(haipo) – Every year the State of Israel celebrates Hebrew Day On the birthday of Eliezer Ben-Yehuda, the man who is universally considered to have revived the Hebrew language and the founder of our spoken language today. This year, the day is celebrated on Thursday, the 19th of Tevet, theJanuary 8th 2026In preparation for Hebrew Day 2016, the public chose the word of the year and the heart decided: HomeThousands of voters responded to the call of the Hebrew Language Academy and chose the word that best embodies the feelings of Israeli society in the past year: longing, pain, anticipation and aspiration to return home, in every possible sense.
Who was Eliezer Ben-Yehuda?
Eliezer Ben-Yehuda (1858–1922) is considered the central figure in the revival of the Hebrew language as a living, modern language. While in the centuries preceding this, Hebrew had been used primarily as a sacred and written language, Ben-Yehuda worked for many years to transform it into a language of everyday conversation. He innovated words, translated new terms, wrote dictionaries, and assimilated Hebrew into family and public discourse in the Land of Israel of the early 20th century. His activities led to the fact that today we speak, write, and think in Hebrew naturally and fluently in almost all areas of life.
Word of the Year 2016: Home
As every year, the Academy of the Hebrew Language asked the public to suggest words that reflect the spirit of the times. Hundreds of suggestions were received, and from them ten final words were selected to compete for the title of "Word of the Year." Thousands participated in the vote on the Academy's website, choosing the word that they believed most accurately expressed the past year.
She came in first place. Home with 25% of the votes. In second place was the combination artificial intelligence (15.2%), and in third place, hope (14.6%). Among the other words that competed: mobilization, investigation, trauma (injury), normalization, with a dog, return, and rehabilitation, all of which reflect the complex reality of life in Israel and the charged public discourse of recent years.
Why "home"?
In the context of the past year, the word Home It has become a powerful symbol. In the eyes of many, it represents the return of the kidnapped to their home after a long period of pain, anxiety, and anticipation, and has resonated repeatedly in public discourse, in demonstrations, and even in a song that has become one of the symbols of the struggle.
The word also expresses the aspiration to return to the communities surrounding Gaza and to the northern communities, a physical, mental, and communal return to home.
A linguistic wonder thousands of years old
Beyond its emotional meaning, "home" is also a fascinating word linguistically. It consists of three components:
- house – One of the oldest basic words in Hebrew
- The news in her head
- The trend At the end – an ancient directional ending known from the Bible (such as Mitzrayim, Ha'ira)
In modern Hebrew, an interesting distinction has been made:
- I arrived home. – I arrived My home
- I arrived at the house. – I arrived To any house
Words from the Academy's CEO
The CEO of the Academy of the Hebrew Language, Dorit Lerer, explained the choice: “Beyond the immediate context for which so many chose the word ‘home’ from the bottom of their hearts, this is an opportunity to observe the wonder of contemporary Hebrew. In the 21st century, an everyday word, familiar to every girl and boy, has been chosen as the Word of the Year, and at the same time is built from an ancient root word and an ancient suffix. We celebrate the thousands of years of continuity and the vitality of Hebrew on Hebrew Day.”
Second and Third Place: The Future and Hope
artificial intelligence, which came in second place, became an inseparable part of our lives almost overnight. The word intelligence is related to understanding and observation, while artificial – For what is done by man and not by nature. The root of the word מלאכה is related to mission, as is the word מלאכְ – messenger.
Ranked third hope, a word full of emotion that accompanies the Hebrew language from biblical times to the present day, from the prophet Jeremiah to the national anthem of the State of Israel, Hope.
A tradition of words that tell the story of an era
In recent years, particularly charged words have been chosen:
- 5785 – Kidnappers
- 5883 – Swallow
- 5782 – Trill
- 5781 – applicator
They all reflect dramatic moments in Israeli history through language.
Hebrew is alive, breathing and exciting.
Hebrew Day and Degree Word of the Year We are reminded that Hebrew is not just a means of communication, but a reflection of society, of pain, of hope, and of the desire to return. home.
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