Bringing Hebrew's Hidden History to Life
Historian and linguist Elon Gilad reveals the surprising stories behind Hebrew words and Jewish traditions — on stage, on screen, and in print.
What Elon Speaks About
Engaging, source-based talks on Hebrew etymology, Jewish history, and the surprising origins of our traditions.
The Secret History of Hebrew
From the Bible to Balagan
Every Hebrew word is a fossil. This keynote traces 3,000 years of Hebrew through the words themselves — from a 15,000-year-old word for sickle to the Arabic slang that entered through the army.
The Tisha B'Av Riddle
How Judaism Was Reborn from Destruction
Neither Temple was actually destroyed on the 9th of Av. This talk follows the evidence to Rabbi Akiva, who reverse-engineered the date from Zechariah's prophecy.
Purim: The Holiday Behind the Mask
A 2,500-Year Journey from War to Carnival
When you strip away the costumes, the Purim story doesn't make sense — unless you read it as a political pamphlet covering up a real civil war.
Elon Gilad is a master teacher. As our scholar-in-residence for the weekend, he connected with audiences of both children and adults in ways that opened chapters of Jewish history to them that they never before knew existed. Whether teaching the centuries-old story of a Hebrew word, upending our understanding of the history of the Jewish Sabbath, or fascinating our kids with stories of monsters from the Bible, Mr. Gilad was a delight to work with and a joy to learn from. We hope to have further opportunities to study with him in the future.
Watch Elon in Action
300+ videos on Hebrew etymology and Jewish history
Featured Etymology
סגלגל
lavender, light purple (color); formerly: oval
In biblical Hebrew, the root ס-ג-ל carries the meaning of distinctiveness or special possession, as in the well-known phrase am segula (עַם סְגֻלָּה, "a treasured people"). From this ancient root branched a cluster of modern Hebrew words — mesugl ...
Explore 1,200+ Hebrew Word Origins →