“כמו שהיהודים אינם יכולים להיות עם חי באמת אלא בשובם (כאשר ישוב) לארץ ישראל, כך אינם יכולים להיות עם חי אלא בשובם ללשון האבות ולהשתמש בה לא בלבד (רק) בספר, אלא דווקא בדיבור פה… בכל ענייני החיים ובכל שעות היום והלילה, ככל הגויים, גוי גוי בלשונו”
אליעזר בן-יהודה
VISION
The Hebrew Language will be the common language of Jews around the world.
MISSION
Increasing the prestige and the dissemination of the Hebrew language in North America. Encouraging and deepening the learning of the Hebrew language and its use. Promoting activities to disseminate the Hebrew culture in north America and support the development of resources for various initiatives.
GOALS
Members will act to encourage and deepen the learning of the Hebrew language and culture and its use in all frameworks and in all methods.
Members will support the development of resources for various initiatives that will be adopted by the Council.
Members will be encouraged to participate in conventions and conferences that support the Hebrew
LETTER FROM THE BOARD CHAIR
Fundamental to any culture is its language, a tool for communication and connection amongst its members, the vessel that contains and promulgates core values, and an intellectual and emotional framework for how the culture organizes its conceptual world view and priorities. Although Hebrew has value and advocates beyond the Jewish People, it is a fundamental heirloom that serves as an essential tool to unlock a textual tradition that spans more than three millennia, a linguistic bridge between Jews living around the world with both native speakers in Israel and around the world, and the birthright of all who wish to capture, experience and articulate Jewish ideas in their most fundamental and organic language.
The Council for Hebrew Language and Culture in North America is the tzomet ~ the meeting point ~ of all who care deeply for Hebrew and wish to see it flourish and become a living language in the world’s largest Diaspora community. Through a strategic program of cultural and educational initiatives, as well as through active advocacy efforts, the Council seeks to both build and lead the vanguard of mishugei l’davar ~ those impassioned by their love of Hebrew and unwavering belief that it is possible to expand the number of those who will make this language a critical part of their identities.
The Council is equally committed to building a network of strategic partners, understanding that a task of this scope will require all who share in this vision to work in concert, combining the latest research, experience learned in the field by practitioners, the guidance of community leaders, and an infusion of intellectual, human and financial resources from philanthropists, governmental and pseudo-governmental agencies and the like.
Whether you are someone just now learning to decode, a native speaker, or somewhere in between, the Council invites you to join this effort as an active participant in one of our programs, an attendee at one of our regional or North American gatherings, or in our leadership. In the same way that the language moved from the texts and the margins of our history to a dynamic living language that is now the mother tongue of more than half of young Jewish children, the successful expansion of Hebrew and its elevation on the communal agenda of the North American Jewish community need not be a dream ~ and will happen because a small but focused group of people will it into being.
L’Shalom,
Rabbi Andrew S. Ergas,
Council Chair
“Judaism is not just a religion. It’s a rich culture with a beautiful, ancient language that not only lives in the Torah and our Prayer Books, but is also the language that connects Jews all over the world, and we want to bring together everyone connected to the Hebrew language”
– Dr. Simcha Leibovichm, Founding President of the Council
OUR PARTNERS
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ESTABLISHMENT AND ONGOING SUPPORT OF NAHET, THE HEBREW TEACHERS ORGANIZATION
The Council established and continues its ongoing support of NAHET, the National Association of Hebrew Teachers. The association promotes seminars and professional development programs for its members and disseminates information and curricula through its digital platforms.
ORGANIZATION OF HEBREW CELEBRATIONS (HAGIGAH IVRIT)
The committee plans and produces Hebrew Celebration – Hagigah Ivrit – in several locations in North America, soon to be an annual event. The committee also works to build a series of regional steering committees including representatives of local organizations.
DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE
The committee works to raise the profile of the Council and its work in the philanthropic space in order to ensure the necessary resources to fund its activities, programs and infrastructure.
MARKETING COMMITTEE
The committee works to ensure effective communication with all stakeholders, effective public relations, ongoing support and build out of the Council’s digital platforms, and successful marketing and recruitment material to expand the reach and impact of the Council.
HEBREW ROUND TABLE COMMITTEE
The committee works to identify individuals and organizations active in the fields of education, organizational leadership, philanthropy, advocacy and the like that have Hebrew either as a primary or secondary component of their personal or institutional missions. This ongoing work of mapping also includes bringing together individuals and groups to create collaborative efforts that further the mission of the Council and the field.