The Hebrew Language

Hebrew is an ancient language from the Middle East. It is the main language of Israel. Hebrew is written from right to left. The Hebrew alphabet has 22 letters. It is one of the few languages that was brought back to daily use after being mostly unused for hundreds of years.

An Ancient Language

Hebrew has been around for over 3,000 years. It is the language of the Hebrew Bible. For many years, people only used Hebrew for prayer and study. Then, about 150 years ago, a man named Eliezer Ben-Yehuda helped make Hebrew a daily spoken language again. Today, millions of people speak Hebrew every day.

Hebrew Writing

Hebrew has 22 letters, and all of them are consonants. Small dots and lines can be added to show vowel sounds. Hebrew is written from right to left. Books in Hebrew open from the opposite side of English books. The word for hello and goodbye is the same, 'shalom,' which also means peace.

Fun Facts

• The word 'shalom' means hello, goodbye, and peace.
• Hebrew is one of the oldest languages still spoken today.
• Hebrew books open from right to left.

Did You Know?

Hebrew was not spoken as an everyday language for almost 2,000 years before it was brought back to life in the 1800s!