 From its inception, #OnwardHebrew has advocated for synagogue and part-time programs to create a rich Hebrew environment. When the word “environment” is thought of only as physical space, its purview is narrowed to signage and children’s learning spaces. I hope it is not too surprising that #OnwardHebrew’s innovators intended “rich Hebrew environment” to mean weaving Hebrew throughout the education program - well beyond a weekly sit-in-your-seat Hebrew lesson taught by a designated teacher or tutor. Creating a “rich Hebrew environment” is similar to the practice of “layering” in interior design - mixing and matching colors, textures and patterns to add depth and interest to the space. Interior designers explain that layering helps elevate a space, make it feel more welcoming, and gives it character and/or dimension. Individuals experiencing a room designed with layers, engage with different aspects. Some might be drawn to the soft pillows and sofas, others to the textures of baskets and bowls, and still others might feel soothed by the colors. But overall, interior designers work to create an integrated experience and emotional reaction. I offer this example of layering to create a parallel between the results that interior designers seek in a physical space with the intentional layering of Hebrew learning in a synagogue or other part-time Jewish educational programs. I’d also like to suggest that layered Hebrew experiences have the potential to create Jewish educational depth and interest, as well as emotional connections for the learner to Hebrew, Jewish life and the Jewish community. What does layered Hebrew learning look like? Click on the PDF, below, for that answer! 
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 In 2024, #OnwardHebrew commissioned a study in which two researchers interviewed 22 fifth, sixth and seventh graders from four different #OnwardHebrew “All In” synagogue programs. The goal was to discover what children had to say about their Hebrew learning. Among the themes uncovered by the researchers was that children reported that Hebrew learning was a “safe” endeavor. Yes, safe. Quite a few students indicated that they did not feel judged by their Hebrew teachers, nor did they feel stressed when learning Hebrew. [But,] developing students’ personal sense of safety is not explicitly mentioned in #OnwardHebrew’s guidance documents and professional development materials... So, what can we make of the conclusion that #OnwardHebrew’s approach lowers the tension and stress felt often in learning situations? There are traditional Hebrew teaching practices that #OnwardHebrew programs ignore, as well as practices baked into the sound-to-print / rich Hebrew environment approach that likely lead to the learners’ feelings of safety. Click on the PDF, below, to read this full blogpost.
 According to a famous midrash, Abram (aka, Torah’s Abraham) revolutionized theology when he realized that the idols in his father’s “idol shop” did not have the god-like powers ascribed to them. Abram’s wisdom, as well as his hutzpah in smashing the idols, opened up new lines of thought and practice for his time. Similarly, a number of Jewish educators have been smashing decades old beliefs and practices for teaching Hebrew in part-time/synagogue settings. Much of their early efforts smashed an (almost) singular Hebrew curricular focus on decoding prayers. The results: students’ are reporting positive feelings for Hebrew learning! These educators are now beginning to smash long-held assumptions about decoding’s whys, whens and hows. Click the file below to read about four of the biggest smashes beginning to take hold on behalf of synagogue Hebrew.
 Scroll down for the blogpost's PDF. This edited-for-space version is missing its middle paragraphs. There are at least two ways to play the game of dominoes. The first is the version my Granny played – tiles laid out on a table, with two to four players taking turns matching colored dots to colored dots. In Granny’s version, everyone played by the rules. The second is the way my brother played – working alone or with a friend to line upright tiles in an intricate pattern, then watching in awe after the first tile is lightly tapped. As each tile falls, it hits another and the energy spreads throughout the system, sometimes moving in a straight line and sometimes branching off to create multiple moving paths... For decades, we have been playing my Granny’s version of dominoes when it comes to Hebrew learning in synagogue settings. Long-held assumptions influence the rules for teaching Hebrew and everyone (well almost everyone) follows them… [But,] for over a dozen years, Jewish educators across the country have moved from a decoding-focused learning model to one that is dynamic like my brother’s version of dominoes. The approach is multi-faceted and embedded in a Hebrew-rich environment. A recent study found that #OnwardHebrew “All In” learners report feeling competent and confident, as well as comfortable and safe, when learning Hebrew. So, todah (thank you) to my brother and others who love playing dynamically with dominoes. It is my hope that those of us supporting Hebrew learning in synagogue settings will embrace the metaphor and its power. Nachama Skolnik Moskowitz, #OnwardHebrew
 I recently received an interesting question about mastering decoding: how long does it take? The educator who posed it was impressed by the fluency of children featured in a section of #OnwardHebrew's "Conquering the Challenge of Hebrew Decoding" webinar that was held in summer 2024. To hear what prompted this question, view this section of the webinar (I've cued it up where you'll catch a little context, but feel free to start a little farther ahead at 24:30; end your viewing at 26:44). The educator who posed the time-it-takes question specifically noted: It seemed that the students really were “master decoders” in the examples that were shared. From what I could see, they were quite proficient. She then asked how long it takes to achieve the skill of decoding to this level of mastery.
Indeed, one of the earliest stated goals of #OnwardHebrew is to develop learners who are competent and confident users of Hebrew. But interestingly, if one watches the children in the short video clips carefully, it is easy to see that they are not "decoding," a term that describes the building of words by sounding out letters and vowels. In English, we see this with a 5 or 6 year old who sounds out the letters in c-a-t or j-u-m-p. In Hebrew we would see this with a novice sounding out the Shin and the Kamatz at the beginning of the word Shalom before moving on to blend the other letters and vowel signs in the word. Decoding is often slow and laborious, yet, the children in the video were not struggling with the words at all. And why not? The children in the linked video clip were not decoding, but rather reciting words and phrases and matching them to the print. The first child starts by saying, "So when the teacher said 'gomel hasadim tovim' I knew that was in the middle of the prayer ..." Moreso, the child points to the words as he says them. Look and listen carefully - he is not decoding, but reciting a phrase that he knows and matches it to the print on the page. The same actions happen with each of the other learners featured in the video - they recite a word or phrase and can easily point to it on the page. Yes, they CAN decode, but what we see in these video clips are students who have mastered the blessing through the process of recitation, as well as the skill of basic decoding, and can match the two "sound-to-print." When I teased out what was going on with these children, I admit to being amazed with what they and their teacher (Linda Duke) had accomplished. Linda later told me that they spend a fair amount of time in class learning to recite the prayers and blessings children are responsible for in their synagogue's curriculum. And then they do work sound-to-print. In my efforts on behalf of #OnwardHebrew the past few years, I have become convinced that in the time we have and with the Hebrew language skills our children bring to the table (like "not much"), it's an unfair expectation for our learners to become "fluent and accurate Hebrew readers" (or even decoders).** In addition, as many of you have heard from me: if all one can do is decode, one cannot pray at synagogue speed. To be a successful "pray-er" a person must learn to recite the prayers and blessings. But then the magic happens - with the ability to recite and with a knowledge of decoding, a person can pray competently and confidently, siddur in hand. And THIS is what I feel is a fair expectation in part-time Jewish education. Thank you to Linda and her students for showing the way AND for the educator who sent me the question which forced me to take a closer look at what these video clips were demonstrating. And thank you to all who will take time to consider what this could mean for their own students, in their own program! It's time to change our expectations and to match our teaching strategies to these new goals. ** The video segment comes from the webinar, "Conquering the Challenge of Hebrew Decoding." On behalf of your learners, it is well worth taking 45 minutes of your time to view it to discover research from the "science of reading" as it applies to Hebrew decoding, as well as strategies that are worth our teachers/tutors learning to integrate into their repertoire.  Full article in eJewishPhilanthropy.com, August 31, 2023. [Below includes just the first and last paragraphs] https://ejewishphilanthropy.com/hebrew-learning-in-synagogues-a-call-for-change/ No need to go running for the ice buckets, but I’m officially throwing out a challenge to all involved in synagogue/part-time Jewish education to lower the emphasis on, and decrease the amount of time devoted to Hebrew decoding. We are a quarter of the way into the 21st century, but still holding onto a last-century Hebrew-learning goal — the fluent and accurate “reading” of Hebrew prayers. No, I’m not suggesting that we stop teaching the Alef-Bet, nor Hebrew decoding skills. Rather, I am challenging us to expand our Hebrew learning goals... To finish reading the full challenge to synagogues, click on the PDF at the bottom of this blog. ***** Rabbi Andrew Ergas, director of Hebrew at the Center, took the theme from the article above one step further in his own eJP opinion piece the next week: https://ejewishphilanthropy.com/its-time-for-teshuva-for-hebrew-education/. His words can inspire us to consider how else we can be connecting our learners to Hebrew, whether within or beyond our doors.
 [Updated 7/31/2024]
At its core, #OnwardHebrew is a grassroots initiative that supports sound-to-print Hebrew learning in part-time synagogue settings. The rest, as we say, is commentary. It is not formal curriculum, nor a prescribed list of do's and don'ts, but an approach based on the research of how children learn languages sound-to-print. #OnwardHebrew had its beginning almost fifteen years ago when several education directors began chatting about their frustrations with Hebrew "reading" skills of children who completed sixth grade. Informally, the directors committed to piloting experiments that could change assumptions about Hebrew learning in part-time/synagogue settings. In the fall of 2017, they gathered in Cleveland to share successes, challenges and hypotheses for future efforts. From this beginning, #OnwardHebrew launched. Seven years later, what have we learned?
You don't have to go it alone!
#OnwardHebrew started with innovators who were willing to experiment and share their successes and challenges. Early adopters soon followed. In these initial stages of development, the initiative worked on growing its cache of "existence proofs," stories that answer the question, "does this really work?" Seven years later, #OnwardHebrew has not only grown its base, but education directors and synagogues across North America happily share their own stories of success and satisfaction. If #OnwardHebrew won't work for your educational program, that's fine, really. But if you are intrigued and find yourself questioning or struggling, don't give up too early! A change process takes time and benefits from outside support. How can we help? Nachama Skolnik Moskowitz, on behalf of the #OnwardHebrew Leadership Team  For decades, teachers have been told that students produce better answers when the teacher asks a question and then waits 3 seconds before asking a clarifying question or saying something else. The 3 seconds of "wait-time" gives learners time to process their thinking and produce a response. But here's another application of wait-time ... I just read a recently published study that reports on the importance of having students learning new vocabulary wait 2-4 seconds before repeating a new word aloud. And why? “When a person repeats a word immediately after hearing it, cognitive resources are dedicated to preparing the production of the word and, as a result, these resources cannot be used to deeply encode that word. In contrast, if production is delayed for a few seconds, this overlap is avoided, allowing deeper learning and encoding to take place." So, I'm wondering a couple of things related to #OnwardHebrew:
I don't have answers to these two questions (nor do I know what this 2-4 second wait time would look like for the decoding process), but maybe someone would find this interesting to explore in their teaching. If you do, let us know what you discover via the #OnwardHebrew Facebook group! Nachama Skolnik Moskowitz  I'm not sure where the phrase "breaking teeth" originated, but it has been used to describe the painful process of decoding, letter-by-letter. For decades, when new Hebrew learners (whether children or adults) have been asked to read aloud and the process is usually very very slow and laborious - they "break their teeth."
But, of course, I'm here to tell you that there's a better way! At the foundation of sound-to-print learning is the principle that people need to know the sounds of a language prior to tackling the print. For #OnwardHebrew, on a macro level that includes being introduced to Hebrew Through Movement, Jewish Life Vocabulary and regular t'fillah. However, on a micro level, when working on decoding, learners can be given cues that preview the sounds for them. Why? It offers them some of the tools that they automatically have gained in their native language. Our Hebrew prayers, blessings, and texts like Torah and Haftarah were written 2000 years ago. The complex language and grammatical forms are difficult even for Hebrew native language speakers. Our new learners are at an even bigger disadvantage since they can't self-correct when decoding - think about the challenge when they see unfamiliar words like: וְשנַּנְתָּם לְבָנֶיךָ. So, instead of asking students to "sound out" a Hebrew word or phrase, we help them tremendously when we "cue" them in the four ways noted on the embedded image. How can teachers learn to do this? 1) Share and discuss this short video that explains easy-to-implement "cueing up" teaching strategies: tinyurl.com/Sound2Print. 2) Offer copies of the "four strategies" image. Right click on it and either download ("Save As") or Copy. Then, paste the image into a document and print for easy reference. Alternatively, check the "Files" in the #OnwardHebrew Facebook group for a downloadable copy of higher resolution. 3) Experiment with the "cues" and have conversations with colleagues to tweak your practice! Questions or comments? Please share them on the #OnwardHebrew Facebook group.  #OnwardHebrew just published a very helpful (and relatively concise!) getting started booklet that offers assistance to educational leaders looking to adopt/adapt the sound-to-print principles of #OnwardHebrew in their educational program.
The booklet answers such questions as:
In addition, there are What-Why-When-Who quick peeks offered for each of the four elements of #OnwardHebrew - Hebrew language (Hebrew Through Movement), Jewish Life Vocabulary, Hebrew t'fillah and the introduction of decoding after children have built the sounds of Hebrew (for "in" programs, that is in fifth grade or later). Interspersed are QR codes with links to short videos that provide extra information. And, as if that's not enough, there's a curated set of other resources - just enough to get an education program started, without being overwhelming. So, what do YOU want to know?  By, Nachama Skolnik Moskowitz
This blogpost is a response to an August 5, 2022 posting in the JEDLAB FB group, sharing a lengthy article by Saul Rosenberg. In it, Rosenberg offered an analysis of the challenges of teaching "fluent Hebrew reading in Hebrew School" and hinted towards a solution he is working on. To understand my blogpost, it would be helpful to first read/skim the original article. I apologize in advance for the length of my own response, but as you'll see, it hit a lot of buttons. Rosenberg’s chief concern seems to be that children in a part-time/synagogue educational program (as he notes, “left of Modern Orthodox”) aren’t learning to read Hebrew, which begs the definition of three different skills – reading (which is gaining meaning from the printed page), decoding (which is what I think the author really is talking about – letter > vowel > letter, etc., with no understanding) and reciting (chanting or singing from memory). The science of reading explains that one learns to read
In our part-time synagogue settings, our children do not have enough background or time to learn to read Hebrew or even achieve the thousands of sight words they have in English. Over the decades, synagogues have tried to create smooth decoders, but really, if one can only decode prayers and blessings (or even Haftarah, as the author would like to achieve), one cannot stay up at synagogue speed. Really, it is hard to smoothly read (or self-correct after trying to decode) siddur words like במשמרותיהם or לבבך because these are not words children instantly recognize in everyday language. To pray at synagogue speed, one has to have put the prayer/blessing in memory and then use the print to follow along. I suspect that a native Hebrew speaker who is in 4th grade or even 6th would stumble when asked to “read” the siddur or Torah; the vocabulary and structure aren't known to them. While Hebrew learning is important, I would argue that the way we have been teaching Hebrew in our part-time/synagogue settings has held the curriculum hostage. In some places, we have dedicated many more hours to Hebrew prayer practice than we have to focusing on the big, compelling ideas of Judaism. Hebrew decoding is a skill, but it doesn’t always touch the heart nor help learners grow and “become” in dialogue with Jewish tradition. In the last five years, a new model for Hebrew learning has been spreading across North America. Called #OnwardHebrew, synagogues and part-time programs that have adopted this approach spend years introducing their learners to the sounds of Hebrew, before moving to print. Children learn vocabulary with Hebrew Through Movement (HebrewThroughMovement.org) – an adaptation of the Total Physical Response (TPR) approach that is used to introduce vocabulary of holidays, rituals and prayers/blessings. They are also gain a rich collection of Jewish Life Vocabulary in context – “grab your siddur, we are going to t’fillah” is just one example. And, they pray regularly in Hebrew, learning to chant/sing t’fillot, thus placing words/phrases in memory. Unlike the decades old “traditional” model of learning Hebrew in part-time/synagogue settings, decoding isn’t introduced early, but rather later (often in 5th or 6th grade) which means that learners can take the sounds of Hebrew in their head and attach them to the print on the page. These older children are more experienced and motivated learners – learning moves relatively quickly and seems to stick. Teachers and educational leaders in #OnwardHebrew programs tell us that there is energy and excitement around learning Hebrew in ways they hadn’t previously experienced and that their children show both confidence and competence. Success is expressed differently from what the author of the Sapir Journal article has defined. Our programs have moved Hebrew learning from a bounded time (e.g., Sundays 9:15-10:15 and Tuesdays at 4:30) to one that creates a rich Hebrew environment throughout the time children are with them. And they are able to shift their focus from “Hebrew School” (check out this CASJE research study titled, "Let's Stop Calling it Hebrew School") to programs that create compelling Jewish learning, broadly defined. I'll end with two resources for those desiring to learn more about decoding with an #OnwardHebrew context. For a powerful webinar that provides a great overview, click here: https://youtu.be/0ayl0i0XpLA. For a webinar segment that explores why we are having trouble with Hebrew learning in part-time/synagogue programs and how the “science of reading” might influence changes, click here: https://youtu.be/zBX0Kz8DfJg?t=1487 Want to know more? Feel free to join the conversation on the #OnwardHebrew FB group. By Barb Shimansky, Director of the School for Living Judaism, Temple Beth Sholom, Miami Beach, FL  When we decided to adopt the #OnwardHebrew philosophy at Temple Beth Sholom in Miami Beach, Florida for the 2018-2019 school year, we knew this would be a shock to the system. Hebrew had been taught in a “traditional Hebrew School” manner for decades. Classes were held twice a week for grades three through six, and learners spent most of this time sitting at tables and going around the room to read lines from primers and workbooks. There would be occasional deviations for things like holiday vocabulary. Learners were certainly learning to read Hebrew, but they were uninspired and unengaged. The relatively new #OnwardHebrew approach changed both the methodology and the narrative by which Hebrew could be taught, and we eagerly jumped “all in.”
That is not to say that our constituents were necessarily so eager. Although there was expressed desire for our learners to have a more enjoyable experience, parents were generally uneasy about the idea of their children learning Hebrew differently. While I anticipated this, the pushback was pretty intense during the first year or two. The summer before we launched, a parent called me and said, “I have some questions for you about this Hebrew School where you won’t be teaching Hebrew anymore.” Caught somewhat off-guard, I took a moment before responding, “We will still be teaching Hebrew. It will just be done differently from how we have been doing it.” It turned out that it was not just this one parent who had the impression that we were abandoning Hebrew altogether. This was the rumor going around the community! I realized we needed to communicate differently if our families were going to buy-in to this approach. I will freely acknowledge that the change in my language around this was not one that occurred overnight. In fact, I continue to think about this and continually refine it. Perhaps the most effective thing I can emphasize it that I talk about what we DO, not what we DON’T do. I offer here some of the main points that I try to emphasize when speaking to parents. Overall Philosophy
Framing these conversations with parents in the positive and maintaining ongoing communication with them about what is happening with Hebrew education have been invaluable tools in elevating the success of #OnwardHebrew in our setting. I hope these tips and examples can be helpful to you, regardless of where you are in the #OnwardHebrew journey!  Are you "just curious"about #OnwardHebrew or are you ready to initiate a change process in your educational program? No matter your answer, the relatively concise list of curated resources, below, will help you more easily gather background information and begin plotting your change process:
This is a blog post that offers a pretty comprehensive (but quick!) overview of #OnwardHebrew. Of special interest is a chart towards the end that shows in one synagogue the impact on decoding of less years and less hours for Hebrew learning in a synagogue setting (spoiler alert – the learners did just as well with fewer total years and hours!). This is the video that got #OnwardHebrew started - it explains why we have been having issues with Hebrew learning in part-time/synagogue settings. This video is a good conversation starter for faculty, committee members and parents. Much has happened in the world of Hebrew learning since it was created (2013), but its foundation is still solid. This is a webpage with targeted resources for learning about each of the elements of #OnwardHebrew. All are videos, some are webinar-length and others are shorter. For links to many more resources, click on any of the icons on this webpage. This is a "getting started" booklet that offers background on #OnwardHebrew for those who have been curious about the initiative, but not sure where to begin. A special feature is the use of QR codes for those who want more info on a topic than is on the page. This is our blog. All the postings are relatively short and help you gain a broader understanding of #OnwardHebrew. There are a number of postings that would open conversation among stakeholders. This offers an interesting set of reactions to #OnwardHebrew implementation by education directors who have taken on the initiative in their own program. They talk about successes, as well as challenges. This is an article that explores the question of why an educational program might change the grade level in which it teaches decoding. In a traditional Hebrew program, children are introduced to Hebrew decoding in third or fourth grade. However, one of #OnwardHebrew’s innovations is moving the teaching Hebrew decoding to fifth grade or later, after children have built a repertoire of Hebrew sounds and vocabulary. [Feel free to check out this decoding resource developed for #OnwardHebrew's older learners called Let's Learn Hebrew Side-by-Side. In a one-on-one setting, children quickly and easily build decoding skills working sound-to-print.] That said, teaching decoding later is not a requirement for #OnwardHebrew participation; currently, about half of the #OnwardHebrew programs have not shifted their grade level for teaching decoding. NOTE: The decoding article linked here is one of many blogposts on the #OnwardHebrew website, most of which would make for interesting reading and conversation with faculty, clergy and volunteer leadership. Scroll through to see what else interests you!] This is the recording of an American Conference of Cantors webinar with Cantor Leigh Korn (previously the head of the ACC) and Rabbi Nicki Greninger - they are both at Temple Isaiah in Lafayette, CA and have worked for years with #OnwardHebrew's philosophy and elements. Your cantor or clergy team may find this a helpful resource. These are the results of a survey done in summer 2019 with the congregations involved in #OnwardHebrew at the time. Results are in infographic form and may be of use to you, your committee, and possibly teachers. This is a list of assumptions for teaching Hebrew in the 21st century - it would make for good discussion with your committee and/or teachers. This is an edited video of Simon Sinek’s “Start with Why” TedTalk. A good place to begin a change process is to consider “why Hebrew” … like, why is Hebrew important to your host institution or educational program? As Simon Sinek says, “People don't buy what you do; they buy why you do it. And what you do simply proves what you believe.” So what are your bigger purposes to Hebrew learning and use? Your “why statement” will provide a touchstone for continued conversation and course correction over the years. Click here and here for some thoughts on why Hebrew. Finally, while this may seem like a bit of a non sequitur, it’s a helpful resource for those involved in a change process. If you are the kind of educator who likes to start meetings with text study, the Experiment in Congregational Education (ECE) assembled some great Jewish text study resources for change processes. You’ll find them here. A caveat: In many, the Hebrew font used appears in an unintelligible symbol-font – if you wish to use the Hebrew (of course you do!) you may need to grab a printable version of each text from a resource like Sefaria. ## So, are you ready to explore or are you ready to start? #OnwardHebrew is here to help. Please post your comments, questions and additional resources below and/or on the #OnwardHebrew Facebook group. Also, let me - Nachama Skolnik Moskowitz ([email protected]) - know that you are dipping your toes in the #OnwardHebrew waters. I would be happy to offer supports along the way!  eJewishPhilanthropy,
December 18, 2019 A long-standing assumption at the heart of synagogue Hebrew education is that if our children learned to read English, it should not be that hard for them to learn to read Hebrew fluently. Yet, even with four years or more of “Hebrew school,” young learners struggle with prayers and blessings. The culprit is often identified as lessened days/hours of learning time or competing family priorities. But, consistent and well-replicated reading research offers us another possibility – countless studies conclude that reading fluency is “… a by-product of having instant access to most or all of the words on the page.” Instant access. Stop and consider your own experience with English as you read the words in this article – you are not decoding letter-vowel-letter-vowel-letter, but rather are instantly and accurately reading each word with understanding. You could do so even if you saw words out of context. For the most part, your fluent reading of tens of thousands of English words was not developed through the use of flashcards, drills or re-reading (“hmm, not quite right … practice reading that again three more times”); none of these skill-based activities create fluent readers. What does? When beginning English readers decode (i.e., sound out) the word p-o-n-y they already know how it is pronounced and have a clear understanding of its meaning. Early English readers can self-correct, if necessary (“oh, that’s not ‘poony,’ it’s ‘pony!”) and then understand the sentence in which it is embedded. Moreso, native language reading research reports that readers turn new-to-them words on a page into instantly accessible sight words via a self-taught and subconscious process that depends on three factors:
By second grade, a typically developing student who meets the three factors above in her native language needs only 1-4 times of decoding a word to store it in memory as a sight word that can be instantly and accurately identified, even if out of context. What does this mean for synagogue education? Unfortunately, it suggests that we set the majority of our Hebrew learners up for failure when “fluent and accurate reading of prayers” is a stated goal. New-to-Hebrew students usually have little idea of the pronunciation (never mind the meaning) of the complex Hebrew words in most Jewish prayers and thus cannot self-correct when decoding. The reading research noted above suggests that unknown words cannot become a fluently-read sight word because the learner does not have the foundation to achieve instant recognition. Not surprisingly, a person who only can decode Hebrew – especially at the halting pace of many new learners – cannot read prayers at synagogue-speed. Yet, we know of young Jews who competently daven. How? These children have stored Hebrew prayers and blessings in memory through multiple exposures to authentic worship. They recite prayers and, if paying attention to the siddur, can match the sounds in their heads to the print on the page. They pray sound-to-print, much like very young children who learned to orally recite entire picture books and then later use known letters to unlock the print on the page. The bonus comes when Hebrew teachers scaffold sound-to-print learning, giving children the foundation to more easily tackle decoding with stronger skills and confidence to self-correct. More so, the originally unfamiliar Hebrew has the possibility of snapping into memory for future access. Based on what researchers tell us about the factors that enable fluent reading, it is time for synagogue educators to reconsider their learning goals and teaching techniques – we cannot expect our learners to achieve Hebrew reading fluency as they have with English. While the native language reading research does not speak directly to our settings, it suggests that
Bottom line, we must more strongly and intentionally honor the sound-to-print progression of learning to read in one’s native language, while paying attention to our unique circumstances. It is true that our pre-bar/bat mitzvah Hebrew learners will never have at their disposal the benefits they had prior to learning to read English – a rich environment in which they heard, responded to and spoke the language before introduced to print. For a whole host of reasons, it would be unusual for our learners to reach the level of fluent Hebrew reading that they have achieved with English – i.e., instant and accurate recognition of a word out of context. To suggest that our students can become fluent Hebrew readers sets them, their teachers, parents and the system up for frustration, even failure. But in the time we have, can we help learners become competent and confident with synagogue Hebrew? Absolutely! By attending to research, rather than our kishkes, we can shift Hebrew learning in our part-time/synagogue settings to more closely honor what the experts tell us. When we do that, it doesn’t have to be hard! Want to know more? Join the conversation with #OnwardHebrew, an initiative that champions better Hebrew learning for students in part-time/synagogue settings. Want more details about the reading research and its application with Hebrew learning? View this webinar segment and then check out some compelling articles. #OnwardHebrew! Join the conversation! To access the article in its original, click here.  by, Nachama Skolnik Moskowitz Lots of links below! Click on the underlined words and phrases! We live in a time when decades old assumptions about Hebrew and Jewish learning in synagogue/part-time settings are being turned on their head. The time devoted to formal learning has been decreasing and many alternative models have moved from “pilots” to “givens.” As noted in a number of recent articles, #OnwardHebrew is transforming Hebrew learning in part-time/synagogue settings across North America – introducing aural Hebrew language via Hebrew Through Movement, Jewish Life Vocabulary, and regular t’fillot, before teaching Hebrew decoding/reading in the year or two prior to Bar/Bat Mitzvah. There is no doubt that children can learn the Hebrew phonetic system in second or third grade; they have been doing it for decades. However, for too many young students, frustration starts mounting in the year immediately following the introduction of the letters and vowel signs, not because the children are not smart enough and not because their brains can’t figure out phonics in a system that uses different symbols. They face three key challenges: decreased time, lack of foundational knowledge and diminished motivation. DECREASED TIME: Over the last 10-15 years, the days and hours per week for Hebrew learning has decreased in part-time/congregational programs across North America. There is no doubt that this structural change demands a rethinking of Hebrew goals, learning assumptions and approaches. From just the standpoint of time, it does not seem realistic to ask our students to achieve the same goals as earlier generations who had many more hours per week and year. In our part-time settings, we simply do not have time to teach communicative language, nor writing, nor reading for meaning. On the other hand, we can offer rich and engaging Hebrew learning opportunities. LACK OF FOUNDATIONAL KNOWLEDGE: Early English readers who confront the printed word “cat” will sound it out “c-at” and realize that they have heard the word many times before, can pronounce it accurately and know what it means. It is a lightbulb moment! On the other hand, children learning to decode Hebrew who confront the printed word בִּמְרוֹמָיו can get stuck (“Bimmm... wait, is that third letter a D sound or an R? Is that an ‘oh’ in the middle, or is that an ‘oh’ at the end?”). Thus, #OnwardHebrew’s push to delay decoding is to offer years during which students can build foundational knowledge, i.e., aural/oral repertoire of Hebrew prayers, blessings and general vocabulary. The word בִּמְרוֹמָיו, when found in context of עוֹשֶׂה שָׁלוֹם (oseh shalom) becomes an easy sound-to-print progression just like the word “cat” was all those years ago. The student recognizes the phrase/word from having participated in many worship experiences and can pronounce it accurately. If students were lucky enough to learn the meaning of Oseh Shalom’s key words via Hebrew Through Movement, they will also have a context for understanding its meaning. DIMINISHED MOTIVATION: An eight year old is often excited to enter the “club” of those who learn to read Hebrew. However, years of “the same, the same” – even with great textbooks and creative teachers – can wear down the early excitement, creating diminished motivation. On the other hand, students who are a year away from their Bar or Bat Mitzvah bring a maturity for the learning process and stronger motivation for achieving performance goals. In a one-on-one setting, they can learn to decode/read Hebrew letters and vowel signs in 12-15 hours, followed by the normative number of meetings his/her synagogue requires with a B’Mitzvah tutor. So, rather than spending years of Hebrew and prayer rote practice, #OnwardHebrew’s compacted approach for learning Hebrew builds foundational knowledge while suddenly opening up time for more compelling Jewish learning. In an era where Jewish educators talk about Jewish learning for “thriving” and “meaning-making,” transforming the Hebrew learning approach has the potential to benefit the entire Jewish educational enterprise. A few words of advice from those who have been down this path: JOIN THE CONVERSATION: Learn as much as you can by grabbing a cup of coffee (or ice cream!) and then spending an hour or so on the #OnwardHebrew site, clicking on articles and videos. Join the #OnwardHebrew Facebook group, paying attention to the postings; feel free to ask questions or offer your own comments. EXPAND THE CONVERSATION: Stir #OnwardHebrew conversations among stakeholders – clergy, teachers, committee and board members – by sharing and discussing the articles and videos you feel would resonate. PICK SOME LOW HANGING FRUIT: With your stakeholders, decide if you are ready to pilot one or more of the #OnwardHebrew elements – Hebrew Through Movement (make sure your teacher(s) sign up for the online seminar!) Jewish Life Vocabulary (LOTS of resources here – keep clicking around!) and Hebrew t’fillot. Each of these easily complements any of your other current Hebrew learning goals, curriculum or textbooks. Keep in mind that there is potential crossover between these elements. For example you can anchor JLV in the Hebrew alef-bet, introducing one letter a week and teaching two to three Hebrew words that start with it. Thus, a child in your program from first grade onwards would have had six years of seeing most of the letters prior to learning to decode. OR, integrate Hebrew sight words into your Hebrew Through Movement lessons (the picture on at the bottom of this blogpost is from an HTM lesson on Sh’ma). Taken together, #OnwardHebrew’s low hanging fruit are examples of rich Hebrew learning, even without the introduction of decoding until children have gained years of Hebrew vocabulary. CONSIDER WHEN TO TEACH DECODING: Do not rush this decision - it takes open conversation with stakeholders (clergy, parents and teachers), as well as the implementation of some experiments or pilots. For example, consider experimenting with “Let’s Learn Hebrew Side-by-Side” for any children who enter your program in fifth or sixth grade not having yet learned to decode/read Hebrew. Or, exchange traditional letter recognition learning in K, 1 and 2, with Hebrew Through Movement. Or, follow the lead of some educational programs that remove decoding from second and third grade with a target grade of where they will introduce it later (e.g., fifth grade), but keep open the possibility of changing that time of introduction. And be sure to evaluate the process and results when done! # # # Kol hakavod for considering the question! Stay in touch with the #OnwardHebrew if you need help! The "Contact Form" is a great way to connect in. Want to share this post? A PDF of this posting is below. 
 #OnwardHebrew is disrupting not only Hebrew learning in part-time/congregational settings, but beginning to have major impact on Jewish learning, as well. Check out this blog post from the Jewish Federations of North Americal webpage by Nachama Skolnik Moskowitz
 In early January 2019, results from the recent #OnwardHebrew survey were published (click here for the full report and click here for the executive summary).
The "enthusiastic-for-#OnwardHebrew" written comments were numerous, including these:
Not surprisingly, the survey results showed that the most difficult #OnwardHebrew element is changing the timing that Hebrew decoding is taught, i.e., first building an aural/oral foundation before introducing the reading/decoding process. One respondent noted, "“[Our stakeholders] are supportive of HTM, Hebrew vocabulary and Hebrew in Tefillah, but not of delaying decoding.” The education directors and clergy who first brought #OnwardHebrew to life explain that key to successful adoption and implementation are slow and careful study/deliberations with stakeholders (clergy, teachers, committee/board members, parents, etc.) AND attention to the change process. Once others understand the theory and research behind #OnwardHebrew, the early innovators suggest that their colleagues:
I would add that the rest of us would be enriched by YOUR success stories, as well as your challenges. We will be able to build upon your experiences. #OnwardHebrew! Join the conversation...
 Recently, I’ve been thinking about Gutenberg’s printing press and its harsh impact on Hebrew School. And indeed, initial drafts of this blog post began as a tirade against Gutenberg, blaming him for the struggles of many a child in Hebrew School. For if he hadn’t invented the ability to print prayerbooks in mass quantities, then worshipers wouldn’t have books in their hands, and Jewish children would not have to struggle with learning to decode Hebrew over four to six years in the learning environment known as “Hebrew School.”
Yikes! It got a little complicated as I realized I couldn’t blame Gutenberg alone – the Enlightenment, Industrial Revolution and a host of other factors could also be implicated in the path to creating the current model of Hebrew learning in part-time/congregational settings. But here’s the point – two thousand years ago, Jewish prayers were shared orally, not slogged through by those learning to decode Hebrew. In the days of scribes and scrolls, an inspirational person who understood the structure of traditional worship led the community in a strong, clear voice. The people could and would do any number of things: listen, recite along with the worship leader, repeat lines or simply say amen. Prayer was an outpouring of the heart that transcended the printed page … oh, wait, there was no printed page at that time! The first written prayerbook was a letter sent by one rabbi to the community of Barcelona in the 9th century CE, and it was not until the mid-15th century that Gutenberg’s printing press made it possible to more easily duplicate copies of books. BUT, over the last few decades, we as Jewish educators have twisted ourselves into tight knots teaching our students what we assume is the one and only way to pray – book in hand, eyes following the print on the page, and using skills of decoding to stay up with the service. And how do we know (hmm, test) that students can participate comfortable in Hebrew worship? Often prior to b’nai mitzvah tutoring, someone checks their reading fluency by handing them a piece of Hebrew text that they have never seen before and asking them to read aloud. Many children struggle, some cry. Most of us learned to read as a young child because over five to six years of listening and eventually talking, we built an incredibly large vocabulary and kishke-understanding of English’s structure. A child who sounds out c-a-t often has a light bulb moment – “Oh wait, I know that word! Cat!!” But children who are asked to sound out Hebrew prayer words they don’t know and may never understand because of adult-complexity and prosaic structure (like בְּמִשְׁמְרוֹתֵיהֶם) are caught like deer in the headlights. The “I-know-that-word!”-light-bulb-moment never comes. #OnwardHebrew suggests that we go back to our roots, introducing new learners to Jewish prayer orally, without concern that they have memorized the text (oh my!) before being able to relate to the printed page. Competent and confident pray-ers are not defined by “decoding to synagogue speed with two or fewer mistakes.” In fact, it’s rather impossible to decode to synagogue speed; one HAS to have the prayers and blessings in one’s head and heart (a softer way to describe “memorize”) to stay up with the service. Besides emphasizing the singing or reciting of Hebrew prayers and blessings in t’fillah (worship), #OnwardHebrew also suggests spending years of building the sounds of Hebrew language in the hearts of our learners in other ways – Hebrew Through Movement (a fun, kinesthetic way to learn key vocabulary of holidays, prayers and blessings) and Jewish Life Vocabulary (Hebrew words that are integrated into English sentences – “What a sneeze! Labri-ut!” or “Grab your siddur, we are going to t’fillah”). Children closer to the age of bar/bat mitzvah who have richly built the sounds of Hebrew can quickly and easily learn the Alef-Bet (12-15 hours) and then match this new skill with the words and phrases now gloriously floating in their heads (oh, yes, and hearts). While I’ve moved on from blaming Gutenberg, I yearn for a return to the days of scribes, scrolls and the aural/oral learning and transmission of prayers and blessings. I challenge us as Jewish educators to release ourselves from the decades old (not millennia old) tradition of teaching in which our students often painfully decode prayers and blessings, syllable-by-syllable, word-by-word. No, I am not suggesting that we skip teaching Hebrew decoding/reading altogether. But for the sake of our young learners, I am pushing us to become more savvy about the process and more efficient with our time. If we can affect this change in our curriculum, releasing our students from years of frustrating work with pre-primers, primers, prayers and blessings, then amazingly we will have more time for engaging, meaningful and compelling Jewish learning ... which is what the Jewish educational enterprise should be about! #OnwardHebrew!! Join the conversation here (comments are welcome, below) and on Facebook! Kol tuv ("all the best") <<just a little Jewish Life Vocabulary thrown in! Nachama Skolnik Moskowitz, Director of Curriculum Resources Jewish Education Center of Cleveland We are excited to share supports for the integration of Jewish Life Vocabulary, offering you avenues for introducing your community to Hebrew words and phrases by infusing them into English sentences ("What an interesting argument! I'd say eilu v'eilu - it's both this and that!"). On our JLV webpages you'll find:
Note that documents have been offered both as PDFs (so that the formatting and Hebrew font "holds") and in Word so that you may edit the lists as desired, adding or subtracting vocabulary that better fits your community. Do you have unique ideas for integrating JLV into your educational program? Please share with the rest of us - either via the contact form on the homepage of this website OR by creating a post in the Facebook group. Questions, comments and corrections are welcome, too!  Two related articles were posted recently to the #OnwardHebrew Facebook group, both supporting the sound-to-print approach, but using examples from the non-Jewish world.
Julia Unger Zorn noted that the Suzuki method of learning violin is also sound-to-print. Students hear music and play music before learning to read musical notes. The article she shared is here: https://suzukiassociation.org/about/suzuki-method/ Rabbi Stacy Rigler offered an article that encourages educators to wait for student readiness, rather than rushing the teaching of reading (and other subjects) at too early of an age. That article is here: https://www.edutopia.org/article/teach-kids-when-theyre-ready and a segment of Stacy's workshop presentation ("why delay decoding") is here: https://youtu.be/UmIFO2CAFwY Both articles offer language for us to offer parents when entering into conversations about a developmentally appropriate time to teach decoding. General comments/feedback is welcome, as well as experiences (successful or not) you've had when discussing delaying decoding with your families.  This website (and postings on Facebook) offers multiple invitations to "join the conversation." We don't want you to "jump on the bandwagon," play "follow the leader," or "go where no one has gone before." Rather, #OnwardHebrew invites you to enter into dialog about the current approach to Hebrew learning that has dominated part-time/congregational learning for decades.
In some ways, each of the education directors who adopted new approaches to Hebrew education, began as anthropologists. They carefully observed their current programs - noting behaviors of students and teachers, interpreting conversations ("what did I hear and what do I think it means?"), and considering the larger social sphere in which their congregation was situated. To their credit, they did not do all this in a vacuum. Rather, they connected with each other to share observations, debate conclusions and consider potential next steps. As a result, each program is different, but because of their thoughtful interactions, new assumptions about Hebrew education began to emerge, resulting in a spark to Hebrew learning not seen in the recent past. This is the power of conversation! It's not about me alone and it's not about you alone. But my sharing and your sharing will help us all develop learners that are exited about Hebrew, and grow in their competence and confidence. #OnwardHebrew. Join the conversation ... with your staff, with local and national colleagues, on this blog, and on Facebook. Really. Let's talk! The OnwardHebrew website has been launched! Yay! But we're still finding bugs and dead-end links. Feel free to be in contact if YOU find something not working correctly.
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