Ulpan (Hebrew classes) in the USA

Ulpan is the term used to describe a place (but not only a place, it also refers to online courses) where you can learn Hebrew. They’re ideal for repatriates who have recently returned to their ancestral homeland and are just beginning to explore their Jewish roots.

Students learning Hebrew

But Ulpans aren’t exclusive to Israel. You’ll also find them in the US, for example. Generally speaking, Ulpans offer a structured program to help you master the language. Most of them last about six months, but this really varies depending on the specific of this or that program. Probably the most straightforward way to categorize Ulpan is by difficulty level. There are four different levels, which correspond to the first letters of the alphabet:

1. Aleph (A1) is the first level for beginners.
2. Bet (A2) is the second level – for those who’ve already nailed the previous level (or just studied Hebrew once).
3. Gimel (B1) is the third, more challenging level. B1 means you can hold a conversation in Hebrew. You need to be able to talk about everyday things.
4. Dalet (B2) is the the fourth level. You’ll need to be able to chat fluently and spontaneously with native speakers about all kinds of topics.

Anyways, today we’re going to talk about where to learn Hebrew in general. And to be even more precise, we’ll look at where to do it in the USA. Read on for all the details.

Benefits of learning Hebrew in the USA

The number of Jews in America is estimated at 5.5-8.0 million, which is 1.7%-2.6% of the total population of the country, and which is generally comparable to the population of Israel.

You’ll find its bearers in both isolated units and in full-fledged, crowded communities. There are lots of programs here that can help you learn Hebrew (at least at a basic level). The process will be pretty similar to what you’d experience in Israel. So if you haven’t repatriated yet or don’t have Israeli citizenship, but plan to get it in the future, you can start preparing for your relocation right here – in the U.S, that is.

Best ways to learn Hebrew in the USA

The best way to do this is by taking some specialized courses.

As a rule, courses like that all equally well-suited for children of all ages, teenagers, and even adults. They usually come in the form of full and concise audio lessons, with an overall focus on multimedia content. There are also apps you can download, like Write it! Learn Hebrew. From a technical standpoint, this isn’t US-based learning since you can use it from almost anywhere in the world. We think it’s worth mentioning this option, though.

Where to find Hebrew classes near me

You can find local courses by contacting UJA or JCC representatives. You can contact the former here and the latter here. Also, look at colleges near you. Chances are good that even if they are not affiliated with Jewish culture, they may still offer opportunities to learn Hebrew, either in a classroom or on an individual basis.

Hebrew classes in NYC

New York City is home to more than 1.7 million Jews, making it the largest Jewish community in the United States overall (and the largest in the entire world, short of Israel, sure thing). It’s no surprise, then, that there are a great deal of places to learn Hebrew here, too. The good news is that many of these Jewish communities will be happy to help you with it. To be fair, you may have to negotiate a bit before, yet it’s still a viable option. And if you’re looking for a specific course, you can find a list of them, for example, at ha-ulpan.org.

All the programs are included: both easy and intensive options are presented. There are also separate lessons on grammar, modern Hebrew literature, and reading the news (plus learning the proper vocabulary).

Hebrew classes in Los Angeles

Pico Robertson is a fairly dense neighborhood on the west side of Los Angeles. Why are we even started to talk about it? Well, because his neighborhood is home to a big Jewish community with over six large Jewish private schools, over thirty Kosher restaurants, over twenty Synagogues, and five Mikveh. You can also learn Hebrew here. If you’d like more information, just click here or give a call at 310-717-3458. In any case, the local programs are universal. They do offer both solo-study and group classes. All the content is based on the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, so you can be sure it’s up to date.

Hebrew classes in other major cities

Hebrew courses can be found in places other than those listed above. For example, in Baltimore. The Zionist District has a presence there, and they offer classes for anyone interested – twice a week and for six weeks intermittently. You can get more information on their website; by writing to this e-mail address: office@bzdisrael.org; or by calling this number: 410-484-4510.

There is also an option for Newark, New Jersey. The local Jewish Federation offers Ulpans from beginner to advanced levels. Classes are once a week and are an hour and a half long. They last a total of 28 weeks and are followed by a break. For more information, call: 201-820-3908; or e-mail: galeetl@jfnnj.org.

Hebrew classes for adults: tailored programs

You can also consider one-on-one tutoring if you prefer to study this way. It’s not an Ulpan in a traditional way, but for some people this style may be even more suitable. Anyways, here is a link (relevant for New York) to help you find a mentor. There are a lot of options for every one. Every man to his taste, after all. Don’t live in New York? No problem – you still can study remotely. This site specializes just in remote tutoring.

JCC Hebrew classes

JCC (Jewish Community Center) is an organization that provides all kinds of assistance to people realted to the Promised Land in one way or another. This organization, which operates in the United States and also in Canada, Europe, Latin America, and the former Soviet Union, offers a variety of Hebrew lessons – from basic to advanced. You can find out more about the classes on offer here. There are lots of them, and they’re all great: just choose a course based on your language skills and when it suits you.

There’s no one right way to learn Hebrew. Everyone has their own way of doing things, and that’s true. However, Ulpans are a great way to channel students’ energy and help them immerse themselves in a full-fledged Jewish atmosphere. Another great thing about Ulpans is that they’re available all over the world. In this article, we’ve focused on options in the United States, but these can be found on any other continent. Best of luck to you! And don’t forget that even though Hebrew might seem intimidating at first, it’s actually quite simple once you get the hang of it.