Hebrew Infusion: Language and Community at American Jewish Summer Camps [Hardcover]

Winner of the 2020 National Jewish Book Award in Education and Jewish Identity

Each summer, tens of thousands of American Jews attend residential camps, where they may see Hebrew signs, sing and dance to Hebrew songs, and hear a camp-specific hybrid language register called Camp Hebraized English, as in: “Let’s hear someruach(spirit) in thischadar ochel(dining hall)!” Using historical and sociolinguistic methods, this book explains how camp directors and staff came to infuse Hebrew in creative ways and how their rationales and practices have evolved from the early 20th century to today.  Some Jewish leaders worry that Camp Hebraized English impedes Hebrew acquisition, while others recognize its power to strengthen campers’ bonds with Israel, Judaism, and the Jewish people.Hebrew Infusionexplores these conflicting ideologies, showing how hybrid language can serve a formative role in fostering religious, diasporic communities. The insightful analysis and engaging descriptions of camp life will appeal to anyone interested in language, education, or American Jewish culture.

“Let’s hear someruach(spirit) in thischadar ochel(dining hall)!” Sentences like this abound at Jewish summer camps around North America, alongside Hebrew songs, games, and signs. Through insightful analysis and engaging writing,Hebrew Infusionexplains the origins of this phenomenon and what it says about Jewishness in America.