This course is designed for students with little or no previous exposure to modern Hebrew. Over the fall semester, students will become familiar with the Hebrew alphabet, and acquire rudimentary skills in reading, writing, speaking and comprehending modern Hebrew. By the end of the semester, students will be able to read short texts, construct normative sentences, and conduct simple conversations. In addition, a wide range of audiovisual materials will provide the students with an immersive environment, contextualize their knowledge of the language, and help them gain an understanding of life and culture in Israel.

This course is designed for students who have completed basic modern Hebrew language courses, and aims at further developing reading, writing, speaking and comprehending skills. Emphasis will be placed on grammar and syntax, on conversational skills, and on creative writing. By the end of the Fall term students will be able to read and analyze literary texts, respond to and discuss contemporary media contents (films, journal and newspaper articles, blogs), to give class presentations and write short essays.

Achieve a strong command of Modern Hebrew for the purpose of using it for research. Improve reading and writing skills through the reading of academic articles in Hebrew in various fields. During the first half of the semester we will read articles on the revival of the Hebrew language and its place in the family of Semitic languages; in the second half of the semester we will read articles from a variety of academic fields (e.g., literary criticism, comparative religion, political science, history of the Middle East). Emphasis will be placed on grammar and syntax, on writing, and also on conversational skills.