Feeling like you’ve lost some momentum in your Hebrew language studies? Or maybe you’re just looking to spice things up a bit? Along with Hebrew movies and TV shows, YouTube channels are one of the best ways to supplement your Hebrew learning while lightening the load on those gray cells. Indeed, watching Hebrew YouTube videos is a great way to expose yourself to authentic Hebrew spoken by native Israelis, while at the same time taking a break from the books.
There’s no doubt that HebrewPod101 is your best bet for a solid Hebrew foundation, offering you a wealth of resources to work on grammar, vocabulary, pronunciation, and idiomatic features of the language, including slang. In fact, all of our lessons are prepared and/or taught by native Hebrew speakers to ensure you get the real deal. We also give you access to a huge library of comprehensive and diverse materials, with both spoken and written lessons. And while one of our main goals is to ensure that your learning experience is fun and stress-free, we know that it’s only natural to want to mix things up now and again.
In this article, we’ll take a look at the top ten Hebrew YouTube channels for supplementing your Hebrew studies. When used in conjunction with HebrewPod101—including our own YouTube channel—this can be a fantastic way to absorb more vocabulary in context, while also exposing yourself to native Israeli culture and even humor. You’ll be amazed at just how much sinks in when you spend a bit of time immersing yourself in some videos in the Hebrew language. Just pick a channel that appeals to you, and try it out for yourself today!
- → Be sure to take a look at our YouTube vocabulary list for some related words you’ll find useful!
Table of Contents
- קומדי בר T.V. Komedi Bar T.V. (“Comedy Bar TV”)
- Sugar Zaza
- The WORD in HEBREW
- כאן חדשות Kan Khadashot (“News Here”)
- היהודים באים Ha-Yehudim Ba’im (“The Jews Are Coming”)
- טופ גיק “Top Geek”
- שרים קריוקי Sharim Kariyoki (“Singing Karaoke”)
- משרד החינוך Misrad ha-Khinukh (“The Ministry of Education”)
- האקדמיה ללשון העברית Ha-Akademiyah la-Lashon ha-Ivrit (“Academy of the Hebrew Language”)
- ערוץ הספורט ‘Arutz ha-Sport (“The Sports Channel”)
- Bonus: Learn Hebrew with HebrewPod101.com
- With HebrewPod101 as Your Foundation, YouTube Can Be a Fun and Useful Supplement
1. קומדי בר T.V.
Komedi Bar T.V. (“Comedy Bar TV”)
Category: Humor
Level: Advanced
Example video
What better way to take a break from serious studies than to enjoy a bit of humor? The American brand of Jewish humor, of course, is world-famous. One need only think of the likes of Woody Allen or Larry David, among a myriad list of others. Israeli comedy is also well worth checking out, though one should be forewarned that it does tend to be a bit more rough around the edges. This is easy to understand, considering the difficult life circumstances facing Israelis day to day. However, it’s surely the ability to laugh at even the darkest aspects of life that lends the Israeli people much of their unique vitality.
The YouTube channel Comedy Bar T.V. is dedicated to showcasing Israeli comedians with a variety of different styles of humor, both in stand-up performances and in sketches. The videos include Hebrew subtitles, so you can catch the often rapid-fire Hebrew they use in their bits. Even though it’s a challenge, as humor is prone to using language in quite complex ways, this channel is a great option if you need to take a break from serious studies while still improving your Hebrew (especially slang).
2. Sugar Zaza
Category: Reading in Hebrew
Level: Intermediate / Advanced
Example video
This is another fun channel full of silly videos of all sorts. Though not exactly comedians, the channel’s hosts, Tom and Or, offer amusing videos on all manner of topics. Of particular interest for Hebrew learners are the videos in which they read books and other texts, sought out specifically for their humor or absurdity. This is a fun way to practice reading along with the text, which is displayed on the bottom of the screen while it’s read.
Another series on this channel that can be useful in building vocabulary and practicing pronunciation consists of videos called משחק הציורים הנוראי (Miskhak ha-Tziyurim ha-Nora’i), or “The Terrible Pictures Game.” This is basically a simplified game of Pictionary. These videos can strengthen your vocabulary for describing visuals, and they’re a lot of fun to watch and play along with!
3. The WORD in HEBREW
Category: Bible / Religion
Level: Beginner
Example video
Would you like to throw in some Biblical Hebrew on top of your Modern Hebrew lessons? YouTube channel The WORD in HEBREW is a great place to do so.
In the spirit of offering a variety of options for enrichment, this channel is for those who have any interest in supplementing their studies in modern Hebrew (what’s spoken in Israel today and the focus of HebrewPod101) with Biblical Hebrew, as well as the Mishnaic, Medieval, and later Hebrew of Rabbinic literature. It should be noted that these are very different languages from modern Hebrew, similar to how the English of Shakespeare’s time differs greatly from what’s spoken on the streets of London, Sydney, or New York today.
Whether you are religious or not, there’s an undeniably rich literature beginning with the Old Testament of the Bible (which is what Jews consider the entire Bible, excluding the New Testament), and progressing through centuries of liturgical writings. For those with curiosity vis-à-vis this literature, the channel’s host, Ayelet, presents Bible passages, prayers, and blessings, helping you pronounce and understand the texts in question in a friendly and patient manner. While not necessarily essential in mastering modern Hebrew, a basic knowledge of Biblical and religious Hebrew can certainly help, as much of this language is still encountered in expressions and phrases used even now.
4. כאן חדשות
Kan Khadashot (“News Here”)
Category: News and current affairs
Level: Intermediate / Advanced
Example video
One of the best ways to learn a foreign language is to use it to access topics that are of interest to you and/or about which you already have “top-down knowledge.” This can truly help to boost your morale, as you’ll be able to pick up more new vocabulary when watching videos on topics you already know something about (or want to know about). If you have any interest in news and current affairs, this Hebrew news YouTube channel may be of interest to you.
כאן חדשות offers a wide range of news-related videos, including numerous programs produced by the Israeli Public Broadcasting Corporation. Here, you can absorb yourself in current affairs, politics, cultural issues, and so on, with the advantage that most of the presenters speak with clear pronunciation and diction to facilitate your understanding.
5. היהודים באים
Ha-Yehudim Ba’im (“The Jews Are Coming”)
Category: Comedy / Satire / History / Culture
Level: Beginner / Intermediate / Advanced
Example video
This is actually a specific program put out by the Israeli Public Broadcasting Corporation mentioned above. The show takes a comedic approach to Israeli and Jewish topics, both historic and current, presenting them in a humorous and often satirical light. The show is something like an Israeli take on Monty Python’s Flying Circus of yesteryear, mixing social and historical commentary with absolute tomfoolery.
For example, the show presents the story of the mass suicide at Masada via a military psychologist interviewing a Jew who does not want to commit suicide, arguing the logic of mass suicide with him in philosophical terms à la Catch 22. Another skit depicts King David, traditionally attributed as the author of Psalms, as a narcissist only interested in composing songs to his own glory.
While this brand of irreverent humor may not be for everyone, and some skits admittedly do push the envelope quite far, this is a fun channel to watch if you’re interested in picking up some Jewish and Israeli history or culture with a fat dose of laughter to go with it. English subtitles are available to help you along the way.
6. טופ גיק
“Top Geek”
Category: Entertainment / Popular and consumer culture
Level: Intermediate / Advanced
Example video
This Hebrew YouTube channel is a hodgepodge of videos on all sorts of topics related to popular/consumer culture and entertainment. To get an idea of the variety it offers, a glimpse at its Videos page will show you videos on must-have Android apps, a discussion on the top movie of the past decade, and a tour of NYC. There’s also a series called דברים שלמדתי היום (Dvarim she-Lamadeti ha-Yom), or “Things I Learned Today,” which covers a fairly random cross-section of curiosities on just about everything.
The channel has reviews for movies, shows, and products, unboxing clips, and basically an endless array of ways to waste your time—if not for the fact that you’ll be learning Hebrew vocabulary and working on your listening comprehension!
7. שרים קריוקי
Sharim Kariyoki (“Singing Karaoke”)
Category: Music/Karaoke
Level: Beginner
Example video
This one is pretty straightforward: a Hebrew-language karaoke channel. Here lies a trove of Hebrew songs on YouTube, prepared for karaoke singing with the Hebrew lyrics on the screen. Music has been proven to aid your memory, so take advantage and sing along with a song or two as you practice your pronunciation. You can even invite a friend to sing along with you and double the fun. It’s obviously best to acquaint yourself with the lyrics before jumping in.
8. משרד החינוך
Misrad ha-Khinukh (“The Ministry of Education”)
Category: Education
Level: Beginner / Intermediate / Advanced
Example video
This is the official channel of Israel’s Ministry of Education, and it contains a wealth of programming pertaining to and promoting education. Some of the material is about education in Israel, while other videos are for students (or made by them). Thus, one can find videos preparing high school students for exams, interviews with educators in different aspects of education in Israel, and student project videos submitted as part of their studies.
The variety offered on this channel, including in terms of student age, can help to facilitate learning based on your level. For instance, if you’re a beginner, you might well find it easy to listen to videos by or about younger students, as their vocabulary is going to be much more limited than, say, a lecture on pedagogical developments (though the latter may be of interest to you if you’re more advanced).
9. האקדמיה ללשון העברית
Ha-Akademiyah la-Lashon ha-Ivrit (“Academy of the Hebrew Language”)
Category: Education / Linguistics
Level: Intermediate / Advanced
Example video
This is the official YouTube channel of the Academy of the Hebrew Language, the formal body responsible for all matters of Hebrew lexicology, grammar, and linguistics in general. This is a bit heavier fare, but if you’re truly interested in finding more complex Hebrew lessons on YouTube, this channel is a wellspring of information. You can delve deeper into grammar or other linguistic issues you may have come across on HebrewPod101, or perhaps discover new themes that we haven’t covered.
For example, you can find videos of expert linguists discussing grammar questions, the differences between Hebrew and Yiddish, the issue of gender in Hebrew, and so on. It’s important to note, however, that the register here is fairly high-brow, and not necessarily representative of “street Hebrew,” just as the Oxford English Dictionary or the Chicago Style Manual may not be the best representatives of how spoken English normally sounds. Nevertheless, it’s important to have rules and order so that language can function and be taught, and that’s precisely what the Academy works toward.
10. ערוץ הספורט
‘Arutz ha-Sport (“The Sports Channel”)
Category: Sports
Level: Intermediate / Advanced
Example video
Last but not least, for all of you sports fans, this YouTube channel covers a range of sports, from soccer to tennis to basketball, among many others. It covers Israeli leagues and events, as well as events and teams from the U.S., Europe, and elsewhere in the world, including full matches and sports commentary shows. You may be surprised to find that the NBA and, to a lesser extent, the NFL, are quite popular in Israel.
As mentioned earlier, a great way to reinforce your Hebrew while simultaneously giving yourself positive encouragement is to access Hebrew language materials that pertain to topics you enjoy and know about. So, if you know a lot about sports or are at all interested in them, watching the sports you like in Hebrew can help you learn new vocabulary specific to sports and improve your level of listening comprehension.
11. Bonus: Learn Hebrew with HebrewPod101.com
Category: Education
Level: Beginner / Intermediate / Advanced
Example video
Let’s not forget the HebrewPod101 YouTube channel. Here you can find a vast array of video resources to support your Hebrew learning endeavors, with both audio and video lessons. Our channel is an exhaustive resource, taking you from your very first words in Hebrew to advanced topics like slang and cultural issues. Our lessons are taught solely by native speakers, and cover all four language skills: speaking, writing, listening, and reading.
Make sure to take advantage of our expert teaching methods and custom designed material to boost your Hebrew language skills in a fun, interesting, and effective way. We’re always adding new videos, so be sure to subscribe to our channel to keep up to date!
12. With HebrewPod101 as Your Foundation, YouTube Can Be a Fun and Useful Supplement
As you can see, there’s no shortage of Hebrew YouTube channels to speak to the interests and needs of all sorts of students. Whether you want to delve deeper into a grammar point covered in a HebrewPod101 lesson, expand your vocabulary in a specific area, or just have some laughs while enjoying Hebrew comedy, YouTube is definitely a great resource to supplement your studies with us.
Which Hebrew YouTube channel interests you the most? Let us know in the comments!
Just remember that it’s important to strike a balance between education and entertainment if you’re serious about learning anything, Hebrew included. While we definitely encourage you to avail yourself of the vast media resources available online in general, and on YouTube in particular, a solid base of well-planned and organized lessons is your best bet for achieving success in your language learning objectives. And that is what we here at HebrewPod101.com are all about!
Shalom!
