I recently received a letter the other day from a prospective student. Here is a part of what was written:

Dear Yael,

My friend recommend that I contact you. I am in my 50s and have been wanting to learn how to read Hebrew ever since I was 15 years old. Even though I am not Jewish, I am still very keen to I want to learn to read the Old Testament in the original text. I would be grateful if you can point me in the right direction.

Shalom,

Simon (name has been changed for privacy reasons).

Finding a Hebrew reading community

This is a very common question. The opportunity to learn how to read Hebrew is not always available. If the person is not involved with a group of like-minded people, it can be difficult to find the right pathway.

Although, these days, in 2020, it is lot easier with online social network forums. It is really about know where to start looking. There are many groups in the social networking forums that can engage the person seeking advice. All the person needs to do is conduct a search, and many subgroups may come up (depending on the subject).

Also, using the internet opens up many opportunities for people not connected to a Hebrew learning group.  By simply typing in the search engine “learn how to read Hebrew”, will take the user to a myriad of websites or resources.  Other keywords or phrases can also be helpful too.

Other Opportunities beyond the internet

However, some people would like to speak to a person directly to ask about how to learn how to read Hebrew. I personally find it easier to pick up the phone and have a conversation. By simply searching up “local synagogue” online, a person is able to make a phone call and talk to someone. That one phone call can open up many opportunities for the student to find opportunities to learn how to read Hebrew.