Speaking of Hebrew: What Language Does for American Jews

By Sharon Avni

A fresh understanding of contemporary American Jewish identity.

Why do American Jews talk endlessly about Hebrew when many barely read or speak the language? This ethnolinguistic study examines the complex and often contradictory role of Hebrew in American Jewish life, drawing on extensive fieldwork, hundreds of interviews, and a wide-ranging corpus of communal discourse. By shifting the focus to Hebrew language ideologies and examining what people believe Hebrew does for American Jews, this work offers a fresh and compelling way of understanding contemporary Jewish identity and culture in America.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0814352383
• ISBN13: 9780814352380
• Release Date: October 2026
• Publisher: Wayne State University Press
• Length: 262 Pages