Consortium for the Teaching of Hebrew Language and Culture

The Hebrew Consortium has approved a new national recognition for public high school Hebrew programs in the Chicagoland area. The Hebrew Consortium will formally recognize high school-level Hebrew Honor Societies that demonstrate high standards of excellence through the achievement of specific criteria. This new recognition is now available.

The following public high schools are recognized by The Hebrew Consortium for
meeting the national requirements:

Deerfield High School, Deerfield, Illinois
Highland Park High School, Highland Park, Illinois
New Trier High School, Winnetka, Illinois
Niles North High School, Skokie, Illinois

High school-level Hebrew Honor Societies seeking national recognition from The Hebrew Consortium are encouraged to read more about the requirements and process of application. You may also contact admin@hebrewhonorsociety.org for information on how to apply.

Bi-monthly sessions for Hebrew teachers from around the world, in which participants learn from experts in the field of Second Language Acquisition and then tie into methodologies through group discussions with peers.

The "Hacking" sessions are open to all. During each session, a different pressing question from the Hebrew language classroom is discussed.

Please contact the team for more questions:

hapitzuach@brandeis.edu

The Hebrew Consortium offers expert-led support in advancing Hebrew language instruction and Limudei Kodesh across Torah-based educational settings. Led by Dvora Kaplan, M.A., an internationally recognized leader in Hebrew education and Judaic studies integration, this service is designed to strengthen Hebrew as a second language (HSL) instruction within religious schools and community institutions.

Through this service, The Hebrew Consortium equips educators and institutions with the tools, training, and resources needed to deliver impactful, authentic Hebrew and Lashon HaKodesh instruction. Schools and educational leaders consistently turn to us for innovative and practical solutions grounded in best practices and deep respect for Torah values.

Contact us to learn more!

The Hebrew Consortium has formed a working group for Hebrew professors and Hebrew department chairs from universities across the country. All the Hebrew professors invited to the group have a background in the theories and methodologies of teaching Hebrew as a second language, and they represent a variety of institutes, states, and perspectives. Together, the professors, under The Hebrew Consortium's director, Prof. Ringvald’s guidance, discuss the challenges as well as successful initiatives in the realm of teaching Hebrew in higher education. Professors have also expressed interest in having the opportunity to learn together, to better their practices, and therefore, exciting guest speakers are being invited to meet with the group. This is one of the many ways The Hebrew Consortium supports and elevates Hebrew language education- teaching and learning. This group was formed through a need that came forward from professors, and at The Hebrew Consortium, we are always happy to partner and support requests as such.

During summer 2023, The Consortium for the Teaching of Hebrew Language and Culture had the opportunity to implement a unique Hebrew immersion program with participants of the Onward Israel Integrated Program.

For four weeks following their Birthright experience, the 52 young people started each day in traditional language classroom activities, studying, and practicing the foundation of the language. After working on the basics, they took their new language skills out into the city of Tel Aviv. Through the integration of role plays, real-life situations, interactions with native speakers, cultural experiences, and skill development students were completely immersed in the Hebrew language. This experience allowed them a unique connection to the people and the culture of Israel.

All four of the instructors received their MA in teaching Hebrew as a second language at Middlebury College and two are candidates of the DML (Doctor of Modern Languages) degree in Hebrew at Middlebury College. Two are Hebrew lecturers in US universities and two are Hebrew instructors in Israel. These talented educators have a combined total of over 50 years of Hebrew teaching experience.

One of the more unique aspects of the program model was the addition of “Language Mentors,” four young Israelis, who are fluent in both Hebrew and English, all with extensive backgrounds working with students from the US, including staffing Birthright trips. Closer to the age of the students, these four talented young people were able to build that important bridge between the participants and the language and culture of Israel.

Although over 70% of the participants came with little to no experience with Hebrew, for all levels, this experiential and communicative approach ensured a linear progression in all language skills, fostering a sense of achievement and proficiency among learners. As one student said, "I feel accomplished." This sense of accomplishment serves as a driving force for increased motivation, fueling students' desire to further explore and master the language, including its content, grammar, and relation to the culture; as another student mentioned: “I would like to come back and learn more.”

The focus on an experiential approach, tailored to functional, “real life,” needs of students while in Israel proved effective in imparting language skills. Through this program, participants improved their proficiency in the Hebrew language, but even more importantly developed a rich understanding of Israeli-Jewish culture and felt more connected to the state of Israel and to their Jewish identity and heritage.