Learn Hebrew
It is incredible how many people, young and old alike, want to learn Hebrew. I have often wondered what has drawn people to this language. But then, it is more than a language. Once the person has started to learn Hebrew, do they realise how much of the Jewish culture is embedded in Hebrew? Or is it, in fact, the other way around? The oft age-old question is asked, “What came first, the chicken or the egg?”

I am not an expert on ancient history, but through some research, it has been determined that the first Hebrew text was written in the 10 Century BCE (before the Common Era). Which means millions of people over the years have had to learn Hebrew. I often wonder what life was like in ancient times. Did children behave the same way as they do today? Did they whine to their mothers, “I don’t want to learn Hebrew”, and go and sulk in their room? Or maybe life was so different that they were obedient and attended classes to learn this ancient language without a fuss.

According to Robert Sutton, who wrote an article for Amit.org,  schooling in ancient Israel was extremely important. In fact, the book of Deuteronomy instructs Jewish people to teach your children first. As education was so embedded in daily life in ancient Israel, it appears that people having to learn this language was not an issue. Instead, it was part of a way of life in ancient Israel. Sutton goes on to write that according to the Midrash, Jacob left Canaan and immediately started to establish schools. For centuries, Jews have been known as the ’People of the Book’. It is easy to see why. Jacob started schools in ancient Israel, and Jewish schools are still around today.