HEBREW UNDER FIRE: Attack on the Academy for the Hebrew Language

Language is not merely a means of conveying messages, but an essential component of culture. Through language, memory, identity, values, and worldview are shaped.

This becomes clear when we consider American, British, or Indian English: Not only do we encounter differences in pronunciation or vocabulary, but also entire cultural worlds. The same applies to the German language as it is spoken in Austria, Switzerland, and Germany. Even the way people greet one another reveals history, social conditioning, and way of thinking. Language creates community—and simultaneously, separates communities from one another.

Language changes and reflects cultural developments taking place within a society. When a language disappears, not only words disappear, but also an entire world. And when a language is preserved, a people is preserved as well.

A fascinating example of the power of language as a key to understanding a culture, is the Rosetta Stone. Discovered in 1799, it bears an inscription in three scripts or language forms: Greek, Demotic, and Egyptian hieroglyphs. For centuries, the hieroglyphs remained an unsolved riddle—the lost script of a vanished civilization. By comparing the inscriptions, Jean-François Champollion succeeded in deciphering them in 1822. Suddenly, an entire world opened up: Religion, governance, daily life, and beliefs became visible once more. It wasn’t archaeology alone that unlocked the secrets of ancient Egypt—it was language.

Similarly, the relationship between the people of Israel and the Hebrew language is key to understanding Israel across generations. Unlike many languages that disappeared and were forgotten, Hebrew was never completely severed from the lives of the people. Even when it was no longer a spoken, everyday language, it lived on—in prayer, study, and the sacred Scriptures. The accuracy in copying the Torah and the careful preservation of each individual letter, are not only expressions of reverence, but also part of preserving identity. Through the language, national history was preserved—and with it, the people themselves (Isaiah 40:8).

Even as the spiritual and cultural center of Jewish life shifted partly to other languages, such as Aramaic (as seen in the Babylonian Talmud), Hebrew did not disappear. It remained a profound layer of identity: in the Bible, in prayer, and in poetry. Even Church Fathers like Jerome turned to Jews to learn Hebrew and understand the Holy Scriptures in the original language. Thus, the Hebrew language became a symbol of continuity and the preservation of God’s people.

In modern times, many Jews recognized that returning to their roots also included returning to their language. This led to the Zionist movement, which called for and actively promoted the return of the people of Israel to their land. Based on the same understanding, it also advocated for a return to agriculture, and the establishment of agricultural settlements such as kibbutzim and moshavim. This naturally included a return to the original language: Hebrew.

The revival of the Hebrew language is not merely a cultural phenomenon, but almost a historical miracle. In the context of the language conflict and the founding of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, there was heated debate about which language should be used for teaching in the country. Ultimately, Hebrew prevailed over English, German, and French, and once again became a vibrant, everyday language. The figure of Eliezer Ben-Yehuda is symbolic of this process. But beyond the role of a single individual, a deeper movement is at play: a people returning to their land—and with them, their language awakening to new life.

While the air force operates in the skies over Iran, the cyber front strikes at the heart of Israeli culture. On the morning of March 11, 2026, visitors attempting to access the official website of the Academy of the Hebrew Language, were confronted with a black screen and a menacing message. The Iranian hacking group “Handala,” linked to the Revolutionary Guard, claimed responsibility for the attack. The manipulated homepage displayed the group’s logo, along with the following message in English and Hebrew: “No need to learn Hebrew anymore. You won’t need it for much longer.”

This message was no accident. It shows that even the attackers understood the importance of language for a people’s identity. Just as Iran uses the Arabic script but its language is Persian, and Iranians do not see themselves as Arabs but as a distinct culture, this also demonstrates how closely language and identity are intertwined. Despite the Islamic Revolution, the Persian New Year, Nowruz, is still celebrated in Iran today.

The threatening message aimed to shatter the Israeli population’s sense of security. It hinted at the impending destruction of the State of Israel, and simultaneously called into question the significance of its national language. Even more than that, it implied the annihilation of the Jewish people, who had preserved Hebrew for millennia. The attack on the Academy—an institution dedicated to the cultivation and renewal of the language—was thus an attack on one of the deepest symbols of Jewish-Zionist identity and sovereignty.

The academy did not let this go unanswered. Shortly after restoring the website with the support of the national cyber defense, it published a concise response on social media:

“Even the attackers understand that the Hebrew language is a fundamental part of Israeli identity. And to those who attacked us, we have an important message: We learn Hebrew not because we have to, but because we love it.”

The attack on the academy was part of a larger wave of cyberattacks on civilian infrastructure in Israel during the 2026 war. These attacks also included the targeting of medical systems and meteorological services. The apparent goal was to conduct psychological warfare alongside the military conflict.

The Hebrew language is a living testament to the continuity of the Jewish people. Just as the Rosetta Stone opened a window into a lost world, so Hebrew opens the door to the ongoing history of the people of Israel. But unlike that, this is not a rediscovered language, but a language that has never ceased to exist.

Through letters, history is preserved. Through words, memory remains alive. And through language, a people endures.