The revival of Hebrew is one of the most remarkable achievements of Zionism. But what, in fact, was this revival? Was it merely the creation of new words and grammar—or something more tangible, touching the heart and emotions?

 

Join Ofer Idels as he traces the history and evolution of the Hebrew revival through scenes from the opera hall, the sports stadium, and intimate personal stories. Discover how Hebrew became not only a language but a lived experience. By exploring this emotional dimension, the lecture offers a fresh perspective on Jewish identity and memory—one that moves beyond the familiar narratives of coercion or continuity.

 

Ofer Idels is the Jenny Belzberg Fellow in Israel Studies at the University of Calgary. He is the author of Zionism: Emotions, Language, and Experience and Embodying the Revolution: The Hebrew Experience and the Globalization of Modern Sports in Interwar Palestine.