can you recommend some hebrew books

applesnax

Tue, Feb 26 2008, 2:43 pm

what are some good easy hebrew books for a beginning reader? with stories?

what are some really good kriah books?
is there a simple kriah book for parents to teach their kids hebrew? practice reading etc...

where can I get them online?

I'm posting in teacher's section - cuz I figure you guys would know!

Mama Shifra

Wed, Feb 27 2008, 2:56 pm

I would start with books such as Good Night Moon or The Very Hungry Caterpillar that most people are familar with in English, but are available in Hebrew translation. Other books available in Hebrew are some Clifford and Spot books (I wouldn't try Dr. Seuss books in Hebrew, even though they are available, as they are not literally translated and they try to rhyme in Hebrew). If you cannot find them locally (even a Borders or Barnes and Noble store might have them), then try www.orlysbookstore.com.

If you want books based on Jewish life, you can try the parsha series עונג שבת, which is a set, one book for each book of the Torah. מעגל השנה is based on the holidays and Shmittah. They may be available in the big Jewish bookstores in New York like Eichlers or you can try tikuntov.com.

For beginning Hebrew (but past the kriah stage) you may want to check into HaSifronim Sheli. These booklets are written by a former teacher of mine who is trying to teach the children modern Hebrew in a Charedi perspective. HaSifronim Sheli has 4 sets, each containing 4 books (for about $5 each book). HaSifronim Sheli can be obtained from CKY, 2 Omni Court, Lakewood NJ 08701, Tel. 732-886-6516.

Shifra

Starhavah

Wed, Mar 12 2008, 9:46 pm

Mama Shifra wrote:

For beginning Hebrew (but past the kriah stage) you may want to check into HaSifronim Sheli. These booklets are written by a former teacher of mine who is trying to teach the children modern Hebrew in a Charedi perspective. HaSifronim Sheli has 4 sets, each containing 4 books (for about $5 each book). HaSifronim Sheli can be obtained from CKY, 2 Omni Court, Lakewood NJ 08701, Tel. 732-886-6516.

These sound awesome. Do they have pictures? My daughter is in second grade and she lost a lot of Hebrew last summer. I want to keep up her skills this summer by reading wtih her. We are more modern, is there anything in the books we would find objectionable (I can't imagine that there is just checking)?

Does anyone know if it is possible to buy the story books from the Tal Am series? They use Tal Am at her school (it is a fantastic series). Are there libraries where I can borrow the books (we are in Chicago but for these I would certainly be willing to mail back and forth to NY)?

Does anyone know of Israeli game websites with simple Hebrew? I am thinking of something along the line of www.funbrain.com. She would respond well to playing games that used Hebrew language if she could understand it.

Thanks for your help,

Star Havah

Mama Shifra

Mon, Mar 17 2008, 10:42 am

HaSifronim Sheli do have pictures in black and white that the kids are supposed to color in like a coloring book. If stereotypical relations roles bother you, this is not the series for you (Mommy is the one in the kitchen, etc.).

I have also used a book that is not religious (so the boys will not be wearing yalmukahs but otherwise is not offensive to religious readers) called Hakol Chadash. It is meant for elementary school students in Israel who are Olim and do not yet speak Hebrew. The pictures are in 3 tone color. Available in 3 volumes, you can get it from www.isrconn.com/store/prodlist.....y=20.

Sadly, years ago I tried to buy Tal Am for home use, and they told me that they only sell it to schools. It is a great program.

For younger children, there is a computer program that is both in English and Hebrew called Comfy Easy PC, which is meant for 1-5 year old children. You could set the game to the Hebrew version.

TzenaRena

Mon, Mar 17 2008, 12:07 pm

applesnax wrote:

for keriah, there is Hamasores, and Alef Binah, and Mavo Likriah, together with companion book: Ezer l'mavo l'kriah.

I don't know what came out more recently, but we teach keriah according to the kometz alef oh, method. First, learn the letters of the Alef Bais in the proper, traditional order, as printed in the Siddur;
then the names of the nekudos,
then combine letters with nekudos, enunciating the name of each, kometz alef oh, kometz bais boh, kometz gimmel goh...etc.
After the child successfully learns the nekudah, and letter combinations - pronouncing the names of each, we teach them to say it without actually saying the name of the nekudah and the letter.

This implants the seeds of Yiras Shomayim in the child, and reveals the kedusha of their neshama, and Gedolei Yisroel insisted on teaching it this way, although "newer" more "modern" methods have been touted as improvements, the Gedolei Yisroel rejected them, because they do not have the aforementioned kedusha, which protects a child from sin and heresy for his entire life, and sadly make him more susceptible to those vices.

The books I mentioned all teach keriah according to this Masorah method.