Who we are
Ulpan Gordon (Hebrew school) is located at the Goldstein Goren Center, which is owned by the Tel Aviv Municipality. The Ulpan is managed by the Municipality together with the Ministry of Education.
The Ulpan has been operating for about 30 years and is the largest in Israel. During this time, some hundred thousand students from dozens of countries have passed through its doors.
The Ulpan is located at 7 Lassalle st, in Tel Aviv, and is easily accessible by public transportation. It operates in a renovated three storey building with an elevator. The air-conditioned building includes: an elevator, an event hall, a computer room and a subsidized cafeteria. All the classrooms are spacious, connected to Wi-Fi and well-equipped for teaching. Attached to the building is a large garden with trees, plants and flowers (planted by the students!!), and a central patio with benches.
About 40 classes run simultaneously in the Ulpan. Studies are conducted in morning, afternoon and evening sessions with a choice of two, three, four or five study days a week.
The Ulpan teaches Hebrew to immigrants, tourists, temporary residents, embassy employees, diplomats and students. It has the capacity to concurrently teach 1,500 students.
Our Goal
The goal of the Ulpan is to teach Hebrew, including all the basic building blocks of the language, in a sequential order, from the acquisition of the alphabet to the mastering of passive verbs.
Language learning is carried out through the acquisition of language skills, written and oral expression, reading comprehension, and listening comprehension.
The Ulpan helps new immigrants establish their Israeli identity as well as teach them the social and cultural codes of their absorbing society.
Much attention is given to involve the tourists in the Israeli way of life and news by discussing current affairs, reading newspapers (at various levels), watching the news, participating in memorial days and celebrating festive occasions.
Organization
The Ulpan has a permanent staff.
The pedagogical team consists of about 45 teachers. They are all academically qualified, skilled and experienced in teaching Hebrew to adults. The teachers are attentive to the needs of each student.
The Ulpan also has a large administrative, maintenance and security team.
The dedicated staff is committed to provide the students with the best learning conditions.
Curriculum
The curriculum is set by the Adult Education Department of the Ministry of Education. It is based on teaching a variety of vocabulary in a gradually expanding fashion, while repeating and strengthening the learned material.
The subjects taught are taken from a wide variety of books and deal with various topics, such as: daily matters, settling in Israel, events, public figures, history, geography, the Israeli society, searching for jobs, biblical stories etc.
At higher levels – the students read and discuss articles covering various topics, among them scientific research. The articles are used for reading comprehension, as well as developing writing skills.
Student Assessment
Special attention is given to assessing incoming students who already have some knowledge of the language. We offer the option to integrate an ongoing class, without having to wait for a new one to open.
Student with no knowledge of Hebrew start as beginners.
The Ulpan has some 100 applicants a week – about 70% of them will be assessed. The tests are being held throughout the year, twice a week – once in the morning and once in the afternoon.
The test consists of two parts. The first part is a written test with increasingly difficult sequences and will establish the student’s level of written expression: vocabulary, command of tenses, conjugation etc. The second part is a conversation with a teacher to check the level of the student’s oral expression.
The testing and the large number of classes, allow great flexibility in matching students to appropriate classes, as well as shorten the waiting time to start learning. The tests are given by our skilled and professional teachers and are conducted in a relaxed environment and supporting atmosphere.
Computer Room
The Ulpan’s computer room consists of 24 learning stations. Each student has access to a computer connected to the internet and has a personal e-mail address. The students have a weekly 45 minutes computer lesson to further practise the material taught in class. It enables advanced students to progress and reinforces the material for those with difficulties.
The whole building offers a wireless internet environment.
Social and cultural activities
The center provides a wide range of social and cultural activities, creating interesting and fruitful encounters between the various population groups. The center has a large event hall that can accommodate hundreds of participants. We use Hebrew as a common denominator for people who come from different backgrounds, different life circumstances, and with diverse goals. There are celebrations and cultural activities around the holidays: Rosh HaShana, Sukkot, Chanukah, Tu B’Shvat, Purim and Pesach, as well as ceremonies on Holocaust Remembrance Day and Memorial Day for Israel’s Fallen Soldiers. To prepare for these occasions, the students receive music lessons by a professional musician, leader in her field. The students learn Hebrew songs and actively participate in the celebrations. We also offer excursions and guided tours, outings to museums, theater and concerts, watching Israeli films, meeting with writers, lectures on various topics and more.
We mark Passover with a special celebration for all students, about a week before the holiday. The event starts with a guided bus tour, followed by a sit-down Passover Seder meal at which all students learn and participate.
