Hebrew San Francisco: Ulpan

We welcome anyone interested in the Hebrew language and offer multiple levels of instruction in small class settings. Students of all ages thrive in our supportive, high-energy, learning community while receiving individual attention. Emphasis is placed on conversation, accompanied by reading and writing (the latter includes grammar). The learning experience is enhanced by various teaching aids such as video, film clips, songs, drama, and audio material. Extracurricular activities include guest lecturers, Friday communal lunches, singing, and dancing. All students will receive a digital copy of the book used for instruction. If students want a hard copy of the book, they are responsible for purchasing it themselves.

I was in [Level Two] and absolutely loved the class. Ruti was an exceptional teacher. Truly engaging and knew how to keep us talking in Hebrew for the whole class despite our lack of knowledge. I've never had such a great language teacher, and the Friday get-togethers with the whole group gave it such a nice community feel."

Student, Summer 2016

Schedule

Summer 2024 dates are Monday through Friday, July 8 to July 26 from 2 p.m.–5 p.m. ALL INSTRUCTION WILL TAKE PLACE ONLINE.

Hebrew Instruction Levels

Students are placed in Beginning, Intermediate, or Advanced classes according to their fluency.

• Level One - focuses on the alphabet, basic vocabulary, and the present tense.
• Level Two - for beginners-plus, explores these areas more intensively.
• Levels Three and Four - advance students' learning in order to master the past and future tenses.
• Level Five - focuses on conversation proficiency wherein students explore more complex texts.

The range of “Level” options is based on the number of students we have in a given summer. Though we generally offer Levels I-V, Level VI is also regularly offered.

All students, except those with no prior knowledge of Hebrew, will be given a placement exam. We will call students prior to the start of the program to determine placement.

Certificate & Academic Credit

A certificate of completion is awarded at the end of the program. Currently, no university credit is given. However, in exceptional situations, we are able to offer the option of taking the course for university credit. For more information, please contact the Assistant Director of the Swig Program in Jewish Studies and Social Justice, Oren Kroll-Zeldin.