Hebrew translation services
עבריתLEXIGO provides NAATI certified Hebrew translation across Australia for legal, business, education and community clients, and for the 22,000 people who speak Hebrew at home in Melbourne's Caulfield and Sydney's Bondi. We translate Hebrew to English and English to Hebrew with right-to-left typesetting handled in-house, and certify Israeli birth certificates, teudat zehut identity extracts, degrees, driver licences and police certificates for Home Affairs, state road authorities and universities.
Hebrew is a Semitic language and the official language of Israel, spoken by approximately 9.3 million people worldwide. Hebrew is unique among world languages as the most successful example of language revival — it was revived as a spoken vernacular in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries after existing primarily as a liturgical and literary language for nearly two millennia.
In Australia, Hebrew speakers number approximately 22,000 according to the 2021 Census. The Jewish-Australian community, within which Hebrew speakers are concentrated, is one of Australia's oldest and most established cultural communities. Hebrew-speaking Australians include Israeli migrants and their families, as well as members of the broader Jewish community who have studied or lived in Israel. Communities are concentrated in Melbourne (particularly Caulfield, St Kilda East, and surrounding suburbs) and Sydney (Bondi, Dover Heights, and the North Shore).
Hebrew is written in the Hebrew alphabet, a 22-character abjad reading right-to-left. In its standard form, vowels are largely unwritten, though a system of diacritical marks (nikkud) can be added for clarity in educational, religious, and children's texts. Modern Hebrew has incorporated extensive vocabulary from Arabic, Yiddish, Russian, English, and other languages reflecting Israel's diverse immigrant population.
The Hebrew-speaking community in Australia is well-established, highly educated, and professionally engaged. Hebrew serves both as a community language for Israeli Australians and as a cultural and religious language for the broader Jewish community. Hebrew education through Jewish day schools and community programs maintains language knowledge across generations.
For organisations, Hebrew serves a specific cultural community and also has relevance for trade, academic, and diplomatic engagement with Israel. Healthcare, legal services, education, and community engagement benefit from Hebrew-language options.
What makes Hebrew translation different?
RTL Layout
Hebrew reads right-to-left, requiring complete layout mirroring for documents and digital content. Bidirectional text handling is essential when Hebrew and English appear together, which is frequent given the community’s bilingual nature. Numbers read left-to-right within RTL text flow.
Vowelisation
Standard Hebrew text omits vowels, which experienced readers can infer from context. For content targeting readers with varying Hebrew proficiency — including second-generation Australians with Hebrew school education — partial or full vowelisation may improve accessibility. This decision should be made based on audience assessment.
Modern vs Biblical Hebrew
Modern Israeli Hebrew is the appropriate register for most communications. Biblical or liturgical Hebrew is used in religious contexts but would feel archaic in everyday communications. Translators should be native speakers of Modern Hebrew.
NAATI Certification
NAATI certified Hebrew translators are available in Australia, concentrated in Melbourne and Sydney where the community is established. Medical, legal, and community translation specialists are accessible.
Frequently asked questions about Hebrew translation
Is a NAATI certified Hebrew translation accepted by Home Affairs?
Yes. Home Affairs, state road authorities, universities and AHPRA accept NAATI certified translations of Israeli documents. Birth certificates, teudat zehut identity extracts, marriage certificates, degrees, driver licences and police certificates are the most common.
Can I use a NAATI certified translation with the Israeli embassy?
The Israeli embassy and consulates in Australia accept NAATI certified translations of Australian documents for consular matters such as civil registration and passports. Documents lodged directly with an office in Israel may need a notarised translation there, so check with the receiving office first.
Where are Australia's Hebrew-speaking communities?
The 2021 Census recorded about 22,000 Hebrew speakers at home. Melbourne's community is centred on Caulfield, St Kilda East and Bentleigh, Sydney's on Bondi, Dover Heights and the north shore. Many are Israeli-born professionals in technology, medicine and business.
How much does Hebrew translation cost?
NAATI certified translation of personal documents starts from $69 per page. Legal, business and technical content is quoted on word count, subject matter and turnaround. Upload your file for a free quote.
Do you translate business and legal content between Hebrew and English?
Yes. Israel is a significant technology and research partner for Australian firms and universities, so contracts, patents, technical documentation and academic material move in both directions. Hebrew runs right to left with embedded English and numbers left to right, so files are typeset to keep layout intact.