tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8483254761600926617.post1917284288964906924..comments2023-04-12T14:55:19.021+03:00Comments on Nad-ned Nad-ned: What We're Used ToA Living Nadneydahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14365370597831368062noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8483254761600926617.post-56391123977075388562008-11-11T21:12:00.000+02:002008-11-11T21:12:00.000+02:00L of Z - Absolutely. Keep in mind: public schools ...L of Z - Absolutely. Keep in mind: public schools do not teach Hebrew (I studied Latin for four years!). A majority of Jewish texts, from the Chumash and its commentaries, to most Talmudic commentaries, Halacha, philosophy, history and mussar, are written in Hebrew. True, it's not always the same Hebrew as what is spoken today, but it's close enough to have helped tremendously.<BR/><BR/>In addition, I tried as best I could to interact with Hebrew speakers when outside the seminary, including my volunteer time in the hospital. I did not make great gains in spoken Hebrew that year, but I certainly was able to understand and benefit a lot more from the written texts.<BR/><BR/>Mrs, S - I'm glad your experience was also positive. I was not aware of the prevalence of the "seminary as finishing school," although during that year in Israel, I was familiar with some seminaries that did their darndest to get the girls married off as soon as possible, and at any price. <BR/><BR/>One of my closest friends was the victim of a terrible, abusive marriage, and its lingering aftermath, as a result of such a system. I am not putting these places in the same category as the type of seminary I attended (which did not actually refer to itself as a "seminary," perhaps for that very reason).A Living Nadneydahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14365370597831368062noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8483254761600926617.post-42952561941380985662008-11-11T10:31:00.000+02:002008-11-11T10:31:00.000+02:00I think that a distinction should be made between:...I think that a distinction should be made between:<BR/>a) seminaries (and yeshivot!) which basically serve as money-making ventures for their founders and heads and as "finishing schools" for the girls...<BR/>and<BR/>b) quality schools - including the one I was B"H privileged to attend many years ago - which have much to teach and offer their students.<BR/>I agree that the former may very well be a waste of time and money. The alumni of those institutions often emerge with little knowledge and certainly no connection to Israel.<BR/>But the latter can make all the difference in one's life, and I - for one - am so grateful to my parents for having given me that opportunity and experience. (And for the record, I received an excellent yeshiva education before coming to Israel.)Mrs. S.https://www.blogger.com/profile/14649082640953110457noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8483254761600926617.post-45219362101859269192008-11-11T08:01:00.000+02:002008-11-11T08:01:00.000+02:00"my parents generously funded a summer in ulpan to..."my parents generously funded a summer in ulpan to help me improve my Hebrew."<BR/><BR/>did you actually use hebrew in your seminary anyway?Lion of Zionhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10342299133387602141noreply@blogger.com