This means that for almost 2 thousand years it was literary dead language. And now Hebrew is used by millions of Jews not only in Israel but around the world. It became one of the key factors of Jewish renaissance.
Hebrew was stopped being used at the end of 2nd century b.c., it was basically going round with traditions and customs. As Jewish nation itself, language assimilated. For a long time, it was using the same role as Latin for Christian. If any European nation had not only its language but a territory, for Jews Hebrew was their country. Final shift to local languages would destroy Jewish nation, that’s why it is not a surprise for Hebrew renaissance to became the base of Israel renaissance.
First Eretz Yisrael settlers thought that nation will be reborn only after they all will talk one language. They put all the effort to resurrect it: they were talking Hebrew, learnt it, written it, communicated in Hebrew. Special attention to Hebrew was in schools, as there it had hard competition with English, French and German, due to lack of education materials and teachers. But Jews knew, if child starts talking Hebrew, first his house, and then all his street will. And that happened.
If religious texts could count only 8 thousand of unique words, modern language reaches 120 thousand. Israel even has Hebrew academy, that works on enriching Hebrew: they provide scientific research and fill vocabulary with new words in the spheres of art and culture.
Now everyone in Israel talks, writes, and thinks in Hebrew. Hebrew is now connected not only to holly writings but to Israel itself.
My fellow Ukrainians, let me get to the point. Ukraine destiny will not be clear until Ukrainians will start talking, writing and thinking in Ukrainian. Language is an indispensable condition for the existence of nation and the state. And there is little options here.
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