Hebrew Through TV Crash Course (Winter)

Service Description

Prerequisite: Initial Consultation with Aviv Bertele This course is designed for students who have completed the Gimmel class level and are eager to further their proficiency in Hebrew, with a special focus on enhancing their speaking skills. This time, for a particularly wintry course, we chose the series *"Arab Labor."* It follows an Israeli Arab family as they navigate stereotypes and their relationships with Jewish society. Every bit of praise heaped on "עבודה ערבית" was well-deserved — not only because of the perpetually sensitive topics it tackled, but especially because of how it did so. It’s incredibly challenging, if not nearly impossible, to make the dynamics between Israeli Jews and Arabs amusing, and this has only become harder over the past two decades. Yet Sayed Kashua, Shai Kapon, Roni Ninio, and Dani Paran managed to pull it off, creating an award-winning comedy series that neither insults the intelligence of its viewers nor anyone else, for that matter. In 2015, it spun off into a mockumentary-style series titled "The Screenwriter," which depicted the (at least partially fictionalized) life of Sayed Kashua, the writer of "Arab Labor," as he experienced something resembling a midlife crisis. Kashua was portrayed in "The Screenwriter" by Yousef Sweid, an actor who, in real life, is married to Adi Shilon. Somewhere in there is a rather clear statement. All episodes will be viewed together during class sessions, providing a unique and engaging platform for students to practice and improve their spoken Hebrew. Following each viewing, class discussions will be centered around the series' themes, allowing students to actively use and refine their speaking abilities in a supportive and interactive environment. The course aims to significantly boost speaking confidence by focusing on practical conversational skills, grammar, and vocabulary expansion within the context of the series. Through this method, we not only aim to improve language proficiency but also offer students a window into various aspects of Israeli culture and society, enriching their learning experience with cultural insights and real-world language application. The course includes a 30-minute break time to ensure students have adequate rest and can maximize their learning experience. In addition, the course is conducted in our welcoming and pleasant Ulpan in Tel Aviv.