ירושלים

he-proper noun

יְרוּשָׁלַיִם

יְרוּשָׁלָיִם

יְרוּשָׁלַיִם • (yerushaláyim) f (Biblical Hebrew pausal form יְרוּשָׁלָיִם)

יְרוּשָׁלַיִם (canonical)
yerushaláyim (romanization)
form יְרוּשָׁלָיִם (Biblical-Hebrew pausal)

desc

Aramaic: יְרוּשְׁלֶם (yərūšəlem)

Aramaic: יְרוּשְׁלֶם (yərūšəlem)

→ Ancient Greek: Ἱερουσαλήμ (Hierousalḗm)

Ancient Greek: Ἱεροσόλυμα (Hierosóluma)

→ Latin: Hierosolyma

Disputed. Possibly of ultimate origin ירו (yarú, “he lays down”) + שלם (Shalém, “the Canaanite god Shalem”). Popular folk-etymology יראה (yir'éh, “he sees”) + שלום (shalóm, “peace”). Akin to Akkadian 𒌑𒊒𒊓𒅆𒆠 (Urušalim) and Classical Syriac ܐܘܪܫܠܡ (ʾŪrišlēm). Word-end pronunciation of -áyim most likely a post-Biblical development.

compound

Mediterranean Sea
Mediterranean Sea#English

Jerusalem (A city in the Holy Land between the Mediterranean Sea and Dead Sea, holy in Judaism, Christianity and Islam; the legal capital city of Israel)


בית שמש

he-proper noun

בֵּית שֶׁמֶשׁ

בֵּית שֶׁמֶשׁ • (bet shémesh)

בֵּית שֶׁמֶשׁ (canonical)
bet shémesh (romanization)

Roots
 ב־י־ת (b-y-t)
 שׁ־מ־שׁ (sh-m-sh)
From בית (bet, “house of”) + שמש (shémesh, “sun”).

affix

וַיִּשַּׁרְנָה הַפָּרוֹת בַּדֶּרֶךְ עַל־דֶּרֶךְ בֵּית שֶׁמֶשׁ בִּמְסִלָּה אַחַת הָלְכוּ הָלֹךְ וְגָעוֹ וְלֹא־סָרוּ יָמִין וּשְׂמֹאול וְסַרְנֵי פְלִשְׁתִּים הֹלְכִים אַחֲרֵיהֶם עַד־גְּבוּל בֵּית שָׁמֶשׁ׃

Tanach, 1 Samuel [[s:he:T08a06#ו_יב|6:12]], with translation of the Jewish Publication Society:

And the kine took the straight way by the way to Beth-shemesh; they went along the highway, lowing as they went, and turned not aside to the right hand or to the left; and the lords of the Philistines went after them unto the border of Beth-shemesh.

vayisárna haparót badérekh al dérekh Beit Shémesh bimsilá ahát halkhú halókh v'ga'ú v'lo sáru yamín usmól v'sarné p'lishtím holkhím akharehém 'ad g'vúl Bet Shámesh

Beth-shemesh, Beit Shemesh (a city in central Israel)


כנרת

he-proper noun

כִּנֶּרֶת • (kinéret) f

כִּנֶּרֶת (canonical)
kinéret (romanization)

The least unbelievable theory has it derived from כינור (“lyre”), from Proto-Semitic *kinnār-, from Proto-Hurro-Urartian *kinnar (“lyre”), referring to the shape of the lake. The city was very ancient, possibly a focus of Hurrian influence,

Sea of Galilee
Sea of Galilee#English:_Q126982

Kinneret, Sea of Galilee (a lake in northern Israel, located about 15 miles (24 km) northeast of the ancient city of Nazareth).


נגב

Negev (A desert region in southern Israel)


כיסופים

כיסופים / כִּסּוּפִים • (kisufim) m pl

כִּסּוּפִים (canonical)
kisufim (romanization)

Kisufim (a kibbutz in northwestern Israel)


ירדן

הַיַּרְדֵּן • (hayyardén) m

הַיַּרְדֵּן (canonical)
hayyardén (romanization)

Uncertain:
* Likely, from a Proto-Semitic root denoting “to descend”, “to go or come down”, “to stream down”, “to come down to water”, “a place descending to water”, “a watering place”; cognates found Arabic وَرَدَ (warada, “to go down or come upon water”), Hebrew יָרַד (yāráḏ, “to go down”), Aramaic ירד (yreḏ, “stream”), and Ge'ez ወረደ (wärädä, “fall down, go down, drain off, pour down”), and Akkadian 𒉿𒊏𒁺𒌝 (warādum, “to go down to lower ground, to come ashore, to go downhill or downstream”).
* Dubiously, Ludwig Köhler has affirmed as a final interpretation a compound from Proto-Iranian *yáHr̥ (“year”), from Proto-Indo-Iranian *yáHr̥, from Proto-Indo-European *yeh₁- (“year”) (compare Avestan 𐬫𐬁𐬭𐬆 (yār^ə, “year”)) and Proto-Iranian *dānu (“river”) (< Proto-Indo-Iranian *dáHnu < Proto-Indo-European *déh₂nu) (compare Ossetian дон (don, “river”), Avestan 𐬛𐬁𐬥𐬎 (dānu, “river”)), according to which the Jordan is the “year-river” because of its water level being consistent the whole year, backing this derivation by the theory that the name of the Orontes is of “certain” Iranian origin, although also found attested earlier. This is however unlikely, as the name “Yārdon” is found attested at the period of Ramesses II in the Papyrus Anastasi I, making the Semitic origin much more probable.

cog

Jordan (a river in Western Asia, in the Middle East, that empties into the Dead Sea, flowing through Israel, the Golan Heights, the West Bank and Jordan)


נצרת

נָצְרַת (canonical)
natsrát (romanization)
natséret (romanization)

Unknown. Possibly from נֵצֶר (nétser, “branch”) or נָצַר (natsár, “to guard”).

נצרת היא עיר עתיקה במחוז הצפון בישראל, וכיום היא העיר הערבית הגדולה בארץ.

Nazareth is an ancient city in the northern region of Israel, and today it is the largest Arab city in the country.

Natsrát hi 'ir atikáh b-machóz ha-tsafón b-Yisraél, u-kha-yom hi ha-ir ha-aravít ha-gdoláh ba-árets.


רחובות

רְחוֹבוֹת (canonical)
r'khovot (romanization)


תל אביב

he-proper noun

תֵּל־אָבִיב • (tel 'avív) f

From תל (tel, “hill, mound, archaeological site”) and אביב (aviv, “spring, ripening”), the title used by Sokolow for his Hebrew translation of Herzl's Alteneuland (literally "Old New Land"), originally from a toponym found in Ezekiel 3:15. Probably identical to Akkadian 𒇯 𒀀𒁍𒁉𒅎 (tīl abībim, “hill of ruins left from the waters of the flood”).

cog

Tel Aviv (a city in Israel, that later merged with Jaffa to form Tel Aviv-Yafo)

תֵּל אָבִיב יָפוֹ
תל אביב יפו#Hebrew

(by extension) Contraction of תֵּל אָבִיב יָפוֹ (tel avív yafó). Tel Aviv-Yafo (a city in central Israel)

תֵּל אָבִיב יָפוֹ

(by extension) Tel Aviv (a district in central Israel)


חיפה

he-proper noun

חֵיפָה • (kheifá) f

חֵיפָה (canonical)
kheifá (romanization)


כרמל

כַּרְמֶל • (karmél) m

כַּרְמֶל (canonical)
karmél (romanization)

→ Ancient Greek: Κάρμηλος (Kármēlos)

כֶּרֶם (kérem, “vineyard [of]”) + אֵל ('él, “God”)


שדרות

he-proper noun

שְׂדֵרוֹת • (sderót)

שְׂדֵרוֹת (canonical)
sderót (romanization)


יפו

יָפוֹ • (yafó) m

Jaffa, Yafo, Joppa (a city in central Israel, part of the Tel Aviv-Yafo municipality inhabited roughly since 7,500 BCE)


עכו

עַכּוֹ • (áko) f

Acre (a port city in northern Israel, holiest city in the Baháʼí Faith)


צפת

צְפַת • (ts'fát)

Zefat, Safed (a city in northern Israel)


לוד

לוֹד • (lód) f

בְּנֵי־לֹד חָדִיד וְאוֹנוֹ; שְׁבַע מֵאוֹת עֶשְׂרִים וַחֲמִשָּׁה.

Tanach, Ezra [[s:he:T35a02#ב_לג|2:33]], with translation of the Jewish Publication Society:

The children of Lod, Hadid, and Ono; seven hundred twenty and five.

bənḗ lod ḥadíd vəonó; šəvá' məót esrím vaḥamiššá


יבנה

Central District
Central District#English

Yavne (a city in the Central District, Israel)


אשדוד

אַשְׁדּוֹד • ('ashdód) f

אַשְׁדּוֹד (canonical)
'ashdód (romanization)

Ashdod (a city and seaport in Israel, on the Mediterranean Sea)


טבריה

טְבֶרְיָה • (tvéria) f

טְבֶרְיָה (canonical)
tvéria (romanization)

Northern District
Northern District#English

Tiberias (a town in the Northern District, on the Sea of Galilee in Israel)


אשקלון

אַשְׁקְלוֹן • ('ashk'lón) f

אַשְׁקְלוֹן (canonical)
'ashk'lón (romanization)

Probably from the Semitic root שקל (šaqal, “to weigh”). Compare Akkadian 𒀸𒅗𒇻𒈾 (aš-qa-lu-na), Egyptian jsqꜣrnj.

Ashkelon (A coastal city in the Southern District of Israel on the Mediterranean coast)


באר שבע

בְּאֵר שֶׁבַע

בְּאֵר שָׁבַע

בְּאֵר שֶׁבַע • (b'ér shéva') f (Biblical Hebrew pausal form בְּאֵר שָׁבַע)

בְּאֵר שֶׁבַע (canonical)
b'ér shéva' (romanization)
pausal form בְּאֵר שָׁבַע (Biblical-Hebrew)

(historical) Beersheba, Be'er Sheva (an ancient city in modern southern Israel, inhabited since 4th millennium BCE and mentioned in the Bible)

Be'er Sheva, Beersheba (a city in Israel)


בני ברק

בְּנֵי בְּרַק

בְּנֵי בְרַק

בְּנֵי בְּרַק or בְּנֵי בְרַק • (b'nei b'rák or b'nei v'rák)

בְּנֵי בְּרַק (canonical)
בְּנֵי בְרַק (canonical)
b'nei b'rák (romanization)
b'nei v'rák (romanization)

Named after the biblical city of the same name, Beneberak, literally "sons of Barak" or "sons of thunder".

Bnei Brak, Bene Berak (a city in central Israel)


אילת

אֵילַת • (ēlát) f


מגידו

מגידו / מְגִדּוֹ • (megído)

מְגִדּוֹ (canonical)
megído (romanization)

Presumably originally מגידון / מְגִדּוֹן (megidón), from the root ג־ד־ד (g-d-d) + ־ון (-on). Compare with גָּדַד (gadád, “to penetrate, to cut into”),
*and with מגיד "oracle" Hiph of root נגד (NGD)

he-l

מגידון / מְגִדּוֹן (megidón)

פְּלוּטוֹ כְּלַבְלַב מִקִבּוּץ מְגִדּוֹ, יֵשׁ לוֹ הַכֹּל: מָרָק וָעֶצֶם.

Pluto a doggy from kibbutz Megiddo, he has everything: a soup and a bone.

Megiddo (a kibbutz in northern Israel). Located in the Jezreel Valley, it falls under the jurisdiction of Megiddo Regional Council.


נתניה

he-proper noun

נְתַנְיָה • (n'tanya) f

נְתַנְיָה (canonical)
n'tanya (romanization)


חולון

חוֹלוֹן • (kholón) f

חוֹלוֹן (canonical)
kholón (romanization)


פתח תקווה

פֶּתַח תִּקְוָה

פתח תקווה / פֶּתַח תִּקְוָה • (pétakh tikvá) f

פֶּתַח תִּקְוָה (canonical)
pétakh tikvá (romanization)

Petah Tikva
Petah Tikva#English:_Q190828

Petah Tikva (a city in the Central District, Israel), Petah Tiqwa

he:פתח תקווה


רמלה

רַמְלָה • (ramlá) f

רַמְלָה (canonical)
ramlá (romanization)


ראשון לציון

רִאשׁוֹן לְצִיּוֹן

רִאשׁוֹן לְצִיּוֹן • (rishón l'tsiyón) f

רִאשׁוֹן לְצִיּוֹן (canonical)
rishón l'tsiyón (romanization)

Rishon LeZion
Rishon LeZion#English:_Q201051

Rishon LeZion (a city in central Israel)

he:ראשון לציון


קריית גת

קִרְיַת גַּת

קריית גת / קִרְיַת גַּת • (kiryat gat) f

קִרְיַת גַּת (canonical)
kiryat gat (romanization)


הרצליה

הֶרְצְלִיָּה

הֶרְצְלִיָּה (canonical)
hertseliyya (romanization)


כרמיאל

כַּרְמִיאֵל • (karmiel) f

כַּרְמִיאֵל (canonical)
karmiel (romanization)


קריית שמונה

קִרְיַת שְׁמוֹנָה

קריית שמונה / קִרְיַת שְׁמוֹנָה • (kiryat shmona) f

קִרְיַת שְׁמוֹנָה (canonical)
kiryat shmona (romanization)

he:קריית שמונה


רעננה

רַעֲנַנָּה • (ra'anana) f

רַעֲנַנָּה (canonical)
ra'anana (romanization)


מודיעין עילית

מוֹדִיעִין עִלִּית

מודיעין עילית / מוֹדִיעִין עִלִּית • (modi'in ilit) f

מוֹדִיעִין עִלִּית (canonical)
modi'in ilit (romanization)

he:מודיעין עילית


נצרת עילית

נָצְרַת עִלִּית

נצרת עילית / נָצְרַת עִלִּית • (natsrat ilit) f

נָצְרַת עִלִּית (canonical)
natsrat ilit (romanization)

Nazareth Illit (a city in northern Israel)

he:נצרת עילית


גבעתיים

גִּבְעָתַיִם

גבעתיים / גִּבְעָתַיִם • (giv'atayim) f

גִּבְעָתַיִם (canonical)
giv'atayim (romanization)

From the dual form of גִּבְעָה (giv'á, “hill”), thus meaning "two hills".

Givatayim (a city and suburb of Tel Aviv, in central Israel)


כפר סבא

כְּפַר סָבָא

כְּפַר סָבָא • (k'far sava) f

כְּפַר סָבָא (canonical)
k'far sava (romanization)

Kfar Saba, Kfar Sava (a city in the Sharon region, Central district, Israel)


חדרה

חֲדֵרָה (canonical)
khadera (romanization)


רמת גן

רָמַת גַּן (canonical)
ramat gan (romanization)

Ramat Gan (a city in the Tel Aviv District, Israel)


חרמון

חֶרְמוֹן • (khermón) [pattern: קִטְלוֹן]

חֶרְמוֹן (canonical)
khermón (romanization)

Hermon (a mountain on the border between Israel, Syria and Lebanon)


איתמר

אִיתָמָר • (itámar) m

אִיתָמָר (canonical)
itámar (romanization)

Judea and Samaria Area
Judea and Samaria Area#English

Itamar (a settlement in the West Bank, Judea and Samaria Area district, Israel)


תל אביב יפו

תֵּל־אָבִיב-יָפוֹ

תֵּל־אָבִיב-יָפוֹ • (tel 'avív yafó)

תֵּל־אָבִיב -יָפוֹ (canonical)
tel 'avív yafó (romanization)

Tel Aviv-Yafo
Tel Aviv-Yafo#English:_Q12410321

Tel Aviv-Yafo (a municipality in Israel, formed by the merger of Tel Aviv and Jaffa)


מוצא

מוֹצָא • (motsá)

Motza (a neighbourhood of Jerusalem, Israel)


יצהר

יִצְהָר • (yitshár) m

יִצְהָר (canonical)
yitshár (romanization)

Yitzhar (a settlement in the West Bank, Israel)