diff --git a/public/js/script.js b/public/js/script.js
index b2aa2480c..c988e9309 100644
--- a/public/js/script.js
+++ b/public/js/script.js
@@ -38,6 +38,7 @@ let manualRestart = false;
 let bailout = false;
 let notSignedInLastResult = null;
 let caretAnimating = true;
+let isLanguageLeftToRight = true;
 
 let themeColors = {
   bg: "#323437",
@@ -554,12 +555,6 @@ function initWords() {
       wordsList.push(w[i]);
     }
   }
-  //special case right-to-left languages (currently only Hebrew)
-  if (config.language === "hebrew") {
-    arrangeCharactersRightToLeft();
-  } else {
-    arrangeCharactersLeftToRight();
-  }
   showWords();
 }
 
@@ -1412,9 +1407,7 @@ function updateCaretPosition() {
       .querySelectorAll("letter")[currentLetterIndex];
 
     if ($(currentLetter).length == 0) return;
-    //special case right to left languages (currently only Hebrew)
-    const isLeftToRight = config.language !== "hebrew";
-    let currentLetterPosLeft = isLeftToRight
+    let currentLetterPosLeft = isLanguageLeftToRight
       ? currentLetter.offsetLeft
       : currentLetter.offsetLeft + $(currentLetter).width();
     let currentLetterPosTop = currentLetter.offsetTop;
@@ -1424,11 +1417,11 @@ function updateCaretPosition() {
 
     newTop = currentLetterPosTop - letterHeight / 4;
     if (inputLen == 0) {
-      newLeft = isLeftToRight
+      newLeft = isLanguageLeftToRight
         ? currentLetterPosLeft - caret.width() / 2
         : currentLetterPosLeft + caret.width() / 2;
     } else {
-      newLeft = isLeftToRight
+      newLeft = isLanguageLeftToRight
         ? currentLetterPosLeft + $(currentLetter).width() - caret.width() / 2
         : currentLetterPosLeft - $(currentLetter).width() + caret.width() / 2;
     }
diff --git a/public/js/userconfig.js b/public/js/userconfig.js
index 56941c1cd..07c9b7758 100644
--- a/public/js/userconfig.js
+++ b/public/js/userconfig.js
@@ -874,6 +874,14 @@ function changeLanguage(language, nosave) {
     language = "english";
   }
   config.language = language;
+  //right-to-left languages
+  if (["hebrew"].includes(language)) {
+    isLanguageLeftToRight = false;
+    arrangeCharactersRightToLeft();
+  } else {
+    isLanguageLeftToRight = true;
+    arrangeCharactersLeftToRight();
+  }
   try {
     firebase.analytics().logEvent("changedLanguage", {
       language: language,