For this first Recognizably Jewish episode of 2025, we’re going to talk about four words that everyone understands refer to Jewish people – Semite, Hebrew, Israelite, and Jew. The words, and derivations of the words, are used all the time. For many, the words are themselves part of one’s identity in the world. But have you ever stopped to think about where the words came from, and how they came to have the meanings they have today? Listen to today’s episode to find out.

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Selected sources:

• This is the map I refer to in the episode: ⁠https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:12_Tribes_of_Israel_Map.svg⁠

• https://www.myjewishlearning.com/article/who-are-the-semites/

• https://www.myjewishlearning.com/article/the-beginnings-of-the-hebrew-language/

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q9aB3fLPssI

• https://scholar.harvard.edu/files/martinkramer/files/why_israel_is_called_israel_and_not_judea_mosaicmosaic.pdf

• https://www.instagram.com/reel/DCZG9Rvy8Od/