Hebrew Language

Hebrew Language, Literature, and Culture

Why Study Hebrew?

The wide appeal of the Hebrew language derives from both its current state and history.

On the one hand, Hebrew is one of the oldest languages still spoken. Classical Hebrew usually refers to the language spoken by ancient Israelites, who flourished between the 10th and the 4th centuries BCE. Hence the Hebrew of the Old Testament is the primary source of our knowledge of these periods, along with numerous ancient inscriptions and documents that provide accounts of the entire area known as “The Cradle of Civilization.” Among the best known are the Dead Sea Scrolls, which date back to Jesus’ time and furnish us with details about his religious affinities and influences.
Due to its remarkable survival, Hebrew today is indispensable for religious practices relying on Biblical heritage as well as in modern research of Religion, Literature, History, and Archeology. For example, Biblical accounts often launch archeological searches whose findings return historical verification or dispute.

On the other hand, Modern Hebrew is spoken today by over 7 million Israelis and numerous Jews worldwide. With over 2,000 years of Jewish Diaspora, Jews who live outside Israel communicate in Hebrew to uphold their ties with their evolving Culture.

Though Hebrew was revived as a spoken language only with the emergence of Zionism in the 19th century, the continuity with the Biblical origins has been maintained. Today millions of contemporary speakers of modern Hebrew are also fluent in the Classical language, which may not be the case with other ancient tongues. Thus, learning modern Hebrew opens to the students both a fascinating old world and a vibrant contemporary one. The thrills of learning a unique script that runs from right to left add to the pleasures associated with the use of a foreign language.

Hebrew Language Placement

All students who would like to take Hebrew are required to take a language placement assessment, regardless of previous exposure to or instruction in Hebrew.

Please note that the language placement assessment is designed to place you at the correct skill level. It is not a graded exam or a proficiency test but rather an assessment to match your skills with the appropriate language course at SU.

Information to navigate the assessments can be found at Language Placement Exams - College of Arts & Sciences at Syracuse University

If you have questions about your placement, contact the Hebrew Language Instructor, Erella Brown Sofer.

Questions concerning fulfilling your program’s language requirement can be directed to the Department Chair at lllchair@syr.edu.