It’s clear Hannah Stork and Heather Stoloff have bonded in the face of their shared challenge. The two were the first participants in the Brandeis-Middlebury immersion program at BGU last semester. Like all Middlebury language programs, Hannah and Heather have pledged to speak nothing but Hebrew – both in class and out of it.*
“We get all the reactions. Some laugh at us. Some help us. People ask why we speak to each other in Hebrew between ourselves when no one is around,” Hannah says.
The program is part of Hannah and Heather’s junior year abroad. Hannah is studying International Relations with a concentration in Middle East and Religion at Middlebury while Heather is studying Psychology at Brandeis with a minor in Hebrew. Both had to pass admissions tests to gain entry to the program. In addition to language classes, the two take Israeli culture classes specifically designed for their program.
“One of our classes uses Israeli films and TV as a sociological prism. I really like our courses. We learn a lot of words that are connected to what we are studying but are also practical,” says Heather. Speaking only Hebrew has thrust them into Israeli society. “We had to find Israeli friends because we can only speak Hebrew,” Hannah says.
“[Prof.] Tomer [Levi, the program’s director]also helps us find Israeli friends,” Heather chimes in. The spring semester has been hard at times, but improvement is noticeable. “It’s not easy, particularly for people who have a hard time learning languages like me,” admits Heather, “I don’t always feel comfortable if I can’t express myself clearly. But I recognize that I learned a lot of Hebrew, can watch TV and movies, and I understand what people are saying.”
“I speak much better Hebrew than a lot of the people I did ulpan with [in Haifa]. It helps me realize I learned a lot. Those who learn in the English-language programs don’t really interact with Israelis,” she adds. Hannah thinks Beer-Sheva is a great setting. “It’s a perfect place to learn the language and the culture without the falseness of tourism. The people aren’t used to dealing with foreigners,” she asserts.
Heather is amazed at the hectic social lives of the students. “There are parties and events all the time on the streets near campus. You can’t say you get bored. The students here know how to throw a party! The bars are filled on Monday and Tuesday nights too!”
Hannah sums up: “There’s more of a desire to learn since we have to use it. The culture classes are very interesting and then we see it played out on the street or in our apartment.
“The program forces us to deal with failure and difficulties and understand that we are not perfect and there’s always more to learn.”
*The two were interviewed in Hebrew and their quotes translated into English.
