Most of the books here I'm using for my classes. Each book is linked to Amazon where you can get some more information or purchase it.

More books to come soon...

Encounters in Modern Hebrew : Level 1 (Paperback)
by Edna Amir Coffin



This is an excellent textbook for a class in modern Israeli Hebrew. The 10 lessons are well structured. They are divided into 2 parts which use a conversation to introduce new vocabulary and grammatical concepts. There are group exercises to practice conversations and written exercises which test comprehension and develop grammar.

The grammar includes basic subjects like the nominal sentence, agreement in number and gender between noun and adjective, construct state, pronominal suffixes, key particles (yesh, `eyn, hineh, etc.), interrogatives, personal and demonstrative pronouns, use of the active participle for expressing present tense. Level 1 finishes with the introduction to past tense with the qal perfect of a few verbs

(Product Description from Amazon.com)

Everyone need one...

Ectaco EH200D English/Hebrew Electronic Dictionary

This thorough English/Hebrew dictionary contains more than 450,000 words, including general words and idioms, medical, technical, business, and legal terms, plus slang and expressions. The EH200D's 128 KB bilingual business organizer with telephone directory, schedule, memo, and anniversary list keeps you organized, and its port for high-speed data communication with a PC keeps you synchronized with your desktop.

A new-word recording function lets you expand the dictionary, and the Vector Ultima spell checker verifies spelling. Additional features include advanced word recognition, 200 popular American idioms, English irregular verbs, and more than 1,000 useful dialogs. You'll also enjoy an account manager, a calendar, a game center, a currency and metric converter, home and world time settings, an alarm, and a calculator. (Product Description from Amazon.com)

 

My Favorite Book:Brandeis Modern Hebrew

 Everyday Hebrew Language Program
Everyday Hebrew is a complete mini-course designed to teach you to speak, read, and understand Hebrew quickly and with real confidence. Everyday Hebrew has basic communication as its primary objective - expressing yourself and understanding others in the modern, energetic language spoken by today's Israelis. A 272-page course book, Everyday Hebrew has 30 engaging units that give you all the basic structures and vocabulary you need to communicate effectively in colloquial Hebrew. In addition to gaining a firm foundation in today's Hebrew, you will also be introduced to numerous cultural elements of life in Israel, including Jewish holidays and folklore, Israeli songs, history, and customs. Fully illustrated book. Description from Publisher .

Get ready for your vacation to Israel...
Very Good book for Hebrew crush-course

This best-selling series by Kristine K. Kershul allows travelers, students and international business executives to learn a foreign language faster and easier than ever before, and is a complete language-learning kit for beginners. Do a little bit every day! The 10 Minutes A Day approach is designed for you to succeed. What is important is that you spend a little time every day on your new language. Let the process be fun - there is no set speed or time limit - you set the pace. If you are enjoying what you are learning, don't stop even if you have been working for an hour. Each book in the newly revised format includes expanded contents, all-new illustrations, sticky labels, a take-along, laminated Pocket Pal׳’ג€žֲ¢, and much more. Available in Chinese, French, German, Hebrew, Inglײ³ֲ©s, Italian, Japanese, Norwegian, Portuguese, Russian, and Spanish. Description from Publisher .

Don't forget your phrase book...

Modern Hebrew for Beginners: A Multimedia Program "This new introductory textbook is far-and-away the most interesting, innovative, and promising development in Hebrew education in America that I have seen. . . . Its strength lies in its integration of multiple modes of presenting Hebrew to the learner. . . . This variety in modes of presentation helps teach students the range of communicative skills they would need to function in everyday life in Hebrew."

Modern Hebrew for Intermediate Students: A Multimedia Program

Modern Hebrew for Intermediate Students offers high school, college, and independent-study students a state-of-the-art learning experience that takes full advantage of media technology and the World Wide Web. A sequel to Modern Hebrew for Beginners, this combination of text- and workbook is designed to be used with web-based audio, visual, and interactive materials to give students multiple learning opportunities suited to a variety of learning styles. The program provides for intense practice of all four language skills: reading, writing, listening comprehension, and conversation. Esther Raizen provides language training while focusing on a variety of general topics, such as geography and genetics, as well as on topics pertinent to Hebrew culture and Israeli realities. A dedicated website is rich with interactive tutorials, links to sites of interest that serve as virtual tours, short films based on contemporary Israeli life and society, and numerous interviews that provide listening and discussion opportunities. Raizen emphasizes the spoken language, while also paying attention to various aspects of normative grammar, of the written language, and of cultural elements associated with Hebrew. With this variety of materials and the capacity for continuous updating via the website, teachers and students will find this book endlessly adaptable and highly suitable for self-paced training and a variety of academic settings. Esther Raizen is Assistant Professor of Middle Eastern Languages and Cultures and Director of the Modern Hebrew Project at the University of Texas at Austin. This is the follow on to Prof. Raizen's Modern Hebrew for Beginners. Like the first book, it uses reading exercises, videos, verb practices from the Web. However, she's made some changes that make the book easier to use. Vocabularly lists are now in alef-bet order. Units start with a reading selection and reading comprehension questions where before it could have been either the reading selection or a video. (Description from Amazon.com Customer Review)

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Books for children:

Alef to Tav

An exciting, fully illustrated book on the Hebrew alphabet, with names, letters, and numbers in Hebrew and English; a big, funny, story-picture about each letter, Hebrew words for you to figure out, and a verse for each letter.(Description from Publisher)

My first 100 Hebrew Words:
This colorful picture dictionary includes one hundred Hebrew words and concepts, from Adonai to Zemirot, that define the Jewish religious experience for young readers. What makes this volume unique is its exploration of essential Jewish concepts, observances, and celebrations. Each entry includes the Hebrew term, transliteration, definition, and a full-color illustration.(Description from Publisher )

The Hebrew Alphabet stamp kit:
The kit contains 25 rubber stamps (22 letters of the alphabet and three Hebrew symbols), along with a companion booklet that illuminates the mystical heritage of the Hebrew alphabet and even suggests several meditative exercises. An exquisite gift and introduction to a beautiful spiritual practice or just a creative way to adorn packages and postcards, The Hebrew Alphabet Stamp Kit will makes all kinds of communications more meaningful.(Description from Publisher )




The Hebrew Letters Tell Their Story:
The Hebrew Alef Bet letters meet the Doodle Family in a wonderfully animated, full color adventure where pooches fly and camels water ski. Each illustrated page has an unforgettable rhyme which children will love learning and repeating.(Description from Publisher)


Agnon's Alef Bet : Poems
These twenty-two classic poems, written by Novel Laureate S.Y. Agnon, are now available for the first time in English in this beautiful collection. Agnon's creation of a witty poem for each letter of the Hebrew alphabet is destined to be a children's classic, evoking the rich imagery of the Bible and ancient Israel.(Description from Publisher )

My Hebrew Picture dictionary:
A Pictorial Hebrew-English Dictionary for Children
"Look, Mommy, a lion is an ari! And a lamb is kevess! See -- I can speak Hebrew!”
Children learn by seeing, and in this beautifully illustrated word-book your littlest ones will see hundreds of things in Hebrew and English. They’ll spend hours picking out the pictures and learning the names.
Before you know it they will have a Hebrew vocabulary of over 500 words! You’ll wish all learning could be this much fun.
Each page will transport your children to a new setting: Shabbos, the festivals, a shul, a forest, an ocean, an airport, the family kitchen, a circus, and many more.
On every page they’ll see an exciting scene with all sorts of objects, each one clearly labeled with its Hebrew and English names. Listen to them squeal with joy as they pick out familiar objects and ask you about the others.
In the process they will learn hundreds of new words (and so will you!) without even realizing it. They will come back to this delightful book again and again. Wait till Bubby and Zeidy see it!
The illustrator is an old ArtScroll favorite, with an uncanny talent for making the page come alive. The author loves and understands children -- you can tell as soon as you see a page. When you give this book to your child -- or favorite grandchild, niece, nephew, or neighbor -- you’ll be rewarded when you see the smiles on your children’s faces, day after day after day after day...
The illustrations are witty and captivating. The pages are imaginatively busy. The book is the one you’ve been waiting for. Your child will be delighted -- and so will you! (Description from Publisher)

Little Hebrew Alphabet Coloring Book Double page spreads each depict rendering of a Hebrew letter׳³ֲ²ײ²ֲ³׳²ֲ²ײ²ֲ¢׳³ֲ³’׳³’׳’ג€šֲ¬ײ²ֲš׳²ֲ²ײ²ֲ¬׳³ֲ³’׳³’׳’ג‚¬ֲšײ²ֲ¬׳²ֲ²ײ²ֲ22 different characters altogether. Each letter is accompanied by an illustration of a word beginning with that letter. Youngsters learn how to spell lion, house, camel, shofar, other words in Hebrew and then color engaging drawings. (Description from Publisher )

 

Hebrew Alphabet Stickers Entertaining, educational collection introduces Jewish youngsters to the Hebrew alphabet with 22 brightly colored stickers. Each represents a different letter and contains an illustration of a word beginning with that letter: inside the letter "zayin" ("z") is a "zuh-AYV" (wolf). For use at home or in the classroom. (Description from Publisher)

 

Fun With Hebrew Alphabet Stencils All 22 characters of the Hebrew alphabet, from alef to tov, appear in this entertaining and informative little stencil book. These sturdy and colorful pre-cut stencils are ideal for Hebrew school assignments, holiday greeting cards, and a host of other crafts projects. (Description from Publisher)

First Thousand words in Hebrew:

 

Betman's Book of Hebrew Letters With puns, jokes and ample space for one of any kid's favorite activities (coloring), Betman guides children ages 5-8 through the Hebrew alphabet. Each letter is introduced by name and identified as the initial letter for one or two important Hebrew words. (Description from Publisher )

 Books for Bar & Bat Mitzvah:

This is a kids' companion guide to the widely acclaimed guide for parents by the same author, Putting God on the Guest List: How to Reclaim the Spiritual Meaning of Your Child's Bar or Bat Mitzvah. And surely this work does guide students through the details both secular (gifts, parties, dealing with parents) and ritualistic (prayers, speeches, decorum) of preparing and conducting the Bar Mitzvah or Bat Mitzvah, the Jewish coming of age ceremony. But, it is much more than that. It also is a workbook for a young adolescent who is trying to figure out his/her evolving role in Jewish history and Jewish life. And for the older reader, this work can serve as an informative and highly readable reminder about what being Jewish is really all about.  from Children's Literature

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A spiritual keepsake that will become a family heirloom. The perfect gift to help a bar or bat mitzvah preserve the spiritual memories of this sacred event. This hands-on album is designed to help everyone involved better participate in creating the spiritual meaning of this joyful rite of passage. Created by Rabbi Jeffrey K. Salkin--author of the award-winning classic Putting God on the Guest List: How to Reclaim the Spiritual Meaning of Your Child's Bar or Bat Mitzvah--and his wife, author Nina Salkin, this guided album is a wonderfully interactive way to remember important moments and details. Included are special sections to record your family's spiritual history, the hopes, wishes, and memories of influential people in the bar / bat mitzvah's life, mitzvot performed, contributions to tzedakot, and more. With ample space for writing, reflecting, and pasting in mementos, The Bar / Bat Mitzvah Memory Book gives young people a place to treasure their special experiences and encourages them to prepare for spiritual life as Jewish adult. Description from Publisher ____________________________________

 

This unique, step-by-step book and compact disc package will lead the novice through each step of learning how to chant Torah. Divided into 13 lessons and additional useful appendices and bibliography, the book allows the reader to "self-teach" the important principles of Torah cantillation. The only pre-requisite for this course of learning is a basic ability to read Hebrew and a willingness to learn! It is a perfect selection for B'nai Mitzvah students, beginning learners, and for adult education courses. Step-by-step exercises and instructions CD of recordings correspond with written exercises. Includes glossary, list of parashiyot, High Holy Day cantillation and more! Description from Publisher

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Mark Seltzer thought he had enough aggravation studying for his Bar Mitzvah and losing his best friend. It's the last straw when his mother becomes the new manager of his Little League baseball team and drags his older brother, Spencer, along as the coach. No one knows what to expect with a mother for a manager, but soon Mark and the other players are surprised to see how much they're improving due to coach Spencer's strategy and helpful hints from "Mother Bagel." It looks like nothing can stop them from becoming champs--until Mark hears some startling news! Description from Publisher _________________________________________________

Alyssa has become an adult, according to Judaism; since she has completed her Bat Mitzvah, she is expected to make her own decisions. And, instead of joining the temple's confirmation class, concentrating on schoolwork or socializing with friends, Alyssa chooses to pursue her dance lessons. Her priorities shift, however, when her best friend Ellen becomes ill, and when Alyssa's Jewish identity becomes more important to her. Alyssa realizes that a delicate balance between avocation and responsibility can exist if she is strong enough to make difficult decisions. Readers will enjoy the universal conflicts Wolff eloquently delineates; her characters are well realized and lend additional credibility to the story Description by Publisher's Weekly With her Bat Mitzvah behind her, thirteen-year-old Alyssa is free to concentrate on her first love - ballet. When her best friend becomes seriously ill and withdrawn, Alyssa has to decide what her priorities really are. This well-plotted story with a believable and satisfying happy ending deals with the pressures that face young people who want to make a career in the performing arts. Description from Horn Book ____________________________________________________

Certainly, this is a book for every pre-bar mitzvah boy to read, but it is also a book for anyone who wants to learn about the beliefs, philosophies, and history of the religion. Kimmel describes the reason for the coming-of-age ceremony; what happens before and during it; and its origins and transformations throughout Jewish history. The author, in his informal, warm, conversational style, clarifies some esoteric facts about the sacred books of the Jews, Christians, and Muslims and looks at the similarities and differences in the three religions. Folklorist that he is, he has incorporated anecdotal material (including a poignant account by his father), rabbinic stories, and folktales into the narrative. Weihs's stylized, full-and half-page black-and-white scratchboard illustrations capture individuals and many of the traditional symbols and ritual objects associated with the ceremony. This is a livelier and more comprehensive treatment than Howard Greenfeld's Bar Mitzvah, which deals thoroughly with bar mitzvah but not with the history or philosophical ramifications of Torah and prayer, nor with the ceremony's relationship to the ancient Temple service. Kimmel's title is likely to become a classic Description from School Library Journal Kimmel (Days of Awe) unites his considerable storytelling gifts with affectionate understanding of the religious and cultural aspects of the bar mitzvah to produce a little something for everyone. Children with no previous exposure to Jewish beliefs and rituals will find the explanations here both clear and enticing, respectful of different religious traditions. Speaking in friendly, measured tones, Kimmel also accommodates Jewish readers from a variety of backgrounds, from Reform to Orthodox. He emphasizes the personal signficance of the ceremony by interpolating short first-person accounts of different men's and boys' bar mitvahs-not all of these are joyous, but each is powerful and distinct (an octagenarian describes how he had a second bar mitvah 67 years after his first; another man recounts the dramatic events of his 13th birthday in 1943, spent with Jewish partisans in the forests of Poland; a third recalls that his bar mitzvah was "vulgar, crass, thoroughly unspiritual"-"and yet... something happened in spite of all that"). Plenty of quick illustrative stories and legends about wise rabbis and European Jewry contribute to the festivities. Description from Publisher's Weekly _________________________________________________

Twelve-year-old Isaac Segal knew that his life would be different after his bar mitzvah, when, according to Jewish tradition, he would become a man. But what he didn't count on were the changes happening to him now-one month before his bar mitzvah! Isaac first notices his unusual abilities at his best friend Todd's bar mitzvah, when he discovers that he can read the mind of the good-looking girl sitting all the way across the synagogue. Isaac's discovery over the following days that he can also levitate objects and communicate telepathically with other people leads him to confide in his parents. Isaac's parents finally reveal to him the family's long-guarded secret, unraveling a fantastic family history that involves the twelve tribes, space travel and a far away planet called AROPSAID. Isaac's life will never be the same, and he emerges from his bar mitzvah with a new and unique understanding of himself and his role in the greater Jewish community. Description from Publisher Science fiction and bar mitzvahs are an odd juxtaposition any way you slice it. Yet this book combines those two, albeit in a bizarre way that will only appeal to a select group of Jewish sci/fi fans. Isaac Segal is approaching his bar mitzvah when he starts receiving mysterious messages in his sleep. He discovers that he can read minds and will objects to move. His parents explain that HAON (read the words in all capitals backwards to understand better) took a group of Jews to the planet AROPSAID so they could live free as Jews. They returned to Earth when a terrible disease (SACHS-TAY) broke out on their planet. Isaac learns to use his powers and discovers who else is from AROPSAID as he prepares for his bar mitzvah. Description from School Library Journal ________________________________________________

At 12, studying for his Bar Mitzvah, Jason Cohen doesn't consider himself a kid anymore. So why does he feel so mixed up about Hanukkah and not celebrating Christmas? What relevance can it possibly have to a modern kid's life? Late that night, he finds a young intruder, Aaron ben Moshe, who has been sent from Judea to find a member of the Cohen tribe. Judah, the Judean leader, needs help, and only a Cohen will do. Jason gets caught up in Aaron's excitement, and quickly packs some peanut butter, bananas, bread, a flashlight, and his new binoculars. He follows Aaron and is soon transported back to Judea. There are sentries׳³’׳’ג€šֲ¬”is Jason a spy? They aren't sure׳³’׳’ג€šֲ¬”after all, the name Jason is Greek. That's just his cover name, he tells them; he has a good Hebrew name, Joseph ben David HaKohen. Is using a different name a part of what his dad meant about people accommodating a conqueror's demands? Benderly's descriptions of Judah Maccabee as a dynamic leader are very strong. An awful lot of history has to be explained very fast, and she manages that quite well, too. Jason's modern "smarts," and the things he takes for granted (like multiplication and that flashlight), make the story move quickly. Description from Kirkus Reviews ______________________________________________________________________________

 

A rather unique approach to the theme of a girl discovering and becoming fascinated with her religious heritage. Emma's 12th birthday gift from an uncle living in Jerusalem is a computerlike machine that is shaped like the tablet of the ten commandments and bears the name "Mitzvah Machine." To Emma's completely nonobservant Jewish family, it's a nonsense gift. As the girl goes about her usual routines of school, friends, and family life, however, the messages on the machine's screen challenge, guide, and teach her. Emma and her friends are very real youngsters, and the characters and story line will hold readers' interest. Emma befriends a homeless man for whom she collects food from her neighbors and is jealous when her best friend, Danny, seems to be too interested in another classmate. The climax of the story comes when Emma, because of the Mitzvah Machine's influence, becomes bat mitzvah, with Uncle Izzy traveling to America for the occasion. Entertaining and a little different. from School Library Journal _________________________________________________________

 

Alex tells the story of his bar mitzvah, which almost did not take place because a water main break on the night before has made the synagogue unusable and ruined the food for the 100 invited guests. His parents, grandparents, and older sister make some fast decisions, and the bar mitzvah service and reception are held in Grandpa's six-foot-wide house. The resourceful family manages, with the help of friends, to ready the house and replace the reception refreshments. Grandpa's house is shown in full detail, with pen-and-ink drawings, including a cut-away view of the house. A glossary explains the Hebrew words used in the text. This is a family story in which the grandparents have a starring role and a very special relationship with their grandchildren. Description from School Library Journal _______________________________________________________

 

Randi Reisfeld is an editor, and a Jewish mother who has produced a Bar and a Bat Mitzvah and lived to tell (and write) about it!Ms. Reisfeld is editorial director of 16 Magazine, a youth-oriented entertainment publication, and has written several books for teenagers. She is the current Bar/Bat Mitzvah chairperson at Temple Beth Or in New Jersey. The Bar/Bat Mitzvah Survival Guide demystifies every aspect of this coming-of-age ritual, from Temple to Torah to thank-you notes, in a practical, informative, and humorous manner. ______________________________________________________________

A bar/bat mitzvah illustrated keepsake book that provides spaces to record basic information about the special day. ____________________________________________________