Nissim Behar
Encyclopedia
Nissim Behar was a Jewish Palestinian educator, born in Jerusalem, and long associated with the Alliance Israélite Universelle
, both there and in the Diaspora
. After receiving his pension, he became a propagandist, in 1899. for the Alliance, and later for early Zionism
.
Nissim Behar can be seen as the founder of modern Hebrew Language
education, largely because Eliezer Ben Yehuda taught Hebrew using the new Direct Method
. Behar himself learned Hebrew from Ben Yehuda, the 'Father of Spoken Renovated Hebrew' and he later became a teacher of modern Hebrew
at the Alliance Israélite Universelle
in Jerusalem, which he directed from 1882 to 1887. Behar was a strong advocate of the Direct Method which prevailed in the further development of Hebrew Language Education in the framework of the Ulpan
, that led to the success of Hebrew Revival.
In 1901, Behar moved to New York City
, where he directed the National Liberal Immigration League (1906 to 1924), to lobby against anti-immigration legislation in the United States. The League was a constant irritation for Louis Marshall of the American Jewish Committee
, because it made no effort to hide its Jewish identity in its high-profile activities against restricting immigration. Marshall and the AJC, while similarly opposed to restrictions, felt any public Jewish role would undermine their lobbying campaign and provoke anti-Semitism; the AJC refrained from such public activities on the issue, and Marshall's work was usually confined to behind-the-scenes contacts with individual members of Congress. Behar was an enthusiastic propagandist for the Zionist idea; he called for the return of the Kotel Hamaaravi, the Wailing Wall to Jewish hands.
Alliance Israélite Universelle
The Alliance Israélite Universelle is a Paris-based international Jewish organization founded in 1860 by the French statesman Adolphe Crémieux to safeguard the human rights of Jews around the world...
, both there and in the Diaspora
Jewish diaspora
The Jewish diaspora is the English term used to describe the Galut גלות , or 'exile', of the Jews from the region of the Kingdom of Judah and Roman Iudaea and later emigration from wider Eretz Israel....
. After receiving his pension, he became a propagandist, in 1899. for the Alliance, and later for early Zionism
Streams of Zionism
The Zionist Movement was produced by various philosophers representing different approaches concerning the objective and path that Zionism should follow. The principal common goal was the aspiration to establish an independent state for the Jewish people. However, the method of action needed was...
.
Nissim Behar can be seen as the founder of modern Hebrew Language
Hebrew language
Hebrew is a Semitic language of the Afroasiatic language family. Culturally, is it considered by Jews and other religious groups as the language of the Jewish people, though other Jewish languages had originated among diaspora Jews, and the Hebrew language is also used by non-Jewish groups, such...
education, largely because Eliezer Ben Yehuda taught Hebrew using the new Direct Method
Direct method (education)
The direct method of teaching foreign languages, sometimes called the natural method, refrains from using the learners' native language and uses only the target language. It was established in Germany and France around 1900...
. Behar himself learned Hebrew from Ben Yehuda, the 'Father of Spoken Renovated Hebrew' and he later became a teacher of modern Hebrew
Modern Hebrew
Modern Hebrew , also known as Israeli Hebrew or Modern Israeli Hebrew, is the language spoken in Israel and in some Jewish communities worldwide, from the early 20th century to the present....
at the Alliance Israélite Universelle
Alliance Israélite Universelle
The Alliance Israélite Universelle is a Paris-based international Jewish organization founded in 1860 by the French statesman Adolphe Crémieux to safeguard the human rights of Jews around the world...
in Jerusalem, which he directed from 1882 to 1887. Behar was a strong advocate of the Direct Method which prevailed in the further development of Hebrew Language Education in the framework of the Ulpan
Ulpan
An ulpan is an institute or school for the intensive study of Hebrew. Ulpan is a Hebrew word meaning basically studio or teaching, instruction....
, that led to the success of Hebrew Revival.
In 1901, Behar moved to New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, where he directed the National Liberal Immigration League (1906 to 1924), to lobby against anti-immigration legislation in the United States. The League was a constant irritation for Louis Marshall of the American Jewish Committee
American Jewish Committee
The American Jewish Committee was "founded in 1906 with the aim of rallying all sections of American Jewry to defend the rights of Jews all over the world...
, because it made no effort to hide its Jewish identity in its high-profile activities against restricting immigration. Marshall and the AJC, while similarly opposed to restrictions, felt any public Jewish role would undermine their lobbying campaign and provoke anti-Semitism; the AJC refrained from such public activities on the issue, and Marshall's work was usually confined to behind-the-scenes contacts with individual members of Congress. Behar was an enthusiastic propagandist for the Zionist idea; he called for the return of the Kotel Hamaaravi, the Wailing Wall to Jewish hands.
External links
- Nissim Behar, Contemporary biography at the Jewish EncyclopediaJewish EncyclopediaThe Jewish Encyclopedia is an encyclopedia originally published in New York between 1901 and 1906 by Funk and Wagnalls. It contained over 15,000 articles in 12 volumes on the history and then-current state of Judaism and the Jews as of 1901...
(c.1902)