The first course in the midwest in a non-sectarian university for training instructors in Hebrew is underway at the University of Wisconsin.
The course is being conducted in the University of Wisconsin Department of Hebrew and Semitic Studies of which Prof. Menahem Mansoor is chairman.
Prof. Mansoor said Hebrew will be taught in Milwaukee secondary schools as soon as the new training course can provide qualified teachers. Other Wisconsin high schools will subsequently offer Hebrew, the rate of such additions depending on the availability of teachers graduated in the new language major, he said.
He said teachers ultimately will be sent to synagogue classes and Christian seminaries, explaining that “competent Hebrew teachers are needed for classes in Jewish communities in Wisconsin, and all theologians of all denominations feel they can interpret the Bible better if they know the original language.”
University students enrolling in the new section will study for two years and earn 24 credits beyond the first year course in Hebrew for work in Hebrew grammar, Biblical Hebrew, modern Hebrew literature and conservational Hebrew.
Help ensure Jewish news remains accessible to all. Your donation to the Jewish Telegraphic Agency powers the trusted journalism that has connected Jewish communities worldwide for more than 100 years. With your help, JTA can continue to deliver vital news and insights. Donate today.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
