Many people ask, “Is Hebrew easy to learn? “Before I can answer this question, I want to talk about a course I taught last week. My local synagogue teaches a ‘Conversion to Judaism’ class. Every year, new pupils join the class, and every year, they ask me to teach the students to read Hebrew.
To be clear, they ask me to teach my well-known course, ‘Learn to Read Hebrew in One Day’. You have read correctly! I teach people to read Hebrew in approximately seven hours. Many people think this is impossible, but I have a special method that can teach English speakers to read Hebrew quickly and easily.
At the beginning of the course, I ask people if they think Hebrew is hard to learn. Unsurprisingly, all their hands go up! But when I show them some English words such as through, though, plough, thorough, and thought, I explain to them that, in answer to their question, is Hebrew easy to learn? The answer is yes! Or, to be clear, reading Hebrew is easy to learn.
Is Hebrew easy to learn?
Is Hebrew easy to learn? In a word, I would say ‘yes’. Hebrew, in itself, if taught correctly, is, indeed, quickly learnt. However, I want to take a deep dive into this question. Are we talking about learning the Hebrew language in its’ entirety, which includes reading, writing, comprehension and grammar? Or are we just talking about Hebrew reading?
If we are talking about the language in its entirety, I would say it is more complex. I am not saying it is not easy, but there are definitely more elements that the student needs to learn. For example, in modern-day Israel, all written communication between people using Hebrew cursive (or Hebrew script); however, all signage is written in print!
Find your own goal!
At this point, I think it is necessary to determine your end goal. Here are a few suggestions. But please note that what is written here are only my suggestions for end goals. You may have your own ideas and goals as to why you want to learn Hebrew. One goal might be that you want to convert to Judaism. All people who convert to Judaism need to learn to read Hebrew.
Rest assured, you do not need to learn to write Hebrew, and you do not need to learn Hebrew grammar. At a minimum, you will need to learn the Hebrew alphabet (including the vowels) and learn to read Hebrew words to be able to read the siddur (the Jewish prayer book). You may choose to learn to read the Torah (Jewish Bible), which is trickier, as there are no vowels in the Torah!
Other possible goals
Another reason a person would want to learn Hebrew is to learn to read Hebrew for a Bar Mitzvah or Bat Mitzvah ceremony. Again, you do not need to learn to write Hebrew letters for this to occur; you just need to learn to read the Hebrew text for the siddur and then read (or chant) from the Torah. All they need to do is practice reading in between Hebrew lessons.
A third reason why a person wants to know is Hebrew easy to learn, is to go and live in Israel. Moving to Israel and learning Hebrew takes it to another level entirely. To function in any society, a person needs to be able to read, write, converse, and understand grammar. And it is no different from living in Israel.
More than just basic Hebrew
A person who moves to Israel and wants to live and work in the country and perhaps even study would need to be able to read both Hebrew in print and cursive, understand the Hebrew grammar, and read and converse. So, does this make Hebrew easy to learn still? Absolutely! As I said earlier in this blog, with the right teacher (and the right attitude), it does not need to be difficult.
I love Hebrew grammar! I know that sounds unbelievable, but I love learning the patterns of the different verb forms, of which there are seven of ! As I progressed in my learning, I also really enjoyed learning to write Hebrew script. I found myself answering the question, “Is Hebrew easy to learn?” as a resounding yes! I really enjoyed it once I found a good teacher who maintained my interest.
But do not forget that learning the Hebrew language in depth will take more time than simply learning to read. If the student lives in Israel, then it will take time, but it will certainly become part of his or her world. Hearing Hebrew all the time makes a world of difference. After I lived there for 14 months, I watched and read the news in Hebrew!
What about learning to read Hebrew?
Let us remember that many people do not want to move to Israel but want to learn to read. Whilst the majority of people will not have access to my annual ‘Learn to read Hebrew in one day’ course, there are certainly other options out there! A popular trend these days is to learn to read Hebrew online, such as through the website www.easylearnhebrew.com
People from all across the globe have used this website to learn to read Hebrew. Certainly, buying an online program gives you the flexibility to learn to read Hebrew whenever you want and wherever you want! It saves time on travel, and if you cannot find classes close to your area, then you are still able to learn; you are not tied to living close to a Jewish community.
However, some people may prefer a face-to-face tutor instead of learning online. It is fairly easy to find one. Just contact your local synagogue or look online for people who can teach you how to read Hebrew face-to-face. If you are anything like me, you will find it very enjoyable and satisfying.
