How great is the need to Speak Hebrew?

There are many potential Anglo olim who may be hesitant to make the move to Israel because they dont speak Hebrew. The question is do you NEED to speak Hebrew in order to live in Israel and make it work?

Many Sabras will tell you: You NEED to Speak Hebrew!

There are those die hard sabras who will insist that, just as they and their parents did, that any oleh needs to learn Hebrew as a priority when moving to israel. But is that the reality on the ground? Does one absolutely have to learn how to speak Hebrew on touching down at Ben gurion airport? There are those who would tell you that the reality for many Anglos, especially those who live in predominantly Anglo areas of Israel, is that most of their day is conducted in English with very little need to speak Hebrew at all. Their family life is in English, possibly working for an English speaking company in Israel minimizing the immediate need to speak Hebrew. But does this work in the long term?

If you Speak Hebrew integrating is easier for your family

The answer to this really is no. As kids integrate more quickly and easily than most adults, learning to speak Hebrew very quickly after moving here and making Israeli friends in the area that they live. It is important that responsible parents take it upon themselves to learn to speka Hebrew, if nothing else, for the sake of their children. If your kids for example invite some new school friends over who happen to speak Hebrew only and you are unable to communicate with them, it can get embarrassing for you kids making the atmosphere at home uncomfortable and a little unnatural.

So in conclusion, even though there may not be an immediate need to speak hebrew like a fluent sabra immediately it should be one of your long term priorities in order to ensure a successful Aliyah for you and your family.