When Citizen Café was founded in 2015, it was designed to be an on-campus only Hebrew school, led by passionate individuals that taught at the heart of Tel Aviv. But nowadays, 80% of our students learn online! And our community is ten times bigger than it was at the start. This incredible growth proved to us that learning online is effective, and that we must have done something right if we managed to reach out to so many people around the world. So what are the major advantages of learning Hebrew online with us? In the next few paragraphs I’ll try to review some aspects of it, but the rest yo ..read more

Have you ever wanted to text in Hebrew but didn’t know how? Maybe you have relatives in Israel, or co-workers that you would like to befriend, or your partner is Israeli and you want to simply say Hi to their mom… While speaking a few words is pretty manageable, texting requires actually knowing the alphabet – and that’s a whole new game. Here’s a breakdown of what is essential for you to know in order to start texting in Hebrew, including some useful tips! Good luck, and let us know if this helped   The Hebrew Alphabet After downloading your Hebrew keyboard first (congratulations!), let ..read more

Do you want to brag about your Hebrew to your Hebrew-speaking friends but are stuck in the 21st century where we mostly communicate via text?! Worry not! In this blog post, we will teach you the most simple and efficient Hebrew texting to use on a daily basis and sound like a typical Israeli. What’s up?! All good and you? “What’s up?” is probably the most common way to start a conversation when texting, so it’s no wonder that there are a million different ways of saying it. When asking “what’s up?” in Hebrew, there are a few options to use. It’s not only a matter of who you say it to, but also ..read more

Purim is probably the most colorful and festive holiday in Israel with people of all ages dressing up in their most campy costumes and partying all night. But Purim is also a bit like a poppy seed Hamantaschen – people either love it or absolutely hate it. I belong to the second group. Since I was a kid, I’ve preferred other holidays that are more family-oriented and less flashy. So for those of you who can relate, here are a few tips to help you, my fellow Purim-dislikers, to survive Purim in Tel Aviv! Bring an umbrella Although Purim is usually celebrated near the end of winter, there is one ..read more

Wanna learn Hebrew? Sweet! Many people share a soft spot for the Hebrew language, and just hearing it connects them to a deep and emotional place that relates to their family and heritage. Learning to speak and read modern Hebrew can open up a whole new world of communication and understanding, allowing you to connect with people and the culture in a deeper and more meaningful way. It might seem complicated, but with the right method, you’ll be able to improve quickly and actually enjoy the process, whether you are a complete beginner or looking to improve your existing skills. What it takes M ..read more

Everything has an end and a beginning, this we know to be true! But language is an evolving thing, just like we are as people. It stays alive by constantly changing. What makes a language relevant is its adaptation to every-day life. You might already know the Hebrew word for end סוף (sohf), so here are some ‘inside’ catch phrases with it, that are used daily in Israel ,to wrap your end of the year with new treats and infuse you in every-day Hebrew! סוף שנה (sohf shah-nah): End of the year. A phrase widely used in all school systems in Israel, usually right before summer starts. Often, it can ..read more

Israeli series have been extremely popular in the past few years and have proved themselves successful internationally. Here are a few of the top Israeli Netflix shows: 1. When Heroes Fly – בשבילה גיבורים עפים After years without seeing each other, a team from the Israel Defence Forces reunite to save one of the team members’ sister that was thought to be dead in Colombia. Keywords to know: גִּיבּוֹר (hero) Transliteration: gee-bor 2. Fauda – פאודה Dressing up as Arabs, an IDF undercover team penetrates behind enemy lines to capture dangerous terrorists. Keywords to know: לְהִתְחַפֵּשׂ (dres ..read more

Globally, the gender identity spectrum has grown wider and more complex in recent years. Non-binary individuals can express themselves more easily in some languages by using a neutral grammatical gender. In Hebrew, however, this is a bit more complicated… Hebrew is a gender oriented language, meaning that almost every word (nouns, verbs, adjectives – you name it) has one of two grammatical genders: male or female. Even inanimate objects have a gender! When talking to a person, you have to decide whether you address them in the masculine or in feminine form – there is no in between. So how have ..read more

What’s your go-to solution on a super hot day? A lazy day at the beach? Netflix and chilling in your air-conditioned living room? Spending the afternoon reading on a shady boulevard? You can’t go wrong with any of those options, but I sure hope there will also be some ice cream involved… Ice-cream in Hebrew is גלידה (glee- dah). When based on water and not milk, it’s called a sorbet – pronounced the same in Hebrew – סורבה! The use of Ice cream as a dessert goes a long way back. Originating in ancient Persia where they mixed grape juice with snow, the consumption of ice cream was also reco ..read more

Even though winter hasn’t really arrived in Israel yet, and I’m actually writing this while wearing a short-sleeved shirt – winter vibes are indeed in the air, and with it – the perfect opportunity to cozy up! As a massive “Hygee” (look it up!) fan, combining my love for coziness with Hebrew seemed like the perfect win-win situation. So, I’m proud to present to you my ultimate Hebrew guide for a blissful winter! Let me begin by pointing out a painful fact – there is no word for “fluffy” in Hebrew. We would just say פלאפי (which is the same word in an Israeli accent). Luckily we do have th ..read more