How to Learn Arabic in Jerusalem

Twenty percent of the population of Israel speaks Arabic (study from Bar Ilan University). Most Arab areas, places of work and institutions print and use Arabic. Israel government institutions publish in the national language, Hebrew, but will generally provide translations and interpreters of Arabic. Most public schools in Jerusalem, and Israel as a whole, teach Arabic as a required subject from seventh to tenth grade and optionally in fifth, sixth, eleventh and twelfth grades. A person may learn Arabic on his own by self-study and cultural immersion or attend official courses.

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Instructions

Courses From Elementary to Adult

1. Decide if you will study on your own via multimedia tools, self-teaching or a public/private school, technical college or university with an Arabic program. If a child is in need of learning Arabic, it is best to register her at a public school that teaches it. Some schools elect to teach French, rather than Arabic, so be sure to check the curriculum.

2. Consider the Max Rayne Hand in Hand Jerusalem School for a child. The school has over 450 students from kindergarten to tenth grade. Students are from Jewish and Arabic backgrounds and learn equally about each other's culture. The school moved to an upgraded campus in the beginning of 2008 thanks to European donors contributing $11M to fund this unique project.

3. Research teachers colleges if you are learning Arabic to eventually work in education. The army has collaborated in creating Arabic language programs for elementary to high school teachers at teachers colleges such as The David Yellin Teachers College, Efrata Teachers College and Michlala, Jerusalem College Phone and address information can be found at www.israelemb.org.

4. Consult with your university counselor if you are seeking school credits. Applying to a university or college program will require the proper forms, fees and general recommendations from academic or business sources. There are university programs such as The Centre for Jerusalem Studies of Al Quds University, which offers classes in Spoken Arabic and Modern Standard (fussha) from the beginning to advanced level. The Centre has small groups in the mornings and evenings twice a week for those who previously learned Arabic and need to practice. For phone, address and further information, please visit www.jerusalem-studies.alquds.edu.

5. Visit overseas.huji.ac.il, the site for the Rothberg International School at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem. Options include short summer school classes as well as traditional year and semester programs in Arabic. Classes are taught either in Hebrew or English. The Hebrew University is Israel's first university and was founded by legendary academics including Albert Einstein, Sigmund Freud and Martin Buber. Israel's Council for Higher Education in 2005 ranked the Hebrew University as the nation's top university. Elementary to advanced Modern Standard Arabic are taught.

Tips & Warnings

• Research several programs or options before making a final decision. For adults, informal classes may be more effective than university settings. Children will benefit not only from school classes but reinforcement at home through games and multimedia learning.

References

• Profiles of languages in Israel from Bar Ilan University
• The Centre for Jerusalem Studies
• The Max Rayne Hand in Hand Jerusalem School

Resources

• Study programs in Jerusalem

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