Teaching Biblical Hebrew in a Time of War

How many courses have you been involved with teaching? What is your favorite part of the lessons?

I’ve taught 7 courses online and one intensive course in Nigeria. My favorite part of the lessons is visiting the breakout rooms where the students are applying and practicing what they’ve just learned in small groups.

In your opinion, why is it important for Israelis to bring Biblical Hebrew to the nations?

There is such a great need for Biblical Hebrew knowledge in the field of Bible translation, which practically means a need for Hebrew teachers. For us whose native language is Modern Israeli Hebrew, it is much easier and more accessible to get the necessary training to become effective Biblical Hebrew teachers. So I think we are the most natural candidates for this effort.

The courses are titled “Biblical Hebrew as a Living Language,” what makes it living for you?

Our courses are highly communicative and interactive, and all the students progress at the same pace as a group. We ask and answer questions, read the Scriptures together, and share our lives with each other. We really get to know each other in a supportive and growing environment and form long lasting relationships.

Last semester you had to cut an online lesson short because of red alert sirens. We understand the students stayed online and prayed when you left for the safe room and subsequently drove south. How was this for you as a teacher?

The students were supportive in prayer and understanding about the fact that we had to cut the class short and make it up another day. It personally felt like the students and teachers were a team, and while the Israeli team members needed encouragement, the overseas team members were able to give it warmly.

How has the war impacted your calling to continue teaching at this time?

The war made continuing life as usual hard, but it did not change my calling to teach one bit.

When the war broke out the team considered postponing certain courses. Why did you decide to continue despite the circumstances?

As a society we are used to complex security situations. Unless we are extremely impacted by terror or war (like the communities just a few kilometers north of me who were evacuated from their homes), our leaning is to continue with our normal routines as much as possible. Since we had committed students registered for the courses, we went forward with the plans, even though one of our teachers was drafted for reserve duty and another was stuck abroad.