It has been the “official” language of the Jewish People for  thousands of years. If you want to feel a part of that people, and get what they are about, there is no more direct way than to understand their mamaloshen.

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Hebrew is the language of the Torah and the other books of the Bible, which is the Jew’s guidebook through Jewish religion, history, culture, ethics, and practically everything else. Imagine being able to navigate and appreciate the world’s greatest book in the language in which it was written!

 

Hebrew is the language of almost all the sifrei kodesh (religious books). Totruly understand the Mishna, Gemara, and inimitable scholars and commentators such as Rashi, Maimonides, and Nechama Leibowitz, a working knowledge of Hebrew is vital.

 

Hebrew is the language of modern Israel. Knowing it will enable you to fit seamlessly in with the vibrant life of the country. You will feel foreign and unintegrated, always the “tourist,” unless you can to communicate with the locals in their own language.

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It is your Israeli grandchildren’s, nieces’, and nephews’ first language, and possibly the only one with which you’ll be able to relate to them. The sooner you learn their language, the sooner you’ll be a real part of their lives.

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It is vital to know Hebrew if you plan to do business in Israel, with its burgeoning high-tech economy that has taken the developed world by storm.

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Renowned Hebrew writers have contributed much to literature. Deepen your understanding of what it means to live a Jewish life, on every level, through the writing of Nobel laureate S.Y. Agnon, Yehuda Amichai, Chaim Nachman Bialik, and Ruth Almog, among many others.  There is no substitute for being able to comprehend literature in its original language.

 

Learning Hebrew is fascinating. It’s not just “another” foreign language, but one with ancient historical, religious, and cross-cultural connections. The Christian Founders of the United States seriously considered making Hebrew the language of America! Moreover, until the early 20th century, Jews used Hebrew exclusively for prayer and religious study. The story of its resurrection as the language of Israel is uniquely wondrous.

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It is just plain fun to learn Hebrew, especially in a classroom setting with a passionate teacher and other students who are moved to undertake this commitment. In our ulpan, we learn through a variety of stimulating materials and methods, including music, Jewish history, and much humor. Absorbing Hebrew in this way is anything but drudgery. Even the strange alphabet is readily mastered; the grammar is mostly regular and uncomplicated, built around three-letter roots. 

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