MY SAY: HEBREW- ANCIENT AND MODERN
Following are two reviews of Dr. Norman Berdichevsky’s book: Modern Hebrew: The Past and Future of a Revitalized Language
Among the many almost incredible feats of Israel in 1948, was the in gathering of Jews from all over the world who spoke myriad languages, with different alphabets, dialects and idioms. Within years they all learned fluent Hebrew.
In America we struggle with “bi-lingual” education. In the case of Spanish it has simply led, with some exceptions into a population that speaks neither proper Spanish nor proper English. Trust me, I speak, read and write both languages fluently and correctly (give or take occasional problems with “who” versus “whom”). Only days after arriving in America I was sent to a public school in Portland, Oregon where there was no “bi-lingual” program. My brother and I faced a “sink or swim” situation, and within a month we understood and made ourselves understood in English.
Perhaps our educators should take the time to study the system of “ulpans”- which were offered to all immigrants in Israel, instead of fostering terrible and useless programs foisted on immigrant students.
As my late Aunt Sadie- my American statue of liberty in an apron- used to say: “Learn English foist!”
rsk
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