American Jews: Learn Hebrew!

Well, my Winter School Vacation from Gratz is almost over and accordingly I am back to blogging as well. It seems that even before the Pew Study was published this Fall, there has been an initiative to promote Hebrew literacy among American Jews. To be Jewish means different things to different people. Some of us are Jewish because we were born into a Jewish Family. Others have chosen to live as Jews. Some of us live a Jewish way of life and others don't. We are social, cultural or religiously Jewish, or identify ourselves as "other" - Jewish by name or genetics only. There is one thing though that does seem to bind a people together: a common language. In the case of American Jews according to a recent article in the Jewish Daily FORWARD, ONLY 10% OF US CAN CARRY OUT A CONVERSATION IN HEBREW! The article published Ddecember 03, 2013 by Julie Wiener can be found at http://www.forward.com/...initiative-promotes-hebrew-literacy-among-amer/. In Wiener's article she quotes Arnee Winshall, CEO of Hebrew at the Center,one of the groups who helped start the Hebrew Language Counsil of North America, who said, " Judaism in not just a religion, it's a people,.. and a language is part of what distinguishes a people." It is a sad statistic that even for kids who go to Jewish Day School, that less than 1/3 of students after 10 years of education can carry on a conversation in Hebrew. There are many excellent websites and apps available to learn Hebrew with if you don't have the luxury of being able to take a formal course at a Temple, JCC, college or university. For instance the apple app store has the following FREE apps: Learn Hebrew- Ma Kore, Learn Hebrew- Free WordPower, Learn Hebrew FREE AccelaStudy, Hebrew English Dictionary Box & Translator, Rabbi SHALOM 1 FREE-Learn Hebrew Blessings,Learn Hebrew (Speak & Write), Hebrew in a Month DH Free, Gus on the Go: Hebrew for Kids (which my darling daughter loves!), Learn Hebrew Flash Cards for iPad... well you get the idea. For those of you who would like to whet your Hebrew Whistle, I offer these few words to get you started. You can intersperse them with English and amaze your friends and neighbors with your emerging bi-linguality :-) boker- morning; Cain- yes; Dah-ven, to pray' E-rev, evening; KHE-sed, kindness; KOH-akh, strength; Lo, no; mah, what?; tov, good; tze-DAH- kah, righteousness, the root of charity; who, He; he, She; As for my Jewish Learning and Hebrew studies I have a full semester, all in Hebrew this spring for which I will need KOH-Akh (strength) and lots of it! Shabbat Shalom