At most American Jewish summer camps, programs are conducted primarily in English, but the environment is infused with Hebrew words, signs, songs, and activities. Hebrew-English sentences are common: “Madrichim [counselors], please bring your chanichim [campers] to the teatron [theater] immediately after Birkat Hamazon [Grace After Meals].” Why do some camps infuse Hebrew in these unusual ways? How do participants feel about this language mixing? This talk draws from Hebrew Infusion: Language and Community at American Jewish Summer Camps, Dr. Benor’s most recent book.

Sarah Bunin Benor is Vice Provost and Professor of Contemporary Jewish Studies at Hebrew Union College–Jewish Institute of Religion and courtesy Professor of Linguistics at the University of Southern California. She received her Ph.D. from Stanford University in Linguistics in 2004. She is the author of Becoming Frum: How Newcomers Learn the Language and Culture of Orthodox Judaism and Hebrew Infusion: Language and Community at American Jewish Summer Camps, as well as many articles about Jewish languages, Yiddish, and American Jews. Dr. Benor has received several fellowships and prizes, including the Dorot Fellowship in Israel, the Wexner Graduate Fellowship, and the Sami Rohr Choice Award for Jewish Literature. She is founding co-editor of the Journal of Jewish Languages and co-editor of Languages in Jewish Communities, Past and Present and We the Resilient: Wisdom for America from Women Born Before Suffrage. Her current project focuses on the names American Jews give their babies and their pets.

CSP Partners: Beth Israel (San Diego, CA), Congregation Adath Jeshurun (Elkins Park, PA), Congregation B’nai Israel (Tustin, CA), Shomrei Torah Synagogue (San Fernando Valley, CA), Temple Bat Yahm (Newport Beach, CA), Temple Beth El of South Orange County (Aliso Viejo, CA), Temple Beth Shalom (Needham, MA), Temple Beth Sholom (Santa Ana, CA), Temple Beth Sholom (Hull, MA), Temple Emanuel (Newton, MA), Town & Village Synagogue (NYC, NY), Temple Judea of Laguna Woods, CA, University Synagogue (Irvine, CA), Valley Beth Shalom (Encino, CA) & Walnut Street Synagogue (Chelsea, MA)