Early Jewish Education: How Early is too Early?

By Rebecca Marcus
University of California, Riverside

Think back. How old were you when you first started Hebrew school? What’s your first memory of interacting with the Hebrew language? For me, I attended a Jewish preschool, so I was about three years old. Every Friday, we practiced our Shabbat prayers. My parents insisted we attend Friday evening services and I found myself on the bimah (raised platform from which prayers are recited) "helping" lead services by the time I was four. But, I digress…

Teaching Hebrew is a delicate art — and even more challenging when teaching this strange language with its odd characters to a group of four-year-olds. The challenge is increased when those four-year-olds are joined by a seven-year old. How do you create a curriculum appropriate and engaging to all?

Games are key. The learning has to be fun — students have to learn their letters without actually realizing they’re learning. So, they can only recognize a few of the letters — but, they know the sounds those letters make. And, that’s really what we’re working towards, right?

Creating a differentiated curriculum is extremely difficult, but entirely necessary. Each student can be given a different "assignment" based on their level, and, though each student may be working on different particular things, they all are engaged in learning the same word, letter, etc.

While many may disagree with me, I believe that it is never too early to begin a child’s Hebrew education. There are those who say that we should not teach a child a second, foreign language when they don’t even have a handle on English. But, if a child can associate Hebrew with fun — coloring, games, winning prizes — that will create a happy association with Hebrew, and by extension, with Judaism and with being Jewish. And, really, isn’t that what Hebrew school should be about?

Rebecca Marcus is a student at University of California – Riverside studying religion. She teaches four- through seven-year-olds in the Hebrew school at Congregation Etz Hadar in Redlands, California.

[Posted 12/26/11]