Hebrew Online
Margaretha Palone
Start your Hebrew-learning journey with certified teachers, a supportive community, and rich educational content. Connect to live, online classrooms from anywhere in the world, and enjoy interacting with your teacher and classmates in real time.
Join students around the world in live, interactive, online video courses, and start learning Modern Hebrew from the top language instructors in Israel. Discover the rich and beautiful language of Modern Hebrew and deepen your understanding of Israeli culture and people.
Beginner courses cover the fundamentals of biblical grammar such as nouns, verbal stems, prefixes and suffixes. Advanced courses introduce you to the genres of biblical literature, including poetry and prophetic texts, and offer opportunities to workshop passages with your fellow adult learners in real-time.
Small class sizes guarantee participation and individualized instruction. Participants are introduced to the latest resources to support this unique category of language acquisition, including Accordance Bible software and the Biblical Hebrew Grammar Card.
Translate a biblical book or extended narrative from start to finish. Explore narrative flow, unusual qere and ketiv cases, rare verb forms, and unique idioms. Learn how and when to disagree with mainstream English translations.
Dr. David Moster has taught Biblical Hebrew in person and online for over a decade, including at JTS. He holds three masters degrees, a doctoral degree, and rabbinic ordination (Bar-Ilan University, New York University, and Yeshiva University). He directs the Institute of Biblical Culture, where he teaches Hebrew and creates video materials about ancient Israelite language and culture for the general public.
How often do courses run, and how long are they?
Each course is offered approximately twice a year. All courses meet weekly and run for eight to ten sessions. Class sessions are 90 minutes in length.
Do I need to attend classes in real time?
These courses are designed to be synchronous, with professor and students participating together in real time. Non-certificate students for whom the course time is impossible may contact us to discuss whether an exception can be made. Certificate candidates must participate in classes in real time.
Is there homework? Are there any written requirements?
Students are encouraged to complete a short translation assignment between classes, but homework is not required. There are no tests, papers, or grades.
What are the costs?
Tuition is $415 per course. Certificate candidates receive a 10% discount on all courses. There is no cost to declaring your candidacy for the certificate. With discount codes provided by JTS, course materials should cost no more than $80. Students will need to purchase these resources only once, for their first Biblical Hebrew course with us.
Do courses fill up?
Yes. If you are interested in an upcoming course, we recommend registering immediately to secure your spot. When we reach capacity, you will have the opportunity to put your name on a wait list and we will notify you if additional spots become available. If no spot opens up, we will notify you the next time the course is offered.
What benefits will I receive by enrolling in courses as a certificate candidate?
As a certificate candidate, you will receive advance notification of new courses, allowing you to secure your spot before the course is promoted to the general public. You will also receive a 10% discount on all courses. Certificate candidates also have the option of completing an individual capstone project under the direct supervision of the instructor.
How long does it take to complete the certificate?
It is possible to meet all the certificate program requirements in 18 months. Students with some prior background in biblical Hebrew may be able to complete it in less time. The certificate program must be completed within five years of the start date.
Do I need to take all four courses to earn the certificate? What if I have some background in Biblical Hebrew?
Certificate candidates who are uncertain about their level, or who believe they have the skills to begin at a more advanced level, will be evaluated in a 10-minute oral interview with the instructor. Where appropriate, students can begin with Biblical Hebrew II or III. All certificate students must complete Biblical Hebrew III and IV.
Am I guaranteed a spot in the course of my choice as a certificate candidate?
No. As a certificate candidate, you will receive advance notice when a new course is opening, but we do not hold spots for certificate candidates beyond that early window due to high demand.
How do I enroll in the certificate program?
Declare your candidacy for the Certificate in Biblical Hebrew before registering for a course. There is no cost to declaring your candidacy. Your confirmation email will include a promo code enabling you to register for courses at a 10% discount.
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In sifting among the options, think about your goals, your level of self-discipline and how much time you are able to commit to the endeavor. Are you looking simply to decode so you can follow along in the prayer book? Do you want to study the Bible in its original? Seeking to learn a few phrases to use on a vacation in Israel? Or are you hoping to become fluent in conversational Hebrew?
Below is a sampling of online courses and resources organized by category and alphabetically. Did we miss something important? Have you tried some of the programs below and had positive or negative experiences? Do you see something that needs to be updated? Let us know by emailing comm...@myjewishlearning.org.
This course is led by Dr. Tamar Kamionkowski, longtime professor for Biblical Studies at the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College, who teaches vocabulary, grammar, and interpretation of Hebrew prayers, with an emphasis on the High Holiday liturgy. Exercises and PDFs for each session can be found at the Kamionkowski Beit Midrash website.
LearnHebrewPod.com
Can sample online Hebrew learning tools, including audio lessons, games and quizzes, for free before you buy it. Accessible on computers and mobile devices. In addition to conversational Hebrew lessons, offers a separate reading class, as well as a prayers class. Beginners can try out one month for free.
Mango Languages
Offers both biblical and modern Hebrew. Accessible on computers and mobile devices. Available for free through participating libraries in the United States, Canada and several other countries, or you can purchase a monthly or annual subscription.
Rosen School of Hebrew
Classes in small groups or one-on-one with Israel-based teachers certified in teaching Hebrew as a second language. Eight levels are offered, and a separate program for children is also available. Option to take classes once or twice weekly. Offers separate biblical Hebrew classes through a partnership with the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.
Hebrew College
Various levels of Hebrew courses offered online, on a college semester schedule (Fall, Spring, Summer), with option to take for college credit or not. (For credit is more expensive). Courses include weekly live class session plus assignments and exercises.
Hebrew Homepage (also available for children)
Weekly 30-minute one-on-one sessions with tutor using a webinar platform. Curriculums include learning the Aleph Bet, navigating prayer book Hebrew and modern conversational Hebrew.
Ulpan La-Inyan
Offers virtual group and private lessons in Modern Hebrew; also organizes in-personal classes in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem. Instruction is available at multiple levels, as well as special business curriculums and courses for kids.
Hebrew Podcasts
Podcasts are approximately 10-15 minutes each and are based on short dialogues on a wide variety of topics. Despite the very basic-looking website, the technology works smoothly. All audio lessons can be streamed for free, but a subscription is required to download them and to access supporting materials, such as transcripts, flash cards, games and quizzes. The more than 150 podcasts (new advanced ones are added monthly) range from beginner to advanced. Although there is a lesson teaching the aleph-bet, it is not clear whether this would be sufficient to teach reading.
Middlebury Immersion Program
Participants live on campus and commit to speaking only Hebrew for the entire three-week or seven-week session. Rigorous daily classroom instruction for various levels, including beginner, plus organized all-in-Hebrew activities, such as soccer and theater. Offers both Modern and Classical Hebrew.
This site is simply an online version of the weekday portions of the traditional Jewish Siddur, in Hebrew with vowels. Perhaps you may find this convienent when traveling or stuck at work or any other place where a siddur is not available.
To prevent unneccessary distractions, there are no advertisements on this site. If you would like to DONATE to help defray some of the hosting costs, I would be grateful! If you have finally broken down and are ready to purchase an actual, real-paper siddur, you can shop my SIDDUR STORE, where I have prepared a list of commonly used Siddurim that are available for purchase online. (I will earn a small comission on the sale, but you will recieve the standard price! Of course, please feel CONTACT ME if you have any suggestions or comments.
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