Hebrew on the Nile: The Rise of Jewish Studies in Egypt
About a dozen universities in Egypt award degrees in Hebrew and Jewish studies today. Why did Egyptians become interested in such fields and how did they help foment a cultural renaissance?
Hebrew language
Shalom, Siri. Do You Understand a Word I’m Saying?
A government agency is embarking on a project to help computers and devices understand Hebrew better
After Decade-long Legal Battle, Vaults Open: Kafka's Diaries Unveiled in Israel
National Library at last presents never-before-seen manuscripts by the renowned Czech author, including journals and notebooks featuring words in Hebrew
God Forbid Nonreligious Israeli Teachers Are Suddenly in High Demand in America
Want to teach Hebrew overseas? A firm knowledge of Israeli culture could really boost your job prospects
U.S. Students Invent Non-gendered Hebrew Grammar for Non-binary Speakers
For those who don't identify as male or female, including some transgender people, speaking Hebrew can be fraught
The Accent Coach Who Teaches Israel’s Elite How to Talk More Like an American
‘I don’t think people need to speak with a perfect American accent, but you can zero in on the important pronunciations, understand what to emphasize to convey the message and not get all worked up about it not sounding good,’ says Hadar Shemesh
Analysis The Egyptian Student Who Loves to Read Israeli Writers David Grossman and Yehuda Amichai
One Hebrew-learning Egyptian says it’s impossible to understand a society without also knowing its literature. But it’s doubtful anyone who dreams of removing Arabic from the Israeli public space will heed his stinging rebuke
Opinion Who's Talking About Gender Equality
The Academy of the Hebrew Language may not take a stand against the linguistic exclusion of women, but I am
Jerusalem's National Library Presents: All the World's Hebrew Manuscripts Online
The new website features the world's biggest collection of Jewish and Hebrew manuscripts and should be a treasure trove for researchers
Opinion Eliezer Ben-Yehuda Is Turning in His Grave Over Israel’s Humiliation of Arabic
The humanist reviver of modern Hebrew, who explicitly sought help from "her sister, Arabic", would not recognize the idea the two languages are each other's nemesis, as Israel’s nation-state bill seems to imagine
Book Review From the Bible to Sir Isaac Newton: How Hebrew Survived and Thrived
Eschewing the familiar, triumphalist narrative of ancient glory and modern rebirth in Zion, 'The Story of Hebrew' follows the twists and turns of the Hebrew language from its beginnings to contemporary Israeli usage.
Hebrew Keyboard About to Be Scrambled Somewhat
Israel Standards Institute looking to simplify layout of letters; new-style keyboards due in stores next year.
How a Bat Mitzvah Helped Inspire the Feminist Trailblazer Behind 'Good Girls Revolt'
Amazon's 'Good Girls Revolt' show is based on a memoir by Lynn Povich, who fought for her rights from a young age and was among the first women in the media to file a lawsuit on the grounds of sex discrimination.
What's a Father to Do When His Immigrant Kids Forget Their Native Tongue
My English is poor, my kids' Hebrew and Arabic are fading, but my wife and her PhD are thriving.
Without Hebrew, Jews Can't Fully Immerse in Jewish Culture and Religion
It is language that provides the link with a nation’s past, thereby allowing for continuity of national culture, norms and worldviews.
Poem of the Week The Passover Story as a Nursery Rhyme, With a Jewish National Message
An early 20th century poem by Kadish Yehuda Silman, a Hebrew-language pioneer, tells the story of Moses in the ark.
StreetWise Hebrew Podcast Streetwise Hebrew Tomorrow at Nine? Kavanu
In Hebrew we like to set meetings, rendezvous, and appointments too. Today host Guy Sharett talks about how we use likb'oa, the verb to set, for these actions, plus some interesting nouns coming from this family, ק.ב.ע.
StreetWise Hebrew Podcast Waiter Talk... Is Everything Ok?
We have already spoken about what you say in a restaurant or at a café, but what would a waiter say to you? Host Guy Sharett prepares us with the lines that will grace our ears as we sit down for a meal or a quick Tel Avivi bite.
One Israeli's Mission to Revive Aboriginal Language Down Under
How does a Jewish Israeli who wants to help Australian Aboriginal people undo the injustice done by English colonizers go about revitalizing the Barngarla language?
StreetWise Hebrew Podcast Take Your Hebrew Down a Notch
Part of learning a new language is knowing when to speak properly and when you’re free to let loose. Learn how to downgrade your upmarket Ulpan Hebrew to street level.
Why Israel’s Jews Do Not Know Arabic
Though native-born Jews in the early 20th century sought a Hebrew-Arabic cultural connection, European immigrants sought a separation - and over time the latter 'vision' won.
‘The Goy Shall Dwell With the Ham’
TV satirists make virtuosic use of Hebrew, while reporters and reality stars delude us.
StreetWise Hebrew Podcast Get Up Close and Personal With Your Hebrew
As soon as you get close to the root קרב (“k.r.b”) you realize there's much to learn: From family members to boxing matches to intestines.
What Hebrew Wikipedia Says About Israelis
We are preoccupied with Jews and wars, liberal arts are out, young women have it over older ones, and Hapoel lost again to Maccabi, according to the list of the 100 most popular entries in 2015.
In Gaza and Jerusalem, a Palestinian and an Israeli Teach the Enemy’s Language
A Palestinian who teaches Hebrew and an Israeli Jew who teaches Arabic: Two men in love with their enemy's language, who hope teaching it can boost mutual understanding.
Not Your Typical OOlpan: Program Helps New Immigrants Learn 'Real' Hebrew
A hip, new Hebrew-language study program avoids textbooks and classrooms to focus on more important things – such as ordering a cup of coffee like a true Israeli.
Improving Your Hebrew Is a Matter of 'Inyan' | StreetWise Hebrew Podcast
'Inyan' – matter, business, thing – is a word that's had an amazing career in Hebrew.
The Art of Saying 'I Don't Know' | StreetWise Hebrew Podcast
'I don’t know' is one of the most important things you need to know how to say in any language.
Learning Hebrew Doesn't Have to Be a Bummer | StreetWise Hebrew Podcast
Sometimes we're just 'in basa' – in a state of annoyance, not really angry, but just bummed.
Medieval Hebrew Poets 'Come Out of Closet' in New Anthology
Despite the gender-laden language and religious taboos, brilliant biblical and Talmudic scholars including Ibn Gabirol, Yehuda Halevi and others also penned so-called LGBT works, new book reveals.