One of the best ways to familiarize yourself with a culture is to learn its national anthem. In Israel’s case, the anthem is called התקווה (Ha-Tikvah), which means “The Hope.” Not only will this earn you some street cred next time you’re at a sporting event in Tel Aviv or celebrating יום העצמאות (Yom ha-’Atzma’ut) in Jerusalem, it is a wonderful lens through which to examine modern Israel’s history and dig deep into issues of identity, politics, and ethnolinguistics.In today’s fascinating lesson, we’re going to take you on a journey through the rise and development of Zionism as a movement, the adoption of Ha-Tikvah as the unofficial hymn of the nascent nation project that was eventually to become the State of Israel, and much more along... Show more

Many people find themselves in Israel for educational reasons, whether it is to learn Hebrew or anything else. Beyond the fact that it’s home to a number of top-ranking universities on a global scale, Israel is a true melting pot of cultures, drawing visitors, including students, from the four corners of the Earth. Not only does Israel boast a robust choice of study abroad programs, many foreigners studying, working, or living in Israel find that teaching their own native language or some other skill they may know is a great way to make a little spending money. Whatever the case is as far as you’re concerned, you’re likely here because you expect to find yourself in some sort of classroom setting while in Israel. If that’s true, you’re... Show more

If you’ve ever been to a typical Israeli restaurant (i.e., not one run by Yotam Ottolenghi), you likely already know that the service is liable to be slow, the waiters brusque, and the ambiance bare bones. However, with the symphony of exotic and seemingly eclectic flavors, you’ll also have learned they more than make up for the wait or your server’s attitude. And, of course, it doesn’t get any more authentic than an Israeli restaurant in Israel! After all, that is where the inspiration for what we now call Israeli cuisine was born. Mix a magical meld of culinary styles brought into the country by so many different immigration waves along with the exquisite, vibrantly colored, incredibly fresh produce, and you’ve got a recipe for something... Show more

If there’s one thing Israelis like to do, it’s talk! We’re called the People of the Book, but it would be just as legitimate to call us the People of the Word, as Jews like language any way we can get it, whether written, spoken, or even sung. Of course, regardless of the culture in question, mastering the art of conversation is a key part of acquiring a new language. But how can one actually go about improving one’s Hebrew conversation skills? And what are the relevant skills that make for good conversation in the first place? Well, these questions are just what today’s lesson is going to address. Together, we’ll look at both general ways to improve your ability to converse in Hebrew and specific language to focus on for your own... Show more

Newton’s First Law of Motion states that a body at rest will remain at rest unless acted upon by another force. This would seem to apply to conversations, especially with strangers or new acquaintances, and particularly when you are trying to strike up a conversation in a language other than your mother tongue. But fear not! We here at HebrewPod101 have curated the top 35 conversation starters in Hebrew to help you get things rolling. Table of Contents First Impressions Count - So Make Your Conversation Count! Conversation Starters for Mingling and Socializing Conversation Starters for Your First Day at School or Work Conversation Starters for a First Date Bonus: Helpful Language for Starting Up a Text or Email Conversation ... Show more

As you progress from a beginner to an intermediate level of Hebrew, you’ll no doubt want to expand your vocabulary so you can both understand and express more language. While anything that adds words to your repertoire is welcome, studying contextualized language based on its function or the circumstances in which it’s generally used can be greatly helpful to language students. Rather than randomly choosing words out of the dictionary or from the pages of a newspaper or book, we here at HebrewPod101.com have put together a handy list of the top forty intermediate Hebrew phrases, grouped together by category: phrases for speaking about the past, phrases for making recommendations and complaints, phrases for reacting during a... Show more

Most people know that the best recipe for mastering a foreign language is immersion. This means exposing yourself to the language as much as possible, and it’s typically associated with living in a country where that language is spoken so you can really live it: listening to it on the radio, reading it in the news, speaking and hearing it in cafés, etc. But even if you don’t have the resources to move abroad, Hebrew podcasts can be particularly helpful for you. Israel is the only country where Hebrew is an official language, even though you can find Hebrew-speaking Israelis all over the world. The reality is that it’s not always feasible for Hebrew learners to travel to Israel due to its geographic distance and/or travel costs. But... Show more

Learning a new language is no small task. Between grammar, vocabulary, pronunciation, and even different social norms and body language, it’s easy to feel at a loss as to where to start. Today, we’ll arm you with the top 40 Hebrew phrases for beginners—simple but highly practical expressions and structures for a variety of situations. We’ll be covering:  Basic greetings and salutationsCourtesy phrases for making polite conversationLanguage to use when shopping or dining outSome phrases you can use to ask for help when you really need it If you’re entirely new to Hebrew, it’s worth noting a few key features of the language that will help you along as you study the phrases below. First off, Hebrew is an abjad, meaning that, like... Show more

American writer and lexicographer Wilfred Funk, of the publishing house Funk & Wagnalls, once said: “The more words you know, the more clearly and powerfully you will think…and the more ideas you will invite into your mind.” This is just as true when acquiring a second (or third or fourth) language as it is in your mother tongue. As you progress in your language studies, learning more advanced Hebrew words is a logical—albeit unavoidable—next step. The more words you can acquire and use in Hebrew, the better you will be able to express yourself with precision and eloquence. A wider vocabulary will also allow you to understand written and spoken language with greater ease.  Of course, advanced words are not the most monosyllabic in... Show more

Does a whole lesson on animals in Hebrew seem like a bunch of monkey business to you? Well, we're not horsing around today! As any schoolchild knows, animal names are a basic component of any language. And in Hebrew, there are some particular reasons this is true. First, as a country that engages heavily in agriculture, Israel is full of domesticated animals (particularly in the country, as well as in kibbutzim and moshavim). Secondly, Israel's natural fauna abounds, including some animals that are indigenous to Israel. And finally, the Bible itself mentions over 120 species of animals, so many of the Hebrew animal names go back thousands of years. An additional reason to learn Hebrew words for animals is that Israelis are big pet... Show more