‘Homeward’ voted Hebrew Word of the Year by Israelis, a heartfelt shift from last year’s choice, ‘hostages’
This year, like every year, the Hebrew Language Academy called on the public to suggest and vote on the words that best represent the mood, events, and feelings that accompanied Israeli society over the past year. Thousands of internet users responded to the call and voted on the Academy's website.
The results show that the word ‘home” or more precisely “homeward” (habayta: הביתה) won a clear majority, with 25% of the votes. Notably, last year the word chosen was “hostages” (chatufim: חטופים).
Hebrew Language Day is celebrated annually on the birthday of Eliezer Ben-Yehuda, the person behind the revival of the Hebrew language. It is an opportunity to examine the renewal of the language and how it reflects the changing reality in Israel.
Kan.org.il is the Hebrew news website of the The Israeli Public Broadcasting Corporation
