Hebrew: A Language Course Level One

Who should use it:
* Beginning students (classroom or self-study) who either already have learned the alef-beth or have a teacher to help them get started. There is a primer by the same authors, but I didn't buy it because I've learned the basics while trying to work through BBH.

What's good:
* Gets you reading full sentences and paragraphs from page 1 - that's the best way to learn a language. I know this as one who has self-learned German, Latin, and Chinese plus taught English as a second language. The book mentioned above (BBH) teaches grammatical rules and vocabulary lists for chapter after chapter before presenting any natural reading.
* While not purely focused on "Biblical" Hebrew, it teaches you what you need to know to start reading real Hebrew, which applies to both Biblical and Modern Hebrew.
* The glossary system (1 for prerequisite words, 1 for chapter vocabulary, and 1 for Jewish cultural words and phrases) is terrific once I figured out how to use it.
* Value: 1 low price for combined workbook and textbook
* It's fun and interesting

What could be better:
* Poor introduction - mostly spent praising the book. It would be much better to explain how to use the book. For example, I like the glossary system as mentioned above, but it took me quite a while to discover it on my own.
* The book is published in the USA and claims to be directed at an American audience, but it is a non-standard size for US books. This matters because I don't want to write in the book, so I make copies for my own use. A combination workbook/textbook like this should be either bigger (so 1 page fits 8 1/2 x 11) or smaller so that 2 facing pages fit.
* The first page of the first lesson begins with several words that are not in the glossaries - proper nouns, etc. Help a beginner out a little, especially since the glossaries are not explained well.

That's my experience - overall extremely satisfied.


the most pedagogically astute work in Hebrew instruction!   July 22, 1999
 36 out of 37 found this review helpful

Ora Band and Bella Bergman have shattered the rules of Hebrew instruction with this ground breaking work. The "Shelabim," in the vernacular, works with all sides of the brain to ensure total absorption of grammar, language and usage. One can use this text for young and older adults, teens and younger kids with equal ease. Students will come away from this work really having learned something. I used this text on a college level, and the students learned a great deal without feeling they had overly exerted themselves. this is a measure of how finely attuned this work is to the way people actually think.


An entertaining way to start learning Hebrew (again)!   June 13, 1997
 19 out of 19 found this review helpful

I was Bar Mitzvah 37 years ago and had not studied since then. I wanted to be able to speak Hebrew, and to understand the Siddur. Studying with a tutor and using this book was a terrific start. It is entertaining and warm. While you learn, the stories in each unit will heighten your mood. Then you can go ahead to Level 2, and it get's better.I doubt that there is any better way to learn Hebrew for one who vaguely remembered the aleph-bet.


For students with limited time: this book is the best   September 29, 2003
 18 out of 19 found this review helpful

Of course I'd prefer to have my yeshiva students study Hebrew language 4 hours a day--but in the real world in the USA, in most of the right of center yeshivot you're lucky if they learn Heberw at all. I have 3 hours a week with my students, and their limudei kodesh classes are not "ivrit be-ivrit."
Ora Band's book is perfect for such students: It is systematic; it explains grammar concepts in English; it is 100% appropriate --no bikini clad babes (a la Hebrew from Scratch) --although I must say that my boys got a naughty chuckle out of the drawing on page 30)--and one book leads into another.

I have found it useful to test the boys using the GWU Hebrew placement test(downloadable). if they score more than 40 out of 88 on that test, I give them the "final Exam" available in Ora Band's Teacher's Edition. Based on that final, I can pinpont at what stage they need to start in her book. The lowest scoring students start at ch. 1 and the other students get supplementary work until the rest of the class catches up with them.

Band's book gives useful vocabulary, and it doesn't make the error of giving too much information too soon.
Suggestions: a cassette tape of audio cd would be a nice compliment to this series, as well as teacher's editions for the 2nd and 3rd volumes.