diff --git a/src/files/shapefile/core/shapeFileReader.ts b/src/files/shapefile/core/shapeFileReader.ts
index 9cc7081..929c9e1 100644
--- a/src/files/shapefile/core/shapeFileReader.ts
+++ b/src/files/shapefile/core/shapeFileReader.ts
@@ -25,7 +25,9 @@ export class ShapefileChunkReader {
 
     const chunkBuilder = new ChunkBuilder(this.options.maxVerticesPerChunk, chunkIndex);
     try {
-      const reader = await open(shapefilePath);
+      const dbfPath = shapefilePath.replace(/\.shp$/i, '.dbf');
+      //support feature properties with hebrew characters by setting encoding to 'utf-8'
+      const reader = await open(shapefilePath, dbfPath, { encoding: 'utf-8' });
 
       this.options.logger?.info({ msg: 'Reading started' });
       let readStart = performance.now();
diff --git a/tests/unit/files/shapefile/shapeFileReader.spec.ts b/tests/unit/files/shapefile/shapeFileReader.spec.ts
index af11c74..4b9ff42 100644
--- a/tests/unit/files/shapefile/shapeFileReader.spec.ts
+++ b/tests/unit/files/shapefile/shapeFileReader.spec.ts
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ import { MetricsManager } from '../../../../src/files/shapefile/core/metricsMana
 import * as vertices from '../../../../src/geo/vertices';
 
 const shapefilePath = '/path/to/shapefile.shp';
+const dbfFilePath = shapefilePath.replace(/\.shp$/i, '.dbf');
 
 // Mock all dependencies
 jest.mock('shapefile');
@@ -123,7 +124,7 @@ describe('ShapefileChunkReader', () => {
 
       await reader.readAndProcess(shapefilePath, { process: mockProcessor });
 
-      expect(mockShapefile.open).toHaveBeenCalledWith(shapefilePath);
+      expect(mockShapefile.open).toHaveBeenCalledWith(shapefilePath, dbfFilePath, { encoding: 'utf-8' });
       expect(mockChunkBuilder.addFeature).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(2);
       expect(mockProcessor).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
       expect(mockOptions.stateManager?.saveState).toHaveBeenCalled();