If the argument is that the liturgy of Judaism must be in Hebrew, one is taking a position with respect to what is important in Jewish culture. It is not mandated by the tenets of Judaism.

I would argue that Hebrew, or rather a requirement that one knows it, is divisive rather than unifying, as was the Latin Mass in Catholicism.

At the moment it is two years of preschool, but they make special arrangements for the grads who go into the preschool. Since this it is incredibly easy to find Israelis, virtually anywhere you go you hear Hebrew spoken so there are lots of opportunities to practice.

Kol hakavod on this post. Last summer a spent a few days in Lakewood and was shocked by the near complete absence of Hebrew there. Everything was either in badly spoken English or that Yeshivish pidgin. Hebrew is certainly the language that will unite us. Perhaps those who hold onto Yiddish so much are saying what they think of achdus.

Yes, but when looking at the modern Orthodox community, I don’t think that’s the issue. So many people in that community go to Israel for a year, following high school graduation. Their parents, and community, know they are exposed to the secular aspects of Israeli culture. It is more of an issue in the Haredi community, where, as Leora mentioned, most of their Hebrew is from Chumash.

Leora – Of course some succeed and actually do learn Hebrew in day school. There are some schools who do a good job of teaching Hebrew. Unfortunately, I think they are the exception that proves the rule.

Vicki – Thanks. Regarding German – I take it you’re aware of the “Language War” of Technion 95 years ago. It seems they are insistent on making the same mistake, this time with English.

Jack – That sounds amazing. Of course complete fluency is very difficult to achieve in a relatively isolated environment, but that is great. How long is the program – is it just preschool, or later on, as well?

They started in preschool in classes that were taught by Israelis. My kids haven’t quite realized what a benefit this was. When they speak they don’t have my American accent and they understand an enormous amount.

I wouldn’t declare them to be fluent, but it wouldn’t take all that long to push them over the edge.

Thank you for hitting the nail on the head, yet again. I’ve been hitting this nail on the head so many times that American Jews often come up to me and say, “Hey, why do you keep hitting this nail?” And I tell them, “Ya ben zona, ma ata rotze mimeni?”

We are nowhere as a people without Hebrew. Mr. B’s grandpa once said that German or English should be the national language of the Jewish people because they’re more practical, a view held by many first Zionists, including Herzel, but obviously that is not the case, and Hebrew is now a thriving language. I, as a Diaspora Jew, feel my Jewish experience enhanced 10x because I know it.

Hey, I’m an Orthodox Jewish Day school graduate, and I can do Hebrew. If I lived in Israel, I’d probably be fluent by now. There are some who learn.

And yes, the Right Wingers don’t want their children exposed to Zionism. They learn Hebrew just as a means to learn Chumash. Different values than yours. Actually, the girls in the local more right wing Yeshiva learn Hebrew well in their Chumash class. But I’m sure they have no clue who Eliezer Ben Yehudah is.

I agree.

>> Even the average Orthodox Day School graduate can barely get by in Israel on Hebrew alone. Are they afraid that a stronger connection with Israel and Israelis will lead more to make aliyah, further weakening the American Jewish community?

I imagine that the stricter sects don’t want modern Hebrew and/or secular Israeli culture impeding on their puritanicalism.