baba
Get baba
iPhoneApp StoreAndroidGoogle PlayChrome ExtensionChrome Web StoreWeb TranslatorNo install neededbaba News appIsrael's press in English
Try Pro Free
baba NewsIsrael’s press in English, every newsroom side by side
Today’s front page Get the app

Products מוצרים

Mobile AppWeb TranslatorChrome ExtensionSpeak HebrewAPIs & DevelopersHebrewCore APIEnterpriseFor NewsroomsFor Government

Tools כלים

All Hebrew ToolsHebrew to English TranslatorEnglish to Hebrew TranslatorOnline Hebrew KeyboardVerb ConjugatorGematria CalculatorHebrew Date ConverterToday's Hebrew DateJewish Holidays This YearZmanim by CityYour Name in HebrewThe Hebrew AlphabetSlang Dictionarybaba Atlas

Learn ללמוד

baba LearnBest AI Hebrew TutorsCompare AI TutorsHebrew GuidesAI Hebrew TutorHebrew for Yom KippurHebrew for TravelHebrew in the NewsIsraeli News in EnglishHebrew News in EnglishHebrew on WhatsAppBlog

News חדשות

baba NewsGood Morning, IsraelIsraeli NewsroomsIsraeli News API

More עוד

PlansAboutSupport
Try Pro FreeGet baba free
iPhoneAndroidChrome ExtensionWeb Translatorbaba News app
Free, no AIHebrew-English guide 14 of 100

Israeli Fruit, in Plain English

What afarsemon, shesek, pomelit and anona mean in English.

Israeli fruit: persimmon, prickly pear, pomelo, Sweetie, loquat and custard apple

Mix-Ups to Avoid

  1. שסק is loquat, not kumquat or medlar. Ask for loquat in English.
  2. פומלה or פומלו is true pomelo. פומלית or סוויטי is a smaller pomelo and grapefruit hybrid, not a spelling variant.
  3. Ordinary Israeli אנונה is usually atemoya. Sugar apple, cherimoya, and custard apple are not exact universal translations.
In This Guide6 entries

Word by word

Persimmons, afarsemon, with one cut in half

On the label or sign

אפרסמון
Persimmon
טריומף / פרי שרון
Triumph, marketed as Sharon fruit after treatment
פויו
Fuyu, naturally non-astringent

אֲפַרְסְמוֹןPersimmon

afarsemon

US English

Persimmon; Sharon fruit for marketed Triumph

UK English

Persimmon; Sharon fruit for marketed Triumph

What it is

Afarsemon is persimmon, Diospyros kaki. Israeli Triumph is naturally astringent but commercially treated so the fruit can be eaten firm. Fuyu is naturally non-astringent.

The difference

Sharon fruit is the marketed Israeli Triumph product, not a name for every persimmon. Firmness alone does not tell you whether a persimmon is Triumph or Fuyu.

Common mistake

Do not call every persimmon Sharon fruit; check for טריומף, פרי שרון, or פויו when the type matters.

Loquats, shesek

On the label or sign

שסק
Loquat

שֶׁסֶקLoquat

shesek

US English

Loquat

UK English

Loquat

What it is

Shesek is loquat, Eriobotrya japonica, a small spring fruit in the rose family. The yellow to orange fruit contains several large stones.

The difference

Loquat is botanically different from kumquat, which is a citrus. Medlar is an obsolete modern shopping translation for shesek.

Common mistake

Ask for loquat, not kumquat or medlar.

Prickly pears, tsabar, whole and peeled

On the label or sign

צבר
Formal name for prickly pear
סברס
Common market word for prickly pear
סברס קלוף
Peeled prickly pear

צַבָּרPrickly pear

tsabar

US English

Prickly pear or cactus pear

UK English

Prickly pear or cactus pear

What it is

Tsabar is the fruit of Opuntia ficus-indica. The fruit is juicy, sweet, full of seeds, and enclosed in a spiny skin. Sabras is the everyday fruit-market word.

The difference

Tsabar can name both the cactus and the fruit. Israeli shops also sell peeled fruit as סברס קלוף.

Common mistake

Do not grab or bite an unpeeled fruit; buy peeled fruit or cut off both ends, slit the skin lengthwise, and peel the skin away.

A pomelo, with thick rind peeled back

On the label or sign

פומלה / פומלו
True pomelo
פומלה לבנה
White pomelo
פומלה אדומה
Red pomelo

פומלו / פומלהPomelo

pomelo / pomela

US English

Pomelo or pummelo

UK English

Pomelo or pummelo

What it is

Pomelo is the true species Citrus maxima. White Goliath types are very large and often pear-shaped. Red Chandler is rounder, has red or pink flesh, and is juicier.

The difference

Pomelo is usually much larger than grapefruit, with a very thick, spongy rind and substantial membranes. Pomelo is a different fruit from pomelit. If a medicine warns against grapefruit, ask a clinician or pharmacist about pomelo because the FDA says pomelos may have the same interaction effect.

Common mistake

Do not treat פומלה and פומלית as spelling variants; choose פומלה or פומלו for true pomelo.

Sweetie fruit, pomelit

On the label or sign

פומלית
Sweetie, a grapefruit and pomelo hybrid
סוויטי
Sweetie
פומלית אדומה
Red pomelit

פומליתSweetie citrus

pomelit

US English

Sweetie or Oroblanco

UK English

Sweetie or Oroblanco

What it is

Pomelit is a hybrid of low-acid pomelo and white grapefruit material. The fruit resembles grapefruit in size and juiciness but is sweeter and less acidic.

The difference

Pomelit is not a small pomelo. Sweetie is the international market name, while Israeli shelves use פומלית. Because pomelit has grapefruit parentage, ask a pharmacist if a medicine warns against grapefruit.

Common mistake

Do not reject a greenish pomelit as unripe; mature Sweetie can remain greenish.

Custard apple, anona, broken open with a spoon

On the label or sign

אנונה
Israeli market name, usually atemoya
אנונה מכלוא
Hybrid annona or atemoya
אנונה קשקשית
Sugar apple

אָנוֹנָהIsraeli atemoya

anona

US English

Atemoya; custard apple is broader

UK English

Atemoya; custard apple is broader

What it is

Ordinary Israeli anona is usually atemoya, a hybrid of cherimoya and sugar apple. Israeli commercial fruit mainly comes from local hybrid selections such as Gefner, Kaspi, and Malamud.

The difference

Custard apple is ambiguous because English speakers use the name for several Annona species and atemoya. Sugar apple, cherimoya, and soursop are not universal translations of anona.

Common mistake

Ask which species or cultivar is being sold, and use atemoya as the first translation for the normal Israeli crop.

Match the English Recipe Name to the Hebrew Shelf Label.

Match the English recipe name to the Hebrew shelf label.
Recipe saysLook for in IsraelKeep in mind
PersimmonאפרסמוןafarsemonSharon fruit only names marketed Triumph.
LoquatשסקshesekLoquat is not kumquat.
Prickly pear or cactus pearסברס / סברס קלוףsabras / sabras kalufThe second label means peeled fruit.
Pomeloפומלה / פומלוpomela / pomeloTrue pomelo, not pomelit.
Sweetie or Oroblancoפומלית / סוויטיpomelit / SweetieA sweeter, less acidic hybrid.
Atemoyaאנונה / אנונה מכלואanona / anona mikhloThe best first match for usual Israeli fruit.

Knowing the word is half of it. Say it out loud.

A Hebrew speaking app with Maya and David, AI tutors who hold conversations, explain corrections and help you practise what you need to say. Private beta on iPhone and Android. Public store launch is still ahead. Free Classic lessons to start, no card needed.

Explore baba Learn

How we checked this guide

By the baba team. Checked on against 34 sources, mostly Israeli retailers, manufacturers and government pages, and updated . Products, labels and rules change, so check the pack or the office before you rely on a detail. Our methodology.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is shesek called in English?

שסק, shesek, is loquat. Kumquat is a separate citrus, and medlar is an obsolete modern shopping translation for shesek.

Is every afarsemon a Sharon fruit?

No. אפרסמון, afarsemon, is persimmon. Sharon fruit is the marketed Israeli Triumph product, while Fuyu is another persimmon grown in Israel.

Is pomelit the same as pomelo?

No. פומלה or פומלו is true pomelo. פומלית or סוויטי is a grapefruit and pomelo hybrid that is sweeter and less acidic than grapefruit.

What is Israeli anona called in English?

The best first translation for ordinary Israeli אנונה is atemoya, a hybrid of cherimoya and sugar apple. Custard apple is a broader and ambiguous name.

Can pomelo interact with medicine?

The FDA says pomelos may have the same interaction effect as grapefruit. If a medicine warns against grapefruit, ask a clinician or pharmacist about pomelo and pomelit.

More Hebrew-English Guides

All guides

Israeli Greens Guide

Romaine, rocket, chard, spinach and baby leaves in Israel.

Israeli Rice and Grains Guide

What p'titim, bulgur, buckwheat and Persian rice mean.

Israeli Legumes Guide

What hummus, adashim, pol and she'uit mean in English.

Israeli Nuts and Seeds

What pitzuchim, black seeds and white seeds mean in Israel.