Faux Hebrew

Faux Hebrew is a Latin script typeface that mimics the calligraphic curves and large serif of Hebrew characters.[1] The style is used for decorative purposes, such as in artwork, foreign branding advertisements, and antisemitic propaganda, often to evoke themes of Jewishness or represent Israel.

"Faux Hebrew" written in a Faux Hebrew font; note the use of actual Hebrew letters alef א (for X) and shin ש (for W).
Faux Hebrew on a Yellow badge

In some cases, actual Hebrew letters are substituted for Latin letters. For example, the alef א is used for X, shin ש is used for W, and samekh ס is used for O,

The first Faux Hebrew typeset was Papirtis Maseltov, created in 1963 by Charles Papirtis.[2]

Criticism

Like other typefaces that mimic non-Latin characters, the use of Faux Hebrew has been a subject of criticism. Some view the use of Faux Hebrew script as appropriating Jewish culture without understanding its historical or religious significance.

Jessica Helfand in a 2007 Design Observer essay compared using Faux Hebrew to Don Imus's comments on the Rutgers women's basketball team stating, "what's the difference between a celebrity making an unforgivable racist remark and a typographer making a font that clumsily perpetuates a cultural stereotype."[3] Professor Sarah Bunin Benor rejected book cover design that used Faux Hebrew stating, “it’s just not appropriate because it has this mocking or comedic effect.'”[2]

See also

References
  1. BENOR, SARAH BUNIN (2009). "Do American Jews Speak a "Jewish Language"? A Model of Jewish Linguistic Distinctiveness". The Jewish Quarterly Review. 99 (2): 230–269. ISSN 0021-6682.
  2. Silverstein, Andrew (2022-07-22). "In the rarified world of Jewish letters, a mind-boggling font of Jewish history". The Forward. Retrieved 2023-03-24.
  3. "Why Is This Font Different From All Other Fonts?". Design Observer. Retrieved 2023-03-25.
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