My Hebrew teacher, Tamar Kfir, who lives in the German Colony in Jerusalem, has just published a wonderful user-friendly Hebrew language book she calls The Handy Book of Hebrew Verbs.
[A disclaimer – I was one of the book’s editors and do not profit from the sale of the book.]
This book is not just another Hebrew language book. It focuses on 97 of the most commonly used verbs, their infinitives, the preposition that follows each verb, the verb’s gender forms and tenses, and 5 sample Hebrew sentences (transliterated and translated) that show how the verb is used in every-day Israeli speech. Tamar includes also a list of many commonly used Israeli slang expressions and their meaning.
Each verb has a dedicated page, its 3-letter root set inside a circle, and other words based on that root spraying out like the spokes of a bicycle wheel.
Tamar’s website (www.HebrewWithTamar.com) offers an opportunity to see sample pages and other offerings, how to order a copy or multiple copies, and her direct contact information. The book is available on Amazon.
This book ought to be on the bookshelf of anyone who loves the Hebrew language and aspires to become a proficient Hebrew reader, writer and speaker.
John L. Rosove is Senior Rabbi Emeritus of Temple Israel of Hollywood in Los Angeles. He is a former national co-Chair of the Rabbinic and Cantorial Cabinet of J Street and a former National Chairman of the Association of Reform Zionists of America (ARZA). He serves as a member of the Advisory Council of the Israel Movement for Reform and Progressive Judaism.
John was the 2002 Recipient of the World Union for Progressive Judaism International Humanitarian Award and has received special commendation from the State of Israel Bonds. In 2013 he was honored by J Street at its Fifth Anniversary Celebration in Los Angeles.
John is the author of 3 books - "From the West to the East - A Memoir of a Liberal American Rabbi" (2024), "Why Israel Matters - Letters of a Liberal Rabbi to the Next Generation with an Afterword by Daniel and David Rosove" (Revised edition 2023), and “Why Judaism Matters – Letters of a Liberal Rabbi to his Children and the Millennial Generation with an Afterword by Daniel and David Rosove” (2017). All are available at Amazon.com.
John is a co-editor of "Deepening the Dialogue - Jewish-Americans and Israelis Envisioning the Jewish-Democratic State" (Hebrew & English, publ. 2020).
John translated and edited the Hebrew biography of his Great Granduncle – "Avraham Shapira – Veteran of the Haganah and Hebrew Guard" by Getzel Kressel (publ. by the Municipality of Petach Tikvah, 1955). The translation was privately published (2021).
John is married to Barbara. They are the parents of two sons - Daniel (married to Marina) and David. He has two grandchildren and he lives in Los Angeles.
