barad yarad bidrom sfarad], literally Hail fell in southern Spain, is a good example for practising this sound. Verbs take a different form depending on whether the subject of the sentence is male or female. For example, a man would say אני לא מבין [Ani lo mevin], I don’t understand, whilst a woman אני לא מבינה [Ani lo mevina], which is the feminine form of the same sentence. 4. The most difficult words and tongue twisters שרה שרה שיר שמח A snake bit a snake אנחנו לא מהממהרים אנחנו מהממהרות [Anachnu lo mehamemaharim, anachnu mehamemaharot] We are not from the group of rushing men, we are from the group of rushing women. 5. Know any good Hebrew jokes? Hebrew jokes are found on a variety of subjects. There are self-deprecating jokes that will play up to Jewish stereotypes and there are political jokes that will make fun of political leaders in Israel.

In addition, you will find the broad range of in-laws, wives, and region-specific jokes, with Israelis often the punch line of these. Some jokes are also a bit silly or based on play on words: איש אחד חלם בלילה שהוא מת. הוא קם בבוקר וראה שזו אמת. [Ish echad chalam balaila shehoo met. Hoo kam baboker veraa shezo ehmet.] A man dreamt that he was dead, only to wake up in the morning to find out that it is true. In Hebrew, the masculine singular form of 'dead', מת [met] rhymes with 'truth', אמת [ehmet], giving rise to this surreal play on words. איש אחד שאל את נהג האוטובוס אם הוא יכול לעלות לאוטובוס עם כלבו. הנהג ענה שאסור מותר אך מותר אסור. [Ish echad shaal et nehag haotoboos im hoo yachol laalot laotoboos im kalbo. Hanehag ana sheasoor mootar ach mootar asoor.] A man asked a bus driver whether he can board the bus with his dog.

The driver replied: "Chained is allowed, unchained is prohibited." In Hebrew, 'chained' and 'prohibited' are the same word: אסור [asoor]. The same is for 'allowed' and 'unchained': מותר [moosar]. ישראלי נכנס למסעדה בניו יורק ומזמין עוף. המלצר אומר שאין יותר עוף בתפריט ועל כך עונה הישראלי שהוא יודע את זה. [Israeli nichnas lemisaada benew York oomazmin off. Hameltsar omer "Chicken is off" veal kach oneh haisraeli shehoo yodeaa et ze.] An Israeli tourist walks into a New York restaurant and orders a chicken dish. "The chicken is off", says the waiter. "I know", replies the tourist. The punchline to this joke is due to a play on words: in Hebrew, עוף [off] means 'chicken'. מה אמר טרזן כשראה פילים רצים במורד הגבעה? הנה פילים רצים במורד הגבעה. מה אמר טרזן כשראה פילים במשקפי שמש רצים במורד הגבעה? שום דבר, הוא לא הכיר אותם.

[Ma amar Tarzan keshera’aa pilim ratsim bemorad hagivaa? -Hineh pilim ratsim bemorad hagivaa. Ma amar Tarzan keshera’aa pilim bemishkefei shemesh ratsim bemorad hagiva’aa? -Shoom davar, hu lo hikir otam.] What did Tarzan say when he saw elephants running down the hill? - Here are elephants running down the hill. What did he say when he saw elephants wearing sunglasses running down the hill? - Not much, he could not recognise them. 6. If I learn Hebrew, will it help me with any other languages? Hebrew shares similarities with other Semitic languages, such as Aramaic and Arabic. You will find similarities with the vocabulary, especially with regards to numbers. For example, אחד [ehad] in Hebrew and واحد [wahad] in Arabic both mean one. Similarily, עולם [olam], means world, the same as the Arabic عـالـم [alam]. In Hebrew, peace is שלום [shalom], whilst in Arabic سلام‎ [salam].

However, even if there are similarities in the way in which the two languages sound, they use two completely different alphabets. 7. What not to say and do As with most languages, embarrassment is most often found in mispronunciation. If you tell someone you are wearing khaki trousers אני לובש מכנסי חאקי [Ani lovesh michnesei khaki] they may well think you have soiled yourself, as khaki means faeces in Hebrew, though in Hebrew the word is pronounced with the 'ch' sound mentioned above. The English word 'me' sounds like the Hebrew מי, which actually means 'who'. If you point at yourself and repeat "me" over and over, a Hebrew speaker might think you're having an identity crisis! Just like in any other places of worship, remember to wear appropriate clothes when visiting a synagogue or mosque. As a general rule, cover your arms and legs. In a synagogue, men should always cover their head. The traditional cap worn by men in a synagogue is called כיפה [kippah].

If you meet an Orthodox Jewish man or woman and you are a member of the opposite sex, do not try to shake hands with him/her, as according to their beliefs a man and a woman should not touch each other unless they're married. 8. Famous quotations Theodor Hertzl, the man who pioneered the movement towards a Jewish state in 19th century, said אין דבר העומד בפני הרצון [Ein davar ha’omed bifnei haratson] meaning There is nothing that stands in the way of your will, a Hebrew variant of the classic, "Where there is a will, there is a way". Rabbi Hillel, renowned within Judaism as a sage and scholar who lived in Jerusalem in the 1st century, also gave a Hebrew account of the well known as "What is hateful to you, do not do to your fellow": מה ששנוא עליך אל תעשה לחברך [Ma shesanoo aleicha al ta’aseh lechavercha].

While Shakespeare may have made popular the phrase "All’s Well That Ends Well", this proverb can also be found in the תלמודTalmud (a central text of the oral Jewish law) in the Hebrew form of סוף טוב – הכל טוב [Sof tov – hakol tov]. Literally: "When the end is good, it is all good". 9. First written records One of the earliest records of written Hebrew dates between 1200BC and 587BC and consists of 20 of the books included in the Bible. After this period and up to 70AD, there was a large literary output which included the writings of the Dead Sea Scrolls. 10. How to be polite and show respect The well known word שלום [shalom], meaning peace, is used as both hello and goodbye in conversation. In Hebrew, there is no way to say ‘I would like’. Therefore, when asking for things, you use the verb to want, רוצה [rotseh], with the word please, בבקשה [bevakasha].

Thelemapedia: The Encyclopedia of Thelema & Magick | Hebrew [ edit ] Roots of Hebrew As a Semitic language, Hebrew shares roots with Aramaic and Arabic. Indeed, many similarities between the languages still exist. E.g., Class Heb. achad, Mod. Heb. echat, Arabic wahad, "one;" Mod. Heb. shalom, Arabic salaam, "peace." It is also linguistically related to Caananite and Phoenician, two of the languages in use in Caanan at the time of the Exodus from Egypt to Palestine, having evolved from the same root language. [ edit ] Classical ("Biblical") Hebrew and the rise of Aramaic over Hebrew The first evidence of a distinct Hebrew language is the Gezer calendar, which dates to the 10th century BCE, believed to be about the time of King David and Solomon. This calendar was written in a Phoenician script (the ancestor of our modern Roman/English alphabet) but without vowels or indication of use of vowels, as Hebrew was written for centuries.

There is no clear record of when the written Torah or the Tanakh (the complete "Old Testament") was first written; the eariest written texts come from the Dead Sea Scrolls and date to about 100 BCE. In 586 BCE, Nebuchadnezzar I of Babylon captured Jerusalem and took the two tribes of Judah into captivity in Babylon as slaves. At that time, Aramaic was the language of Babylon; the Jews taken as captives quickly learned it as their lingua franca with their captors. (The "ten lost tribes of Israel" presumably were scattered and co-mingled with their Phoenician and other neighbors, unless one accepts the Mormon concept that they emigrated from Palestine to what is now modern-day New York State.) Several decades after the capture of Jerusalem, Babylon was captured in turn by Darius of Persia. Darius had adopted Aramaic as his empire's language as well. Although Darius allowed the Jews to return to Palestine, by this time their everyday language had become Aramaic. Hebrew became a language of religion and scholarship, but even major religious works were written in Aramaic.

Indeed, the Talmud, the second most important work in Judaism after the TNKH (Tanakh), is largely written in Aramaic. [ edit ] Hebrew as an academic and religious language After the Diaspora, when Jews were driven from Palestine after the destruction of the Second Temple in AD 70 e.v., Jews adopted the language of whatever country they lived in. But throughout that time, Hebrew remained the one language of scholarship and of the Torah (many of the books of the Prophets were written in Aramaic). Pronunciation of Hebrew differed widely among scholars, especially along the division between Asheknazy (Central European), Sephardic (Iberian and north African) rabbis, and rabbis from the Mesopotamian area. That division is still in evidence in modern Hebrew: speakers of Hebrew in Israel have been known to make fun of immigrants from central Europe for their "Ashkenazy"—meaning "hick" —accent. Nevertheless, despite all differences in the pronunciation of the texts, the texts themselves remained a common bond for Jews. As noted above, Hebrew was originally written without vowels and little indication as to the vowels which might connect consonants.

(This, of course, contributed to the confusion on pronunciation). About the eighth centure e.v., and thanks to the work of rabbis called masoretes, a system of indicating vowels and stress on syllables arose. The modern written Hebrew language comes directly from the Masorete script. [ edit ] The birth of modern Hebrew Hebrew as a spoken, living language was dormant from the time of the Babylonian Exile until the end of the 19th century e.v. As Zionism arose, so did interest in reviving Hebrew as a distinct language unique to Jews. Rabbi Eliezer ben Yehuda (1858-1922 e.v.) led the movement to modernize Hebrew and to use it among Jews moving into Palestine after 1900 e.v. Modern Hebrew is a living language whose foundations are in the Torah, on which have been grafted transplants from every nation in which Jews have lived. Ironically enough, as Hebrew was being brought into the 20th century, its scholars often chose Arabic root stock for new words over European language bases. Modern Hebrew is now one of the two official languages of the State of Israel, along with Arabic.

New immigrants to Israel spend several months in a special school (the Ulpan ) where they learn fundamental modern Hebrew as well as the laws and customs of Israel. [ edit ] Hebrew for the Thelemite A knowledge of written Hebrew, or at least the pre-Masorete letters, is indispensable for understanding the Qabalah . While familiarity with grammar and long sentence construction is not absolutely necessary, one must be able to recognize the letters and put them together for words in order to apply Gematria properly. The more familiar one is with Hebrew and its vocabulary, the more connections one will recognize between words, and the more efficiently one can apply Gematria. The Thelemite studying Hebrew in-depth will almost certainly want to study classical ("biblical") Hebrew rather than modern Hebrew. The Hebrew words and concepts that have worked their way into Thelema, Qabalah, and hermetic magick in general come from classical Hebrew; their modern spelling and pronunciation may be confusing. State of Israel State of Israel State of Israel Israel is a country in the Middle East, on the narrow region connecting Africa and Asia.

The State of Israel occupies most of the region known as the Land of Israel.​ On this Page: Official Name: The State of Israel Form of Rule: Parliamentary Democracy Capital: Jerusalem Area: 22,072 square kilometers Population: 7.4 million persons Distribution by Religion: 75.6% Jews, 16.6% Muslim, 1.6% Christian and 1.6% Druze, 0.40% non-Arab Christians and 3.9% unclassified by religion. Official Languages: Hebrew, Arabic GDP per Person: $28,365 (calculated according to purchasing power) Quality of Life Classification: 24th place in world International Dialing Code: 972 Internet Suffix: il Israel is a country in the Middle East, on the narrow region connecting Africa and Asia. The State of Israel occupies most of the region known as the Land of Israel. Israel is a developed country, located in a region that is geographically and climatically diversified. There are snow-capped mountains in the north alongside dry wildernesses in the south, and desolate areas alongside modern lively cities.

Israel’s ethnic and religious mosaic is rich and fascinating, and it has numerous cultural institutions and entertainment centers. Thanks to its rich history and sanctity for the three monotheistic religions, it has many ancient and holy sites. Most of the year, the climate in Israel is pleasant, and you can tour the country the whole year round. However, it is recommended to visit during fall and spring (September – November, April – June), when the temperature is especially pleasant. The State Emblems The flag of the State of Israel is composed of two blue stripes against a white background, with a blue Shield of David (hexagram) between them. The national anthem of the State of Israel is Hatikvah (“The Hope”). The lyrics were written by the poet, Naphtali Herz Imber (1856–1909), and the melody is a Romanian folk song quoted by the Czech composer, Bedrich Smetena, in his cycle “My Homeland.” In 1933, Hatikvah was chosen as the Zionist movement’s anthem and, upon the establishment of the State of Israel, was accepted as the national anthem.

However, the song was only officially recognized by the Knesset as Israel’s national anthem in 2004. The emblem of the State of Israel is the seven-branched menorah (candelabrum) with olive branches at both sides, and with the name, Israel, appearing beneath. The source of the Menorah is an engraving on the Arch of Titus in Rome, depicting the victory march of the Roman commander, Titus, after he crushed the Great Revolt of the Jews against the Romans and destroyed the Temple in 70 CE. The source of the olive branches is a prophecy of the prophet Zechariah. The candelabrum of the Temple in Jerusalem engraved on the Arch of Titus symbolizes not only the illustrious past of the people of Israel, but also its defeat and the beginning of its exile. So, the choice of this specific candelabrum not only linked the new state to its illustrious past – it also, so to speak, brought the Menorah back from its long exile, thus indirectly symbolizing the end of the Diaspora.

Back To Top Form of Rule in Israel The State of Israel is a parliamentary democracy, headed by the president, whose role is essentially symbolic and representative. The country is, in fact, managed by three authorities: the legislative authority (the Knesset), the executive authority (the government), and the judiciary authority. The legislative authority in Israel is the Knesset (the name of the parliament in Israel), which has 120 members chosen in general elections once every four years. The Knesset enacts laws, makes political decisions, chooses the president and the government, and supervises the government’s activity. The executive authority in Israel is the government. It is responsible for executing the laws enacted by the Knesset and for the proper governance of the State. The prime minister is a Knesset member whom the president charged with the role of forming the government, and who formed a government that gained the confidence of the Knesset. Since the establishment of the state, no single party has enjoyed an absolute majority in the Knesset. Therefore, all of Israel’s governments have always been coalition governments. The third authority in Israel is the judiciary, which is responsible for maintaining law in the state.

At the head of the legal system stands the Supreme Court . It hears appeals against judgments of the lower courts, and also sits as a High Court of Justice for petitions submitted by civilians against the State authorities. Besides the ordinary, or civilian, legal system, Israel has courts which the law has bestowed with unique authority in specific matters. Among these courts are the Labor Court, the Military Court, and the religious courts (Jewish, Muslim, Christian and Druze), which deal with matters of personal status such as marriage and divorce. Back To Top Israel’s Economy The Israeli economy is a success story. Even though it has hardly any natural resources, and in spite of wars and waves of immigration that have placed an enormous burden on it, Israel is among the most prosperous countries in the world. Two reasons for Israel’s economical success are direct external aid, totaling at least some $108 billion to date, and an educated work force. Since its establishment, Israel’s exports of goods and services have grown from some 30 million dollars a year to approximately $2.98 billion a year. Over this period, many changes have occurred in the Israeli economy.

In the beginning, the state’s main exports were citrus fruit, as well as processed diamonds and some industrial products. Today, however, most of its exports consist of the products of high-tech industries in diverse areas such as electronics, software, hardware, optics, communications and medical instrumentation. In the course of time, Israel’s economical ideology has also changed. In the beginning, the economy was prominently centralist, characterized by major state involvement in economic activity. Following political change in 1977, Israel’s governments have adopted a more liberal economical policy. The GDP of the Israeli economy is some $179 billion, while the GDP per person is some $27,300, ranking Israel 21st when compared to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development member countries in 2008. Its exports of goods and services total some $2.98 billion a year, while its imports total some $3.3 billion a year. Its annual growth rate in 2008 was about 4.1%, the inflation rate as of early 2009 was around 3.4%, and the unemployment rate as of early 2009 was 6.8%.

The Israeli economy’s predominant sector is high-tech, which became the driving force behind the country’s economic growth in the 1990s. Other prominent sectors in the Israeli economy are pharmaceuticals, chemicals, tourism, military industries, the metal industry and polished diamonds. The Languages of the Bible By Mark D. Kaplan Three Biblical Languages EEING IN VISION the time of Christ's return, John saw people praising God, "...a great multitude which no one could number, of all nations, tribes, peoples, and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb...." God's plan of salvation includes every human being regardless of language. The Bible has been preserved for us in three different languages, illustrating God's love for all people. Linguists have classified the world's languages in various families based on common characteristics. Two of the biblical languages, Hebrew and Aramaic are in the Semitic family, which also includes Arabic and the ancient language of Akkadian. When used by linguists, the term Semitic refers to a family of related languages of Middle Eastern origin. The term is not used by linguists in a racial sense.

The New Testament has been preserved in Greek, an Indo-European language which has had a major influence on our contemporary world. God's use of different languages in the Bible followed a pattern of focusing first on one region, then widening the scope of the message to include an empire, and finally including the entire known world between India and Ireland. Of course, in modern times the Bible, through translation, has been accessible in almost every language known to human beings. God's plan of salvation includes every human being regardless of language. The Bible has been preserved for us in three different languages, illustrating God's love for all people. Most of the Old Testament was written in Hebrew, a dialect of Canaanite. The Canaanites were descendants of Ham. Biblical Hebrew and biblical Aramaic are written with the same alphabet. The most ancient Hebrew scriptures used the Canaanite style of forming the letters. For about twenty-four centuries the entire Old Testament has been preserved in the style of alphabet used anciently by Aramaic speakers. There are also some portions of the Old Testament written in the Aramaic language. The Arameans (ancient Syrians) were descendants of Shem. The New Testament scriptures have been preserved for us in Greek.

The Hebrew word for Greece is Javan. Contemporary Hebrew transliteration would spell it Yavan. The children of Javan trace their ancestry back to Japheth. Three sons of Noah, three patriarchs for the human race, three languages of the Bible, the written word which forms the basis of God's judgment on the whole of humanity. One of the earliest ancient cities was Akkad in Mesopotamia (Genesis 10:10). The ancient language of Mesopotamia, Akkadian was similar to Biblical Hebrew. Perhaps Abraham originally spoke an Akkadian dialect in Ur. He later migrated to a region which spoke a related language, Aramaic. Aram was a descendant of Shem (Genesis 10:22). The name of Aram became identified with the region known later as Syria. When Abraham went south to Canaan the relatives that he left behind continued to speak Aramaic. The Canaanites were descendants of Ham (Genesis 10:6). In Canaan Abraham picked up the local language. His clan's version of Canaanite became known as Hebrew. "The Lip of Canaan" THE CANAANITE DIALECT spoken by the Hebrews is called the Hebrew language.

In Isaiah 19:18 it is called literally, "the lip of Canaan." It antedated the birth of Jacob, whose name was changed to Israel, and was brought by him and his extended family into Egypt during the administration of Jacob's son, Joseph. Our readers are probably familiar with the account of Joseph's miraculous rise to prominence and that when his brothers first visited Egypt, they didn't recognize him. Joseph and the group of brothers communicated with one another through an interpreter. When Joseph's brothers spoke to each other in Hebrew, they assumed that he could not understand (Genesis 42:23). Our speech should always reflect Christian values and will therefore, at times, differ from the speech of many others who are not practicing the religion of the Bible. Please read the first verse of Psalm 114. When God led Israel out of Egypt, the Israelites were departing from a people who spoke a different language, ancient Egyptian, which is known to us through the various Coptic dialects. The peoples in and around Canaan spoke mutually intelligible dialects. Perhaps Denmark, Norway, and Sweden are analogous today.

The famous Mesha Stone, an archaeological relic from the ninth century BC, illustrates that the ancient Moabite language was similar to Biblical Hebrew. The term "Hebrew" might have been used for all of the descendants of Eber, but quickly in Genesis it comes to refer to a specific branch of Eber's descendants, those who have a covenant relationship with God. In Genesis 14:13 Abraham (then called Abram) is referred to as "Abram the Hebrew." One of the connotations of Hebrew is of a person who has crossed the Euphrates River, as Abraham did when he left Babylonia to go westward. Abraham, in that sense, became a Hebrew when he crossed the Euphrates River and left his old life behind, a type of baptism. Much later in biblical history, the prophet Jonah told the Gentile crew on the tempest tossed ship that, "I am a Hebrew and I fear the LORD, the God of heaven, who made the sea and dry land" (1:9). Abraham's descendants crossed the Red Sea and then the Jordan River on their trek to the Promised Land.

There they gathered to hear the exhortation of Joshua, who reminded them that they were Hebrews; they had crossed over the Euphrates River from Babylon. In the following message the word translated "the other side" is derived from the same root as the word for Hebrew. "And Joshua said to all the people, 'Thus says the LORD God of Israel: "Your fathers, including Terah, the father of Abraham and the father of Nahor, dwelt on the other side of the River in old times; and they served other gods. Then I took your father Abraham from the other side of the River, led him throughout all of the land of Canaan, and multiplied his descendants and gave him Isaac."'" (Joshua 24:2-3). In the end-time, the Arabic speaking Egyptians will be motivated to learn a closely related language, Hebrew. This will enable them to read much of the Bible in its original language and to be more effectively taught by the Jews (Zechariah 8:23). This sign of Egypt's repentance and conversion is prophesied in Isaiah 19:18.

"In that day five cities in the land of Egypt will speak the language of Canaan and swear by the LORD of hosts; one will be called the City of Destruction." This development will have been preceded by the repentance and conversion of the Israeli Jewish population at Christ's return (Zechariah 12:10-14). The Imperial Language OF THE COMING MESSIAH, Daniel prophesied, "Then to Him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, That all peoples, nations, and languages should serve Him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion, Which shall not pass away, And His kingdom the one Which shall not be destroyed." (Daniel 7:14). This prophesied polylingual praising of God is found in the Bible itself, where in some of the Old Testament books God inspired passages to be written and preserved in the gentile language of Aramaic, which uses the same alphabet as Hebrew. The Aramaic style of writing the letters was different. The Jews adopted that style and used it to copy the Holy Scriptures after returning from the Babylonian Captivity.

The Samaritans to the north of Judea had their own Bible which in the days of Ezra and Nehemiah was probably still being written with letters formed in the pre-exilic fashion. By switching to the Aramaic form of writing the letters of the alphabet, the Jews could more effectively guard the integrity of their own sacred writings, the "oracles of God." The common people of Judah spoke Hebrew before the Babylonian captivity, but the elite of Jewish society also spoke Aramaic, the linguna franca of their region (II Kings 18:26-28). The language of the Jews who had returned to the biblical land of Israel under the Persian Empire was distinct from the gentiles who also inhabited that land. Nehemiah knew that children of mixed marriages were losing their religious distinctiveness when he heard them speaking in ways that reflected gentile influence. (Nehemiah 13:23-27). There is an important spiritual lesson in that account for contemporary Christians. Our speech should always reflect Christian values and will therefore, at times, differ from the speech of many others who are not practicing the religion of the Bible. There are four Aramaic passages in the Old Testament.

At this point we are not discussing a style of writing, we are discussing the use of a different language! One purpose that the Aramaic passages serve is to illustrate that God did not intend to have an intimate relationship with just one segment of humanity. Aramaic was a major gentile language of the ancient Middle East. It was known and used by the international elite of that region from the eighth century BC through the fourth century BC. Aramaic, sometimes called Chaldee in the old King James Bible, continued to be a language of major importance until the rise of Islam. The spread of Arab civilization caused another close relative of Hebrew and Aramaic, Arabic, to become the dominant language from Spain to India. The New Testament Church began in Jerusalem on Pentecost of 31 AD with a linguistic miracle that momentarily removed the barrier to interethnic understanding that God had instituted at the Tower of Babel. The first use of Aramaic in the Bible occurs in the thirty-first chapter of Genesis, verse forty-seven. Jacob ended a period of exile in Syria with a formal agreement with his cousin Laban. Laban named the place of agreement in Aramaic, his language.

The Aramaic term means "Heap of Witness." Jacob gave the equivalent name in his language, Hebrew. Many scriptures in the Old Testament point to a time when the message of God's coming Kingdom will be proclaimed to all the nations. The ancient Hebrew prophets foresaw a time when the whole world would unitedly worship the God of Israel. "I have sworn by Myself; The word has gone out of My mouth in righteousness, and shall not return, That to Me every knee shall bow, Every tongue shall take an oath." (Isaiah 45:23) The Apostle Paul later quoted this prophecy in his Epistle to the Church at Rome (Romans 14:11). Toward the end of the Book of Isaiah we read, "I will set a sign among them; and those among them who escape I will send to the nations: to Tarshish and Pul and Lud, who draw the bow, and Tubal and Javan, to the coastlands afar off who have not heard My fame nor seen My glory.

And they shall declare My glory among the Gentiles." (Isaiah 66:19) Imagine reading a chapter in a book and abruptly coming across a passage in a different language, then just as abruptly switching back. Such a literary anomaly could be a calculated effort to heighten the dramatic import of what is written. It could also serve to focus on a particular audience. The tenth chapter of Jeremiah contain twenty-four verses in Hebrew, but verse eleven is in Aramaic. The Aramaic verse comes without warning and is immediately followed by verse twelve which continues the same thought but switches back to Hebrew. The impact is powerful. The verse intends to include those nations whom God would use to punish His people. Those nations would also be judged. The Chaldean Empire was destined to fall, and its false religion was destined to become extinct. "Thus you shall say to them: 'The gods that have not made the heavens and the earth shall perish from the earth and from under these heavens.'" (Jeremiah 10:11). The first half of the Book of Daniel is more autobiographical in nature than the second half, but the two halves of the book are tightly linked together by a literary bridge that overlaps them.

A different language is used from the second half of Daniel 2:4 through the end of chapter seven. The material is preserved in Aramaic, the lingua franca of that time, a language that gentiles could understand. For prophecies more specifically related to God's Church of that day, the nation of Judah, the scriptures return to the use of Hebrew in chapter eight. The Book of Ezra quotes two official decrees of the Persian Empire in Aramaic, presumably the language in which they were issued. The second is found in chapter seven, verses twelve through twenty-six. The first is found in an Aramaic section which includes Ezra 4:8 as an introductory comment and continues with further historical background through the eighteenth verse of chapter six. Gentile readers could thus be informed concerning important events in the history of the restoration of Judah under the Old Covenant. The Hebrew portion begins again in 6:19 an account of the observance of the Passover and Days of Unleavened Bread.

We can summarize now by stating that Genesis 31:47 contains an Aramaic phrase and that there are four Aramaic passages in the Old Testament: Jeremiah 10:11, Daniel 2:4b through 7:26, Ezra 4:8 through 6:18, and Ezra 7:12 through 26. Two closely related languages were used to record the material that constitutes the first thirty-nine books of the Bible. The Old Testament scriptures were inspired in languages spoken in southwest Asia. With the coming of the New Testament scriptures, God made use of a European language, Greek; a language which even in ancient times was a very effective tool for refined discussions. The Greek-speaking world has been responsible for the preservation of the final twenty-seven books of the Bible. The Language of the New Testament DURING THE CENTURIES between the Testaments, the western Jewish Diaspora came to be Greek speaking and to read the Holy Scriptures in Greek. The Greeks are descendants of Javan, a son of Japheth (Genesis 10:2).

The Jews who lived in the areas occupied today by Israel, Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, and Iraq became Aramaic speaking and required Aramaic translation in order to understand the Old Testament. There are some Aramaic words and phrases in the New Testament, written of course with the letters of the Greek alphabet. Jewish religious scholars such as rabbis and scribes continued to speak, read, and write in Hebrew. Their conversational language was different in some ways from Biblical Hebrew. It is known as rabbinic Hebrew. The Oral Law of Judaism was finally written in rabbinic Hebrew in 200 AD in the Mishnah. This work was later greatly expanded by an Aramaic commentary called the Gemara, which was completed by about 500 AD. When people refer to the Talmud, they are usually referring to the combination of the Mishnah and the Gemara. God is the original author of racial and linguistic diversity. Both will continue in the millennium, but with one all important difference, one world religion, God's Truth. John 19 states that the description of Jesus as "King of the Jews" was written on His cross by order of Pilate in three languages.

God declared through the writing of Isaiah, "...That to Me every knee shall bow, Every tongue shall take an oath." (Isaiah 45:23) Paul informed his Philippian brethren, "...that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." (2:10-11) The Book of Revelation concludes the Bible. It contains letters to seven Churches that represent the whole Church of that time and throughout history. These Churches were located in Asia Minor, a center of Hellenistic culture in those days. All of the congregations were Greek-speaking. The cities involved were Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamos, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea. The Greek alphabet is used symbolically: "...I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last..." (Revelation 1:11). The Jewish establishment of the first century rejected Jesus and His disciples as religious authorities. Judaism would not accommodate Christians. Even today, the New Testament has no status in Judaism whatsoever.

God gave the opportunity to the Jews to receive more canonical material. Judaism rejected the gospel, so the additional scriptures that are now called the New Testament were given to the Greeks to preserve for all humankind (Romans 1:16;2:9-10). In the first century, AD, most Jews could not fluently speak or understand Hebrew. That same condition is true today. The Jewish population of North America is much larger than the population of the State of Israel. Israelis speak, write, and read Hebrew but most Jews in the United States and Canada could not understand even a brief memo written to them in Hebrew. The Churches to which Paul wrote his epistles had Jewish and gentile members, but the congregations were all located in Greek speaking areas. Even the Epistle to the Hebrews may have been originally written in Greek. Consider this: nearly all Reform Jews in America speak English. Only a minority have mastered the Hebrew language. Yet, their synagogue organization is called the Union of American Hebrew Congregations. If the Book of Hebrews was originally written in Hebrew or Aramaic, that original version has never been found.

It was necessary to write the Epistle in Greek in order to preserve it as a part of the New Testament. The New Testament Church began in Jerusalem on Pentecost of 31 AD with a linguistic miracle that momentarily removed the barrier to interethnic understanding that God had instituted at the Tower of Babel. The divine intervention at Babel prevented a rapid advance of technology that would have led to the potential self-destruction of humanity long before this century. In Jerusalem God dramatically began the re-education process that will some day result in universal peace and prosperity. In the latter miracle, the speakers were enabled to speak a different language and also the hearers were enabled to hear in their own languages. Different Languages, One Religion GOD IS THE ORIGINAL AUTHOR of racial and linguistic diversity. Both will continue in the millennium, but with one all important difference, one world religion, God's Truth. Zephaniah prophesied that when God's kingdom reigns over the earth, "For then I will restore to the peoples a pure language, That they all may call on the name of the LORD, To serve Him with one accord" (3:9). Perhaps this is a prophecy not only of future spiritual unity, but of one international language.

This language will not necessarily replace all the others. Its purpose will be to give to all human beings, whatever local language they may speak, the ability to communicate directly with every other human being. One world language under the rule of Jesus Christ will be a tremendous blessing to humanity. While we await Christ's second coming, we are to live by every word of God, some of which was originally inspired in a language of descendants of Ham, some in a language of Shem, some in a language of Japheth. God's Church today includes members from many different national, cultural, ethnic, and linguistic backgrounds, of whom Peter wrote in chapter two, verse 10 of his first Epistle, "who once were not a people but now are the people of God."

Question: Israel has two official languages. One is Hebrew. What is the other?
Answer: ARABIC