Shem is the son of Noah traditionally linked to the ancestor of the Israelites.
In Genesis, Shem is one of Noah’s three sons, alongside Ham and Japheth. The genealogical material in Genesis 10–11 traces descendants through Shem, and the name “Semite” was later formed from the Latin form of Shem’s name. The biblical genealogies place the line leading to Abraham within Shem’s descendants.
Shem is therefore associated with the ancestry of the Israelites through the broader genealogy that proceeds from Noah to Abraham and then to the families of Israel. This is a genealogical tradition, not a claim that every modern speaker of a Semitic language is descended from one identifiable individual.
Ham and Japheth also receive important genealogical roles in Genesis. Canaan is listed as a son of Ham, not as one of Noah’s three sons, so it is a separate name in the family tree.