On March 22, 2013, the New York Times wrote an article on President Obama’s extensive use of the Hebrew language during his time in Israel, titled “Shalom, Mr. President: Obama Tries to Charm Israelis with Hebrew”. In this article, it reviews how the President went far beyond the typical greeting and “sprinkle[d] Hebrew throughout his remarks”. He also greeted citizens informally in Hebrew as well. Not only did he do that, but his pronunciation was correct, even with a word whose last letter, chet, is particularly difficult for English speakers to produce.
It is clear that the President spent much time studying the words and phrases that he used, and it definitely paid off in the end. By getting to know their language, it showed a sense of respect and desire to connect with the Israelis. We all know the President has strong oratory skills, and it is clear he knows how to use language to convey exactly the message he desires. This incident shows exactly how language can be a bridge between two completely different cultures. In this scenario, I’d say it was a success!
Here is the link to the original article: