Last Updated on April 19, 2026

Your guide to Israel beef cuts. The Hebrew names and numbers of beef cuts and internal organs.

Hebrew: Helkay Basar –  חלקי בשר

Your first few shopping experiences in Israel might have you pulling your hair out. There are many challenges and new food choices – one of them is determining which beef cut is most suited to your favorite recipes from home.

While our parents did their best to give us the best education and when we came out of school we knew for a fact that a cow is a cow, 1 = 1 and 5 = 5, but this is Israel and seemingly logical facts are sometime absurd and the opposite is true. English is read from left to right but we read Hebrew from right to left.  In Hebrew “she” is “he” (היא) and “he” is “who” (הוא). And so it is with cuts of meat. In the diaspora the hindquarter was not considered kosher (unless specially prepared) but in Israel you can find kosher hind cuts. In Israel 1 = 10 and 10 = 18.  Enough confusion.

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In Israel, beef cuts are labeled differently than in many other countries. Instead of asking for “brisket” or “shoulder,” you’ll often need to know the cut number—like #3 or #5.

Frozen meat is usually more affordable than fresh, so if you’re buying frozen, these numbers become even more useful. Here’s a clear guide to help you match Israeli cuts with what you may know from abroad:

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The Internal Organs – חלקי פנים