Aleph Isn't Tough: An Introduction to Hebrew for Adults [Paperback]

Linda Motzkin (Author), Hara E. Person (Editor)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0807407267 | ISBN-13: 978-0807407264 | Publication Date: March 2000 | Edition: Teacher's

This new Hebrew book for adult learners is ground breaking in its structure and as an effective educational tool. This superb new text was created by Rabbi Linda Motzkin in consultation with key figures in the field of Hebrew education. Piloted in a sample of Reform congregations throughout the country, the book is the first step in a program of Hebrew learning for adults. Drawing upon the particular knowledge that the individual reader brings to the material, one is carefully introduced to the letters and vowels of the Hebrew alphabet. The goal is to develop the reader's ability to decode written Hebrew words as well as to ground the learning of Hebrew in the broader sense of its use in Jewish life, ritual, study, and tradition.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Linda Motzkin Linda Motzkin received her M.A.H.L. and rabbinic ordination from HUC-JIR. She is a co-rabbi, together with her husband Jonathan Rubenstein, of Temple Sinai in Saratoga Springs, New York, as well as the Jewish chaplain at Skidmore College. She is the author of the Hebrew for Adults Series and numerous other publications.

Product Details

• Paperback: 57 pages
• Publisher: Urj Press; Teacher's edition (March 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0807407267
• ISBN-13: 978-0807407264
• Product Dimensions: 10.9 x 8.6 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (15 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #100,101 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #24 in Books > Education & Reference > Foreign Languages > Hebrew > Instruction

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

56 of 58 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Hebrew Alphabet Made Easy, July 16, 2000

By 

"turn4" - See all my reviews

This review is from: Aleph Isn't Tough: An Introduction to Hebrew for Adults (Paperback)

Most grammars give the alphabet a chapter or two and expect the student to swallow it whole - Rabbi Motzkin takes the Hebrew alphabet and teaches it in digestible bites. The alphabet is taught in its natural context - Jewish worship and beliefs, a few letters at a time and with plenty of background material to cement the letters and sounds into the student's mind. Writing is taught along with the letters.

Directed specifically those who want to learn Hebrew in worship, this work is invaluable to anyone - Christian or Jewish - who wants to study the Bible in its original text.

The second book is due to come out in 2001 - Watch for it!

30 of 31 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Book for Adults Learning Hebrew, March 23, 2002

By 

Delia LaForte "B'dele" (The North Country) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Aleph Isn't Tough: An Introduction to Hebrew for Adults (Paperback)

I found this book to be very clear, with useful exercises in reading and writing Hebrew. The letters are not taught in alphabetic order, but rather in logical groupings that are often used together in words. The vowels are added one or two at a time, and though I felt challenged, I was not overwhelmed. I found it fun, and even reading right to left seemed natural as I became familiar with how the consonants and vowels related to each other.

Besides teaching the sounds of the letters, there are sections on Hebrew word roots, which I found immensely helpful in understanding some of the thinking and spirit in the language. I felt as if I'd been given a key into a whole new way of thinking. For example, there are names of G-d that relate to certain root words in ways that are surprising and wonderful, and there are foods we eat on High Holidays because they are a "pun" on another word that is a spiritual quality we ask for in the new year. The extra dimension this book adds beyond mere pronunciation is its real gift.

I recommend this book to adults with an interest in exploring Hebrew. After just a month, I was able to read (slowly) from the prayer book, and find myself asking questions that I would not have thought of had I only known the English translation.

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An excellent introduction to the Hebrew alphabet, October 20, 2001

By 

Darrell Beckham (Evansville, WY United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Aleph Isn't Tough: An Introduction to Hebrew for Adults (Paperback)

I liked this primer much better than 'Learn Hebrew Tody, Alef-Bet for Adults'. It offered better exercises, clearer pronunciation guides and more in-depth grammatical explanations. An excellent first choice for the adult beginner.