Ivrit b’Ivrit and Students' Self-Actualization Reading Hebrew Bible Adaptations

• In Event: Doing and Being: Religious Experiences in Schools

Abstract

This study considers the impact that Hebrew ideologies have on Jewish students’ encountering the Hebrew Bible (Tanakh) outside of the classroom. Graphic novel adaptations of Tanakh were used to illuminate whether the inclusion or omission of the Hebrew text was significant. While participants often faulted one adaptation for omitting Hebrew text, many of these same participants ignored the Hebrew text when given the opportunity to use it. Additionally, many participants in this study felt that they could not personally engage with the Tanakh because of the importance of Hebrew for studying Tanakh. Instead, because participants were uncertain about their own Hebrew knowledge, they knowingly relied on others’ translations of Hebrew text despite believing such translations to be less authentic.

Author

• Talia Hurwich, Drexel University
  Presenting Author