My Hebrew Reading Journey in Primary School

Throughout my posts, I’ve shared how I was raised with Hebrew reading at home, but I haven’t yet discussed my Hebrew reading journey during primary school. When I was seven years old, my family immigrated to Australia from South Africa, and I attended a regular primary school.

Transition to Jewish Day School

A year later, I convinced my parents to enroll me in a Jewish Day School, where I discovered that Hebrew was a compulsory subject. Although I was familiar with the Alef Beit and the right-to-left direction of Hebrew reading, I had not yet learned to read Hebrew fluently.

Challenges and Reflections on Hebrew Learning

The school assured me that they would teach me to read Hebrew. Looking back, I wish they had the Easy Learn Hebrew program available at the time. Learning to read Hebrew online would have been incredibly helpful. One challenge I faced was that the focus was on learning to read Hebrew quickly rather than fluently. Over time, I’ve realized that fluency, not speed, is crucial for effective Hebrew reading.