Modern Hebrew
Hebrew is a vibrant language spoken in Israel and by Jews around the world. Revived at the end of the nineteenth century, the language has continued to evolve and change quickly since then. As the official language of Israel, Hebrew opens prospects to careers in politics, journalism, Jewish education, Jewish community services, business, technology, international relations, and international law.
Uncertain which level of Hebrew you should take?
Contact Hebrew professor Judith Sone, jsone@wisc.edu
Hear from a current UW-Madison student about their experience learning Hebrew:
Biblical Hebrew
Biblical Hebrew is the language in which most of the Hebrew Bible/Old Testament is written. No longer spoken colloquially, it is related to the other Semitic languages (including Modern Hebrew, Aramaic, Arabic, and the Ethiopic languages). Studying Biblical Hebrew is usually an entry-point into two disciplines: studying the languages and literatures of the ancient Near East and entering various confessional professions (e.g., rabbi, priest, or pastor). Study of Biblical Hebrew opens up the horizon of the ancient world and equips students with the basic tools to learn other Semitic languages, read the Old Testament/Hebrew Bible in its original language, and engage more competently with theological and historical literature.
Uncertain which level of biblical Hebrew you should take?
Contact Professor Jeremy Hutton, jmhutton@wisc.edu.
Yiddish
A century ago, the University of Wisconsin-Madison became the first university in America to offer Yiddish language instruction when Professor Louis Bernard Wolfenson inaugurated Yiddish instruction on campus to seven students. Today, you can find Yiddish students, professors, and members of the campus community who share an interest in Yiddish—a Germanic language that Jews around the world have spoken continuously since the Middle Ages. Yiddish speakers also played a central role in the development of American popular culture, especially music, theater, and film. Today, there are nearly 1,000,000 Yiddish speakers spread out across the globe—from America, to Europe, to the Middle East—a population that is growing exponentially due to the use of Yiddish as the vernacular language of most Hasidic Jews.
Uncertain which level of Yiddish you should take?
Contact Professor Matthew Johnson, mjohnson283@wisc.edu
