Rosen School of Hebrew is dedicated to providing an effective and encouraging learning environment for all ages and levels to learn the Hebrew language and Israeli history and culture. For the past two decades, the school has been making this mission a reality, offering top-quality courses online with exceptionally competent teachers, and making the most of technology to provide multiple avenues of resources for students. They now offer a Hebrew Language Kids course, in which the needs of young learners are prioritized.
Rosen School of Hebrew: Their Story
In operation since 2000 and boasting 50 highly dedicated and qualified instructors, Rosen School of Hebrew currently has 15,000 students and offers 550 classes per year. Courses are taught online, giving students from all over the world the ability to study Hebrew at their own pace.
The school is named after the founder’s grandfather, Aharon Rosen, an early pioneer of Hebrew Teaching. Rosen immigrated to Northern Israel with his family, and there began teaching the Hebrew language to new arrivals on Israel’s shores. He created a multi-stage curriculum and wrote various books on the Hebrew language, and his method is still considered to be a pillar for Hebrew teaching today.
Now, the Rosen school uses Aharon’s teachings coupled with comprehensive, fast acquisition teaching techniques to offer a wholesome and effective approach to learning both the Hebrew language and Israeli history and culture.
Putting modern technology to good use, the school offers three different access points for students to get the most from their course: Live video classroom lessons, chat forums, and a library of academic resources.
Live video classes occur weekly, and students get to connect directly with their teachers and fellow classmates. The professors are top certified Native Israeli Language Instructors and Modern Hebrew experts.
Classrooms are capped at around 6-8 students to ensure a personal experience and enhanced learning. Outside of the weekly live lessons, online chat forums are available and active 24/7 for students to connect and discuss knowledge with peers and teachers. The school’s library of resources is also available and includes audio recordings, videos, and access to language dictionaries.
The Teachers
The Rosen School’s exceptional teachers are all Native Israeli speakers, and certified language Instructors. They are passionate about what they do and about the subject they are dedicated to teaching. Two examples of their faculty include Ouzi Rotem, and Hanna Zamler.
Ouzi Rotem has over 20 years of experience teaching Hebrew all over the world at all different levels. He has taught at the Jewish Agency for Israel, the University of Pennsylvania, Tel Aviv University, the Jewish Community Center in New York, NY, and at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, where he is currently teaching.
Ouzi is a certified Hebrew as a second language teacher and has an M.A. in both Hebrew Language and Chinese studies. He enjoys languages, especially Hebrew, because of its diverse layers and cultural richness. He enjoys learning new languages himself and loves being able to play a part in helping others learn as well.
Hana holds a B.A. in Judaic studies from Cleveland College of Jewish Studies. She also holds an M.A. from Lesley University in Cambridge, as well as a teaching certificate. She majored in special education as a master teacher at Shaanan College in Haifa, Israel.
Hanna has over 30 years of experience teaching Hebrew to all levels and a variety of populations. She has taught at training centers in Israel, South Africa, and throughout the U.S. She is fluent in English and has significant experience teaching the Hebrew language to native English speakers.
For Hana, it is the joy of sharing the beauty of Israel’s culture and bringing people of all walks of life together through language that keeps her inspired to teach. Students of Hana’s are quick to relay how organized and thorough her classes are, calling the course “accommodating” and the material “excellent.”
Ouzi and Hana are only two examples of over 50 equally passionate and qualified instructors whose dedication to sharing their knowledge of the Hebrew language and Israeli culture is unparalleled.
Rosen School’s Hebrew Language Kids Course – At a Glance
In addition to its wide array of courses for adult learners of all levels, Rosen school also offers a program tailored specifically for young learners. Rosen School’s Hebrew Language Kids course makes the modern Hebrew language both fun and accessible for kids.
The course emphasizes basic language skills and incorporates the history and culture of Israel as well. The course starts with the basics, builds a strong foundation, and progresses to both spoken and written Hebrew language skills.
Instructors use memory games, pictures, and cartoon images to introduce the kids to Hebrew in a way that is fun and engaging. Knowledge of written and spoken Hebrew is expanded by reading stories about a group of Israeli kids who discuss their day-to-day lives in a collective journal.
The kids taking the course will be encouraged to practice their skills daily, and to learn about Jewish culture and history by observing Jewish Holidays throughout the year.
Hebrew Language: Kids- About the Syllabus
In the children’s course for Hebrew Language, kids will have 30 different lessons, each focusing on a specific topic. In lesson 1, Kids will learn basic introductions and will be introduced to 3 characters in an ongoing story that will be facilitating the kids learning throughout the course.
Lessons 2 and 3 focus on the questions “who” and “where.” In this way, kids start to build a foundation for forming full sentences.
In lesson 4, kids build upon the previous lessons and learn how to answer the questions of “who is in the…” using basic words related to location and setting. (Ex. “home” or “car”).
Lesson 5 focuses on family and relationships. Lesson 6 addresses the subject of possession. (Learning words like “his” or “mine”). Lesson 7 introduces locations like Israel and Jerusalem, as well as the masculine and feminine forms of words.
Once the basics are covered, students continue to expand their vocabulary with words for everyday use. They will also begin to form sentences with verbs. Other subjects covered include words of evaluation, plural and singular forms of words, basic numbers, telling time, the Hebrew alphabet, and roots of different words.
Towards the end of the course, students will begin to use different types of tenses in sentences. All lessons will be taught with the use of fun games, colorful pictures, grammar tables, and stories, ensuring a fun and lucrative experience for the kids. The Kids course includes much of the same material as an adult course yet uses additional engaging materials and a specifically structured method to learning that makes the course fun for kids.
Hebrew Language Kids’ course is built specifically to suit a child’s needs, utilizing materials and ideas that make it easier for kids to acquire the knowledge that is being conveyed. Hebrew Language Kids is tailored to optimize a child’s learning.
Creators of the Hebrew Language Kids’ Course
Just as with the Rosen school’s courses for adults, the instructors are highly qualified and passionate about imparting knowledge to their students. There are two course developers at the helm of the Hebrew Language Kids’ course, and they are Shira Cohen-Regev, and Orna Zalmanov.
Orna Zalmanov has taught Hebrew in Israeli high schools for 23 years and has over 30 years of experience teaching. She also taught Hebrew and Zionism for 3 years at an American Junior high school in the state of Texas. She has experience teaching all age groups and also teaches privately.
She currently contributes to the content and curriculum that is taught at the Israel Institute of Biblical studies. She has a Bachelor’s degree in Hebrew and Bible studies and a Master’s degree in Bible studies. Orna loves watching her students gain the ability to fully express themselves in another language. Students of Orna describe her as very encouraging, caring, accessible, and able to foster an ideal learning environment.
Shira Cohen-Regev holds a Master of Arts degree in Child Development and Social Work from the University of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. She specializes in education and the development of educational programs.
She teaches students as well as other teachers and has over 20 years of experience. She taught Hebrew as a second language at the University of Pittsburgh and has taught and developed content for Modern Hebrew at the Rosen school. Where she currently trains new teachers.
She loves the challenge of teaching virtually and is a strong believer in online education. She is described by students as “patient, thorough, and engaging”.
Additional Learning Tools
Just as with the adult courses, students (and parents) will have access to various resources outside of their lessons. These include a 24/7 online forum for answering any course-related questions, access to all of the recorded lessons, 24/7 technical support, and extra practice sessions in which students may ask instructors questions or discuss information with peers.
What Students Say
Students of all levels at Rosen Hebrew School often write to express their appreciation for the courses they have taken. Across the board, students note 2 major areas of excellence that made the Rosen School stand out: The care and individual attention they were shown in the course, and the effectiveness of the material and teaching.
Many students consider these teachers to be “outstanding”, “knowledgeable,” “friendly,” “patient,” “competent,” “professional,” and “friendly.” Students often express how much they look forward to their classes due to the personable nature of the course design.
Another student, Bloom Richard, writes about his experience in Hebrew Level 8, highlighting the effectiveness of the course. Other students also mention that the courses are challenging but to a motivational, not discouraging level.
Overall, the response to the Rosen School’s courses has been hugely positive, with many students coming back over and over to take other courses and continue their learning of the Hebrew language, culture, and history.
In a Nutshell
For over two decades now, Rosen Hebrew school has been providing the very best experience for Hebrew language learners of all ages and levels, including their course built specifically for children. Their courses are online, allowing students from all over the world to participate in the school’s exceptional courses and uniquely personal learning experience.
Live-streamed classroom lessons, audio recordings, dictionary access, and 24/7 online help forums for discussion among peers and teachers allow students to get the most they can out of their courses.
The school’s website contains FAQs and information about different courses, as well as an online contact form where those interested can get more information.