ABOUT IMF

Israel Matz Foundation Our History Israel Matz (1869-1950), a patron of Hebrew literature and scholarship, established the Israel Matz Foundation in 1925 to support Hebrew Literature and Philosophy. For over 40 Years Professor Milton (Michael) Arfa (1920-2003) served as the Chairman of the Foundation.  Under Professor Arfa's leadership, the Foundation initaed, published and sponsored many notable Literary projects, such as the publication, of a volume of the works of Avraham Ibu Ezra, prepared by Israel Levine, and the anthology of the stories and essays of Micha Josef Berdyczewski (Bin-Gorion), prepareed by his son Immanuel Bein-Gorion.  In total, during the period under Professor Arfa's leadership, the Foundation published or contributed to the publication of dozens of volumes including classical and modern Hebrew poetry and literature, as well as original works, anthologies and reference volumes. Today, Professor Arfa's work is continued by his children, Rachel L. Arfa Esq., and Hiam Arfa.  Among the Foundation's most recent publications is the [9] volume History of Modern Hebrew Poetry, edited and with commentary by Professor Hillel Barzel, Professor Emeritus of Hebrew Literature of Bam Ilan University in Israel.  Currently the Foundation is a major contributor to a multi-volume reference work on contemporary Hebrew. In addition to publishing and supporting publication of works on Hebrew literature and poetry, the Foundation provides stipends to Hebrew writers and families and together with its subsidiary. History Of Hebrew Hebrew is one of the world’s oldest languages.  Jewish tradition as well as some Christian Scholars, believe that Hebrew was the original language of man and that God delivered the Torah (the five books of the Old Testament) to Moses in Hebrew.  The Torah (the first five books of the Hebrew Bible), and most of the rest of the Hebrew Bible, is written in Classical Hebrew.. Hebrew is know as the Holy Language or Leshon Hakodesh.. By the time of Jesus, Aramaic was the common language, but Hebrew was used in synagogues and in Temple worship.   This classical Hebrew script has remained unchanged to this day. Modern Hebrew, refers to spoken and written Hebrew from the 19th Century to the present.  Eliezar ben Yehuda (1858 – 1922) led the rebirth of Hebrew as a spoken language. After immigrating to Israel in 1881, he bean promoting the use of Hebrew at hone and in the schools.