In elementary school at Emek Hebrew Academy, we used to say, “I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America…”


Since today is the independence day of the United States, I think it appropriate to highlight one of the words in that expression.

Allegiance to a cause, country or person is אֱמוּנִים (eh-moo-NEEM) or נֶאֱמָנוּת (neh-eh-mah-NOOT). Both words come from the same root – א.מ.נ (a.m.n), the same as that of the international, inter-religious term, אָמֵן – amen (ah-MEN).


So to say, I pledge allegiance to the flag… in Hebrew, a male would say אֲנִי נִשְׁבַּע אֱמוּנִים לַדֶּגֶל… (ah-NEE neesh-BAH eh-moo-NEEM lah-DEH-ghel…). A female would replace נשבע with נִשְׁבַּעַת (neesh-BAH-aht).


I’m not sure why אמונים gets used in that context rather than נאמנות.

Anyway, to all the Americans out there… Happy Independence Day!

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