Friends!

On this day 159 years ago, was born Eliezer Ben-Yehuda, the man, which every Israeli schoolchild knows, because he is the father of modern Hebrew language, which was due to the Jewish national revival and made possible the victory in the struggle for independence of the State of Israel.

Ben Yehuda was born under a different name - Leiser-Itskhok Perelman. He lived in the village Luzhky, now - Belarus. His parents werereligious, read psalms in Hebrew.

In three years Leiser-Itskhok started going to heder - Jewish religious primary school. He continued his studies in yeshiva - a higher educational institution, where he met with the rabbi that settled in his heart the desire to live in the land of their ancestors. Having a good knowledge Leiser-Itskhok entered the Sorbonne, where he studied medicine, in addition - the history and politics of the Middle East. He decided to become a doctor, because he was convinced that this profession will be needed in young state.

In Paris, the boy became ill with tuberculosis. His neighbor in the ward was a student from Jerusalem named Luntz. He said that it was very difficult to interact in the town, because there was no common language. Then guy had the idea - to restore Hebrew, easy, conversational, religious language that could unite people.

First Leiser-Itskhok changed his name. He became "the son of Judah" -Eliezer Ben Yehuda. From 21 years, he has started to publish his first political articles. After this he moved to Jerusalem - made his dream. With him was the girl – Dvora Jonas. Soon they had a child, which immediately began to learn to speak Hebrew. Son of Ben Yehuda Ben-Zion was the first child for whom Hebrew was his mother tongue.

Eliezer also reached another important decision - the school where he was a teacher, started to learn Jewish items in Hebrew. The most famous phrase of Ben Yehuda: "Jew, speak Hebrew!" – became the winged words.

However, when life began to bear fruits, punch waited on the other side. First his wife died of tuberculosis, then - diphtheria took three of the five children of the family. Younger wife’s sister helped Eliezer with children. Later they were married.

In 1914, the started the "war of languages". Then was decided the fate of Hebrew. Ben Yehuda persuaded the British High Commissioner to recognize the Hebrew as one of the official languages ​​of mandated Israel.

Eliezer died on the 16th of December, 1922, as his first wife - from tuberculosis. And left behind one of the greatest achievements of the Jewish people - its language.

Friends, unfortunately, for us to communicate many people lost their lives and efforts. We do not waste them. Language is a bright flame that gathers people around itself and warms them.