In her recent Education Week piece on the “unfortunate monolingual American,” Kaitlin Thomas references the ample research that points to the advantages children gain when they study a foreign language, not the least of which is their development as individuals who are bilingual and bi-literate. These findings encourage the study of any second (or third or more) language, and Modern Hebrew, the language in which HCSC children are immersed, is no exception.

Hebrew has gone through a profound revitalization over the past century and a half, from a classical to a living language.  The modernization and secularization of the language and its transformation to a spoken, cultural medium has been central to the development of a secular Hebrew speaking society and culture in Israel.  This unique historical occurrence offers meaningful opportunities for students to explore the evolution and purposes of language and its function in building and sustaining communities worldwide.

Furthermore, Hebrew is becoming increasingly relevant in the world of international business; mastery of the language has pragmatic benefits as Israel’s influence in the world markets continues to expand.  For example, Israel is only second to the US in having the greatest number of companies listed on the NASDAQ. In light of Israel’s growing influence and prominence, fluency in Hebrew and modern secular Israeli culture is a profound asset for our students’ futures.

These key benefits of an education immersed in Modern Hebrew weave perfectly into the central tenets of our mission at HCSC:  we are educating tomorrow’s thinkers, doers, and leaders in an increasingly global world.