Speaking of Hebrew: What Language Does for American Jews (Raphael Patai Series in Jewish Folklore and Anthropology)

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 and examining what people believe Hebrew does for American Jews, this work offers a fresh and compelling way of understanding contemporary Jewish identity and culture in America.

Sharon Avni is professor of academic literacy and linguistics at the Borough of Manhattan Community College at the City University of New York. She is the coauthor of Judaism Mediated: Learning About Jewishness Through the Cultural Arts and Hebrew Infusion: Language and Community at American Jewish Summer Camps, which won the 2020 National Jewish Book Award in Education and Jewish Identity from the Jewish Book Council.