Since the emergence of Nahda movement in mid-nineteenth until mid-twentieth centuries, Hebrew language occupied a noticeable place in the social and cultural atmosphere in Egypt. Hebrew was used in newspapers, in tombstone inscriptions, in posters for movies and events, and in sings for Jewish spaces that were visible to the public. Hebrew served as the language of performances that non-Hebrew speakers attended, Hebrew words were used in the cinema, and Hebrew phrases penetrated the economic transactions among traders and gold-and silversmiths in the Jewish quarter in al-Muski district. These indications refer to the fact that Hebrew was not confined to the use and the consumption of only Egyptian Jews, but enjoyed a recognizable place in the public sphere. Aside from its circulation in the popular mass culture, Hebrew held the attention of Egyptian intellectuals preoccupied with the cultural revival of their nation and language. The instruction of Hebrew in public universities in early 20th century aimed to enhance the understanding of the history of ancient Egypt and the origins of the Semitic peoples. As Hebrew was gaining strength in mandatory Palestine, Egyptian intellectuals approached this evolving national linguistic project with variegated attitudes. Some intellectuals admired efforts made by revivers of modern Hebrew in bringing their language back to life and adapting it to address the needs of modernity. They saw in referencing these efforts an opportunity to emphasize the likelihood of succeeding in their revival project of Arabic and to fuel their colleagues’ and their audience’s enthusiasm to follow the model of Hebrew. Other writers were drawn to ascertain the historical and linguistic affinity between Arabic and Hebrew in their quest for the Semitic origins of Jews and Arabs as evident in their language. In contradistinction with these views, other intellectuals dismissed the achievements of the revival of modern Hebrew deeming them unworthy of imitation, underscoring the superiority of Arabic over other languages, including Hebrew with respect to Arabic’s richness of vocabulary and meanings and its ability to fulfill the requirements of modernity. Drawing on writings of Egyptian intellectuals in published periodicals and books, I would like to explore the ways in which Hebrew language was invoked in discussions of intellectuals in Egypt pertinent to central issues in Nahda movement, such as the enhancement of modern Arabic, the search for origins, the reckoning of the past, and the understanding of Arabic and Islamic heritage.