Teaching Hebrew Culture with a Critical Lens

When we teach a song, storybook, or movie there are implicit messages being shared. These texts come from people that have been raised in a real, and therefore - complicated culture. These figures, and their cultural products are not simple. Instead we are confronted with cultural icons that are complicated, and models that are not wholly positive.

The Cultural Iceberg - what you see and hear
explicitly, and understand implicitly.

Static and Ben El Tabori in "Silsulim" describe life in Israel -
"...alcohol from Russia, Moroccan food, an Ashkenazi violin..."

Complicating this issue is that most Hebrew language students are not adults learning in an Ulpan (intensive week long seminars) setting, but rather primary and secondary age students that are forming their understanding of the world from their own experiences. As educators we design those experiences, which are like encounters with a foreign land. 

As we engender love for Israel through Hebrew, we also bring with that love a familiarity with the land, it's people, and the products of its people -- their culture which we love, appreciate, and consider our own.

So let's see - we are bound to teach the language, there are many "problematic" texts, and students are of young age. What can be done?

I'd like to argue that this is a wonderful opportunity for real relationship with Hebrew and Israel through Hebrew culture. Discussing with students the truths presented to them in texts, and their understanding of those truths can inform and deepen their relationship with the producers (Israel), and the culture that produced it (Hebrew).  Additionally, meeting students (even young ones) at their level cognitively in a foreign language sends the message that you'll need your whole self for this job.

Let's take two examples - one a song, and the other an illustrated storybook. חגיגה בישראל by Lior Narkis and Dudu Aharon is a relatively new (2017), and popular (9.8mil views) song that expresses a clear love for Israel - it's our בית (bayit - home) for which we should "תגיד תודה לאל" (taggid todah la'El - say: thank God!). The song also communicates that the land is beautiful, skies clear,  and filled with "the most beautiful women". Also - the men are "so suntan that they are all the color of chocolate" - ״כולם צבע שוקו - וואלה איזה שזופים״.

Clearly not an "appropriate text" if we were going to try to select a "pareve" (a yiddish term for things that are neither milk nor meat) product of Israeli culture. There's a clear focus on outward appearance, aesthetic beauty, and even falsity (some of us are faire skinned, or suntan infrequently / unsuccessfully).

But notice the power of the moment -- now we have something to talk about! It's no longer about "What does x mean?" which linguistically is difficult and bland, but rather "Is this true?" and "Why is this being said?" which drives learning to a significantly higher cognitive level. In education we can ask questions and build out assignments that require those upper levels of thinking. In Hebrew education similarly, tasks can be challenging because we are asking the students to use their minds.

In the case of the song with questionable lyrics -- we aren't asking students to solely remember the song or facts presented (low level), nor to simply understand those lyrics (slightly higher) -- we are asking them to analyze and evaluate those lyrics for truth, to consider their own worldview in light of what is being presented to them and to express an opinion - even simplistically. 

Similarly, the book הפיל שרצה להיות הכי shares the tale of an elephant that becomes colorful. He is consequently humiliated, sprayed with water "for being a joke", and decides to revert back to his old color, learning that grey is the color for elephants, full stop.
(credit to Meira Barna Goldberg for her thoughtful analysis and critique of this and other Hebrew children's storybooks)

As educators then we are presented with a choice: 

(a) We can take this seemingly childish story, expressing the value of uniformity and exhibiting bullying behavior and say: This is not appropriate - let's choose something else (some might say - "Anything else!"). Perhaps a sad story about a boy and his turtle (see below), or the classic מעשה בחמשה בלונים that delves deeply into the joy and sadness that balloons bring. Perhaps a new favorite about a happy lady that chooses her clothes based on the day of the week.

click here to hear the author read

click here for the animated version (10:50 mark)

(b) We could also take a different tact, and say "it's a modern classic" and bend to the canon. 

I'd like to argue that we'd would then be missing out on a real conversation about the value of difference, the harm that behaviors can cause, and how we all deeply do feel different. Teaching the value of difference, in Hebrew, through Hebrew culture, is a wonderfully rich way to speak about an ever relevant topic.

                                      

שווים (Equals) by Elai Botnar - discusses differences;

Here performed in sign language by Rishon Letzion

This is not to say that all texts must be controversial, or that every controversial text should be taught. Instead I am offering that in addition to the canonical books about balloons and turtles, we also offer our students intellectually challenging lenses through which to look at their texts, for which we'll need something worthy of our critique.

**Special thanks to R' Ayelet, Julia, and others for thinking through this complicated issue with me**