"Learning Hebrew has been central to establishing one‘s personal identity and sense of collective belonging. Language transcends political, religious and ideological divisions; it is what unites and coalesces the different parts of society.“ (The Jewish Agency pamphlet for Hebrew Ulpan teachers)
 
Chin left her daughter in China and came to Israel to make a living. She cleaned Ehud‘s house, and they fell in love.

Sasha never considered immigrating to Israel. But four years after his woman left Russia with their daughter, he understood that life without his child is worthless. He left a thriving business behind only to find himself in Tel Aviv‘s worst neighborhood.

Marisol grew up as a Jewish Princess in Lima, Peru and came to Israel to learn something about life. An unexpected pregnancy alters her plans.
 
These and other characters meet in a Hebrew language Ulpan where their personal stories meld with the complexities of Israeli reality. The immense effort of learning a new language is revealed through their encounter with a strange culture and an unfamiliar environment. Israeli society is revealed through the foreigner‘s eyes. This gaze, at times funny, at times sad, paints our daily reality with irony. But beyond the obvious differences, the human common denominator of longing and love, triumphs time and again.

AWARDS & FESTIVALS

 Best Documentary Director Award &  Best Documentary Editor Award - The Jerusalem International Film Festival, 2006
 Best Documentary Series Award - The Israeli Documentary Filmmakers´ Forum Competition, 2007
 Jury Award – Slow Film Festival, Hungary 2007
 Best Director Award – Berlin-Potsdam Jewish Film Festival, 2008
 Best Documentary Series Award- Israeli Film Academy awards 2008
 Nominee - Grand Off European Off Film Awards, 2008
 The International Film Festival Rotterdam, 2007
 Göteborg International Film Festival 2007
 Israel Film Festival, USA 2007
 Israeli film festival in Paris, 2007
 The Bermuda International Film Festival, 2007
 Thessaloniki Documentary Festival, 2007
 The Chicago International Documentary Film Festival, 2007 
 The Toronto Jewish Film Festival, 2007
 The Stockholm Jewish Film Festival, 2007 
 International Film Festival ‘Jewish Motifs’ in Warsaw, 2007
 Melbourne International Film Festival, 2007
 FilmFest Hamburg, 2007
 The Pärnu International Film Festival, 2007
 The UK Jewish Film Festival, 2007
 Philadelphia Jewish Film Festival, 2008
 Stamford Jewish Film Festival, 2007 
 Amsterdam Jewish Film Festival, 2007
 The Boston Jewish Film Festival, 2007 
 Hartford Jewish Film Festival, 2008
 New York Jewish Film Festival, 2008
 The Palm Beach International Film Festival, 2008
 Madison University-Wisconsin, 2008
 The Vancouver Jewish Film Festival, 2008
 Washington Jewish Film Festival, 2008 
 Jewish Culture Festival in Cracow, 2008 
 JCC Manhattan, 2008
 Long Island JCC, 2008
 Sarasota Film Festival, 2008
 Portland Jewish Film Festival, 2008
 Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, 2008
 Jewish Federation, New Jersey, 2008
 San Francisco Jewish Film Festival, 2008
 Moviemento & City-Kino Film Festival, 2008
 Hong Kong Jewish Film Festival, 2008
 Kansas University, 2011

TV SCREENINGS

 Channel 2, Israel
 YES-doco, Israel
 The Documentary Channel, Canada
 Sundance Channel, USA
 YLE, Finland
 TVP, Poland

QUOTES

"Engrossing documentary "A Hebrew Lesson" brings a fresh take on how non-natives cope with life in a new culture."
(Jay Weissberg, “Variety”, February 22, 2007)

"This movie oozes love and compassion. Every second of its 123 minutes is a celebration of pure humanity… the characters in the movie - the teacher, students, workers, and policemen – share a type of all-embracing human brotherhood. They are all entitled to compassion, and they all emanate compassion... It is not an artistic, sophisticated, prettified representation - but an analysis of humanity itself. Is there anything better to say about a documentary film?"
(Jon Feder, “y-net”, December 24, 2006)

Price Valid for DVD screening only