“The Sabbaths celebrations taught us a lot about biblical principles…”
IMPRESSIONS OF THE FIRST MONTH
2019 Semester Students on their way to the first day of classes in the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.
Courses at the University
On the 23rd of January, we went through the registration process of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem Israel (HUJI). Our first course of Modern Hebrew started on January 24, 2019. We were happy for this program, because it allowed us to take our first steps in Hebrew, as it is spoken and written as a living language. The method used by the teachers, encouraged and motivated any student who wants to discover and learn. In class, the contact with the instructors was friendly and warm. Each student was taken into account by the teacher. Daily homework and weekly exams helped us to process the Modern Hebrew language quicker. In addition, JCBT created a schedule that assisted us to do our homework. We are very grateful for JCBT and all its volunteers and employees who have helped us through our first steps here. After one month of training (100 hours), we can easily have casual conversations in Modern Hebrew with the people around us.
The Trip to the University
JCBT organized all of our daily travels. We are dropped off at the University every morning on time and they picked us up at the end of every class day.
Life at the JCBT Center
We live in common dorms at Yad Ha’Shemona, a small community in the Judean mountains, not far from Jerusalem. We are thankful that all our daily needs were met, so that we could focus on our studies. The Sabbath celebrations taught us a lot about respect for biblical principles and then reinforced the concept of family life here at JCBT. We give thanks to God for the peaceful atmosphere we live in, here in the center. The peace and tranquility of this place help us to stay calm through the stresses of our studies. We are thankful for the interest that JCBT staff and volunteers take not only in us, but also in our families. It is comforting and encouraging for us to be able to share about our families as well.
The End of the First Month of Classes
On February 18, we had the final exam of the Modern Hebrew class. This class was the basis for other class of the Semester program, and opened the door to the second stage of our studies of Biblical Hebrew. Our training of modern Hebrew is not over though, because JCBT staff make sure to practice with us the material we learned, and encourages us to converse in modern Hebrew. Currently, our Biblical Hebrew classes, as well as our field trips, equip us to become better translators.
Thanksgiving
All the glory to God that allowed us to receive this training. We also extend our gratitude to JCBT’s directors, staff and volunteers, as well as to all our instructors for this wonderful opportunity. We pray for continued blessings & peace, both for us here and for our families in our home countries, until the end of the Semester program. We many blessing to JCBT!
Soli Deo Gloria!