Hava Nedaber Ivrit: Jews Are The People Of The Book
Each month in this space,
L'Chayim will present a Hebrew
lesson entitled, "Hava Nedaber
Ivrit!" (Let's Speak Hebrew), whose
aim is to encourage further study of
Hebrew. The lesson will include a
brief story utilizing the Hebrew
words to be studied, a vocabulary
list with English translations and a
family activity which involves using
the new words. The lessons will be
prepared by Nira Lev, associate
professor of Hebrew language and
literature at the Midrasha College of
Jewish Studies.
Following is this month's
lesson:
Am Hasefer is almost a second
shem for HaAm HaYehoodee. This
is a shem mateem for an am
whose chayeem as a people and as
individuals always revolved around a
sefer — Sefer HaTorah,_ HaTanach.
This sefer is the basees of all other
sfareem that constitute the core, the
lev, the makor of Jewish life,
chayeem yehoodeem in all aspects
— religious, intellectual, cultural and
social.
When our am was banished
from Eretz Yisrael, they could not
take much with them, but they took
their sefer — Sefer HaTorah. This
sefer, and all other sfareem based
on it, served as their manheeg
roochanee throughout the
alpayeem shana of chayeem ba-
galut. The different Sifrey Kodesh
guided the people in celebrating the
chageem interpreting and keeping
the chookeem and minhageem
and practically served as a
madreech for chayey yom yom,
directing the people in all matters of
life big or small.
At the time of the shoah, in
machanot ha-reekooz, yehoodeem
hung onto their sfareem most of the
time all they had were just dapeem
krooeem of Jewish books such as
Sefer T'heeleem or the Haggadah
shel Pesach, to which they clung,
taking great risks. These dapeem
symbolized to them the survival of
HaRuach HaYehoodit kavod la-
sefer and ahavat ha-sefer have
been part of the tarbut yehoodit
throughout history. Sifrey Kodesh
were never thrown out. When they
were worn out and could not be
used any more, they were buried in
a special tekes.
This masoret of ahava and
kavod la-sefer continues in
medinat Yisrael today.
Meelon (Dictionary)
sefer
s'fareem
am
shem
mateem
chayeem
HaTanach
basees
lev
makor
Eretz Yisrael
manheeg
roochanee
alpayeem
shana
galut
ba-galut
Sifrey Kodesh
chok
chookeem
minhag
minhageem
book
books
nation
a name
suitable, fitting
life
the Bible
basis
heart
source
the land of Israel
leader
spiritual
2,000
year
Diaspora
in the Diaspora
Holy Scriptures
a law
laws
custom
customs
instructor, guide,
counselor
everyday life
chaye yom yom
Holocaust
shoah
concentration
machanot ha-reekooz
camps
page
daf
pages
dapeem
torn (plural)
korreem
The Book of
Sefer T'heeleem
Psalms
Passover
Haggadah shel Pesach
Haggadah
the Jewish
Haruach hayehoodit
spirit
spirit
ruach
respect, honor
kavod
love
ahava
culture
tarbut
ceremony
tekes
tradition
masoret
mandreech
Match The Books And The Jewish Authors
Listed below are Jewish authors and the books they have written.
Match the authors to their works and if you have not read a selection, do
so. They are available at most local temple or synagogue libraries and at
the public libraries.
Authors
1. Laura Hobson
2. Chaim Potok
3. Sadie Rose Weilerstein
4. Judy Blume
5. Anne Frank
Leon Uris
Elie Wiesel
Chaim Potok
6. Sholom Aleichem
7. Marilyn Hirsch
8. Elie Weisel
9. Sydney Taylor
10. Isaac Bashevis Singer
11. Leon Uris
Anne Frank
Sholom Aleichem
Philip Roth
12. Philip Roth
Books
A. The Adventures of K'Tonton: Stories of a
Jewish Tom Thumb
B. The Diary of a Young Girl: Holocaust
memoir
C. Gentlemen's Agreement: A study of anti-
Semitism in America, written in 1947.
D. The Chosen: An exploration of the complex
relationship of two generations and two types
of contemporary Orthodox Jews.
E. Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret:
Twelve-year-old girl from a mixed marriage
must face choosing a religion.
F Goodbye Columbus: A collection of satirical
short stories about middle-class American
Jews.
G. The Rabbi and the 29 Witches: A rabbi
outwits witches to rid his village of them.
H. Exodus: Historical fiction depicting the
establishment of the state of Israel.
I. Mazel and Shlimazel or the Milk of a
Lioness: A folk tale of a poor young peasant
named Tam and his experiences when he
meets Priness Nesika; also a contest between
good luck and bad.
J. All-of-a-Kind Family: Stories of a New York
Lower East Side Jewish family.
K. Tevye the Dairyman: The story of a man of
faith and his family who overcomes every trial
and test he's put to.
L. The Jews of Silence: Eyewitness account of
the plight of Soviet Jews.
(Answers on Page L-7)
THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS L-5