HEB 101: Hebrew I

HEB 101
Hebrew I
(4 credits)
Class Size: 10-20

Faculty: Michal Downie, Part-time Instructor, Syracuse University 

Administrative Contact: Kennia Delafe, Assistant Director, Project Advance 

Course Catalog Description

Introductory proficiency-based course which prepares students to understand, speak, read, and write in culturally authentic contexts. Activities are conducted in Hebrew. No prior experience or admission by placement testing. Students cannot enroll in HEB 101 after earning credit for HEB 102, HEB 201, HEB 202, or higher.

Course Overview

HEB 101 is a proficiency-based course that develops the five language skills: listening, speaking, reading, writing and culture. Students are introduced to the alphabet and script of Modern Hebrew and develop curiosity for the Hebrew language expressed in Israeli and Jewish culture. Students will develop an appreciation for the history of the language and its transition from primarily, the language of the scripture, to the spoken language of contemporary Israel. Contact the course administrator for more information. 

Pre- /Co-requisites

N/A

Course Objectives

  • Students will learn to read without vowels using the prevailing Israeli system of Ktiv Maleh, 
  • Students will write in cursive Hebrew and without vowels (Ktiv Maleh), 

  • Students will be introduced to the grammatical structures of a Semitic language and verb structure (Binyamin), 
  • Students will be able to conjugate verbs in the present tense, 
  • Students will know how to identify nouns (gender and number), conjugate adjectives, and use prefixes and suffixes, 
  • Students will know to count to 100, and do simple math in Hebrew. 

Laboratory

N/A

Required Materials

Etzion G. (2019). The routledge introductory course in modern hebrew: hebrew in israel (2nd ed.). Routledge.  

ISBN: 978-1138063655 (Available in various formats via Amazon) 

Shoer, O., Shoer, S. (2017). Shalom: a comprehensive course in modern hebrew. (1st ed.) publisher not identified. 

ISBN: 978-1547049660 (Available in paperback via Amazon)

Instructor Recommendations

N/A