I've spoken with hundreds of learners over the past few years, and over 80% start learning Hebrew with Duolingo. Every single person reports that despite months of effort, they are unable to form even a basic Hebrew sentence! Sound familiar?
I understand the appealโDuolingo is accessible, budget-friendly, and feels like a game. But let's talk about the real cost when you expect these apps to teach you Hebrew: You're investing your most precious resources! Your time, motivation, and hope in a learning tool that - in all my discussions -
Not one student has said, โThanks to Duolingo, I'm now speaking Hebrewโ, or โI understand Hebrew because of Duolingoโ. Not a single person, and I've talked to so many...
๐ Ready to speak and understand Hebrew? Comment โSPEAKโ and start this journey that will transform your Hebrew forever.
The decision to bomb a crowded displaced camp in order to kill two Hamas activists needs to be investigated by the International Criminal Court.
These investigations, as they are ongoing, deal with details and not mainly - decision makers and policy makers, the political rank and command that outlines the policies of attacking citizens, widespread destruction and population starvation have not been investigated and will not be investigated by israel
Following the global shock of the widespread killing in the camp, the Prime Minister, IDF spokesman and chief military prosecutor said that israel will investigate the events.
The Chief Military Prosecutor said the incident would be investigated by the "Chief Investigation Mechanism", a body Israel established after previous investigative mechanisms it was operating were found to not meet the most basic standards โ of effectiveness, professionalism, objective, and transparency. In fact, it is another cover up tool.
As documented in studies by Bt'Selem and other human rights organizations, investigations of this kind are intended to create a false representation of internal investigation, in order to prevent the International Criminal Court from intervening and independently investigating the events.
Bt'Selem explained and fished that Israel does not want and can't investigate its actions in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. For example in the report "cover-up procedure" that examined their alleged investigation of the events of Zuk Eitan: btselem.org/hebrew/press_releaโฆ (in #Hebrew)
This is the common phrase we Israelis use when speaking of our sons and daughters returning from captivity or expressing the wish for that to happen.
This is a very respectful and common phrase you can use when communicating with Israelis or Hebrew speakers on the subject.
Now, these days we are witnessing the return of kidnapped Israelis to be buried rather than live their lives.
Each news of another body being returned for burial is heartbreaking. However, in Jewish and Israeli culture, there is great significance to having a burial and a body returned to its homeland.
As horrific as all of this is, there may be some consolation to the families who are able to have a place of burial in Israel for their loved ones.
ืืื ืืืจื ืืจืื
May their memory be blessed
I just stumbled onto something horrifying, neo-Nazi symbolism seemingly hidden away in #Unicode. The first Unicode #Hebrew codepoint, corresponding to ื, is u05D0. The integer corresponding to the hex? 1488. You can't convince me that was a mere coincidence.
YOU SHOULD DEFINITELY SCHEDULE A FREE CALL WITH MY CONCIERGE TEAM!
WHAT CAN YOU EXPECT FROM THE CALL?
โข Tailored guidance designed to help you take the most effective first or next step for you on your Hebrew speaking journey.
โข An attentive, intelligent listening ear that understands your unique situation and needs, considering everything you have on your plate and on your mind.
โข Absolutely no sales pitches โ just clear, straightforward support to help you move forward. Whether you're a good fit for my programs or not, my concierge team will tell you, no fluff.
๐ Comment the word CALL to get the link to schedule your call.
In my quest to create the perfect Hebrew learning tools, my perfectionism and deep care for my students' success play pivotal roles.
Hebrew 1 and 2 focus on completing your writing skills in both print and cursive scripts - because in Hebrew you need to know both. Then, Hebrew 3, a comprehensive textbook, rounds out your reading skills by teaching you the Nikud vowel system. Because so many of you asked for a hardcover version and its textbook nature, Hebrew 3 is formatted left-to-right. So you can get Hebrew 3 in a premium hardcover format.
Each comes with supportive videos to ensure smooth sailing. Plus, youโll always have my personal support just a message away.
If you havenโt grabbed your copies yet and are eager to dive into reading and writing Hebrew with ease, check out the long list of benefits each book offers on their Amazon product pages.
โ๏ธ Comment the word WRITE and I will DM you the link to order my books.
Is "salam alaykum"/"shalom aleichem" a polytheist greeting? The word salam/shalom in Arabic and Hebrew, based on the Semitic root ล -L-M, means "peace". But its not only a peace - in the ancient Semitic polytheist tradition, there had been venerated a god of peace and dusk, named Shalim. So I see this as possible that the ancient Semites were using such greeting means not an impersonal peace, but the deity linked with the peacefulness and completion of twilight. #semiticpolytheism#arab#hebrew
It's April, people are already talking about WWDC and looking forward to IOS 18.
IOS 17.5 beta has dropped and fixes for serious issues with VoiceOver's Hebrew text to speech, introduced in IOS 17 have not been addressed by Apple.
I'm a fan of IOS devices and their commitment to accessibility.
However, when half a year after introducing a but that causes the Hebrew TTS to say a long string of gibberish (xb7xd78), every time it encounters an apostrophe is making doubt Apple's commitment to it's users outside the US.
Sounds like J or ch are written using a Hebrew letter plus an apostrophe. So every time VoiceOver sees teh word Chat it says C-xb7xd78-ats.
The blind IOS community here as distributed a custom punctuation pronunciation file that helps by telling VoiceOver not to pronounce apostrophes, but this still causes such word's to be mispronounced. Tsats instead of Chats, but at least it's bearable.
I don't think such a glaring bug would have been ignored by Apple if it happened in English.
The Hebrew word for giving, natan (ื ืชื ), is a palindrome, which reveals a deep truth about the reciprocal dynamic of giving: When one gives, they also receive in return.
In a recent study, researchers discovered that those who spent more of their income on others rather than themselves enjoyed significantly greater and longer lasting happiness. In fact, as little as a five-dollar gift was enough to produce measurable increases in oneโs happiness. Overall, the self-reported happiness of those who regularly give charity is forty-three percent higher than those who donโt.
In other words, human beings are hardwired to give.
One of the most joyful and beautiful traditions of Purim is known as ืืฉืืื ืื ืืช /meesh-'lo-akh ma-'not/.
This custom, rooted in the spirit of community and friendship, involves sending gifts of food to friends, family, and even strangers.
The tradition stems from the Book of Esther ืืืืืช ืืกืชืจ /mee-gee-'lat es-'ter/, which tells the story of the Jewish people's salvation from a plot aimed at their destruction (sounds familiar?)
/meesh-lo-'khey ma-'not/ ืืฉืืืื ืื ืืช - in plural - are typically baskets filled with a variety of foods and treats.
According to tradition, each basket should contain at least two different types of ready-to-eat foods or beverages. The reason? To ensure that the recipient can enjoy the feast of Purim right away.
Actual statements of Israeli ministers, not just members of parliament. But most importantly, they were made in Hebrew, not English. In English youโll hear a different story.
๐โจ Feeling truly touched and grateful! โจ๐
This picture was posted on another platform with the comment that both books were purchased as gifts for their 8 year old grandchild.
I am overwhelmed with gratitude for the beautiful gesture made. Her decision to gift my coloring and notebook to her granddaughter fills my heart with joy and warmth. ๐
The thought of her granddaughter being introduced to the Hebrew language through these resources brings happiness to my heart. It's moments like these that remind me of the true power of sharing knowledge and tradition across generations. ๐โจ
What I had hoped for when creating these books. ๐จ๐
Lets get you ready for your travels to Israel! (Or any where else) โ๏ธ๐๐ค
Here are some need to know words you may add to what youโve learned in my course and youโll be finding your way around Israel like a native speaker!
With summer ahead of us make sure to pack this lesson along with you โ๏ธ๐๏ธ
Israeli soldiers reminding themselves of their mission statement: "occupation, expulsion, settlement" - effectively describing #EthnicCleansing. Is this IDF's actual mission in Gaza?
At least, it should raise concerning questions. If this is what SOME soldiers believe their role to be, how does it impact their treatment of the local Palestinian population? Does it translate into a mentality of killing as many as possible?
The soldier's use of the #Hebrew name for the month also suggests he likely comes from the nationalist-religious camp. This segment of the population is known for a zealous ideological commitment to settling all of historic #Palestine.
So both the words expressed and background of the soldier point to an extremely troubling mindset among a portion of #IDF troops tasked with engaging with Palestinians. A mindset that at its core endorses and perpetrates systemic ethnic cleansing.
This "arrest form" speaks for itself, but for those who don't read #Hebrew - the Israeli police is still tracking and profiling LGBTQ individuals, checked in the form for "sexual deviations".
This forgotten practice (possibly illegal) is still occurring in Israel in 2024, a country often touted by pro-Israel advocates as the only safe haven for LGBTQ people in the Middle East.
Considering Israel's propaganda on LGBTQ rights versus the ongoing surveillance of the LGBTQ community, the hypocrisy is glaring.
The Israeli Police stated in response: "These are parameters that in the past were required for the optimal protection of detainees and prevention of harm to them during their detention. Following your inquiry, the matter was brought for thorough discussion at the end of which it was decided to remove the parameter from the existing structured form, and we emphasize that this was not information that was stored. We appreciate you bringing this to our attention and regret any hurt caused to the feelings of those involved, if there was any."
This "arrest form" speaks for itself, but for those who don't read #Hebrew - the Israeli police is still tracking and profiling LGBTQ individuals, labeled as "sexual deviants".
This forgotten practice (possibly illegal) is still occurring in Israel in 2024, a country often touted by pro-Israel advocates as the only safe haven for LGBTQ people in the Middle East.
Considering Israel's propaganda on LGBTQ rights versus the ongoing surveillance of the LGBTQ community, the hypocrisy is glaring.
Adar, a month brimming with joy, good luck, and tradition, offers more than just the celebration of Purim.
It's a time when we embrace happiness, as the famous saying from the Talmud, ืึดืฉึผืึถื ึผึดืึฐื ึทืก ืึฒืึธืจ ืึทืจึฐืึผึดืื ืึผึฐืฉืึดืึฐืึธื "When Adar begins, joy increases" highlights the essence of this period.
Adar can appear twice in a leap year - which this year is - leading to Adar Aleph and Adar Bet, adding a unique characteristic to the Jewish calendar that occurs roughly every three years.
In this month, we remember Moses, who passed away on the 7th of Adar at the age of 120, marking both his birthday and the day of his death. This duality adds depth to Adar, as even Haman the wicked, in his plot against the Jews, chose Adar for its association with Moses' death, unaware that it also celebrated his birth. This oversight turned Adar from a month perceived with potential misfortune to one of victory and joy.
#Eurovision / The fact the world is missing is that threatening to ban Israel from participating in the Eurovision Song Contest, would have had much bigger impact than any #ICJ ruling against it. Israelis are addicted to attention, and pity.
Feel bad for Eden Golan. Representing Israel while your country is standing accused of #genocide must be morally challenging for her โฆ or maybe not?
Q: How are you preparing for the public diplomacy [hasbara] front?
[โฆ] I'm planning a huge and powerful Eurovision number. I want to show everyone how strong we are.
[โฆ] I have a huge team behind me that will help me, that will get me ready for this. All we need to do is bring our truth. I will bring this truth, because we have nothing to hide.
Note to self: โhaving nothing to hideโ is the literally the antonym of #Hasbara ๐ โฆ maybe her #Hebrew is not that great?
#Israel has said it has informed the families of 31 people held in the territory since 7 October that their relatives are dead. The news came as the Qatari prime minister said #Hamas had given a โgenerally positiveโ response to proposals for a deal trading a break in the fighting and release of #Palestinian prisoners for the return of more #hostages.
In the #Hebrew-language newspaper Maโariv, #BenCaspit described the approach of the Israeli prime minister as โdelusionalโ, โmadnessโ and โterrifyingโ, adding: โThis man is putting us all at risk: our future, our childrenโs future, the strategic alliance that is the keystone of Israeli national security.โ #Israel#Gaza
โAmerican Crusade examines how prominent white, northern, mainline Protestant clergymen justified the Civil War, the Spanish-American War, and the First World War as โcrusadesโ that sanctified the nation.โ
The Hebrew word for speech, dibbur (ืืืืืจ), is etymologically linked to the word davar (ืืืจ), which means thing. Thatโs because, once articulated, a word takes on a life of its own and becomes a tangible reality, a thing that exists in dimension, form, and resonance.
The notion that words are the medium through which ideas become things is rooted in centuries of Kabbalistic teaching and based on a metaphysical understanding of the beginning of the Torah in which, as mentioned, Gโd speaks the world into being. Based on this understanding, the Sages developed and continuously refined a heightened sensitivity to the power of speech that runs through every facet of Jewish thought and practice, including liturgy, the binding nature of oaths, and the spiritual repercussions of gossip.