(From the newspapers in Israel)
The absorption and education ministries are to re-examine state-funded Hebrew-teaching methods for new immigrants.
According to studies presented to the Knesset's Immigration and Absorption Committee, sixty percent of immigrants to Israel over the age of 30 who graduate from Hebrew ulpan instructional courses are unable to read, write and speak Hebrew fluently.
Immigrants' language problems may have consequences such as unemployment and isolation. A committee consisting of ministry officials and outside experts has been established to scrutinize the systems in use.
Absorption Minister Ze'ev Boim told Haaretz he was not ruling out the privatizing of Hebrew studies if the new committee recommended it.
To coincide with the launching of a new interactive TV channel designed to help immigrants learn Hebrew, the ministry published statistics relating to the level of Hebrew among immigrants from the former Soviet Union,
More than 90 percent of immigrants reported almost never using Hebrew in conversation with family and friends, and more than 70 percent said they were consumers only or mainly of media in Russian.
Immigration and Absorption Committee Chairman Michael Nudelman described the findings as a "catastrophe for the state."
MK Marina Solodkin blamed the Education Ministry for not dealing with the matter with the appropriate urgency. "Many immigrants ask me whether the state is indifferent as to whether we speak Hebrew or not," Solodkin said.
The state funds 500 hours of Hebrew-language classes, known as ulpanim, for every immigrant.
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