What’s Your Favorite Hebrew Word

I proudly wore my favorite Hebrew word (well, phrase) today – הכרת הטוב (Hakarat Hatov). It means “recognizing the good,” and it’s one of our school’s core values. It seems fitting, since our country was shaken to the core this week, to focus our attention on goodness, kindness and best intentions.

But I wasn’t the only one wearing a Hebrew word today. Your children wore their favorite words, too! I just walked into the gym and saw these favorites:

שלום Shalom: Peace

גלידה Glidah: Ice Cream

מלפפון Melafafon: Cucumber

סבבה Sababa: Cool! (slang)

אהבה Ahavah: Love

פלאפל Falafel

בקבוק Bakbuk: Bottle

משמש Mishmish: Apricot

It was part of Hebrew Language Day, a celebration of Eliezer Ben Yehuda’s birthday which we celebrate each year along with children in Israel and around the world.

Mirowitz students have 45 minutes of deep and joyful Hebrew learning every day. They become competent in their ability to read, write, speak and listen in a second language.

The Hebrew they learn connects them to ancient words of Torah, to modern day Israel and to Am Yisrael, Jews around the world.

It helps them understand prayer and gives them the ability to pray with intention. It impacts their cultural competence and their personal Jewish identity. It activates their brain, increases their cognitive abilities and gives them tools to pursue further language learning.

In 5th grade they will go to Machaneh Ivrit, an overnight Hebrew experience where they are challenged to speak only Hebrew for 36 hours and celebrate all they have learned!

So, what’s your favorite Hebrew word? You can find one on Google Translate…or simply ask your children to teach you a word. They know many!

Share it with your children at your Shabbat table tonight, and celebrate with us the gift of Hebrew learning that your children have every day at Mirowitz.

שבת שלום,

Cheryl