I am currently taking a break from working in the lab to do a Hebrew Ulpan; aka an intensive modern Hebrew course. Sunday to Thursday, I attend class for 5 hours and it lasts for one month, until the end of July. We have two female Israeli teachers who switch off days and teach only in Hebrew, along with a textbook that also uses very little English. The best part of Ulpan is most certainly the people in the class; people I have grown to love in just a few short weeks. Our class is about 20 people, half of them American and the other half from all around the world including Germany, Norway, Finland, France, Korea, Italy (yay),Holland, South Africa and Canada.
Each day we get to know each other during our class breaks and working in groups and activities we plan for after class. We all come from very different backgrounds and yet get along so well. Just over half the class is Christian, the rest are Jewish, many are studying Hebrew with the intent of pursuing some kind of studies in the Bible and Biblical Hebrew. Some of the interesting people I am friends with are a fellow LDS student with a degree in religious studies and Archeology who is headed off the BYU law school, a 32-year old Lutheran minister here with his wife and three kids, a "Hebrew Roots" Christian who wears the kippa and ropes hanging from his pants, eats kosher and observes Jewish holidays, currently in seminary with the long-term goal of teaching the Old Testament, a 21-year old very normal American kid studying international relations who just happens to speak Arabic fluently and be a clergy member of the Greek Orthodox Church, and many more. Several of us watch movies, go shopping, explore tourist sites, and have a weekly Bible study together, conducted by the Lutheran minister. Each person has their own story and their own unique reasons for spending a month in Israel learning Hebrew, and I am convinced that the main reason I am studying Hebrew in this Ulpan right now is for the opportunity to associate with these great people.
Cait. This is amazing. I very often crave this type of diversity. I love all people and you can learn SO much from people who have a different set of lenses through which they view their world. It's already easy to say that I envy you, but what a rich experience to be able to get to know such wonderful people. It reminds me of an article I read about a month ago about 3 prominent leaders who are great friends - a Mormon university president, a Jewish Rabbi and a black Christian mayor. I'm sure these associations will turn into great things, if cultivated.
ReplyDeleteThank you for posting about this stuff, that people like little old Drew have the opportunity to experience it vicariously.