Begins Monday, Nov. 3, 7:15 pm, B’nai Israel
Norfolk’s B’nai Israel Congregation is offering a free Hebrew Reading Crash Course to all members of the Tidewater Jewish community. The course is designed to teach those with no basic knowledge of Hebrew how to read the language in five lessons. B’nai Israel is offering the course to inspire unaffiliated Jews to become more involved in Jewish life.
An estimated four million American Jews are not affiliated with any religious denomination or institution. For many such Jews, the inability to read Hebrew and understand the synagogue services is an effective barrier to active participation in Jewish life. By teaching them to read Hebrew and making them feel comfortable in synagogues, NJOP, sponsor of the Hebrew Reading Crash Course, hopes to open the door to Jewish growth and commitment for thousands of previously uninvolved or marginally affiliated Jews.
The five-week Hebrew Reading Crash Course is geared toward “Jewish beginners,” as well as those who feel left out during synagogue services, unable to follow or appreciate the liturgy. The course begins with learning the Hebrew alphabet and covers basic reading skills, preparing the participant for the experience of reading and understanding the prayer book and other Jewish texts. Those who complete the course will be able to read Hebrew and gain a rudimentary understanding of the prayers in their original language.
For more information, call B’nai Israel at 757-627-7358 or NJOP at 800-44-HEBRE(W). B’nai Israel is located at 420 Spotswood Avenue in Ghent.