Ima, written אמא in Hebrew and pronounced EE-mah, is the everyday Hebrew word for “mom.” It is warm, simple, and deeply familiar. Across Israel, children call out “Ima!” in playgrounds, schoolyards, and crowded streets. But Ima is more than just a sweet word for mother. Within its two syllables lies a story of ancient language, Jewish memory, biblical mothers, and the powerful idea of a mother as a source.