Learn the words in Hebrew to figure out the joke below:
תָּכְנִיּוֹת—plans
קַיִץ —summer
תַּלְמִידָה—student
בֶּטַח—of course
לִישֹׁן—sleep
חֲטִיפִים—snacks
קְרִיאָה—reading
קוֹרֵאת—read
התוויות—labels
Solution
Teacher: So, Jackie, any big plans for the summer?
Student: Yep! Sleep, snacks and screen time!
Teacher: What about reading?
Student: I read the snack labels!
Teacher Insight:
Reading can be fun—even outside of school!
This comic made me smile—but it also reminded me how important it is to keep students engaged in learning over the summer. Not through strict assignments or pressure, but through small, meaningful moments that keep the mind active and curious
As language teachers, we know that learning a new language is like training a muscle: if you don’t use it, you lose it. That’s why it’s so important to encourage students to keep their “Hebrew muscle” in shape, even during the break. And it doesn’t have to feel like schoolwork!
Over the summer, students can read simple recipes in Hebrew while helping in the kitchen, browse Hebrew comics or storybooks or even play Hebrew-language games online. These activities are fun, low-pressure and—most importantly—they help students maintain and strengthen the language skills they’ve worked so hard to develop throughout the year.
When students feel empowered to choose how they engage with the language, they start to see it not just as a school subject, but as something alive and usable in the real world.
So yes, I hope all my students enjoy their well-deserved break—with plenty of rest, snacks and screen time—but I also hope they sneak in a little Hebrew now and then. Whether they’re reading a comic, following a recipe or even joking about snack labels—they’re keeping that Hebrew muscle strong.
So while I wish all my students a summer full of rest, snacks and yes—even screen time—I also hope they’ll find joy in reading something just because they want to. Because even a laugh over a snack label counts as a win in my book.
Maya Yehezkel is a Hebrew teacher at Yeshivat Noam middle school. For private tutoring, all levels, email [email protected].
