Department of Near Eastern and Judaic Studies

Hebrew Language Program

Shalom ברוכים הבאים   and welcome to the Hebrew language, literature, and culture program at Brandeis!

Our program offers close to twenty beginning, intermediate and advanced level courses to promote your Hebrew language proficiency and cultural understanding. We welcome all levels to our program from beginner to heritage learners to native speakers. The curriculum for the first three semesters emphasizes all four language skills: speaking and oral communication, listening comprehension, reading, and writing skills.

Starting from the fourth semester, our courses primarily focus on enhancing your global awareness by increasing your understanding from different cultural perspectives and broadening and strengthening your personal insights, critical skills and self-reflection skills to better define your core values within a diverse community.

Many of our advanced courses cover aspects of contemporary Israeli society, diverse Israeli and global backgrounds and modern Israeli literature and culture. Courses include themes of the Israeli family structure and practices, current events and news, theater arts, film, and business in the start-up nation. In addition, we offer a course on the history and culture of Jerusalem and a course on the development and revival of the Hebrew language.

We invite you to check our website for more details about our extra-curricular activities and initiatives that bolster and promote learning, and to contact us directly so we can personally share with you more about our program.

We also encourage you to share with us what you are looking to achieve from the Hebrew program at Brandeis and how we can help you advance your interest in studying Hebrew, improve your proficiency skills to perform at a higher level for personal goals and professional learning opportunities.

Please note that many of our courses meet the university fundamental literacies requirement.

Finally, we are happy and proud to promote our annual Hebrew Language Arts that typically takes place every fall semester. This is a time when our program welcomes to our classes prominent artists and guest speakers who come from a wide range of professions and expertise. It is always a special and enjoyable time both academically and socially for everyone!

Toda Velehitraot! We hope to see you soon!
Sara Hascal, Hebrew Program, Director and Hebrew Program Faculty