Hebrew Grammar: First Person Pronoun “I” Posted by Ayana on Jun 8, 2016
Two first person pronouns for “I” appear in the Bible: אֲנִי and אָנוֹכִי. As in English both refer to a singular speaker, male or female. Although homiletic interpretations of the Bible try to differentiate the pronouns, literally they both mean I or me. Here are two examples for each pronoun to illustrate the similarity of…
From the Israeli Press: Reality TV Show Bake Off Israel aroused Feministic Discussion Posted by Ayana on May 15, 2016
At the beginning of April this year, the first season of Bake Off Israel aired. The reality TV show The Great British Bake Off has came to the holy land to find the best amateur bakers couple. Three expert judges are examining the Israeli contestants’ cooking skills. Among them is Mrs. Carine Goren, a well-known…
Tal: The Origin of a Common Hebrew Name Posted by Ayana on Apr 20, 2016
I personally know nearly a dozen people that go by the name Tal (טַל), both men and women. It’s a pretty popular name in Israel, though it means “dew”. Yes, yes, the droplets of water that appear on objects in the early morning due to condensation. The Hebrew dictionary defined טַל as: רְסׅיסֵי לַיְלָה, טׅפּוֺת…
The Girls are Back: The Gilmore Girls Reunion Cheers Up Israeli Girls Posted by Ayana on Mar 14, 2016
Ten months after the first Backstreet Boys` concert in Israel, the Israeli girls (בָּנוֺת) have another reason to cheer: the Gilmore Girls reunion! The show (תָּכְנִית) went off the air nine years ago, the viewers are a decade older, but the Israeli web is thrilled: the בָּנוֺת are back! Online articles announcing the good…
A visit at the Carmel Market Posted by Ayana on Feb 18, 2016
Last Friday, when the temperature went up, my friend and I went out to catch some winter sun. We went for lunch and shopping (קְנׅיּוֹת) at The Carmel Market (Shuk HaCarmel שׁוּק הַכַּרְמֶל). The שׁוּק is a popular site in Tel-Aviv, an attraction for locals and tourists alike. Making our way through the horde, we…
Hebrew Nouns` Gender: How to Distinguish Feminine from Masculine Posted by Ayana on Jan 31, 2016
Unlike English, Hebrew belongs to the group of languages that have grammatical gender. The predicate in Hebrew conjugate according to the gender of the subject, which makes the gender of the nouns matters as much as the gender of the pronouns. The subject in Hebrew is divided into masculine and feminine. There is nothing male…
Winter Has Come in Israel! Posted by Ayana on Jan 6, 2016
When the days get shorter and the winds get stronger, winter (חֹורֶף) is just around the corner. Passers-by bundled in their coats (מְעִילׅים), clouds become dull, windows light up and everyone expects the first rain (יוֺרֶה). Only after the יוֺרֶה rinses the pavement and the puddles (שְׁלוּלִיּוֺת) mottle the streets, it feels like חֹורֶף has…