Program Overview

Arabic is a diglossic language, for which two varieties exist: Modern Standard Arabic (MSA), used mainly in written texts and formal settings, and colloquial (spoken) Arabic, which refers to the various dialects spoken in Arab countries and communities. Though these varieties complement each other, even after studying MSA there is often still a need to work specifically on spoken Arabic. For this purpose, we offer the following Arabic courses during the summer:

• Introduction to Colloquial (Spoken) Arabic: Through this course students will acquire basic vocabulary and functional grammar that will contribute to fluency in colloquial Arabic.
• A Modern Standard Arabic (MSA) course: Arabic I. This course teaches students the Arabic alphabet and the basics of MSA, the lingua franca of the Arab world, used in written communication, literature and all formal and religious contexts. Students will also learn to correctly pronounce and identify Arabic sounds in context, understand the basic grammar and vocabulary of MSA, read and translate basic texts. The courses will focus on developing reading, writing and listening skills as well as the acquisition of a basic vocabulary.

Students can enroll in Introduction to Colloquial (Spoken) Arabic  and Arabic I (MSA) at the same time. Alternatively, students can enroll in just one course. Each course (Spoken, Arabic I) is worth 4 academic credits.

Alongside the academic aspect, extracurricular activities will be offered such as a program-specific day trip in Jaffa, as well as cultural and social activities offering the student an unmediated introduction to Israeli-Arab society.

In addition to coursework, social activities are conducted by our Madrichim. Precise dates and descriptions for these will be announced closer to the program start date.