how to say “magical” in Hebrew

Upon returning from visiting family abroad, I became enchanted again with Jerusalem. One might say it’s a magical city – עִיר קְסוּמָה (eer keh-soo-MAH).

I write קסומה instead of קָסוּם (kah-SOOM), since a city is a feminine noun in Hebrew. Those of you who live in Raanana (where our Level 3 class starts on Sunday morning) might know the stationery shop on רְחוֹב שֵׁשֶׁת הַיָּמִים (reh-KHOHV SHEH-shet hah-yah-MEEM) – Six Days (War) Street – by the name of הַיַּעַר הַקּסוּם (hah-YAH-ahr hah-kah-SOOM) – The Magical Forest.


קסום and קסומה come from the Biblical Hebrew word, קֶסֶם (KEH-sem) – magic or sorcery. 

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