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August 2001 Issue

How's Your Hebrew? How's Your Hora?

By Sharon Schatz Rosenthal

I suffered through many years of early-morning Sunday school classes, became a Bat Mitzvah, had a confirmation, and currently attend High Holiday services every year. But until recently, I never felt a real connection with the Hebrew language. To be honest, I can read it, but I have no idea what I'm saying! Okay, I know the meanings of most of the prayers, and I know a few phrases that would be useful if I were a Hebrew school teacher, like, "Sheket bavakasha!" which means, "Quiet, please!" Other than that, I don't know much about the language at all. When I talk to Jewish people in their 20s or 30s, like me, it seems that just about everyone I know has had the same experience.

The first time this notion hit home was when I went to Israel with my family about five years ago. Hearing Hebrew all around me, I found it a little strange that I was a Jewish woman visiting the "Jewish homeland" and I didn't know the language. I felt like a foreigner in the one place where I thought I'd feel at home. Truthfully, most of the Israelis spoke English, so, it wasn't like I felt isolated. It's just that a Hebrew vocabulary consisting of only the words "bathroom," "water," "mother," "father," and "hello" seemed, well, embarrassing. I realized how limited my knowledge of Hebrew really was. I wondered why religious schools didn't feel it was important that we learn the language beyond our Bar and Bat Mitzvah Torah portions.

A few years later, my mom became a Bat Mitzvah. At her ceremony, she gave a speech about being at the Wailing Wall and hearing an Israeli woman chanting a prayer that she recognized. It was a very emotional moment for my mother. Growing up, she didn't attend religious school, and as a result, she never thought she knew enough about Judaism to feel as connected to it as she'd like. Recognizing the prayer gave her a sense of belonging within the religion, the language, and the culture. I had a similar revelation.

About a year ago, my husband and I were at a Jewish wedding. A band called Slayer (no relation to the '80s hair band of the same name) played during the reception. When it was time for the hora/put-the-bride-and-groom-on-the-chair routine, Slayer played their version of "Hava Negila." Apparently, "their version" of the song was one where you didn't have to know the actual lyrics. Glenn and I listened intently, as the lead singer belted out, "Oo la heem, la la la la la…" We looked at each other in disbelief. How could a band playing a Jewish wedding not know the words to "Hava Negila?" We were appalled.

Our own wedding was less than a year away and Glenn's new worry was that WE'D somehow hire a band that didn't know "Hava Negila." Luckily, we were getting married in a different part of the country, so there was no chance of our hiring Slayer. (Actually, I don't think I could hire Slayer to play at my wedding based on the name alone!) When my mom began interviewing bandleaders, Glenn, who was pretty easygoing about most of the wedding details, was suddenly adamant: "We have to ask all of them, 'How's your hora?'" he insisted, wanting to ensure there wouldn't be a repeat of the Slayer experience. When Glenn asked the question, some of the bandleaders were downright insulted. "I've been doing this for 20 years!" one of them scoffed, "Of course I know the words to that song!"

I began to realize that whether I understood all the words or not, I did, in fact, have a relationship with the Hebrew language. I realized that Hebrew was a part of our tradition as Jews. What would Passover be without that "Dayenu" song? Services wouldn't be services without the Sh'ma. I was suddenly proud to have read from the Torah at my Bat Mitzvah--and that I was able to read my portion without vowels. I was proud that I could find the nearest bathroom in Israel or tell people to shut up in Hebrew if I wanted to! I began to feel that I MUST have a band that knew all the words to "Hava Negila" at my wedding. Right then and there, my connection to Hebrew was confirmed.

Still, I do find it a little odd that I can read the language, but for the most part, can't speak or understand it. In a way, it almost seems disrespectful that I just learned enough so that I could be Bat Mitzvahed. Isn't that almost like cheating? How can you gain an appreciation of something when you don't fully understand it and you only learn enough of it to get by?

But, somehow, I do feel connected to Hebrew and on some level, I guess I always have. It just took a visit to Israel, the memory of my Sunday school days, and a terrible wedding singer to discover something that was already there. By the way, thanks to the Ken Silver Band, we had a great hora at our wedding.

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