G-D Is Not a “Jewish Word” — And That Is Precisely the Point

by Ram ben Ze’ev

G-D Is Not a “Jewish Word” — And That Is Precisely the Point

A recent article published by Chabad raises the question of whether “G-D” is a Jewish word. The answer, of course, is no. It is English. And that simple fact clarifies far more than it complicates.

The Torah was not given in English. The Holy One, blessed be He, revealed Himself through the language of קדש (kodesh – holiness), through names such as אל (El – Mighty One), אלוה (Eloah – G-D), אלקים (Elohim – Judge/Power), and the Ineffable Name י־ה־ו־ה. These Names are not labels in the modern sense. They are revelations of Divine attributes. Indeed, our tradition speaks of שבע שמות (sheva shemot – seven sacred Names) that carry intrinsic sanctity, and of the ע״ב שמות (72 Names), which reflect profound mystical permutations of Divine manifestation.

None of these are English.

The word “God” is Germanic in origin. It is a translation term. Therefore, strictly speaking, it does not possess the same halachic קדושה (kedushah – holiness) as the sacred Hebrew Names. One may not erase the Divine Name in Hebrew; the prohibition attaches to the Hebrew form. English does not carry that same status.

Why then do many Jews write “G-D” with a hyphen?

Not because English has somehow become one of the sacred Names. And not because we believe the Anglo-Saxon syllables contain intrinsic holiness. Rather, the hyphen is a חומרא (chumra – stringency), a protective fence born of יראת שמים (yirat shamayim – awe of Heaven). It is a gesture of reverence in disposable or digital media. It signals that although the language is English, the referent is the One of ישראל (Yisrael – Israel), the G-D of אברהם יצחק ויעקב.

There is also a deeper point often missed in this discussion: translation is not theological surrender.

When a Jew writes “G-D” in English, he is not invoking a foreign deity. He is using the closest available linguistic vessel to point toward what the Torah calls אל or אלקים. The Divine is not confined to phonetics. קדושה lies in what a word denotes, not in the accident of its syllables. The Ribbono Shel Olam is not diminished by language, nor defined by it.

Some worry that the English word has been shaped by foreign belief systems. It is true that words can carry metaphysical baggage. We must be vigilant not to internalise alien theology. But the solution is not linguistic isolation; it is theological clarity. The unity of אחדות השם (achdut Hashem – the unity of G-D) does not depend upon whether we are speaking Hebrew, English, or any other language. The Torah predates all of them.

Context also matters.

When writing privately among sincere Jews, I often prefer to use השם (Hashem – the Name) or אל (El – Mighty One). Within a shared covenantal language, these terms carry intimacy, closeness, and reverence. They assume a common understanding of Who we are addressing.

However, when writing publicly — where non-Jews may read, and where words can be misunderstood, misused, or even mocked — I choose “G-D.” It is a dignified English expression that preserves clarity while maintaining caution. It speaks in the language of the society around us, without surrendering the sanctity of what it signifies.

The English word is not “Jewish.” It was never meant to be. It is a כלי (kli – vessel). The question is not whether the vessel is native to Sinai, but whether the content remains faithful to תורה (Torah).

If the content is true — if it affirms the absolute unity, sovereignty, and transcendence of the One — then the language serves its purpose.

And if we write it with reverence, then even English can be made to bow before Him.

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Bill White (Ram ben Ze'ev) is CEO of WireNews Limited, Mayside Partners Limited, MEADHANAN Agency, Kestrel Assets Limited, SpudsToGo Limited and Executive Director of Hebrew Synagogue