By Morris Malakoff, JTNews Correspondent
Mifgashim is a Hebrew word that in English roughly translates to mean “assembly” or “gathering.” In a classroom at a Bellevue school, that gathering or assembly meets weekly with a well-defined mission: to teach Hebrew with an eye to keeping the living language alive in the Seattle area.
While Jewish schools do teach the language, Yael Tropen, founder of the Mifgashim Hebrew language program, says that that was not sufficient to fulfill the needs of the broader community, beyond schoolchildren.
“We discovered that parents of students in the Jewish schools found that they had either not been exposed to the language or had long since forgotten most of it,” Tropen said. “They found themselves helpless to assist their children with their lessons.”
She also discovered that there were families that desired to expose their children to Hebrew but did not have them enrolled in a Jewish school.
With that in mind, Tropen opened Mifgashim last Spring using a classroom at an elementary school after school hours.
“We operated through June and then stopped for the summer,” she said. “We started again in October and will run through the school year.”
At the youth level, the classes are after school on Wednesdays starting at 5 p.m. Students are broken down into small groups by age and ability using textbooks specific to that age and ability. Currently students range in age from 3 to 12, and Tropen would like to see older students enroll as well.
The adult class meets on Thursday evenings at 7:30 p.m. In addition to language study, instructor Tovi Romano, who along with Tropen is a native Hebrew speaker, also facilitates discussions on topics of the students’ choice, ranging from current events to Israeli culture. Tropen said that while there are many beginning students in the class, a number of people come with a wide range of skills. Romano works with the class as a whole and in smaller groups based on skill levels to allow all to benefit from the 90-minute classes.
Children and adults alike are given exposure to Israeli life and Jewish culture in a class that emphasizes immersion in the language.
“We want to strengthen our connection to the community and to the secular Jewish and Israeli tradition,” said Tropen.
While children may find learning Hebrew important for an understanding of their heritage and culture or for religious purposes, such as preparing for a Bar or Bat Mitzvah, Tropen says that adults, who are taught in a conversational style, often find that having a grasp of Hebrew can benefit them in ways ranging from connecting with family to lowering the concern of a language barrier — taking the edge off of a trip to Israel.
While classes started in October, Tropen encourages people to enroll now and catch up.
There are textbooks for the classes, which are purchased through Mifgashim. The prices for the books vary with the level of the class in which a student is enrolled.
“Private lessons can be arranged to get a newcomer up to speed,” she said.
Tropen said that as word of the classes has spread, demand for more classes is being expressed.
“We have been asked about doing classes in Seattle and Mercer Island,” she said. “The current adult class has 13 people enrolled, and we are ready to accept more.”
While Romano is the teacher of both classes at the present time, a need for more teachers is foreseen as growth continues.
“We are looking for native Hebrew speakers who would like to teach the community this language,” she said. Those interested in teaching should contact Tropen.
Those interested in enrolling or finding out more about the Mifgashim program are asked to contact Tropen via the program’s Web site, www.mifgashim.us. While drop-ins to classes have occurred, Tropen prefers that she be contacted first both to let Romano know that a new student will be in attendance as well as to assess the ability level of the student.
Mifgashim’s Hebrew language classes are offered for youth (through high school) Wednesdays from 5–6:30 p.m. Adult classes run Thursdays from 7:30–9 p.m. Tuition is $100 per month for adults, $80 for youth, with family discounts available. Classes are held at Stevenson Elementary School, 14220 NE 8t