Speaking of Hebrew

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How American Jews speak about Hebrew reveals the central concerns of contemporary American Jewish life.

Why do American Jews talk endlessly about Hebrew when many barely read or speak the language? This ethnolinguistic study examines the complex and often contradictory role of Hebrew in American Jewish life, drawing on extensive fieldwork, hundreds of interviews, and a wide-ranging corpus of communal discourse. By shifting the focus to Hebrew language ideologies, Sharon Avni moves beyond conventional assessments of linguistic competence and argues that what American Jews say about Hebrew is as revealing as what they say with it. Debates about Hebrew are never really just about language but rather are struggles over Jewish identity, authenticity, and the future of American Jewry. Centering the voices of journalists, communal figures, scholars, and educators, as well as adult Hebrew learners, Speaking of Hebrew offers a fresh and compelling way of understanding contemporary Jewish identity and culture in America.