How can you open communication with the ‘other’ if you don’t know his or her language?
That’s why we opened our Arabic for Communications classes over 15 (!) years ago. Our classes were among the first Arabic for Communication classes, and today continue to be among the most popular and well-respected. Indeed, many of our students have been with us for several years.
Students from levels 1,2,3 listening to a lecture by Ms. Rima Abu Katish, from the Salamtakum organization that helps children with cancer in May 2019
We opened our latest round of classes on Sunday, October 27. This year’s cadre includes 240 people over 5 levels – a new high!
In addition to in-class learning our students enjoy tours of Arabic-speaking Jerusalem, lectures by renowned Arab authors, poets and other professionals, and open discussions with our veteran teachers, Anwar, Suha and Hiba.
Students in levels 4 & 5 listening to poet Marwan Makhoul in May 2019
Here’s a little taste of the classes. The video below was inspired by one of our students and one of our teachers, Dr. Anwar Ben-Badis. It is ‘art in the public sphere,’ where Anwar discusses historic Jerusalem houses, in the neighborhood itself, in Arabic. Enjoy!
Many thanks to the Jerusalem Foundation for their continuing support of our Arabic Instruction Center!
