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Hebrew from Scratch V1 Text
Hebrew From Scratch is also known as 'Ivrit min hathahala'. It's a comprehensive textbook, grammar and exercise book for the beginner adult student. Widely used by high school and university students. The instructions for the exercises as well as the translations of the vocabulary lists are in English. Otherwise, the course is based on Hebrew-only instruction.
524 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2001
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
June 24, 2012
Not recommended for use without a teacher, because this book does not contain English- you need someone to explain the lessons and exercises (even if they are explaining by example and in Hebrew!) This is the book used in most Hebrew Ulpanim, I am told. It provides a pretty solid foundation, but leaves much to be desired in the realm of vocabulary acquisition.
After studying this book, I am confident with my understanding of binyanim and basic structures, but my vocabulary is very small. If you're wanting classical hebrew, unfortunately this book lets go of the vowels right away, so while I can read entire passages, I am still guessing at vowels. I suppose that is useful if you're using this because you're about to go to Israel...the ability to read quickly without needing vowels is useful. This book will give you what you need to become a semi-confident speaker, with plenty of practice and a good teacher or tutor.
After studying this book, I am confident with my understanding of binyanim and basic structures, but my vocabulary is very small. If you're wanting classical hebrew, unfortunately this book lets go of the vowels right away, so while I can read entire passages, I am still guessing at vowels. I suppose that is useful if you're using this because you're about to go to Israel...the ability to read quickly without needing vowels is useful. This book will give you what you need to become a semi-confident speaker, with plenty of practice and a good teacher or tutor.
May 23, 2018
I will say this for Hebrew From Scratch, I think having students encounter strange words and phrases and making them decipher them from either context cues or looking them up is a technique that leads to a stronger, more confident grasp of a language in the long run. At the same time, this is a text that requires a teacher to explain the basics, rather than a tool students can use for independent study.
A serious drawback to the book is that it wallows in offensive stereotypes, particularly of women and LGBTQ folks, particularly sad for a book co-authored by three women. In just about every example, boys/men are depicted as smart, creative, strong, and curious about the world, while girls/women are shown as frivolous, shallow, oriented on their boyfriends/husbands, and unable to answer basic questions. In one example, a person wearing lipstick, short hair, combat pants, and a spiked collar is mocked, derided, and catcalled by a variety of people, including one who laughingly asks if this is a boy or a girl. Not the greatest endorsement of Israeli culture, even for a textbook written in 2000.
I know that for many, this is the standard text, but I would recommend Brandeis Modern Hebrew over Hebrew From Scratch in a heartbeat, both for its pedagogy and for its content.
A serious drawback to the book is that it wallows in offensive stereotypes, particularly of women and LGBTQ folks, particularly sad for a book co-authored by three women. In just about every example, boys/men are depicted as smart, creative, strong, and curious about the world, while girls/women are shown as frivolous, shallow, oriented on their boyfriends/husbands, and unable to answer basic questions. In one example, a person wearing lipstick, short hair, combat pants, and a spiked collar is mocked, derided, and catcalled by a variety of people, including one who laughingly asks if this is a boy or a girl. Not the greatest endorsement of Israeli culture, even for a textbook written in 2000.
I know that for many, this is the standard text, but I would recommend Brandeis Modern Hebrew over Hebrew From Scratch in a heartbeat, both for its pedagogy and for its content.
July 16, 2023
The best book I've used as a Hebrew teacher for 15 years of teaching (includes audio CD's)
August 20, 2025
🫠🤯💀 I can’t properly communicate what this did to my brain because it’s melted. אני עייף מאוד, שולחים עזרה בבקשה
June 3, 2013
NOTE: This is not a "on your own" type of book. Still, this is a great text for language immersion.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews