Biblical Hebrew

The regular basic language skills modules are taught twice a week for two hours and require a homework load of about 5 hours per week in addition. A module runs for 12 weeks. Every module is 4 ECTS, totaling a workload of 112 hours.

Hebrew 1 (Basic Morphology) covers the alphabet, simple sentences, nouns, prepositions and the introduction to verbs. The vocabulary covers over 200 items and the grammar covers definite articles, making nouns possessive and declining the past tense in both regular verbs and the most common irregular verbs. 

Hebrew 2 (Morphology and Syntax)

Hebrew 3 (Advanced Grammar and Syntax)

Hebrew 4 (Advance Grammar and Composition)

This course covers the same as the regular course, but with a slightly lighter workload. In three trimesters you will cover almost the same content as Hebrew 1 and 2. If you are eager for more, the second year ('Or la'olam = Light for the world) will cover the content of Hebrew 3 and 4 at the same speed as Hebrew LIGHT. 

Hebrew LIGHT is taught once a week for two hours online and requires a homework load of 2 more hours per week. To keep enough progress and motivation, we meet once a month for a day (6 hours) in-person in Badhoevedorp. 

Due to the specific blend of online and in-person, it is not possible to join this course if you are not able to attend the in-person meetings. 

The reading courses include the following:

• Narrative

• Poetry

• Prophecy

• Law

• Later writings

• Aramaic

After completing Hebrew 3, students can start on Narrative. All other courses can be can be started after completing Hebrew 4.  

Most of us just want to be able to read the Bible, but our brains don’t work that way. By learning to listen, speak and write too, we develop skills that keep us fluent in the language. And having fun helps!
It’s a bit like learning to ride a bike. You’ve got to put in the work in the beginning, but you don’t easily forget how to ride once you know it.

Conversations, short stories to read, question-and-answer exercises to write and (in the case of Hebrew) even singing are all part of the lessons. This creates a fun, relaxed atmosphere, where we all have space to learn from our mistakes.