When you think of JLI courses, you probably picture a multi-week series of deep discussions ranging from Gemara to Chassidus to Jewish philosophy. But one of the organization’s most successful programs breaks the mold entirely.
According to a Pew Research Center survey, only 52% of American Jews can read Hebrew, even though the letters and vowels of the Siddur, Chumash, and other foundational Jewish texts are central to Jewish life.
To fill this gap in Jewish education, JLI created Read It In Hebrew, an innovative Hebrew reading course that has now been adopted by over 820 Chabad Houses worldwide, now expanding thanks to the recently launched David & Harriet Moldau Center for Israel Education.
While most JLI courses run 6-8 weeks with a substantial curriculum, Read It in Hebrew gets straight to the point. Students learn to read Hebrew in just five lessons. No lengthy commitments, no prerequisites, no advanced discussions: just practical skill-building.
With interactive flashcards and its own app for remote learning and review, Read It in Hebrew utilizes the latest technology to combine the timeless learning methods championed by our Rabbeim with contemporary psychology, offering a course guaranteed to be effective in just five sessions.
Additionally, once a Shliach signs up, they receive a complete teaching package including a teacher’s guide, PowerPoint presentations, and marketing materials.
The program has found success with the entire spectrum of demographics: 12-year-old Bar and Bat Mitzvah students and 80-year-old seniors, first-time Chabad House visitors and longtime community members, Hebrew school kids and adult professionals.
“It’s very hands-on and immersive,” said Rabbi Shloime Tenenbaum, who runs the program. “It feels more like a fun language-learning experience than a regular class. Students are engaged the whole time.”
The structure is straightforward. Lessons one and two cover the Hebrew alphabet. Lessons three through five introduce vowels and build reading fluency. Students practice daily with flashcard decks between sessions.
By week five, complete beginners are reading from a siddur.
“I took it for Rosh Hashana services and, for probably the first time in my life, I was really able to follow when the Rabbi was reading in Hebrew,” said one woman who took part in her local Read It in Hebrew program.
Stories like these have driven the program’s rapid expansion since its launch over 10 years ago. Unlike semester-long courses that require sustained commitment, the five-week format lowers the barrier to entry while delivering immediate, tangible results.
Map of Read it in Hebrew around the world
Reading hebrew brings the Jewish people together. It also leads to learning Torah