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May 28, 2015
Proposed Law: Arabic in school
According to INN, MK Oren hazan (Likud) has proposed a law that would make it obligatory for schools to teach Arabic language from first grade all the way to 12th grade.
His logic is obvious. We live together, work together, ride buses together, we should be able to converse and understand each other.
It makes sense to me. The entire region of nations we live in speaks Arabic. It would behoove us to have some knowledge in that language and culture. Whether to help make peace, to do business, sports, or whatever else, we should be familiar with our neighbors. Kind of like the way Spanish is so popular, and even has status as an official language, in much of America.
By that token, we might also want to include Chinese - not because we are together so much, but so much of our commerce is centered in China, it makes sense to have our future business-people know the language.
His logic is obvious. We live together, work together, ride buses together, we should be able to converse and understand each other.
It makes sense to me. The entire region of nations we live in speaks Arabic. It would behoove us to have some knowledge in that language and culture. Whether to help make peace, to do business, sports, or whatever else, we should be familiar with our neighbors. Kind of like the way Spanish is so popular, and even has status as an official language, in much of America.
By that token, we might also want to include Chinese - not because we are together so much, but so much of our commerce is centered in China, it makes sense to have our future business-people know the language.
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Labels:
education,
proposed law,
school
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"His logic is obvious. We live together, work together, ride buses together, we should be able to converse and understand each other."
ReplyDeleteSo why not make it obligatory to teach Hebrew for 12 years? You know, so everyone could converse properly with each other.
Your Chinese comment reminds me of the TV series "Firefly" in which everyone did speak Mandarin as a second language because the show thought that only English and Mandarin would survive into the future and take over the world.
ReplyDeleteI loved "Firefly!." I thought was also a jab at people who thought that the English speaking world was invincible or something (A-hem! English speakers in Israel!), or maybe even something somewhat prophetic.
DeleteLiving together does not necessitate learning each other's language, or for that matter, any other part of another's culture. We live in a Jewish land! You want to be nice to your gentile neighbors, then say hello in Hebrew.
ReplyDeleteAnd, funny that you make no mention of this, do Arabs, or the Jewish state, require their kids learn Hebrew?
It's a Jewish country and all inhabitants, to get by, ought to speak the Jewish language. Forcing the Arab language on our kids implies to them we need not be proud of God's gift to the Jewish people.
Charedi schools already comply. Even though they barely teach anything like aecular language, they're gonna claim aramaic is an arabic language (even though no arab speaks aramaic.)
ReplyDeleteBy the way, how about arabs being required to teach hebrew? Right now, their curriculum is determined by the PA.
Very important to learn Arabic. Does nayone know what an Arab is saying or going to do if he is behind you and says "Itbach el yehud"?. Well, you'd better know, because if not and you don't run you ahve about 30 secs to live. It means to slaughter the Jews, and used before a stabbing or similar.
ReplyDeleteIn fact, it is good to know Arabic, as we can learn a lot about Hebrew from it. They are similar languages, however whereas in hebrew some letters have a dagesh (dot), in them, that replaces a hidden letter, that is in fact written in the Arabic. For example, the word you in Hebrew is אתה with a dagesh in the ת. In Arabic they do not have a dagesh, so the word would be אנתה and that in fact is the word in Arabic.
After teaching Hebrew, English, Arabic, and maybe some Chinese, is there going to be time left in the school day for math and science?
ReplyDelete