Aria Malovany Literacy Sponsor

One important literacy sponsor in my life is my grandfather. As I grew up with English as my first language, learning Hebrew and Judaic studies every day got difficult. Although these topics were a part of my schools’ dual curriculum, adapting to a whole new language was very hard, especially at a young age where I easily got frustrated, which made me detest the given topic. My grandfather was born and raised in Tel Aviv, Israel where his first language was Hebrew. When I would have trepidation translating something, he was always there to offer a clear explanation to what I was confused about. He often improved my vocabulary by providing me with useful tricks for memorizing words and grammar. He would sit with me when it came to writing paragraphs or essays all in Hebrew which got super overwhelming. Instead of hailing to glean information that may have not been accurate, my grandfather became my recourse and provided me with any information I needed. Ultimately, my grandfather really enhanced my learning of Judaism and Hebrew, and continues to do so to this day.