In recent years, there has been an explosion of “charter” schools in America. One such school is the Hebrew Language Academy, a “Hebrew language charter school” that provides its students with a bilingual education in Hebrew and English. This interview in Tablet with the school’s Executive Director, Aaron Listhaus, explains the school’s mission and educational philosophy.

According to Listhaus, the goal of the school is “to uncouple Hebrew from Judaism.” While the Hebrew Language Academy’s history program includes an emphasis on global Jewish history in addition to the bilingual Hebrew-English curriculum, it does not include any religious subjects such as Bible or Talmud. The school is open to students of any religious affiliation, and the emphasis is on “having an excellent school” for students of all backgrounds, including students who speak neither Hebrew nor English as a first language.
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