The Teacher s Guide for Reishith Binah

Transcription

1 The Teacher s Guide for Reishith Binah How to Teach The Hebrew Reading Crash Course by Florence Wiener

2 Teacher s Guide for Reishith Binah How To Teach The Hebrew Reading Crash Course By Florence Wiener Published by the National Jewish Outreach Program 989 Sixth Avenue, 10th Floor, New York, NY HEBRE(W) ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

3 In Memory of Samuel Lucky Berson k z Short of immortality No one could have lived life better Heather and David Stern Samuel and Lola Bonnie & Steven E. Stern Dara and Evan Behrens Sasha

4 hebrew reading crash course tthis also explains our choice of the Reishith Binah text to serve as our The National Jewish Outreach Program (NJOP) is happy to welcome you to its acclaimed Crash Course in Hebrew Reading (HRCC). Over the past eighteen years ( ), more than 194,000 North American Jews have learned to read Hebrew through this course. An amazing 77% of the HRCC students have gone on to take additional courses, usually the second level Hebrew reading or the Crash Course in Basic Judaism. Our research indicates, that while a significant number of students drop out of their first Hebrew Reading Crash Course (up to 1/3, sometimes more), 95% of them come back a second or third time until they master Hebrew reading. NJOP has made the Hebrew Reading Crash Course its flagship program because the HRCC effectively serves as a non threatening cultural venue for Jews who are unaffiliated or marginally affiliated. We have found that this course provides the students with an unusual feeling of Jewish empowerment when, after the second or third lesson, students are able to read full words and sentences! primer. Because the text is based on the siddur, it provides an opening for religious discussion and learning. While NJOP is certainly interested in teaching every North American Jew to read Hebrew, our not-so-subtle hidden agenda is to engage Jews in Jewish life. Thank G-d we have seen this happen countless times through the HRCC, and we are proud of the Hebrew Reading Crash Course s success in bringing Jews back to synagogue for regular prayer services. Of course, dear teacher, none of this would happen without your help. We want you to know how much we appreciate the time, effort and love that you have invested in this vital endeavor. We know that you will spare no effort to follow up with your students. As you know, reaching out is easy. Follow up is difficult and critical. As you surely know, North American Jewry is facing its most crucial challenge: Will there be, fifty years from now, a viable North American Jewish community as we know it today? To a great extent, the answer lies in your hands. Thank you for helping us ensure a bright and vibrant Jewish future for our brothers and sisters, sons and daughters. This Teacher s Guide has been the product of many years of labor, with love and devotion, of NJOP s enormously talented Hebrew Teaching Specialist, Florence Wiener. To watch Florence teach is to behold a master artist at work. That she has been able to transfer so much of her artistry to this teacher s guide, is a tribute to her dynamism and uncompromising commitment to spread her belief in the primacy and critical importance of Hebrew reading. The beautiful layout and design of this workbook is a reflection of the multi-talented efforts of Melanie Notkin, NJOP s Marketing Consultant, with help along the way from Gila and Miriam. One of the commentaries on the Pessach Haggadah interprets the statement uk j,p,t wkutak gsuh ubhtau as meaning: That the response to the child who doesn t even know to ask should be,t. Aleph to Tav, teach him/her the Hebrew alphabet! Once again profound thanks, for joining in these efforts. : - With best wishes, 13 Av 5766 Ephraim Buchwald August 7, 2006 Director I

5 overview The National Jewish Outreach Program Hebrew Reading Crash Course is designed to teach the entire Hebrew alphabet and basic reading skills in five 1-1/2 hour sessions, using the Hebrew primer Reishith Binah. This particular primer has the advantage of being based on the siddur, making the transition to the prayer book simpler. Classes are usually scheduled for 5 weeks, but they can be coordinated to fit any timetable that is good for you and your students. Many instructors do extend the Crash Course to 6-8 sessions, but marketing it as five attracts more students. c The process of gaining mastery of the Hebrew alphabet can be a truly thrilling experience for the non-hebrew reader, with vast implications for both students and teacher. The sense of satisfaction of finally being able to read a Hebrew sentence often inspires students with a desire to do more: to learn to pray, to study Bible, to learn conversational Hebrew, etc. So, the teaching of a Hebrew Reading Crash Course should be viewed as an opportunity to gently lead students to greater Jewish involvement and further religious growth. It is not unusual for students to form real attachments to their teachers. Instructors are encouraged to maintain contact with their students, arranging for them to be invited for Shabbat dinner, taking them to Shabbat services, or sitting in with them at Torah classes. The actual teaching of the Hebrew reading class is really quite straight-forward. Introduce yourself and say a few words about why you are excited to teach the Crash Course. (You are excited about teachingaren t you?) Also, please mention that this course is sponsored by the National Jewish Outreach Program. Ask participants their Hebrew names. If they don t know them, encourage them to find out. If a student doesn t have one, let him/her know that you will help them select a name. Take a few moments to clarify the course s objectives. You will be teaching the class to read Hebrew. There will be no emphasis on vocabulary, writing, etc., but translating key words and phrases can make the experience more meaningful. Please stress the need for consistent review. Students should devote at least 15 minutes a day to review their lessons. Daily review often means the difference between successfully completing the course, and an unsatisfactory experience. Every instructor has his/her personal style. One very successful method of teaching is to have everyone in the class read aloud together. Indicate the page number and line to be read. You will quickly identify who is able to keep up with the class and who is having difficulty. Some students feel pressured or threatened when called upon to read individually; try not to place students in a situation which might prove uncomfortable for them. Although the teacher s guide is based on the Sephardit pronunciation, the Reishith Binah can be used for either Ashkenazic or Sephardit pronunciation. Take a few minutes to explain the differences between the two. Also please remind students that Hebrew is read from right to left! II

6 overview continued dduring the first class, try to cover as many lessons as possible. Although you are free to divide the primer in any way you prefer, we have found the following division to be most helpful: Session 1 - End with lesson 12 on page 18 Session 2 - End with lesson 23 on page 29 Session 3 - End with lesson 31 on page 37 Session 4 - End with lesson 42 on page 48 Session 5 - Learn lessons 42, 43, 44, 47, 52 Turn to page 56 - Read and sing Read the Shema on pages In the final lessons, try to incorporate some readings from the liturgy of the holiday which coincides with the conclusion of the Crash Course, e.g., Dayenu, blessing for Chanukah candles, Unetaneh Tokef, etc. For those students who feel that you are going too quickly, perhaps a few minutes of individual attention at the end of the session might be helpful. Each new lesson should begin with a brief review of the past lessons. Encourage students to bring tape recorders which will further enhance their review sessions. Students may also wish to purchase the audio tape which accompanies the Reishith Binah, available from NJOP for $5. Remember, dear instructor, to use your sense of humor. In general, don t hesitate to use jokes, stories, etc. Sing wherever and whatever you can. It is often difficult to strike a balance between teaching Hebrew and responding to some of the general questions about Judaism which students ask. It is, in fact, a good sign if students are left feeling that there is a lot more they need to know. But please, be careful not to be distracted from the basic goal of teaching the students to read Hebrew. Often students drop out along the way. Don t feel badly, it s not your fault. If you wish to call absent students - fine; but don t get upset. We find that dropouts usually return for a second (usually successful) try later on. We strongly recommend that you consider a graduation party with refreshments at the conclusion of the final session. It is often a profound and moving experience for student and teacher. We have provided Diplomas which you may distribute to all students who have successfully completed the Crash Course. Encourage graduates to continue practicing by reading the Shema in the morning and evening. Show them where to find it in the siddur. Finally, please accept our thanks for a job well done, and take pleasure in the knowledge that you have helped to bring your students closer to Judaism. On a personal note, I wish to acknowledge the inspirational role played by my father, Isak Bauman, z l, whose life work and fine character serve as a role model for excellence, creativity, and love for all people. Florence Wiener Hebrew Teaching Specialist III

7 teaching techniques and helpful I ve NEVER taught ANYTHING before, let alone a different language! To be honest, I m a little nervous! At NJOP, we have never had a volunteer instructor say that they regretted teaching the Hebrew Reading Crash Course. Maybe it s because once you get started, the students elation at reading this 5,000 year-old-language, makes everybody s fears vanish. The most important thing to remember is to have fun! hints Hand out the mnemonic aleph bet chart. Simple as it may seem, the first and most crucial step to a successful HRCC is to assure your students that Hebrew is probably one of the easiest languages to learn. GIVE THEM CONFIDENCE! Let them know that they will walk out of the first session reading words. Show your students that the key to learning and retaining the sounds of the letters and vowels is for them to focus on the similarities and differences of the letters. Explain that all look-alike letters have been positioned together on the chart, and that the key to success is to learn to differentiate between these look-alike letters. Once they know and understand these differences, this knowledge will prove invaluable. Remember, a sense of humor, mnemonic devices and personality are the essentials for success in teaching this course. To make teaching the Hebrew Reading Crash Course even easier, we have produced a $10 video entitled: How to Teach the Hebrew Reading Crash Course. It may be a good investment for your synagogue or organization. IV

8 session #1 This first session should end with lesson 12 on page 18. Page 7, lines 1-4 AH Have the class pretend that they are at the doctor s office and have a tongue depressor in their mouths; the sound would be the same - the vowel which looks like a tongue depressor, (we call it the stick vowel) has an ah sound. There is no reason to have the class read all the lines (you are, after all, dealing with adults). Two or three times is sufficient until it gets more difficult. At all times use your own judgement to determine the proper amount of repetition. Lines 5-8 ALEPH You can mention that there are two silent letters in the Hebrew alphabet, the Aleph, (the actual name is not important for your students at this time), is one of them. The silent letters pick up the sound of the vowel. (See FIGURE #1 below). As a way of remembering the silent letters, tell your students that the Aleph looks like an X and the Ayin looks like a Y. Page 8 AH/AW The next vowel looks like a little Tee (call it anything you like). It has the same sound as the stick vowel in the Sephardic pronunciation, (the Ashkenzic pronunciation would be aw as in saw ). Again, have the class read only a few lines on this page since lines 3-10 all have the same sound. Page 9 BET Tell the class they will remember this letter by thinking of an open box with a BALL in the center (See FIGURE #2, next page.) The dagesh can be very confusing since there are so many dots and dashes throughout the text. At this time, I suggest that you tell the class to focus only on those dots which will change the sound of the letter, such as the Bet and Vet. Explain that all other dots serve a significant grammatical purpose, but are unimportant at this stage. FIGURE 1 Aleph Looks like X t g Ayin Looks like Y These letters are silent and take on the sound of the vowel. 1

9 Page 10 VET Notice that this letter looks like the open box without the ball. It is void of the ball or there is a VACUUM in the center. Teach your students how to distinguish between the letters. Show them both the Bet and the Vet and explain that while these two letters look alike, the minor difference of a dot changes the entire sound of the letter (See FIGURE #2 below). Once again, use your discretion in determining how much repetition is necessary when reading these lines. A new vowel is learned on this page as well. While you may be able to distinguish between a Shva Na and Shva Nach, your class will find it confusing. Therefore, I suggest that for now, tell the class that the two vertical dots are silent, and that only the sound of the letter above the vowel is sounded. Page 11 EE The next vowel has the long EE sound, as in BEE. It is seen in two different forms, either as a dot under the letter, or as a dot and hook (or apostrophe symbol) which follows the letter. Both forms represent the same sound which again, is EE. From personal teaching experience, I have found that calling this Yud a hook is less confusing for the students than telling them that it is the letter Yud. This method avoids introducing both a new vowel and a new consonant at the same time. However, if you find that this approach only increases confusion, please feel free to identify this as a Yud, a letter with its OWN sound, which they will formally meet later. Indeed, the Yud serves two purposes: it is a vowel helper as well as a consonant. What is important is that your students eventually grasp this concept. At this point, all the practice lines should be read in order to reinforce what has been taught. Continue to make sure that the class is concentrating on the differences between the letters and vowels in order to insure successful reading. Page 12 MEM This letter has the same sound as the M in MOTHER. When introducing this letter, tell your students to look at the top of the letter and notice that on one side it comes together to form a MOUND or MOUNTAIN. Distinguishing minor differences in letters is now essential because of the similarity between letters, eg. the Mem and the Tet. If students do not focus on these differences, they will continuously confuse these letters later. (See FIGURE #3 next page). Tell your students they will formally meet the Tet later on, but it always has the tear on top. FIGURE #2 Vacuum c c VOID of Ball BALL Open Box Vet Bet 2

10 y Tear on Top Tet nmountain or Mound Mem FIGURE #3 Page 13 RESH After introducing the sound of this letter, have the students notice the ROUNDED corner to the right of the letter. Instruct them to look for this round curve at all times so as not to confuse this letter with the Daled. The strong resemblance between these two letters often causes much confusion (See FIGURE #4 below). Now, introduce the Daled as the look-alike partner and show your class how this letter protrudes out and then DENTS in. It is different from the Resh which is completely rounded on the Right side. FIGURE #4 r s Rounded Dents In Resh Daled For easy look-alike reference, please turn to the Aleph-Bet chart on the last page of this handbook. The mnemonic chart was designed to help make look- alike letters simple to distinguish. 3

11 Closed in on 3 sides j Chupah Chet Hole or Half a line vhey FIGURE #5 Page 14 HAY After introducing the sound of this letter, inform your students that when the Hay comes at the end of a word it is silent. One way to help students remember the sound of this letter is by instructing them to look at the left side of the letter, which only reaches halfway to the top. There is a HOLE, or the line is HALVED. This is important because of the similarity between the Hay and the Chet (See FIGURE #5 above). Page 15 AYIN As mentioned earlier, this letter, like the Aleph, is silent and takes on the sound of the vowel (See FIGURE #1, page 2). A new vowel... ( eh ) is also introduced on this page. The sound of three dots in a triangle, therefore, is the same as the short E, as in TELL, or three EGGS in a nest. It is a good idea to occasionally review the vowel and/or letter sounds in an entertaining way. After completing a new letter or vowel, review all the sounds learned up until that point. For example, ask the class to identify the sound of the vowel that looks like a stick or tongue depressor. The class will respond with the ah sound. Continue in this manner with the rest of the vowels and letters learned thus far. Ask the following questions: What sounds do the following vowels make? A little T? Two vertical dots? One dot under a letter? Three dots in a triangle? Hold up a flash card with each of the letters learned, and ask the class to identify the sound of that letter. This is a fun way for the entire class to review, because it moves very quickly and reinforces what has already been taught. You can either write the vowels on a chalkboard or use flash cards, which are invaluable visual aids. Page 16 OH This new vowel has the long O sound as in OVER. It is represented in one of two forms, either as a hooked stick (or Vav) with the dot directly over it, or just as a dot which will be OVER the top left side of the letter. As previously mentioned regarding the Yud, the Vav, too, can serve in two capacities - so use your own judgement! Page 17 DALED This letter looks very much like the Resh learned earlier. Once again, point out the difference between the two letters, and indicate that this letter which has the D sound does not have the smooth rounded corner, rather it protrudes and then DENTS in on that very same side. Once again, hold up these two letters so that the class can actually see the difference between the letters when they are adjacent to one another (See FIGURE #4, page 4). Always make certain that your students have their mnemonic look-alike chart in front of them when you are teaching the lookalike letters. Bring extra charts to class with you in case a student forgets his/hers at home. 4

12 Page 18 FINAL MEM This letter is a MATE to the Mem which was discussed earlier (See FIGURE #6 below). The sound is the same; the difference is merely the fact that the Final Mem comes only at the end of a word. Have the class read every line on this page very carefully. The words are rich in meaning and suddenly become very exciting. Continue to remind the class to focus on the differences between the letters and to concentrate on their sounds. Once they master these differences, they will not make mistakes. o n Mate to Mem FIGURE #6 You have now completed teaching the first session. Your students are learning a lot, quickly. in order for them to retain what you have taught week to week, emphasize that they must review the week s lesson every night for at least 15 minutes. The difference in the reading skills of those who practice, and those who do not, becomes evident the following week. You may also make your students aware that an audio tape paralleling the text is available to them for $5 through the National Jewish Outreach Program, should they feel the need for additional assistance. The review on page 19 should be done at home, and read in class at the beginning of the second session. 5

13 This session should include pages Your students will now take more of an interest in vocabulary and will experience a desire to understand what they are reading. Indicate that the word meanings are written at the bottom of the page, and that they must study them on their own. Since this is a five week crash course, it is essential that the class time be primarily devoted to teaching the basic reading. Although you do not want to get involved with questions concerning grammar or vocabulary, you DO want to answer any questions which will give them a better understanding of their Jewish identity. Remember that the goal of this course is not only to teach basic reading, but to whet their appetites for more knowledge and continued learning about their Jewish heritage. Page 20 AY The new vowel introduced on this page is the AY sound as in DAY. This long A sound is represented in two forms. It is either two horizontal dots.., or two horizontal dots followed by the hook symbol, or Yud. session #2 Page 21 LAMED This new letter can be easily remembered if you guide your students to look at the top LEFT side of the letter which looks like the letter L. This clue should help students remember the sound which this letter makes (See FIGURE #7 below). Page 22 GIMMEL The letter introduced on this page must be observed very carefully by your students. Instruct them to focus on the BOTTOM RIGHT SIDE of the letter. The Gimmel is most often confused with the Nun. Therefore, from the very onset, highlight and emphasize the GAP which exists at the bottom of this letter. Tell your students that if they are unsure of the sound, they should always look for that GAP as a clue (See FIGURE #8 below). Introduce the Gimmel s look-alike partner. Mention that the Nun is different because its lines are mostly straight and rather NICE and NEAT. No gaps. bnun Nice and Neat dgimmel FIGURE #7 FIGURE #8 Longest Letter klooks Like the Letter L Lamed Gap 6

14 Page 23 OO This vowel, the OO sound as in MOO, is represented in two ways. It is either portrayed as three diagonal dots,..., or as a stick shape (Vav) with a dot in the middle.u. Have the class pretend that the stick shape is actually a person who has been hit in the middle with a ball the resulting sound would be OO. In order to avoid confusion with the OH sound, have your students keep in mind the stick figure with the ball over head. That s easy to remember, because the ball went OVER the person s head. Please feel free to use your own clues and devices; as long as they work, use them! (See FIGURE #9 below). Page 24 SHORT VOWELS I do not encourage you to note the differences in pronunciation between the short vowels, chataf, and the regular vowels. You would therefore tell your class that these short vowels are identical in sound to the regular vowels. Advise them to ignore the two vertical dots. However, at a later date, if time permits, you may wish to point out that in the case of the Chataf Kamatz ( T : ) in both Ashkenazic and Sephardic pronunciations, e.g. vhbt, the T sound is Aw.. T: G-D S NAME Explain to the class that G-d s name takes on different forms and is written in many ways. Since we try not to use G-d s name in vain, we use the words Kayl, or Elokim instead. Once you note these modifications, allow your class to do their own thing. This is all new to them and many students either don t remember to make the change or find it difficult and confusing. It usually takes much practice for your students to make this transition comfortably, so be patient. FIGURE #9 u uover head OO hit in the middle 7

15 ,, Sav to Tav Looks like a Toe FIGURE #10 Page 25 TAV This letter has the sound of the letter T as in TIME. It can be remembered perhaps by visualizing it as a big TOE. Make sure to point out that the Taf has a dot in the middle. In the Ashkenazic pronunciation, the dot is important because it changes the sound of the letter. (See FIGURE #10 above). Page 26 SAV If you are teaching Sephardic pronunciation, this letter will have the same sound as the previous letter, Tav. Explain that even though there is no dot in the letter, the sound is still T. If, however, you are teaching Ashkenazic pronunciation, the sound of this letter without the dot will be S as in SUN. Page 27 SHIN This letter is pronounced SH as in SHIP. With some imagination, you can see that this letter is similar to a ship. Point out the dot on the right side of this letter and explain that the position of the dot will give it either the SH or S sound. At the risk of sounding overly feminist, I suggest the following sentence as one way to remember this sound: SHE is always RIGHT. The word Moshe, va. n, on Line 9, might cause some confusion for students because there is only one dot serving as both the OH sound for the Mem and as the Sh sound for the Shin. Indicate that this is very common and that students must learn to recognize these shortcuts. Page 29 SIN As was mentioned earlier, this letter is identical to the Shin except for the location of the dot. When the dot is on the left side of the letter it has the S sound as in SIN. I tell my students to remember this by saying, I LEFT my SINS behind me, or, I relate that having grown up as the only lefty in my family, I was often teased. My response to the teasing was It s no SIN to be a LEFTY (See FIGURE #11 below). a a FIGURE #11 Sin to Shin It s no SIN to be a Lefty She s always Right 8

16 session #3 This session includes lessons This session is probably the most challenging of all. If you see that your students are not grasping the material as quickly as you would like, slow down and divide this session into two. Although this program is advertised as a five week crash course, depending on the group involved it might require two or perhaps even three additional sessions. Do not rush your students if they do not understand what is being taught, or if they feel they need further review to learn how to differentiate between the letters. Page 30 YUD If you haven t already, you may now explain to your students that the little hook they came across previously is really one of the letters of the alphabet, and has the same sound as the Y in YES. Page 31 VAV This letter has a V sound as in VASE. It may cause some confusion because as mentioned earlier, this stick figure can serve as part of a vowel, with the dot either on top of it giving it an OH sound, or in the middle, giving it an OO sound. Help your students determine whether the Vav is a letter or a vowel immediately by pointing out that if the stick figure has other vowels connected to it (i.e. :, -), then it is a letter with a V sound, and not part of a vowel. Lines 5-8 Look at the word v.. u /. v. Indicate that this is a word which they will encounter frequently in their readings, and explain how it fits into the above mentioned rule. The vowel.. which is under the Vav, immediately shows the student that this word must have a VEH sound. Therefore, the dot above the Vav belongs to the v. page. Have the students read this entire Page 32 NUN This letter has the sound of N as in NOON. Remind your students that they already encountered the Nun when learning the Gimmel (See FIGURE #8, page 9). Emphasize once again, that as opposed to the Gimmel, this letter is NICE and NEAT, a straight line with no gaps. There is also a Final Nun, which comes only at the end of a word. It has the same sound as the Nun (See FIGURE #12 below). FIGURE #12 i b d Final Nun Nun Gimmel Nice N Neat Gap 9

17 Page 33 THE USE OF G-D S NAME AND ITS DIFFERENT FORMS Tell your class that Jews avoid using the name of G-d in vain. Instead we use the term Hashem, which means The Name. At the top of page 33, under the words The Lord, your class will see four commonly written forms of G-d s name. You may want to teach the students to use the word Hashem whenever they encounter any of these sacred names. As mentioned previously, though, should they inadvertently use G-d s name, do not belabor the point. In time, and with more practice, students will learn to use the correct terms. Line 2 In addition, remind your students that ohekt is another form of expressing G-d s name, and once again, in order to avoid pronouncing G-d s name in vain, we exchange the Hay for a Kuf. Again, don t be overly pedantic about this change. There is enough for them to remember and you don t want to place any additional unnecessary pressures on your class. Remember, for educational purposes one is permitted to pronounce G-d s name. Therefore, allow your students to be comfortable while reading this page. Do not overly dwell on correcting them at this time. Line 9 Please note the second Hebrew word on this line, uhkt. Explain that when T.. the combination appears at the end of uht a word, the Kamatz takes the sound of its consonant, as usual, and is followed by a V sound, while the Yud always remains silent. It is there for grammatical purposes, and is not pronounced. Please note the absence of any vowel under the Yud. While this silent Yud will not appear much on the next few pages, it will appear frequently starting with page 41, so students should keep this concept in mind. Page 35 SAMECH This letter has the same sound as the S in SUN. It also has the same sound as the letter previously learned on page 29, the Sin; remember, I LEFT my SINS behind me. Inform the class that an easy way to remember this letter is by thinking of a CIRCLE, since the letter is almost completely round. This letter is often confused with the Final Mem. Utilize the flashcards. Look at the two letters together and point out that in addition to the Samech being more circular, it is slightly SLICED on the bottom right side (See FIGURE #13 below). Continue to review all the previous sounds and letters that were learned thus far. Occasionally stop the class and ask if there are questions on the material studied thus far. FIGURE #13 o xsome- what circular More Square Sliced on the Side 10

18 Page 36 ZAYIN This letter has the sound Z as in ZEBRA. It appears to be very similar to the Vav which was learned earlier. Point out that the Zayin has a ZIG-ZAG to it, while the Vav is a straight stick figure (See FIGURE #14 below). The readings are now getting progressively more difficult. Divide the class into several groups, asking each group to take turns reading all the lines on pages 36 and 37. Remind each group to follow the reading very carefully. While one group reads, the other groups should follow along by reading quietly to themselves. Once again, remind your students that practicing at home for at least 15 minutes each day is essential and will help them read more fluently. Advise students who may have no friends or acquaintances to listen to them read, that there is a practice tape available from NJOP which offers a page by page reading of the text. MEZUZAH Now that your class can read the word Mezuzah, explain what a Mezuzah is and elaborate on its significance. You might also bring a Mezuzah (including parchment) to show the class. FIGURE #14 z u Zig Zag Very Straight Are you having fun? Remember, if you have fun, so will your students! 11

19 This session includes lessons Are you ready for an even greater challenge? I have found through my own teaching experience that it is best to start this session by telling your students that you will give them a brief overview of the next three lessons which will include the letters Kaf and Chaf. KAF/CHAF Show the class each of these letters. If possible, draw them on a board or tape flash cards to the wall for your students to see. Compare these letters to the Bet and Vet. It would be a good idea to draw or hang the Bet and Vet on the wall as well, so that your students can easily compare the letters. Ask your class if they see similarities. After some discussion, tell your students to focus on the sides of these letters, ( c/ċ f/ḟ ), to avoid confusion. The Kaf is CURVED and the Bet has an extended Base (See FIGURE #15 below). Now that your students (hopefully) won t confuse the Kaf and Bet, let s move on and distinguish between the FIGURE #15 Base Extended session #4 Kaf and Chaf. Similar to the Bet and Vet, the Dagesh in the center will change the sound of the letter and is therefore important (See FIGURE #15 below). Page 38 KAF This letter has the sound of the letter K. With some imagination, could that Dagesh perhaps be a keyhole in a CURVED door? (See FIGURE #16 on the next page). Continue reading the entire page. You will notice that there are many Bet words on this page, so make sure that your students focus on the differences. The Vet will now appear on Page 39; again, reinforce the importance of focusing on the differences. Tell students to keep the alphabet charts in front of them throughout this session so that they can easily see the differences of these letters. Page 39 Divide your class into two groups and read this entire page. After reading lines 8 and 9 carefully, sing them together with the class. This should serve as a brief introduction to ubhektf iht because they will soon learn the entire Tefilah c f c f Look-alikes Curved 12

20 Page 40 CHAF This letter has the same sound as the CH in BaCH, CHallah or CHanukah. As a matter of fact, perhaps your class could remember the sound of this letter by associating it with the CH in the word BaCH or CHallah, for the capital C is a reversed Chaf (See FIGURE #16 below). Another way of remembering the Kaf and the Chaf might involve some play-acting on your part. Ask your class to pretend it is the last game of the World Series and the score is tied. The batter hits the ball and it comes straight to you - CURVE your hand and get ready to CATCH the ball. The ball (or dagesh) in the CURVED hand might be another way of remembering this K sound. You think you ve won the game, don t you? Unfortunately, you drop the ball and yell out UCH, I dropped the ball. The Chaf without the dot is therefore the same as the CH in UCH. Remember, any technique is acceptable. If it works - go for it! FIGURE #16 f f f f Keyhole Curved Capital C f Chaf 13

21 Page 41 FINAL KAF/CHAF The Final Kaf and Chaf are found only at the end of a word. Distinguishing between them can be very confusing if not taught properly. Tell your class that the concept of these two letters is the same as that of the plain Chaf and Kaf; depending on the dots, it may be CH or K (See FIGURE #19 below). FINAL CHAF Tell your class that they can determine the sound of the Final Chaf by looking at the center of the letter. In all cases, it will either be a Shva - the two vertical dots, or a Kamatz - the little T, making the sound either a CH or CHA. Show your class an example of this on flashcards, and do not continue to the Final Kaf until you are certain that they understand the Final Chaf (See FIGURE #20 below). FINAL KAF Tell your class that determining the sound of the Final Kaf is simple because the dot in the middle informs you that the sound is K as in KEY and there will always be a second vowel at the bottom of the letter (see lines 3, 12 and 13). The vowel at the bottom will always be a Kamatz giving it a KA sound. Once again, reinforce this with flashcards. Have your students read pages 41 and 42 (See FIGURE #18 on the next page). You may want to point out to the students that they will rarely come across the Kaf Sofit, or KA ending. Therefore, upon seeing this symbol, their natural assumption can be that it is either the CH or CHA ending. Page 41 Line 2 Note the silent Yud in the third word, lhbck. Point out that in the lh... ending, the Yud appears for grammatical reasons and is not pronounced, similar to the uh ending learned in session #3. Highlight the appearance of this ending in the word lhekt, which appears several times on page 42. Page 43 EIN KAY LOKEINU Briefly explain this tefilah, and have your students read it carefully. Once they have mastered the words, teach them to sing the entire page. This is a very exciting moment, as they are finally reading and singing an entire prayer. This will give them a genuine sense of accomplishment. l l FIGURE #17 CH as in BaCH K as in Key f f Sound-alikes 14

22 Page 44 CHET Explain that this new letter has the same sound as the Chaf, which was just learned. Remind your students not to confuse this letter with the Hay (See FIGURE #5, page 5). As mentioned previously, it is not necessary for students to differentiate between regular and short vowels. As far as they know the Shva is silent; therefore, the words on page 44 are read as if the Shva were not present. Page 46 KUF This new letter has the same K sound as the Kaf. Perhaps one way to remember this sound is by visualizing most of the letter K within the Kuf; it is only missing one leg (See FIGURE #18 below). Have the class read pages 46 and 47. Be sure to mention that this prayer comes from the Shmoneh Esrai. If you feel that these readings are too time consuming, choose selected lines and have the class read them. Encourage your students to read at home whatever is not covered in class. Instruct them to mark the words which are difficult, and to never be embarrassed to ask for a review of any sounds or words that are unclear. Try to begin each session by asking if anyone had difficulty with the review or practice readings. FIGURE #18 T Kaf Sofit l or T Chaf Sofit Sound-alikes Kuf l e j Chet Sound-alikes CH as in Chupah f f The Letter K 15

23 Page 48 TET Tell your students the sound of this letter and remind them that they encountered it earlier, when learning the Mem (See FIGURE #3, page 4). Once again, have the class concentrate on the difference between the Tet and the Mem, by pointing out the TEAR on the top of the Tet. This is a good opportunity for a brief review. Explain to the class that there are many letters in the Hebrew alphabet which do not look alike, but sound alike, (e.g. y,. ). Ask your class to give you examples of others. Again, you may use flashcards to reinforce those letters which have the same sound. y Tear on Top Tet The Level II Hebrew Reading Crash Course is a great way to invite your Hebrew Reading Crash Course students back for more -- while the iron is still hot, so to speak. In Level II HRCC, they enhance their Hebrew reading skills by practicing to read traditional Jewish texts. The Level II comes in four modules: the siddur, the Shabbat siddur, the High Holiday Machzor and the Haggadah. So, students not only learn to read, they obtain a better understanding of their heritage. And it s easy to teach! 16

24 This session includes lessons You can now take a deep breath! You have already completed four sessions, and have mastered those chapters which are most challenging and confusing. There are only a few more letters for your students to learn. The rest of the text is primarily a review of everything you have taught. You also have an invaluable opportunity to bring your class closer to Judaism through the blessings and prayers in this final session. Page 49 PAY The new letter on this page has the P sound as in the words PEA in a POD. Your students can remember this letter by either thinking of a PRO- FILE or perhaps the dot can be symbolic of an actual PEA since it is similar in FIGURE #19 Profile ppay session #5 size and shape. If neither of those work, how about a POINT in the P? (See FIGURE #19 below.) Have your class read this entire page. Page 50 FAY / FINAL FAY The new letter on this page has the F sound as in the word FACE. It looks identical to the Pay just learned on page 49. However, there is NO dot in the center. Tell your class this PRO- FILE is now missing the dot and has turned into a FEATURELESS FACE. There is no eye (dot) or any other FEATURE within it. The Final Fay looks similar to the regular Fay, but is used only at the end of a word (See FIGURE #20 below). Remind your class to, once again, focus on the differences between the three letters just learned. Practice reading all the lines on page 50. Pea in the Pod FIGURE #20 ; p p Final Fay Fay Pay Featureless Face Profile 17

25 Page 51 LECHA DODI Introduce this prayer and briefly explain when it is recited and what it means. If at all possible, after you have read it together, try to have your class sing it along with you. This is where it REALLY gets exciting! Page 52 BOKER BA and MODEH ANI Once again, have your class read this page. Briefly explain the purpose of this prayer and when it is recited. Most of the words on the page are easy to read and understand. If possible, sing the Modeh Ani with your class. Page 53 TSADEE / FINAL TSADEE These are the last letters that you will have to teach your class. Tell your students to carefully look at this letter and notice that IT S twisted like a PreTZel. The Final Tsadee comes only at the end of a word (See FIGURE #21 below). Now that IT S all over - hopefully your class will agree that IT S easy to learn how to read Hebrew. Pages BIRKAT HAMAZON Briefly explain when and why we recite this blessing. If time permits, teach the class the traditional chanting of the first paragraph of the Birkat Hamazon. Since it may not be possible to finish all the readings in this last session, you may decide to schedule an additional session. If that is not possible, then choose those prayers that you feel will be most meaningful. Ask your students to be certain to read at home whatever is not covered in class. Should they have any questions, let them know they can always call you, or feel free to call HEBREW and ask for Florence Wiener. FIGURE #21. m Final Tsadee Tsadee IT S twisted like a pretzel 18

26 Pages SHEMA The gna is a difficult Tefilah for a beginner to read, so try not to omit this prayer. It is an exciting Tefilah to learn because of its richness in meaning. An entire session could be spent on just this prayer alone! Page 59 CHET The combination of the letter chet with a a stick vowel underneath it j _, is an exception to the rule. Ordinarily, the letter sound comes first and then the vowel sound follows. However, here the vowel sound precedes the letter. The sound is therefore ACH as in NOACH (See FIGURE #22 below.) At this point, choose selected readings from page 59 and 60. Page 61 BIRCHOT HANEHENIN Briefly explain the concept of making,ufrc before eating foods, and read selected blessings on page 61. Perhaps you might even bring in some food items to hand out to your class and make the blessings together, e.g. cookies, grapes etc. Page If you find you do not have the time to cover these pages in class, the exercises in similar letters can be done at home by students. However, you should conclude your last session with the reading and/or singing of Hatikva on page 66. FIGURE #22 j ACH as in NOACH CHET Congratulations! You have completed teaching the National Jewish Outreach Program's Hebrew Reading Crash Course! We hope that you have enjoyed this experience and that you plan to continue inspiring Jewish adults in your community to increase their level of Jewish literacy and identity. We also hope that you will take this opportunity to offer a Level ll Hebrew Reading Crash Course to your students, and other novice Hebrew readers. NJOP offers all the materials you need to get your students reading Shabbat, High Holiday and weekday prayers, as well as the Passover Haggadah! Thank you again for helping the National Jewish Outreach Program reach hundreds of thousands of North American Jews and engage them in Jewish life. 19

27 NATIONAL JEWISH OUTREACH PROGRAM Aleph-Bet Chart HEBRE(W) ynccgt Tear on Top Mound or Mountain Void or Vacuum Open Box Looks like y Looks like X Ball inside Sounds like T Sounds like M Sounds like V Sounds like B Silent letters b d j v r s Nice N Neat Gap CHupah Half a line or Hole Rounded Dents in.1.2 Dedicated in loving memory of Isak Bauman, Yitzchak ben Yaakov Simcha k z Sounds like N Sounds like G Sounds like CH Sounds like H Sounds like R Sounds like D Longest Letter i aa,,k Final letter It s no SIN to be a lefty SHe s always right Look like big Toes Looks like L Sounds like S Sounds like SH Sounds like T Sounds like T Sounds like L Ashkenazi - sounds like S Spot has Slipped away u h z u o x More Circle Square Sounds like N Serve as both letters and vowel helpers Zig Zag Very straight Final letter Slice on Side e l l cff Sounds like B Sounds like CH Sounds like K Sounds like V Sounds like Y Sounds like Z Sounds like V Sounds like M Sounds like S Looks like K Final letter Final letter Base extended UCH!!! Dropped it! Catch the ball Sounds like K Sounds like K Sounds like CH. mg; pp Final letter It s twisted like a pretzel Looks like the letter y Final letter Featureless Face Profile Sounds like TZ Silent Sounds like F Sounds like P x x ux x Ix x x x x x Sounds like TZ Sounds like F.6.7 A as in snake OO as in spoon O as in over E as in tell E as in pea Silent O as in hot O as in hot Ashkenazi - A as in saw This chart may not be reproduced without the express permission of NJOP.

28 The National Jewish Outreach Program Presents Innovative National Programs Designed to Make Judaism Come Alive for Every Jew: READ HEBREW AMERICA/CANADA--Hebrew Reading Crash Course Designed for Jews with little or no background in Hebrew, the free Hebrew Reading Crash Course concentrates on teaching the Hebrew alphabet and reading skills. In only five 1-1/2 hour weekly sessions, participants learn to read Hebrew, and receive a free copy of NJOP s Reishith Binah Hebrew primer. (Special Russian, Hungarian and Spanish editions of the Reishith Binah primer have also been published.) Level II Hebrew/One Day Review/Hebrew Writing Crash Course A follow-up course to the Hebrew Reading Crash Course, the Level II Crash Course is offered to HRCC participants who wish to advance their Hebrew reading and comprehension skills. The four modules include: Machzor, Hagaddah, Daily Prayers and Shabbat Prayers. The One Day Review is designed to help HRCC grads brush up on their skills before the holidays, or before going on to Level II. The Hebrew Writing Crash Course reviews the lessons learned in HRCC by teaching students how to form the traditional block Hebrew letters. The Crash Course in Basic Judaism This free, high-energy, five week lecture series provides a basic introduction to Jewish philosophy and observance. The following topics are covered: Belief in God, Prayer, The Sabbath, Jewish Observance and Sexuality. The course accents the upbeat and positive aspects of Jewish life, and encourages participants to seek further Jewish education. DAYS OF AWE YOURS It s Brief. It s Dynamic. It s a High Holiday Service that will enable you to appreciate all the majesty and benefits of THE DAYS OF AWE. P A T Parents Are Teachers SHABBAT ACROSS AMERICA/CANADA--Turn Friday Night Into Shabbat These semi-annual nationwide Shabbat celebrations have been adopted by hundreds of synagogues throughout North America and overseas. The program consists of a brief Friday evening explanatory service, followed by a traditional Shabbat meal, complete with singing, dancing and explanations. Those who are unfamiliar with the structure of the Friday night Shabbat ritual find SAA/C and TFNIS both informative and enjoyable. Hundreds of thousands of people have celebrated the Shabbat through SAA/C and TFNIS, many for the first time. The Beginners Service High Holiday Beginners Service--Days of Awe Designed specifically for the novice worshipper, these explanatory prayer services are conducted in both Hebrew and English, and provide a comfortable, non-judgmental opportunity for those with little synagogue experience to participate in traditional synagogue Shabbat and High Holy Day services. Discussions and questions are encouraged in this unorthodox, traditional service. NJOP s Days of Awe program offers abridged services with an in-depth look at a selection of the High Holiday prayers, including the sounding of the shofar. The Crash Course in Jewish History Climb aboard for an exciting journey through 4,000 years of Jewish History. Discover the great ideas and events that shaped the Jewish nation. Each week a different period of Jewish History is explored. Topics include: 1) Biblical Times, 2) From a United Kingdom to Exile, 3) The Jewish Experience Moves West, 4) Jews Enter and React to the Modern Era: From Enlightenment to World War I and 5) The Holocaust and Renewal: 1933 to the Present. PASSOVER ACROSS AMERICA--SUKKOT ACROSS AMERICA PASSOVER ACROSS AMERICA offers participating locations a choice of programs: a Passover Workshop, a Model Seder for adults and a communal Passover seder program. Additionally, all PAA seder participants are given a gift of the NJOP Beginners Passover Haggadah, which offers translation, transliteration, explanations and provocative points to ponder. SUKKOT ACROSS AMERICA offers participating locations a professionally designed advertising campaign and an interactive Sukkot Workshop Program designed to enlighten participants to the reasons behind, and the significance of, the Sukkah, as well as the Lulav and Etrog. Holiday Workshops Designed to help synagogues provide exciting and inspiring programming year round, NJOP s Holiday Workshops offer innovative ways for participants to gain new insights into the Jewish holidays. With new workshops constantly being created, NJOP already offers a complete guide to creating a Model Seder, a separate Passover Workshop, a Sukkot Workshop, a Chanukah Workshop specially designed for parents with children in Hebrew School and a manual for leading a Tu B shevat Seder. Parents Are Teachers The Parents Are Teachers (P.A.T.) initiative enables principals and rabbis at Hebrew and religious schools and community day schools to offer NJOP's programs to the parents of students in their schools and is designed to provide parents with the skills necessary to truly become their children's teachers. Together with the Crash Courses in Hebrew Reading, Jewish History and Basic Judaism, special pre-holiday programs will engage parents and children in parent/child bonding experiences designed to strengthen their Jewish commitment. For more information about any of these programs, call HEBRE(W), or us at: info@njop.org. Don t forget to visit our website: Sixth Avenue, 10th Floor, New York, NY 10018