קהילה \ קְהִלָּה
k'hiláfeminine
The Hebrew word for community is קהילה \ קְהִלָּה (k'hilá), a group of people who share something in common.
קהילה is used both for small social groups and for larger organized bodies like a religious or ethnic community. It is also the common word in Orthodox Jewish communities, where it stresses religious connection and shared values.
Meaning: group sharing a common understanding (noun)
Which one should you use?
עדה is a formal term for a community with a shared history or heritage. צִיבּוּר is used mainly in Israel for the broad community or the general public.
How does it change in a sentence?
קהילה is feminine. The plural is קהילות, communities and the adjective is קהילתי, communal or community based.
How do you pronounce it?
Say it as k'hilá, with the stress on the last syllable.
Did you know?
- The word צִיבּוּר refers to the 'general public' in a civic sense but also specifically denotes a 'congregation' during a Jewish prayer service.
- The word קהילה (k'hilá) carries an implicit sense of mutual obligation between members that is often much stronger than the casual way English speakers use the word 'community'.
- In modern Israeli Hebrew, the phrase קהילה גאה is the standard way to refer to the 'Pride' or 'LGBTQ+' community.
Example sentences for Hebrew are not verified yet.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “community” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
