Jill Suzanne Jacobs - Hebrew For Dummies

When you travel to Israel or converse with Israelis about Israeli life, you’ll need a specialized vocabulary. In these chapters, I’ve got you covered. You’ll learn the names of some Israeli cities and towns, Israel’s diverse religious, cultural and ethnic groups, and how to talk about Israel’s history, conflicts and quest for peace. There’s even a bit of Arabic in these chapters, too.

Where would Hebrew be without Judaism? In this part, I present the sacred side of the Hebrew language. I tell you all about blessings, prayers, and Jewish holidays.

What would a For Dummies book be without one of these? I’ll put my top ten lists up against anyone’s. In this section, I give you ten Israeli sayings so you can sound like a real צַבָּר ( tzah -bahr; native Israeli), plus the top-ten Hebrew sayings heard in the Jewish Diaspora (that’s everywhere outside of the Land of Israel). I also give you a list of some great reads about the wonderful, wild, and wacky world of Hebrew. It’s all here.

Here’s all the nuts and bolts. The cogs that make Hebrew run — verb tables and a Hebrew-English/English-Hebrew dictionary. And it doesn’t stop there. I put the answers to the Fun & Games activities (which you find at the end of each chapter) here too. This is the place to go when you want some information, and you want it fast.

Sometimes, I want to point out something that’s especially important or interesting: a grammatical concept, something to remember, a tip to help you with your Hebrew skills, or a bit of insider insight into the wonderful world of Jewish culture. In these cases, I use the following icons, which you can find in the margins.

This icon accompanies helpful tips for picking up the Hebrew language.

Think of this icon as that string around your finger that reminds you of all the little things you’ve gotta do but tend to forget. This icon flags important concepts that you have to keep in mind while you study Hebrew. You know what they say: God is in the details.

This little guy is by far my favorite icon. When you see this icon, you know that I’ve taken the opportunity to cram in all sorts of interesting information about the Jewish world — religious and secular — in Israel and the Jewish Diaspora (lands outside Israel).

Ah, grammar. Can’t live with it; can’t live without it. This icon alerts you to instances where I point out the quirks of the Hebrew language and all those grammar rules that underlie the language’s structure.

The website associated with this book gives you the opportunity to hear Hebrew in action. The site features audio files of native Hebrew speakers bringing to life some of the dialogues from the pages of this book. I bet you’ll be amazed by how beautiful Hebrew can sound. Check it out at: www.dummies.com/go/hebrewfd2e .

I really tried to make this foray into Hebrew as painless as possible for you, but every now and then, I felt the need to explain things in technical terms. Don’t worry — you can skip the paragraphs marked with this icon and still get all the Hebrew you need for basic conversation.

In addition to what you’re reading right now, this book comes with a free, access-anywhere Cheat Sheet containing tips and techniques for learning Hebrew faster. To get this Cheat Sheet, simply go to https://www.dummies.com and type Hebrew For Dummies Cheat Sheetin the search box.

First, the good news: You don’t have to read this entire book. In fact, you don’t have to read any of it. (But if that’s the case, you probably wouldn’t have bought it.) Anyway, here’s my point: This book is organized so that you can read only the chapters that interest you and skip the rest. At no point in the text do I assume that you’ve read any of my scintillating writing in other chapters or sections, and I won’t get insulted if you want to read only certain chapters.

If you’re interested in the religious stuff, by all means, go straight to chapters 17, 18, and 19. But if you’re interested in the day-to-day stuff, or if you just want to know how to ask that cute Israeli out on a date, Chapter 3may be your cup of tea. Take a look at the table of contents and turn to the chapter that most interests you. Go ahead and do it! Read this book out of order. Skip chapters. I won’t tell anyone. In fact, I’ll never know.

All right, all right, I do have to add a few exceptions to the read-anything-you-want rule. You’ll probably want to read Chapter 1, which gives you an overview of the book. And if you’re a grammar geek, you’ll looooove Chapter 2. If you aren’t a grammar geek (most people despise the stuff, and I can’t say that I blame them), you may want to look at Chapter 2anyway. Here’s a tip from someone who knows: After you understand the basics of Hebrew grammar, picking up the rest of the language is a cakewalk. So, consider checking out Chapter 2.

Part 1

IN THIS PART …

See the links between Hebrew and English.

Master the basics of Hebrew grammar.

Say “Hello” — and “Goodbye”.

Chapter 1

IN THIS CHAPTER

Identifying English-sounding words in Hebrew

Recalling Hebrew sayings and words

Figuring out English words that come from Hebrew

Counting in Hebrew

Eyeing the Hebrew alphabet

! בָּרוּךְ הַבָּא(Bah- rooh Hah -Bah!; Welcome to Hebrew! ) In studying Hebrew, you’re joining millions of other Hebrew speakers around the world. Its two centers are Israel (of course) and North America, which is home to many Hebrew newspapers, Hebrew-speaking camps and schools, and institutions. You’re also speaking the Bible’s original language and one of the most ancient languages still spoken today. Furthermore, you’re speaking the only language in the history of the world known to have undergone a revival, returning fully to being a spoken language after hundreds — perhaps even 2,000 — years of being relegated to correspondence, literature, and the sacred world of prayer and the Bible.