Hebrew frank font free download how to#
Hebrew frank font free download code#

The letters’ design did draw inspiration and style from the Spanish Jewish tradition, which tended to decorate the letters with moderate and not too ornate serifs. The robust perpendicular lines remove the curvature, the lugs, and the jellyfish shape from the font and each letter appears intact with all its parts equal to each other ', he continued to write in the essay. For example, א has two, צ has two, and ש has three top strokes). 'The quietness and stability of my writing are also guaranteed by the fact that none of the top strokes of the letters are skewed.

Hebrew frank font free download how to#

As a teacher, he knew how to update and change letters, based on pedagogical considerations. Frank, being a certified scribe, knew these rules well and observed them rigorously.

Hebrew frank font free download code#

The rules of the Code of Jewish Law that originally pertain to the writing of Torah scrolls detail the shape, structure, and composition of each letter. 'Unlike non-Hebrew letters whose design does not depend on any external factor, the design of a Hebrew letter must take into account the Code of Jewish Law (Shulchan Aruch),' Rafael said in an essay he published after the font was released. Frank argued that there was a need for quiet, continuous letters that would improve reading fluency: The new font was designed to fit modern print so that the reader could read long texts rapidly – with or without nikud (vowels). The fonts that existed then – mainly the Vilna font, which was used for most of the printed Hebrew writings in that era – instilled a scholarly-religious tone. Rafael Frank identified the need for a font style that differs from the types of letters that existed at the time when many secular Hebrew writings began to appear in print. But surprisingly, even religious people used it. It was a new letter unrelated to any tradition – neither of the beit midrash nor the writings of the Haskalah. It is similar to a Spanish letter, a bit flashy and ornate. 'It is a letter that changed the Hebrew print. Itai Tamari, a scholar who specializes in the history of Hebrew typography, writes the following about the font:

The font that Rafael Frank designed came into use in Germany and was later duplicated in other printing presses until it was adopted by the official press and printing houses in Israel. The font is called Frank Rühl Hebräisch, or in short, 'Frank-Rühl'.įrank-Riehl Speciman from the 1924 Berthold Letter Casting Catalog Frank- Rühl Rühl, which later merged into the Berthold foundry which distributed and sold the letters to print shops throughout Europe. The letter was cut in 1910 at a small letter foundry in Leipzig called C.F. Within about two years, Frank completed the design: a set of 27 Hebrew letters in one weight. In 1908, he was commissioned by Leipzig University’s “Evangelical Society for the Publication of Scripture” to design a Hebrew font to be used for secular Hebrew texts.

Thanks to his understanding of various languages and his training as a scribe, he worked in calligraphy and font design. In 1903 he moved to the city of Leipzig with his wife and two children and served as the chief cantor of the Jewish community. During his academic studies in Cologne, he became attracted to the Hebrew language and Hebrew music. Rafael Frank was born 150 years ago (on March 11, 1867) in the German city of Ichenhausen, the son of an antique dealer. He knew how these letters of such distinct character and personality carry tradition and memory alongside deep layers of Jewish culture and history.

Alterman understood the power of the letter, and why Frank-Rühl represents the very forces and values he sought to reinforce. Despite the detailed description, such a headline has never been prepared or printed. The poem was written in May 1945, as part of his weekly column in 'Davar' (Hebrew newspaper). This is how Alterman seeks to describe the labor of the printing press worker when arranging the dramatic headline announcing the fall of Berlin, including the first and informal news of Hitler's death. In “The Headline” (Hebrew poem), the font that was used is Frank-Rühl.