Ice Cream in Hebrew: an Israeli guide

2 min read
Picture of Daniella Tourgeman, Hebrew Teacher
Daniella Tourgeman, Hebrew Teacher
Ice Cream in Hebrew: an Israeli guide

What’s your go-to solution on a super hot day?
A lazy day at the beach? Netflix and chilling in your air-conditioned living room? Spending the afternoon reading on a shady boulevard?

You can’t go wrong with any of those options, but I sure hope there will also be some ice cream involved…
Ice-cream in Hebrew is גלידה (glee- dah). When based on water and not milk, it’s called a sorbet – pronounced the same in Hebrew – סורבה!

The use of Ice cream as a dessert goes a long way back. Originating in ancient Persia where they mixed grape juice with snow, the consumption of ice cream was also recorded in the palaces of the Roman empire and eventually found its way to France where milk was added, making it into what we know today as ice cream.

As temperatures rise, we all crave a sweet bite of this frozen goodness. However, there are many different types of ice cream and it is very easy to get lost in the lingo when you don’t speak the language. These are some different types of this heavenly sweetness in Hebrew:

ארטיק (ahr-teek):

The common name for an ice cream that is on a stick. It was originally the name of an Israeli company that produced and sold these ice cream bars. The company was named after the Belgian factory where ice cream bars were first discovered in the 1950s! Funny enough – this Hebrew word is a twist on the word ‘arctic’.

ice cream in hebrew

קרטיב (kahr-teev):

Simply put, a popsicle. Brother-from-another mother of the ארטיק, the קרטיב also comes from a name of a brand. This flavored ice-on-a-stick was first invented in 1924 by a US company named ‘Popsicle’ – the name which is still commonly used today.

ice cream kartiv

טילון (tee-lohn):

The Israeli name for a frozen cone filled with ice cream and other goodies such as cookies and melted chocolate. טילון actually means “little rocket”, because of the snack’s angular shape.

ice cream tilon

קסטה (kah-sah-tah):

Our next savory snack gets its name from the Cassata Siciliana – a traditional Sicilian cheesecake. However despite its namesake, the two crispy cookies and ice cream filling make it the perfect sandwich. Another version of this ice cream sandwich in Israel is called קוקילידה (koo-kee-lee-dah), literally describing the snack’s components (cookies and ice-cream).

ice cream kasata

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Ice Cream in Hebrew: an Israeli guide

A Hebrew Guide to Ice Cream in Israel // The best Hebrew school - Learn Hebrew online or in Tel Aviv
What’s your go-to solution on a super hot day? A lazy day at the beach? Netflix and chilling in your air-conditioned living room? Spending the afternoon reading on a shady boulevard? You can’t go wrong with any of those options, but I sure hope there will also be some ice cream involved… Ice-cream in Hebrew is גלידה (glee- dah). When based on water and not milk, it’s called a sorbet – pronounced the same in Hebrew – סורבה! The use of Ice cream as a dessert goes a long way back. Originating in ancient Persia where they mixed grape juice with snow, the consumption of ice cream was also recorded in the palaces of the Roman empire and eventually found its way to France where milk was added, making it into what we know today as ice cream. As temperatures rise, we all crave a sweet bite of this frozen goodness. However, there are many different types of ice cream and it is very easy to get lost in the lingo when you don’t speak the language. These are some different types of this heavenly sweetness in Hebrew:

ארטיק (ahr-teek):

The common name for an ice cream that is on a stick. It was originally the name of an Israeli company that produced and sold these ice cream bars. The company was named after the Belgian factory where ice cream bars were first discovered in the 1950s! Funny enough – this Hebrew word is a twist on the word ‘arctic’.

ice cream in hebrew

קרטיב (kahr-teev):

Simply put, a popsicle. Brother-from-another mother of the ארטיק, the קרטיב also comes from a name of a brand. This flavored ice-on-a-stick was first invented in 1924 by a US company named ‘Popsicle’ – the name which is still commonly used today.

ice cream kartiv

טילון (tee-lohn):

The Israeli name for a frozen cone filled with ice cream and other goodies such as cookies and melted chocolate. טילון actually means “little rocket”, because of the snack’s angular shape.

ice cream tilon

קסטה (kah-sah-tah):

Our next savory snack gets its name from the Cassata Siciliana – a traditional Sicilian cheesecake. However despite its namesake, the two crispy cookies and ice cream filling make it the perfect sandwich. Another version of this ice cream sandwich in Israel is called קוקילידה (koo-kee-lee-dah), literally describing the snack’s components (cookies and ice-cream).

ice cream kasata