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

• Wonton font
• Faux Cyrillic
• Pseudo-Hebrew