IvritNet, also known as irc.co.il, was founded by Roy Porat, known online as oackly, in response to a pivotal event in Israel's IRC history. In 1999, DALnet, one of the most popular IRC networks at the time, closed the Israeli hebrew channel, #Ivrit, and imposed a ban on all Israeli users following a series of conflicts and abuse incidents involving a few individuals. This ban left many Israeli users without a digital home, prompting oackly to take action.
After registering the domain ivrit.co.il on September 21, 1999, oackly officially launched IvritNet as an independent IRC network. At first, only members of the former #Ivrit channel joined, but as word spread, the network grew rapidly, becoming a central hub for Hebrew-speaking IRC users. IvritNet provided a space where Israelis could communicate without interference from international network policies or administrative conflicts.
IvritNet's growth continued through the early 2000s, attracting a diverse user base from Israel and the Jewish diaspora. It hosted popular channels like #Israel, #Ivrit, and #Help (in Hebrew), providing a secure and welcoming space for discussions on culture, technology, relationships, and politics.
IvritNet was built with several features designed specifically to meet the needs of the Israeli IRC community. Supporting Hebrew nicks was one of the network's standout elements, allowing users to choose nicknames in Hebrew characters, which enhanced the sense of local identity and cultural pride. To address security and privacy concerns, IvritNet also implemented host-masking, enabling users to hide their IP addresses and maintain privacy while participating in discussions.
Since no existing IRC service package provided the same functionality as DALnet's services, IvritNet developed its own custom-built services, which were entirely original in implementation. These services were initially written in TCL by Kobi_S, based on the conceptual structure of DALnet's services but built from the ground up for IvritNet.
After Kobi_S left the network, the services were maintained by oackly and Super_B, ensuring IvritNet remained stable and fully functional. Later, when Kobi_S returned, he rewrote the services in C to significantly improve performance and enhance their capabilities.
These services included:
Determined to provide a stable, reliable community space for Israelis to connect, chat, and share in their native language, oackly created IvritNet as an independent network. His primary motivation was to ensure that the Israeli IRC community could gather without fear of losing their channels due to external conflicts or network policies beyond their control. With IvritNet, he wanted to build a platform managed by Israelis for Israelis—free from the disruptions that had affected them on larger networks.
IvritNet quickly became a vibrant hub, bringing together users from across the country and the diaspora. It offered a wide range of channels where people could chat about culture, technology, relationships, politics, and everything in between, all in Hebrew or English. Channels like #Israel, #Ivrit, and #Help_IL allowed users to connect in a more secure, supportive environment tailored to their needs.
Over the years, IvritNet became a foundational part of Israel's online history. For many, it was more than just an IRC server; it was a space where friendships were made, ideas exchanged, and a unique digital community flourished. The network became known for its resilience, adapting to technical challenges and evolving with the needs of its users.
Today, IvritNet stands as a testament to the strength and ingenuity of the Israeli IRC community, showcasing how a committed group of users can create something lasting and impactful in the face of adversity.