Hebrew Language and Literature
Hebrew (/ˈhiːbruː/; עִבְרִית, Ivrit [ivˈʁit] (listen) or [ʕivˈɾit] (listen)) is a Northwest Semitic language native to Israel, spoken by over 9 million people worldwide. Historically, it is regarded as the language of the Israelites and their ancestors, although the language was not referred to by the name Hebrew in the Tanakh.[note 1] The earliest examples of written Paleo-Hebrew date from the 10th century BCE. Hebrew belongs to the West Semitic branch of the Afroasiatic language family. Hebrew is the only living Canaanite language left, and the only truly successful example of a revived dead language.
Hebrew had ceased to be an everyday spoken language somewhere between 200 and 400 CE, declining since the aftermath of the Bar Kokhba revolt.[note 2] Aramaic and to a lesser extent Greek were already in use as international languages, especially among elites and immigrants. Hebrew survived into the medieval period as the language of Jewish liturgy, rabbinic literature, intra-Jewish commerce, and poetry. Then, in the 19th century, it was revived as a spoken and literary language. It became the lingua franca of Palestine's Jews, and subsequently of the State of Israel. According to Ethnologue, in 1998, it was the language of 5 million people worldwide. After Israel, the United States has the second largest Hebrew-speaking population, with 220,000 fluent speakers, mostly from Israel.
Modern Hebrew is the official language of the State of Israel, while premodern Hebrew is used for prayer or study in Jewish communities around the world today. The Samaritan dialect is also the liturgical tongue of the Samaritans, while modern Hebrew or Arabic is their vernacular. As a foreign language, it is studied mostly by Jews and students of Judaism and Israel, and by archaeologists and linguists specializing in the Middle East and its civilizations, as well as by theologians in Christian seminaries.
The Torah (the first five books), and most of the rest of the Hebrew Bible, is written in Biblical Hebrew, with much of its present form specifically in the dialect that scholars believe flourished around the 6th century BCE, around the time of the Babylonian captivity. For this reason, Hebrew has been referred to by Jews as Lashon Hakodesh (לשון הקדש), "the Holy Language", since ancient times.
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Matching Hebrew Language and Literature Colleges
New York University
Four or more years; Private not for profit; $53,770 average out-state tuition; $53,770 average in-state tuition |
CUNY Hunter College
Four or more years; Public; $14,880 average out-state tuition; $6,930 average in-state tuition |
University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
Four or more years; Public; $54,769 average out-state tuition; $16,865 average in-state tuition |
Multnomah University
Four or more years; Private not for profit; $28,160 average out-state tuition; $28,160 average in-state tuition |
University of Cincinnati-Main Campus
Four or more years; Public; $25,433 average out-state tuition; $10,099 average in-state tuition |
Yeshiva University
Four or more years; Private not for profit; $44,300 average out-state tuition; $44,300 average in-state tuition |
Hofstra University
Four or more years; Private not for profit; $50,265 average out-state tuition; $50,265 average in-state tuition |
Scholarships for Hebrew Language and Literature Majors
Beinecke Scholarship - Dartmouth CollegeDartmouth College |
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award $34,000 |
deadline Varies |
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DescriptionThe Beinecke Scholarship is open to juniors at Dartmouth College who plan to enter a master's or doctoral program in the arts, humanities or social sciences. You must be a U.S. citizen or a U.S. national from American Samoa or the Commonwealth of the Northern Marian Islands and demonstrate financial need to qualify for this award. In addition,... View Scholarship Details |
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Rapoport Service ScholarshipUniversity of Texas, Austin, College of Liberal Arts |
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award Up to $30,000 |
deadline February 01, 2025 |
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DescriptionThe Rapoport Service Scholarship is available to freshmen enrolled in the College of Liberal Arts at the University of Texas at Austin. You must have a desire to perform community service, agree to perform at least 200 hours of community service each summer, and take coursework that provides an intellectual foundation for your experience in... View Scholarship Details |
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Rebecca E. Pitts Memorial ScholarshipIndiana University - Indianapolis |
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award Up to $12,000 |
deadline February 01, 2025 |
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DescriptionThe Rebecca E. Pitts Memorial Scholarship is available to Liberal Arts students at Indiana University Purdue University, Indianapolis. You must have completed between 90 and 110 credit hours with at least a 3.3 GPA and plan to continue on to graduate studies in humanities or social sciences to be eligible for this award. View Scholarship Details |
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Margaret A. Cook Foreign Study AwardIndiana University - Indianapolis |
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award Up to $10,000 |
deadline February 01, 2025 |
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DescriptionThe Margaret A. Cook Foreign Study Award is available to liberal arts majors at Indiana University Purdue University, Indianapolis. You must have at least a 2.75 GPA and plan to study abroad to be eligible for this award. View Scholarship Details |
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Lorretta Lunsford ScholarshipIndiana University - Indianapolis |
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award $10,000 |
deadline February 01, 2025 |
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DescriptionThe Loretta Lunsford Scholarship is available to liberal arts students at Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis. You must have completed at least 30 credits with at least a 3.4 GPA. You must also plan to pursue graduate studies in humanities or social studies to be eligible for this award. View Scholarship Details |
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James R. East ScholarshipIndiana University - Indianapolis |
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award $10,000 |
deadline February 01, 2025 |
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DescriptionThe James R. East Scholarship is available to students entering the School of Liberal Arts at Indiana University Purdue University, Indianapolis. You must be a former member of the Boys and Girls Club of Indianapolis and have at least a C or higher high school grade average to be eligible for this award. View Scholarship Details |
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Humanities Scholars Program - University of Maryland, Baltimore CountyUniversity of Maryland, Baltimore County |
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award Up to $22,000 |
deadline January 15, 2025 |
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DescriptionThe Humanities Scholars Program is open to incoming freshmen at University of Maryland, Baltimore County. You must major in: Africana or American studies, English, history, modern languages, linguistics, philosophy or any interdisciplinary humanities program to be eligible for this award. View Scholarship Details |
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CU Boulder Arts & Humanities Achievement ScholarshipUniversity of Colorado Boulder |
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award $4,000 |
deadline January 15, 2025 |
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DescriptionThe CU Boulder Arts & Humanities Achievement Scholarship is available to incoming freshman undergraduate students at the University of Colorado-Boulder who are non-residents. To be considered for this renewable award, you must have a minimum weighted GPA of 3.85. Additionally, you must major in one of the following areas: Art History, Asian... View Scholarship Details |
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Mary F. Crisler ScholarshipIndiana University - Indianapolis |
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award Up to $4,500 |
deadline February 01, 2025 |
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DescriptionThe Mary F. Crisler Scholarship is available to liberal arts students at Indiana University Purdue University, Indianapolis. You must have at least a 3.5 GPA in your course of study and have taken a minimum of two courses, one of which must be at the 300 level or above, in your course of study, to be eligible for this award. View Scholarship Details |
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IUPUI-Liberal Arts Dean’s RISE ScholarshipIndiana University - Indianapolis |
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award $3,800 |
deadline February 01, 2025 |
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DescriptionThe IUPUI-Liberal Arts Dean’s RISE Scholarship is available to incoming freshman liberal arts majors at Indiana University Purdue University, Indianapolis. View Scholarship Details |
Hebrew Language and Literature Related Majors
- Spanish Language and Literature
- Foreign Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics
- French Language and Literature
- Linguistics
- Japanese Language and Literature
- Language Interpretation and Translation
- Sign Language Interpretation and Translation
- Chinese Language and Literature
- German Language and Literature
- Arabic Language and Literature
- Classics and Classical Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics
- East Asian Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics
- Comparative Literature
- Germanic Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics
- Russian Language and Literature
- Italian Language and Literature
- Korean Language and Literature
- Hispanic and Latin American Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics
- Linguistics of ASL and Other Sign Languages
- Latin Language and Literature