Nefesh BNefesh

The Hebrew language - mastering it can be an Oleh's greatest accomplishment or his/her constant challenge. As the tide of Olim grows larger and stronger, Israel has seen an increase in programs that aid immigrant children in acquiring the requisite Hebrew skills they will need to succeed fully in their lives here. In addition to the ever-improving programs offered by the government, private enterprises have opened to assist children and teenagers in reaching their goal of Hebrew fluency.

One of the keys to a child's academic and social success once they are in Israel, is his or her ability to function in the classroom and on the playground in the national language. While your children may have some background in Hebrew, it may not be sufficient for their day to day life here. To address this need, English speaking educational programs and schools have begun to become part of the learning scene. How do we, as parents decide whether sending our kids to one of these programs is a positive aid, or a debilitating crutch? Though an English intensive program offers a variety of advantages, it behooves us as parents to consider the issues that are involved with sending our children to non-traditional programs.

Advantages of Studying in English

The pro side of enrolling a child in an English speaking program is clear: you alleviate the child's frustration of sitting in a classroom and not understanding the material, or their having to miss class instruction in order to attend an ulpan course. Your star, who was an honors student in the Old Country, can still be, even though they have migrated half way across the world. One of the most beneficial outcomes of an English based educational curriculum for Olim could be its ability to help students avoid feeling unaccomplished, lacking, or plain stupid.

Several English language high schools are available in Israel for Olim who prefer to study in this kind of environment: GMAX, GED+, YTA for Boys, YTA for Girls, Boys Town and Kfar Yarok. Details of each of these schools is available on our Alternative Schools Database.  

Advantages of Studying in Hebrew

At the same time parents need to consider what it is that makes attending an Israeli school so beneficial, from both an educational and social perspective.

An immigrant's successful integration into his or her new country is very much tied up with his ability to work within the cultural norms. These include the spheres of language, recreation and education. In order for our children to become active participants in the country they need to learn how to communicate with their peers in the classroom, to read newspaper and magazine articles, to embrace Israeli music, to understand the social norms of the playground and Matnas (JCC) after school activities, to form opinions on national current events, and to feel confident traveling independently. Parents who are considering sending their children to one of the available English speaking programs must ask the administration how they plan to accomplish this.

A rite of passage for the majority of high school student in Israel is taking the bagrut/bagruyot (matriculation exams) during 10^th-12^th grades. Misrad Hachinuch (Ministry of Education) offers Olim special accommodations for these exams, and there are certain test books that are available in English, and some exams that can be answered in English. It is imperative that parents understand that the Bagrut is more than a standardized test - it is a national equalizer and peer adhesive within the school culture. Parents who are considering sending their child to a school that does not offer Bagriyot, need to consider what the long range ramifications are for this decision.

In addition to the pure academics, parents must reflect on the social outcomes of sending their children to schools where they will socialize in English with other recent immigrants, who are also less attuned to the norms and culture of Israeli society. Parents must ask themselves what they can do in order to have their children begin the integration process into Israeli society so that they are better equipped to function in the country as they set-up their adult lives here. After-school chugim sponsored by community matnasim, Israeli summer camps, attending community celebrations and volunteering in community institutes and projects are some of the ways that children attending all or high ratio Anglo schools can help themselves to find their way in their personal acculturation into the land.

While we may be putting maximum effort into assisting our child towards acquiring Hebrew, it is important to bear in mind that not all children acquire language at the same speed or level. As children acclimate to the country it will be important to monitor their progress in the area of Hebrew language: speaking, reading, writing and comprehension. Monitoring means open, non-judgmental conversations with your children, as well as ongoing, consistent dialogues with your children's michanech/et or other administrative staff in the school. If you feel that your Hebrew is not strong enough to communicate effectively, you might want to avail yourself of a bilingual educational consultant. You can find a listing for several on the NBN Business Directory.

Aliyah requires foresight and fore planning. Hebrew language acquisition is one the major considerations that goes into the pre and post planning stages of Aliyah. As more and more English based educational programs open up throughout the country, it is important to keep an eye on the broader picture regarding the pros and cons of sending children to such a program, and to judge the outcome of such a decision on the children's long term integration into Israeli society.

Please note: For a listing of high schools that offer English-language study, please see the Alternative Schools Database.