What are the official languages of Israel?

Israel has two official languages by law, Hebrew and Arabic.

Hebrew [עברית, or Ivrit] is the original language of the Jewish people. It became an official language again during British Mandate rule in 1923.

Today, Hebrew and Arabic are both legitimate languages that used in government, commerce, Knesset debates, court sessions, schools, and universities, when Hebrew is still more common in use. Arabic language is a language of vast majority of Israeli Arab citizens. Hebrew and Arabic are required subjects in all schools.

Yiddish is a sort of an inbreed between Hebrew, German, English and other European languages, which served some of the Jewish people while they were exiled in Eastern Europe. As a language it preserved today in some communities in Israel and in the world.

English is taught as a foreign language in both Jewish and Arab schools. It is used in a variety of contexts, has a high privileged status. It is seen as a universal language to increased professional and economic opportunities. English language newspapers, magazines and books are available everywhere.

Almost all highway and street signs are written in Hebrew, Arabic and English.

People in Israel came from 120 countries, creating a multi-lingual country with about 35 languages, with vast numbers of Israelis also speaking Yiddish, German, Spanish, French, Czech, Yiddish, Iranian Persian, Italian, Amharic, Bukharic, Hulaulá, Hungarian, Russian and tens of other tongues.