The Israelis Who Fight in Ukraine Posted by Ayana on Mar 14, 2022
On February 26, two days after Russia invaded Ukraine, thousands of Israelis gathered in Tel-Aviv and Haifa. Wrapped in Ukrainian flags, they protested against the war. Earlier that day the Embassy of Ukraine in Israel posted on Facebook a call for volunteers: “the embassy has begun the formation of lists of volunteers who wish to…
Reporting the Russo-Ukrainian Crisis in Hebrew Posted by Ayana on Mar 1, 2022
In the late 80’s, after the post-Soviet Russian government opened the borders of the former Soviet Union, many Jews emigrated. More than one million came to Israel since then from the different countries of the former Soviet Union. With two out of every three new immigrants to Israel coming from Russia or the Ukraine, they…
Birds Hebrew Vocabulary Posted by Ayana on Feb 28, 2022
Located in the crossroads between three continents, Israel is on one of the world’s busiest migration flyways. Twice a year, 500 million birds fly over Israel. They leave Europe in the autumn on their way to Africa, making the long journey back in the spring. With hundreds of species passing through a small area, Israel became…
Israel’s Favorite Commercial of 2021 Posted by Ayana on Feb 14, 2022
Israelis call it שׁׅגְרַת קוֹרוֹנָה. The first word שׁׅגְרַת is a constructive form of the noun שִׁגְרָה, meaning routine. The second word is the Hebrew name of Coronavirus. Together the term is literally translated to Corona Routine, and describes our daily life and all the coronavirus restrictions, tests, isolations, fears, and so on, that are…
To Fly Abroad in Hebrew Posted by Ayana on Jan 24, 2022
The Hebrew phrase חוּץ-לָאָרֶץ (pronounced as hutz-la-a-retz) literally means outside of the country. חוּץ (hutz) means outside; אֶרֶץ (e-retz) means country. It is the Hebrew equivalent for abroad, overseas. It describes any place that is not Israel or any specific country the speaker refers to. It is such a common phrase that although it’s composed…
Israel Population at Nearly 9.5 Million Posted by Ayana on Jan 10, 2022
One day before 2021 ended and 2022 began, the Israeli Central Bureau of Statistics (הַלִּשְׁכָּה הַמֶּרְכָּזִית לִסְטָטִיסְטִיקָה) published, as usual, the updated data of Israel’s population. The Hebrew name of the Israeli Central Bureau of Statistics is הַלִּשְׁכָּה הַמֶּרְכָּזִית לִסְטָטִיסְטִיקָה. The Hebrew noun for bureau is לׅשְׁכָּה (pronounced as lish-ka). לׅשְׁכָּה bears two meanings: one…
Hebrew Family Vocabulary: Part 3 Posted by Ayana on Dec 27, 2021
Welcome to our third part of the Hebrew Family Vocabulary. In part one we’ve learned all the words for parents. In part two we’ve discussed all the grammar related to the words for siblings. Today we will learn the Hebrew words for grandparents. The Hebrew word for grandfather is סַבָּא, pronounced as sa-ba. The Hebrew word…