And in the beginning…
The name “Hebrew”- Ivrit (עִבְרִית) originally comes from the word ivri (עִבְרִי) meaning “crosser”. This refers to the foreign origins of the Israelites, on the other side of the river. Abraham, the father of the Hebrews, was the first to cross over the Euphrates River and make his home in the Land of Canaan.
But in the time of the Bible, the language of the Hebrews actually had a different name: Yehudit, literally “Judahite,” the language of the tribe of Judah. Although the Hebrews were a small people, through the Bible, their language conquered the world. To this day, many Hebrew words - Amen (אָמֵן) and Hallelujah (הַלְלוּיָהּ) and Sabbath (שַׁבָּת) – are commonly used in dozens of languages around the world.
You can learn how the language has renewed itself throughout the decades; from ancient times to modern day Israel. Continue your Hebrew studies from the comfort of your home with the Rosen School and be part of the Hebrew revival success story.