I wholeheartedly endorse this book!!! It is in workbook format, will teach you how to write cursive AND script, and uses biblical phrases to teach the language. The book also offers and excellent chart on all of the letters (both cursive and script), as well as vowels - well worth keeping long after you complete the book for later reference. This book is a great primer, preparing the student to move on to studying either biblical OR contemporary Hebrew. It allowed me to skip a first level Hebrew class and go straight into level 2. Strongly recommended.

I wholeheartedly endorse this book!!! It is in workbook format, will teach you how to write cursive AND script, and uses biblical phrases to teach the language. The book also offers and excellent chart on all of the letters (both cursive and script), as well as vowels - well worth keeping long after you complete the book for later reference. This book is a great primer, preparing the student to move on to studying either biblical OR contemporary Hebrew. It allowed me to skip a first level Hebrew class and go straight into level 2. Strongly recommended.

If like me you are wanting to teach yourself Hebrew this book is an excellent resource for doing so. As one other reviewer rightly commented it breaks the Hebrew alphabet down into smaller portions and thus makes it easier to memorize. Anoither plus is that writing of the letters is taught along with their pronounciation. One of the best things was the help in pronouncing the letters correctly. The information on roots made the learning of Biblical Hebrew a much less daunting prospect for me. Of all the Hebrew teaching tools I've come across so far, this one is my favorite.

This is a pretty good book for an introductory Hebrew class. It provides a mixture of basic Hebrew and siddur Hebrew, introducing many word roots used in the prayer book. This satisfies the requirements of the average Hebraically functionally illiterate American Jew who has only a marginal interest in actually mastering Hebrew, but would like to be able to pronounce and "follow along" during Sabbath prayer services. Definitely not the only book one would need to know Hebrew. No grammar or linguistic niceties, simply a book to help you have some ability to know where you are in the prayer book. I am not sure I would recommend this as a beginning book for someone who is serious about learning Hebrew. It is more of a thing unto itself, not necessarily providing a grounding for further study.

I purchased this book because it was the required text for my class. We use it as an adjunct to other materials. As a stand alone text, I might not be as happy with it. But along with class discussions and other materials it's been a great tool for learning. If you know NOTHING about Hebrew, this is perhaps not the best book to pick for your first primer. However, for our purposes, it's been great.

I found this book to be very clear, with useful exercises in reading and writing Hebrew. The letters are not taught in alphabetic order, but rather in logical groupings that are often used together in words. The vowels are added one or two at a time, and though I felt challenged, I was not overwhelmed. I found it fun, and even reading right to left seemed natural as I became familiar with how the consonants and vowels related to each other.

Besides teaching the sounds of the letters, there are sections on Hebrew word roots, which I found immensely helpful in understanding some of the thinking and spirit in the language. I felt as if I'd been given a key into a whole new way of thinking. For example, there are names of G-d that relate to certain root words in ways that are surprising and wonderful, and there are foods we eat on High Holidays because they are a "pun" on another word that is a spiritual quality we ask for in the new year. The extra dimension this book adds beyond mere pronunciation is its real gift.

I recommend this book to adults with an interest in exploring Hebrew. After just a month, I was able to read (slowly) from the prayer book, and find myself asking questions that I would not have thought of had I only known the English translation.

I found this book to be very clear, with useful exercises in reading and writing Hebrew. The letters are not taught in alphabetic order, but rather in logical groupings that are often used together in words. The vowels are added one or two at a time, and though I felt challenged, I was not overwhelmed. I found it fun, and even reading right to left seemed natural as I became familiar with how the consonants and vowels related to each other.

Besides teaching the sounds of the letters, there are sections on Hebrew word roots, which I found immensely helpful in understanding some of the thinking and spirit in the language. I felt as if I'd been given a key into a whole new way of thinking. For example, there are names of G-d that relate to certain root words in ways that are surprising and wonderful, and there are foods we eat on High Holidays because they are a "pun" on another word that is a spiritual quality we ask for in the new year. The extra dimension this book adds beyond mere pronunciation is its real gift.

I recommend this book to adults with an interest in exploring Hebrew. After just a month, I was able to read (slowly) from the prayer book, and find myself asking questions that I would not have thought of had I only known the English translation.