What Hebrew means to American Jews, even if they can’t speak it

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According to reporting by Jewish Telegraphic Agency (JTA), In a new book, linguist Sharon Avni explores how language shapes Jewish identities and ideologies. -- The post What Hebrew means to American Jews, even if they can’t speak it appeared first on Jewish Telegraphic Agency .

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In a new book, linguist Sharon Avni explores how language shapes Jewish identities and ideologies.

Growing up, “Hebrew school” meant giving up my Sunday mornings and Wednesday afternoons to learn to read and pronounce Hebrew without understanding what we were reading or saying.

As a young adult becoming more involved in Jewish life, I tried to make up for this deficit at a three-month language immersion “ulpan” at a moshav outside Jerusalem. There and at subsequent ulpanim, I mostly learned that the language is really difficult.

And yet if Hebrew broke me, I couldn’t break up with it. Hebrew mattered. As my vocabulary grew, I began to read Jewish texts and prayers with a new appreciation for their nuances and layers of meaning. I understood Israel a little better. I felt more authentic in my Jewishness.

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Information in this article was compiled directly from records provided by Jewish Telegraphic Agency (JTA). Access the primary source document at: https://www.jta.org/2026/11/08/culture/what-hebrew-means-to-american-jews-even-if-they-cant-speak-it. Reporting and editorial review conducted by the USA NOW News Desk.