Hebrew: A Language Course: Level 1 Shlav Aleph

This book has been very helpful. My Hebrew teacher also liked it and told me it would be a great book for me to study parallel to the material she adopted. However, you must buy and learn everything that is in the primer of this same series before starting to use the level one.

This book rates a 5 not because it is perfect (more on that in a moment) but because its strengths so greatly outweigh its weaknesses. I am a non-Jewish adult self-studying to read the Hebrew scriptures. I tried "Basics of Biblical Hebrew" with its workbook and found it sorely lacking - so much so that I almost gave up on learning Hebrew. Then I found this book and I'm back on track and loving every minute. Who should use it:* Beginning students (classroom or self-study) who either already have learned the alef-beth or have a teacher to help them get started. There is a primer by the same authors, but I didn't buy it because I've learned the basics while trying to work through BBH.What's good:* Gets you reading full sentences and paragraphs from page 1 - that's the best way to learn a language. I know this as one who has self-learned German, Latin, and Chinese plus taught English as a second language. The book mentioned above (BBH) teaches grammatical rules and vocabulary lists for chapter after chapter before presenting any natural reading.* While not purely focused on "Biblical" Hebrew, it teaches you what you need to know to start reading real Hebrew, which applies to both Biblical and Modern Hebrew. * The glossary system (1 for prerequisite words, 1 for chapter vocabulary, and 1 for Jewish cultural words and phrases) is terrific once I figured out how to use it.* Value: 1 low price for combined workbook and textbook* It's fun and interestingWhat could be better:* Poor introduction - mostly spent praising the book. It would be much better to explain how to use the book. For example, I like the glossary system as mentioned above, but it took me quite a while to discover it on my own.* The book is published in the USA and claims to be directed at an American audience, but it is a non-standard size for US books. This matters because I don't want to write in the book, so I make copies for my own use. A combination workbook/textbook like this should be either bigger (so 1 page fits 8 1/2 x 11) or smaller so that 2 facing pages fit.* The first page of the first lesson begins with several words that are not in the glossaries - proper nouns, etc. Help a beginner out a little, especially since the glossaries are not explained well.That's my experience - overall extremely satisfied.

Of course I'd prefer to have my yeshiva students study Hebrew language 4 hours a day--but in the real world in the USA, in most of the right of center yeshivot you're lucky if they learn Heberw at all. I have 3 hours a week with my students, and their limudei kodesh classes are not "ivrit be-ivrit."Ora Band's book is perfect for such students: It is systematic; it explains grammar concepts in English; it is 100% appropriate --no bikini clad babes (a la Hebrew from Scratch) --although I must say that my boys got a naughty chuckle out of the drawing on page 30)--and one book leads into another.I have found it useful to test the boys using the GWU Hebrew placement test(downloadable). if they score more than 40 out of 88 on that test, I give them the "final Exam" available in Ora Band's Teacher's Edition. Based on that final, I can pinpont at what stage they need to start in her book. The lowest scoring students start at ch. 1 and the other students get supplementary work until the rest of the class catches up with them.Band's book gives useful vocabulary, and it doesn't make the error of giving too much information too soon.Suggestions: a cassette tape of audio cd would be a nice compliment to this series, as well as teacher's editions for the 2nd and 3rd volumes.

I used this book when I was a kid and thought that it was the best Hebrew book that I had. I am now using it to teach my own students. It is a very great book because it does not assume that you have outside knowledge. The texts build on each other like you would hope that a language text would. The series is aimed at adults however I would recommend it for any age group.

I was Bar Mitzvah 37 years ago and had not studied since then. I wanted to be able to speak Hebrew, and to understand the Siddur. Studying with a tutor and using this book was a terrific start. It is entertaining and warm. While you learn, the stories in each unit will heighten your mood. Then you can go ahead to Level 2, and it get's better. I doubt that there is any better way to learn Hebrew for one who vaguely remembered the aleph-bet.