How to Take Hebrew Lessons

 Hebrew is an ancient language that has been revived for modern times. Today millions of people take Hebrew lessons. Some wish to study Hebrew so they can travel to Israel. Others would like to read Hebrew to understand the world of the Old or New Testament better. Whatever your motivations, you can find a Hebrew teacher to guide you through the process and attain fluency.

You can find Hebrew lessons in many places. Universities offer courses for students who want to take a course or two. Private Hebrew schools also offer lessons in Hebrew both adults and children. Many houses of worship have classes in the language.

A Hebrew teacher should speak, read and write the language fluently. The Hebrew teacher should be familiar with biblical Hebrew, modern Hebrew and ancient Hebrew. Look for a teacher who has studied in Israel or at a yeshiva. Ask them for their certification and credentials. The teacher should have a list of satisified clients or an academic background in the subject.

Hebrew is written in from right to left whereas English is written from left to right. Once you start to take Hebrew lessons, you should learn the written language. The written language has two forms: script and print. Hebrew letters are written in both forms. Script is a less formal lettering system that allows users to write in simple keystrokes. To write Hebrew script you will need a notebook. A Hebrew notebook has blue lines that look different than standard English notebooks. The lines are closer together and the spaces between the lines longer than in standard English notebooks. You can buy them in specialty shops. Look for places where Judaica is sold or foreign language materials are available. An instructor should have one on hand as well.

 Hebrew can seem quite unfamiliar and strange at first. You should practice as much as possible. Fortunately many Hebrew books are available to help you get started. I spent five years studying Hebrew in grade school. I've been trying to refresh my memories of the language so I bought a few books. One of the most helpful was Hebrew for Dummies by Jill Jacobs. Jacobs has a CD that includes spoken lessons you can find in the book. Her method is to walk students through the basics of the language. Try to spent some time studying for at least an hour a day.

 Another excellent method to learn Hebrew is to take online lessons. Learning Hebrew online can help by letting you interact with others who speak the language. Online Hebrew lessons should ideally be a supplement to your existing Hebrew studies. An online Hebrew lesson can help you reinforce what you've already learned. Look for schools and academies that offer free online Hebrew lessons so you can try out their services. Lessons should include both spoken and written Hebrew translations.