Learning Hebrew is an act of decolonization

Irish poet Oscar Wilde said, “Anybody can make history. Only a great man can write it.” What would he say for those that “speak” it? Recently, I was reading about the Spanish conquests of the 15th and 16th centuries, and about their brutal expeditions in search of gold and riches in what is today Latin America. The success of the Spanish in their campaigns to colonize the “New World” and spread Christianity amongst the indigenous populations is evident on the modern map. An entire continent is now part of their colonizer’s history: practicing their religion, adapting their culture, and speaking their language. The “Latin” American generations of today have more in common with their colonizer than the original inhabitants of the land they live in.

Yet, through several millennia of foreign conquests, the modern State of Israel exists in its original land, is inhabited and governed by its indigenous people, and speaks its ancient language. In fact, Israel has revived Hebrew to become the only language in recorded history to be spoken again after once being proclaimed a “dead language”. Just like the Modern Maccabi in each of us, the language was never “dead”, just dormant, waiting patiently for the opportunity to awaken in the contemporary world. And here we are, born into the chapter of the Jewish story that lends us the ability to learn our people’s historical language from native speakers in our native land- it’s not merely luck, and we must capitalize on the moment. 

In the Diaspora, many of us dread having to go to Hebrew school. It takes time away from our friends, and learning Hebrew only seems relevant for your Bar Mitzvah until its use quietly drifts away. We perceive Hebrew as the language that only Israelis speak, since how practical is it really for someone living in Las Vegas or Dallas? While you were able to get by on your Birthright trip with simple words like shalom, todah, and sababa, there is a whole world of culture and connection that is missed by being this one step removed. Haval (bummer). When young Jews begin to understand the brilliance of Hebrew and its roots in our story, we can spark the growth of our 9 million-strong Hebrew speaking community. 

My relationship with Hebrew began similarly to the example presented above. I grew up knowing little more than the Aleph-Bet, and up until my first ulpan (intensive Hebrew course) in college, I was relegated to a very simple grasp of the language. However, once I decided that I would enlist in the IDF, I quickly understood that Hebrew, not necessarily the physical or mental challenges of the army, would be my biggest obstacle. From that point, I devoted a significant amount of time and effort into studying Hebrew, both in formal education settings and on my own time consuming Israeli media – music and movies. It paid off once I drafted, where I scored relatively well (still terrible compared to native speakers) on language tests. All things considered, it still took me many months of being in the army surrounded by Hebrew 24/7 to really feel confident and become anywhere near fluent. Even to this day, after four years in Israel, I still make plenty of mistakes. Becoming a fluent Hebrew speaker has been the strongest factor in completely transforming my perception of Israeli society and my experience within it. It has boosted my confidence, opened up opportunities for me, and has made me feel more connected to Israel.

As we begin the New Year on the Jewish calendar, let us remember that it was Hebrew that bonded the diasporic communities through the centuries. While traditions and customs differed, the language in which they are practiced and observed has stood the tests of time. In a globalized world and an increasingly assimilated society, Jews in the diaspora are facing consequential challenges as it relates to their identities. It is my estimation that one way to begin the process of overcoming such obstacles starts with looking in, and realizing who we are and what we represent as the Jewish people. Hebrew is just one practical example of the incredible resilience of our people- whose existence was threatened only to rise again like a phoenix from the ashes. By incorporating Hebrew into our lives, we are strengthening our lineage, proving our resiliency, and writing our chapter in the Jewish story (hopefully in Hebrew).