Although this does not relate directly to the discussion of teaching Hebrew that I raised as a “Lookjed Classic” last week – [listserv.biu.ac.il] – it does highlight how direct interest in language can spur a student to study and excel (and it also serves to highlight Professor Robert Alter’s amazing achievement of producing a new English translation of all Tanakh).

"After More Than Two Decades of Work, a New Hebrew Bible to Rival the King James:
The pre-eminent scholar Robert Alter has finally finished his own translation"

[www.nytimes.com]?
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Alter came to Hebrew, like many an American Jewish child, somewhat haphazardly — first in traditional contexts, like bar mitzvah lessons but also in Hebrew-only summer camps of the period. The cultural record of American Jews, in literature and art, can be summarized as a collective complaint against parental demands to learn Hebrew, but Alter took to it immediately and chose to continue his studies, even while playing varsity football and running track. As a young man, Alter was so enamored with the language that he spent much of his time systematically mastering a Hebrew-Hebrew dictionary. “I figured if I could get everything from that book into my head, I’d have it,” Alter said.
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Enjoy!
Shalom



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/13/2019 10:22AM by mlb.