It tends to sit on the to-do list for a while. Maybe a trip to Israel left you wishing you could read the street signs, or a cousin’s simcha had you nodding along to words you couldn’t quite catch. Maybe you’ve simply always wanted to connect with Hebrew and never found the right on-ramp. The good news is that the hardest part of picking up a new language is usually just starting — and this summer, one longtime New York institution is making that first step refreshingly easy.
Ha-Ulpan has spent years teaching New Yorkers Hebrew in a way that actually sticks, and its summer session kicks off the week of July 6. Classes are held entirely online, which means you can join from your kitchen table whether you’re on the Upper East Side, the Upper West Side, or anywhere else. While the school has deep roots on the Upper East Side and other spots around the greater New York area, the doors are now open to anyone, no commute required.
The school runs regular weekly classes for every level all year long, and it goes out of its way to be a fun, welcoming place to learn. Total beginners aren’t just accepted but expected — plenty of students start out knowing little more than “shalom.” Others have been coming back semester after semester, year after year, which tells you something about the atmosphere.
For anyone who wants to move faster, the summer intensives are the centerpiece of the season. They meet daily — Monday through Friday for the morning sessions and Monday through Thursday for the evenings — and pack the equivalent of two full semesters of regular study into a single summer. It’s a serious amount of ground covered in a short window, ideal whether you’re starting from zero or trying to finally break through a plateau.
Students can use the code STUDYNOW for 10% off a regular summer course (the discount doesn’t apply to the intensives). Full schedules, level descriptions, and registration are all available at Ha-Ulpan.org.
