Hinanit Opens New Session of Hebrew Ulpan for Russian Immigrants

Press Release 11 September 2011

Hinanit Opens New Session of Hebrew Ulpan for Russian Immigrants

This was a very special day for the community of Hinanit which literally means ‘attractive’ or ‘charming’. Hinanit a quiet, pleasant Israeli settlement located in the northern Shomron just across the Green Line border about a 30 minute drive from Hadera. It is near the settlements of Sheked and Tal Manashe. This community of 100 families and growing has a well recognized program for not only helping Russian Jews to immigrate to Israel, but also provides housing and an Ulpan for their learning Hebrew. Tonight the doors opened for the start of a new year of Hebrew learning. Hanan Niv who is the head of the council of the settlement and the director of the unique immigration and ulpan program welcomed the students in Russian and introduced them to their teachers for these evening sessions. He said, “This project over the years has helped some 500 Russian Jews to immigrate to Israel and complete their Hebrew learning. 25 new families that have recently arrived in Israel filled the classroom. We are in the process of obtaining 10 more caravans so that in the future they can increase the intake of immigrants. We need more funding in order to continue the educational touring of Israel as part of the absorption for these new immigrants which was done in the past.”

The immigrants seemed happy and motivated to get started with their Hebrew. Mexim who is one of the new students from Ukraine arrived in Hinanit two months ago with his wife and their two year old son, Deniz. His wife is expecting their second child. They felt that it was the right time for them to leave their country and immigrate to Israel because of their being Jewish and so that their children can be educated in Hebrew. They have a high regard for Israel. He already found employment as a welder close by in the Industrial area of the settlement. He and his wife are eager to learn Hebrew.

Hanan enjoys what he is doing and travels to Russian once or twice a year to finalize who is ready to immigrate and be part of the program and then helps them with all the paperwork. He is so pleased to see them in the classroom learning Hebrew.

Frank Mecklenburg, freelance reporter.