Learning to Speak Hebrew – Use It !
If you don’t try and speak when you are learning a foreign language you may never learn. The first and most important thing to do is leave any insecurities behind and try to use what you know.
We teach young children in Hebrew in San Diego – not in English. It doesn’t matter that they don’t understand. When a 3-6 yr old child has a sweet, fun teacher encourage her to play a game with friends in Hebrew she learns and follows along and has a good time. It doesn’t matter one iota that she didn’t understand every word.
The key to learning any foreign language is context – relevance – meaning. Learning a list of words and parroting them back is almost useless if you can’t put a sentence together and express yourself using the words you’ve learned.
Use the language skills you learn. Talk with friends, try them out. See how they sound. Go online and listen to Hebrew songs, videos, radio.
Its not easy to learn any foreign language. We meet children and adults who say that for years they have tried. They went to Hebrew School but didn’t learn Hebrew. They really want to be successful, but they don’t really try and use their skills. Don’t leave it at the door when you leave class. Carry it with you and use it.
Phoenix Summer Ulpan Camp – 2010
For the VOSJCC’s other venture, the Summer Ulpan Camp, the JCC is working with the Jewish Federation of Greater Phoenix’s TIPS (Tucson, Israel, Phoenix, Seattle) Program to bring over four Israelis to run the camp. Bernstein said the federation is still searching for volunteers to house the Israelis.
Mornings at ulpan camp, according to Bernstein, will be held at the Jess Schwartz Jewish Community Day School lower and middle school campus, next to the JCC, and campers will be completely immersed in Hebrew – no English will be spoken.
"The kids will be doing regular kid activities, but they’ll be doing them in Hebrew," said Bernstein. "They may play on the playground in Hebrew, they may go on their field trips in Hebrew or go swimming in Hebrew."
Bernstein said the camp was initially suggested by Nammie Ichilov, head of the Jess Schwartz lower and middle school, after a number of Israeli parents voiced their concern that while living in America, their children were losing touch with the Hebrew language.
After a morning of Hebrew-only programming, the campers will join the Shemesh Day Camp in the afternoon.
"We didn’t want (ulpan camp) to be so intense that it didn’t feel like a fun summer for (the campers)," said Bernstein.
Summer Ulpan Camp runs July 6-30 and is $210 per week for VOSJCC members, $265 for nonmembers. Half-days are available. Campers must sign up for all four weeks.
To sign up for Ruach Masa, Summer Ulpan Camp or any other VOSJCC camp, call 480-634-4949 or visit vosjcc.org.
Tarbuton Ulpan, San Diego, CA
We have two Adult Hebrew programs. One that is a traditional Ulpan, and the other that focuses on conversational and understanding Hebrew.
We use an Ivrit b’Ivrit format. Parents with children learning Hebrew in their own classrooms at the same hour, have the option to learn Hebrew the same hour. Other adults join them to round out the classes.
Our goal is to offer a cultural, Israel centric and ivrit b’ivrit format. The intent is for the program to provide both a community to engage with that is working towards developing their language skills and supplement the course work with the social programs where they can use them too.
http://www.tarbuton.org for more information.
San Diego Israel and Jewish 