Students who enroll in the School of Hebrew represent different interests, ethnicities, ages, and cultures. They may be undergraduate college students who want to learn a language thoroughly while fulfilling a requirement; they may be graduate students who need a course taught entirely in Hebrew to strengthen their language skills; they may be heritage speakers of Hebrew who never had the opportunity to learn the language of their families, or they may need Hebrew language skills for their work environment. What links this microcosm of society is a commitment to facing the challenge of learning or improving knowledge of Hebrew in an immersion environment. Students know before they come that summer in Vermont will mean a challenge, but they also know that the rewards are tangible and verifiable.
“This summer, my Hebrew skills have improved dramatically. One thing that has always been difficult for me is retaining vocabulary. But here, I’m using new vocabulary words everywhere—in class, at meals, and in the cocurricular activities. I’m hearing them on Israeli TV and reading them in the newspaper. Retention is no longer a problem.”
—Lisa Sanchez
“The core of the Hebrew program is in its amazing, dedicated faculty who do not let any student founder but rather guide him or her to the path to success. The support that I received from my teachers throughout the summer has been the defining factor in my ability to master the fundamentals of the Hebrew language.”
—Olga Agafonova