Hello all!

This week we lit the first candle of Chanukah! Chanuukah in Judaism is a time that miracles happen! Always, when the festival arrives, I make a concerted effort to think about the miracles that I would like to happen; after all, everything is just a matter of faith.

This week was very nice in Ulpan here in Tel Aviv. We got two new students and the interesting thing was that both of them spoke Hebrew very well! You could even say that both of them spoke Hebrew like Israelis and the situation was a little amusing because it felt like I was teaching Hebrew to native Israelis. I guess that it wasn't just the language rather it was the Israeli mentality that they have acquired in recent years which gives them the sense of being Israeli.

One of the things that I think is the most special about our Ulpan is that we take Hebrew learning to a very practical level. I really like to get to know the students and their interests and according to this, I can then give them texts that they will find interesting. This makes their Ulpan studies a real learning experience. The student feels not only that they are learning a new language, rather, that they can find themselves within their new language and feel more at ease with Hebrew. I can see in their eyes that when they speak about something close to their hearts, or about themselves; the fact that they can speak about it in Hebrew moves them.

There is nothing that makes me happier than when a student manages to break the language barrier and successfully passes the challenge that they have set before themselves. More than once have I seen in students of ours, that following a successful course, the student not only changes their perspective on learning a new language but also their whole outlook changes.

I wish you all a happy Chanukah and may all our wishes come true.

Sarai

Hi!

Hi!
Almost a week ago I returned from a month far away up North. There is no need to say that it is an excellent place to live, the views from the kibbutz and the community atmosphere were wonderful but is good that it lasted a month and not more because I missed my life in the big city.
And so I returned a week ago and it was simply great to return to the Tel Avivian lifestyle; to the Dan busses and above all to all my students at the Ulpan whom I love very much.
This week I got a new student who came from Eastern Europe and despite the fact that I have been in the Ulpan quite a while and taught many basic courses, the feelings with her were different. Something, whilst teaching and studying with her, was done differently. People from Europe are from a very different culture from us Israelis and it therefore is often expressed during their studies. They need to understand every little thing, it is hard for them to simply "go with the flow", something which is very natural amongst us Israelis. Not that this is a bad thing, the opposite, it is simply that the culture and education are very different.
Her studies were exhaustive and I felt like it had been a long time that a student at such a basic level (A-B) had succeeded to challenge me academically despite it being a course that I have taught a great number of times. This is precisely what I love about my work here at Ulpan Aviv, every time a new student enters the through the door, it is as if a new world has entered with a different culture and conventions. We as teachers need to take it into consideration and to use it to guide their studies and our teaching. I find this all extremely fascinating.
This week I did something that I haven't done before; on Tuesday I carried out an evaluation and initial meeting with someone who was interested in studying with us. The meeting itself was carried out in Hebrew which was a little relief for me and it went simply excellently. Immediately we scheduled classes, she paid and this Sunday she will begin.
I really enjoyed the experience of selling! It wasn't just due to economic reasons; the opposite, defiantly not for economic reasons. I enjoyed it because I know the fine nature of the product that I sell. I know that it really is as good as I say and not simply words coming out of my mouth- double satisfaction!
Have a great weekend everyone and Shabbat Shalom!
Saray Pentzak
Ulpan Aviv - Teacher

Shalom lekulam! Ma shlomchem?

Well time is really flying by and I only have another week and a half up north before the project ends. It has been a really interesting experience for me and one that I will not soon forget. With the students being so young and so far away from home, I have often felt like a mother to them and not just their teacher. It has been really important for me to remember to ask them how they are, how they are feeling, how things are going for them and generally to be available to listen if they needed to talk. Studying psychology has proved invaluable at times!
In Judaism there is a very important principle for parents and teachers regarding education, it is that the left hand pushes away while at the same time, the right hand brings closer. It is very important to remember when we are angry with a student or a child that we mustn’t only punish him but we must also bring him back and restore him!
All this said, I am really looking forward to getting back to the Ulpan and normal life. Kibbutz life is so different from being near Tel Aviv where people dress in clothes other than what looks like pyjamas and where you see life, shops, cinemas and restaurants, etc. I guess I am just more of a city girl at heart………
Shabbat Shalom,
Saray Pentzak
Ulpan Aviv - Teacher

Shalom, Shalom! Ma shlomchem?

Shalom, Shalom! Ma shlomchem?
This week I am writing this blog in between my Australian students' lessons up in the Kibbutz near Galilee. It really is a beautiful day and very hot for the month of November. The Kibbutz looks lovely in the autumn sunlight. Everything is going well here and I am getting used to the rhythm here on the Kibbutz. It is great fun to have Efat here with me to share the experience. Last week was a very special week. It had 2 major events in it. My new little nephew's Brit Mila (circumcision) and a friend from work's wedding. Both are very significant moments in our lives as Jews and especially here in Israel. Both were very special and moving moments in their own very different way. With so many moments of uncertainty, sadness, or fear here in Israel, it was very touching to be able to celebrate life and its joyful side, twice in one week. On Thursdays, I am still teaching at the Ulpan in Tel Aviv and was really happy to welcome back one of our students, Bram, whom you may have read about in one of our recent newsletters. He continues to make really great progress and had a job interview this week. We really wish him all the best with his interview and every success. Bechazlacha Bram!

I hope you all have a great week and look forward to writing my blog next week. Shavua Tov le kulam!
Saray Pentzak
Ulpan Aviv - Teacher

Shalom le kulam! Ma nishma?

Well, I have finished my first full week at the kibbutz and so far things are going well. As I said last week, the residents and staff on the kibbutz are really friendly and helpful and have been great in making us feel at home. I am also really enjoying the classes, although I had forgotten just exactly how much energy you need to teach teenagers. (Especially teenagers who are a long way from home on their own for the first time ever!!!) This last week or so has made me realize just how different teaching mostly adult students on a one-to-one basis is, from teaching a group of young people. First of all, our students at the Ulpan have chosen to come and study with us and are therefore really motivated to be able to make the very most out of each lesson, and also there is the financial motivation; having paid for the course, they attend and are focused on what they are doing!
I think that in some ways I have the perfect mix, being able to experience both sides of teaching. One certainly makes you appreciate the other and they do say that variety is the spice of life!
I will be taking a day off from teaching at the kibbutz tomorrow to go to my new little nephew’s circumcision. I now have 10 nephews and nieces which makes our Shabbats and Chagim together crazy, but lots of fun!
I hope that you all have a great end to the week. See you all here next week!

Hi there everyone! Ma Nishma?

All is well here at the Ulpan. Last week I started the project up in the north of Israel with Efrat, teaching Hebrew to a group of young people from Australia. The kibbutz is only 40 minutes away from the Kineret and is really beautiful. We received a great welcome from the people there who are very warm and friendly and the students seem to be a lot of fun. I am starting to think that there may well be worse places to work and live for six weeks…..
During the project I will be living on the kibbutz from Sunday to Wednesday and then Thursday, I will be teaching students in Tel Aviv. What a contrast!
Last Thursday was one of my students, Batya's last lesson. Batya has been coming all the way from Beer Sheva to study with us here at Tel Aviv and it was quite emotional to say goodbye to her. We both felt as if we had travelled a quite a journey together. It was intense at times but amazing to see how Batya's self-confidence as well as her Hebrew skills. We hope to see her back here soon. Well done Batya!
Well I need to go and finish the preparation for the Australian students' lessons this morning and so I wish you all Shavua Tov!

Shalom le kulam! Ma shlomchem?

I hope that you all enjoyed Rosh HaShana as much as I did. Hearing the shofar sounding out in all the synagogues at this time is always an incredibly special time for me and for the nation in general. This week I have had 2 Dutch students learning Hebrew with me. One of them, Bram, (who you have all hopefully read about in the Ulpan Aviv’s Tishrei newsletter…), was back from Holland this week and started his 2nd course with us. It was great to see him back again and even better to see that he has not lost any of his Hebrew whilst he was back in Holland! Our other Dutch student is doing an intensive, intensive course… There are many students who visit Israel for only a very short time but still want to have an opportunity to learn Hebrew all the same. For this group of students, we offer the possibility of doing an Aviv course in just 5 days, studying 5hrs a day instead of 2½ hours a day for 10 days. It really is an intensive course, but I am happy to say that Rob made great progress in that week and we look forward to studying with him again. Another of our students, who is a nurse, has already tried 3 other Ulpan programs before coming to us. Her major frustration was to not be able to put in to active practice what she had been learning. Although we have also been looking at grammar, Vicki has enjoyed having the opportunity to express herself verbally and shows great promise in this area! Well, only 24 hours until Yom Kippur and although it is a hard time is always a special time for me, with the hope of redemption and a clean start for the coming year. I wish you all an easy fast and look forward to my next blog just before Succot and my moving to the North for the next few months.

Shalom!

This week I want to tell you all about a project that we are just starting in the north of Israel. Efrat (our new teacher) and I will be moving from the ‘big city’ to Kibbutz Sdeh Elihayu at the end of October, just after Sukot, for 6 weeks to teach on a project. The project involves teaching Hebrew to 20 exchange students from Australia. The students will be studying Hebrew for 4-5 hours a day, 4 days a week for 6 weeks as part of their exchange program and both Efrat and I are really excited about the prospect. I went to London on the Worldwide Ulpan project that Ulpan Aviv runs, almost 2 years ago and really loved that, although I think that this will be completely different. I’ll let you know. This week was a much quieter week on the student front, and so my time has mainly been taken with training Efrat for the project in the north and ironing out one or two things here at the Ulpan. It’s a bit like the calm before the storm as next week my timetable is jam packed with students which I am really excited about. On Wednesday, Nicolas, a Swiss student who is here for 3 months, graduated. Nicolas started at absolute, absolute beginner level with no previous knowledge of Hebrew whatsoever. His motivation has been a real inspiration and it was amazing today to see him reading and translating simple conversations from Hebrew into English and vice-versa. Well done! Until next week… Shabbat Shalom, Saray Pentzak Ulpan Aviv- Teacher

SHALOM LEKULAM!

Hope you all have had a great week. Kids are going back to school (like most other Northern hemisphere countries) and summer is really over. I had some hectic full days teaching and other more relaxing days where I could make lesson plans, individualized for each of my students.
On Monday I broke the record of my oldest student. I always feel connected to students with a lot of life experience and am very challenged trying to adjust myself to their already set learning style; especially at the age of 83! At the end of the lesson she told me that she has realized something important during our session; she has been living in Israel for 42 years and she is still afraid to speak Ivrit with people here. Her dream is to speak Ivrit freely. Even though she knows Ivrit very well she is lacking the confidence. But she is inspired by the fact that Israelis dare to speak (terrible) English to her even though she wouldn’t do the same to them in Hebrew. Amazing what the right attitude can do! I really like this attitude of using the same chutzpah (gaul) that Israelis have to find your own inner confidence to begin speaking the language. That is my message to you for this blog post.
Shavua Tov! Have a great week!
Saray Pentzak
Ulpan Aviv- Teacher

SHALOM LEKULAM!

I just love those weeks in which you get the chance to do everything you planned and needed to do…This week was one of those weeks for me!
Ulpan is going great! I really enjoy my students and seeing them improving from one lesson to the other brings me a lot of satisfaction and pleasure. Receiving a positive feedback form at the end of the two week period is also very nice so don't stop please…☺
I actually found myself dealing with another slight challenge this week as Gil, the director of Ulpan, had to go for a few days to the give some training in Jerusalem. I found myself in charge for the Ulpan and I must say that I kind of enjoyed it (no offense Gil). Doing some evaluations (which I have never done before), taking calls and messages, dusting (☹), etc.
Next week (Wednesday), my best friend is getting married and I am very excited. I have already taken the day off from work so I can be with her during the day.
May we hear only good news and best wishes!
Saray Pentzak
Ulpan Aviv- Teacher

Shalom everybody!

This week was great. I started with a new student- a lovely student who is a COMPLETE beginner. We first started learning the letters, the vowels, and of course how to read and to write correctly. I must admit that as I was noticing the difficulty he was dealing with, I began to hesitate about the pace and the method I chose to use. I certainly did not want to cause any overload or confusion. So, I decided that a first 'feedback chat' would be the right thing to do. At the end of our talk I was far more relaxed and calm as he explained that everything was fine for him and he believes that he will 'survive'; What a relief ☺
As I wrote previously, I am currently seeking an MA program to start in October. On Wednesday I went to visit one potential location and check my options there but it's not for me. Hoping to find something soon.
I spent Shabbat up in the North at my best friend's house who is getting married in two weeks time. All of our friends came and it was exciting and a lot of fun. Can’t wait for the wedding…
Wishing you all the best and Shavua Tov,
Saray Pentzak
Ulpan Aviv - Teacher

Shalom Le Kulam!!

Last week was wonderful, as you will see from the last blog post, I was holidaying in the north of Israel in a little Moshav called Kalanit. It was simply beautiful and very quiet.
All of my family came and since we have a lot of children amongst us, things could get a little crowded at times but all in all it was really great being with everyone. I have three older brothers and no sisters which was a little tough growing up but now I have got used to it and have a very special connection with my brothers!
On Wednesday I came back to Ulpan. I have to say that it was a little bit hard at the beginning but after an hour everything was back to normal again.
Going into the classroom this week made me think again about something we need to handle here on daily basis; the psychology of adapting to Israeli life. Coming to study Hebrew with us is not just about learning a language; it is also about slowly learning to bridge the cultural divide so evident when one spends even just a short amount of time in Israel. It is a process that also involves support and listening to broach topics such as the different temperament Israelis have (or at least are stigmatized to have). It is always the same question for me: what should I do? On the one hand, there is a lot to learn and a lot of things to go over, but on the other hand, maybe that is not the most pressing issue at that particular moment? Usually I just let my students clear their head and talk about what is bothering them and then we move on to Hebrew.
I wish you all the best and Shabbat Shalom,
Saray Pentzak.
Ulpan Aviv- Teacher

Hi everybody!

I am really looking forward to the holiday that I am going on this week. I am going on a trip to the North will all my family for a very much needed break!
Last week was challenging indeed, I taught my first children's course and it was a big success! I met Shirel last Sunday, the cutest 7 year old in France. Not only that this was my first time teaching a child, Shirel does not speak any English and so this was another first- teaching a child Hebrew in Hebrew. It was very different since I am so used to teaching Hebrew in English and I must say that I started the course being a bit skeptical. I discovered that just as research suggests, kids do have a special sense for language acquisition. Even though Shirel and I could not communicate in any language at all, me having a few words in French and her having a few words in Hebrew, we made it and it was an amazing experience that has definitely made me appreciate the sense of communication between people. Teaching the course has definitely made me want to learn more languages and be able to communicate more fully in other languages apart from just English. It also reinforced my joy at working with kids, something I definitely want to do more of.
Wishing you all a beautiful week, not less than the one I am hoping to have myself… ☺
Saray Pentzak
Ulpan Aviv- Teacher

Shalom Lekulam!

At the moment I am thinking about studying for an MA. On Tuesday I went to Rishon-Letzion for a meeting with an educational advisor to hear about all my available options. It was also an opportunity to see the campus and talk to some students who are doing the same course as I am interested in. Hearing the high prices students need to pay for an MA made me even more supportive of all the protests taking place these days in Israel.

This week in Ulpan was very good as I started teaching one student from Holland. He is a charming man and certainly the first who has ever told me that (in his opinion), Hebrew is a simple language. He saw that I was a little perplexed by this (never have I heard this before) he said: "Try to learn Dutch and you will understand what a complicated language is…" So now we know that Hebrew is easier than Dutch.

Today is Thursday and I am going to do my first on-line lesson (via Skype) with a student from the UK who sounds so nice in the e-mails we have sent each other so far. I am excited.

Tomorrow it is Friday and I am really excited for Shabbat this week since a good friend of mine is coming over for the whole weekend. In a few months she will be getting married and these are our last months together as single friends.

Wishing you all Shabat shalom!
Saray Pentzak
Ulpan Aviv - Teacher

Hi everybody!

As usual, another busy week at Ulpan has been had. Thank G-d, Ulpan is growing and despite all the hard work it is so satisfying and inspiring to see it bloom. One of the nicest compliments I received this week was when a student arrived and as we started the lesson, told me, "Ah… now I am here I can relax and enjoy". That was wonderful to hear!
Later the same day, I was teaching another student when Sivan, a new teacher, came to observe the lesson. When discussing what she had seen she commented about how much I knew about the student's personal life. I smiled and realised that apparently teaching Hebrew is not just about teaching a language, for me it is a somewhat therapeutic relationship. Since we want students to break the language barrier, we try to use topics that are close to their hearts. This is a very useful communication tool and allows the students to forget they are learning a language and just relax and talk. Even I sometimes find myself bringing my own thoughts to the lesson, taking advice from a student or just talking about my day. I find learning a language in this setting is very useful and I also enjoy teaching like this alot. You'll just have to try it to really understand!
Shavua tov (Have a good week),
Saray Pentzak
Ulpan Aviv, Teacher

Shalom L' Kulam! Hello everyone!

This past week has been great and quite relaxing! Things in Ulpan are going well and beginning this coming week, I have lots of new students so I will crank up the pace!
At the moment, I am teaching a very high level student which is a pleasure. This course is specifically to learn academic Hebrew prior to the commencement of University studies. The learning has predominately been Ivrit-be-Ivrit (Hebrew in Hebrew) with explanations given in Hebrew and definitions using situations and synonyms to expound on unknown vocabulary.
In Ivrit there are many similar verbs and infinitives which carry similar meanings but that describe different strengths of an action, for example to shout and to yell. At Ulpan Aviv we use a sketch of a ladder and on this we place the words according to their strength of meaning. The stronger the action, the higher it is placed on the ladder. I find this very interesting to teach because it gives me a chance to really think about our language and notice the differences between words that have formally become second nature and are used instinctively.
Other than teaching, last week I was able to indulge in my second passion: shopping!! Being a new branch we still needed some items of furniture and learning aids so I was happy to take on this job- no complaints!
Wishing you all Shabbat Shalom and a restful weekend.
Saray Pentzak
Ulpan Aviv- Teacher

Shalom everybody!

This is my first blog post and I would like to use it to introduce myself and talk a little about what I do.
I'm a teacher at Ulpan Aviv Hebrew School which I have been doing for the past 2 years and I am currently based in the newly opened Tel Aviv branch. Having gained a BA in behavioral sciences (akin to Psychology) and having a love of the Hebrew language, I found that I fell naturally into the job of Hebrew teacher, here in Israel. (I also have a strong familial background in this field, but that is a story for another time).
I began working at Ulpan Aviv when the worldwide ulpan Aviv program was established and with that, I flew to London, England to teach Hebrew. It was an amazing experience and whilst I worked almost the whole time, I had an excellent time. It was a great opportunity to meet different people wanting to learn Hebrew and at the same time experience a very different culture.
For the past 2 weeks I have been teaching some really lovely students! One of the things that I really like in my job is how week after week I continuously meet new people from all over the world! I have met people from London, Belgium, Switzerland, Spain, Brazil, and the US to name but a few places. Meeting and getting to know a new student every course is an adventure for me- not only are they from all around the world but they range from children to grandparents!
Each new student is a challenge for me (and one that I enjoy). Kids are in some way much easier to teach but with adults I have fascinating conversations. Because of these conversations I actually bond very strongly to my students and every time a course ends it is a little bit hard for me to say goodbye. Nonetheless I am comforted when I know we will still learn together on-line.
I think this would do for now as for introducing me. I'll write again next week and tell more about my week in Ulpan.
Shavua Tov to all,
Saray Pentzak
Ulpan Aviv- Teacher