ABOUT US
This is Not an Ulpan (TINAU) is an alternative language school run by a non-profit cooperative of language teachers and students. We teach and learn Arabic and Hebrew with a deep connection to history, culture, and society. We are active in Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, Haifa and online.
Our Goal
Our fundamental goal is to teach beyond grammar and spelling; we aim to equip our students with the tools necessary to understand and engage with their surroundings in Hebrew or Arabic, while also positively impacting the society.
In our classes, we don't shy away from the tough realities. Instead, we actively and critically engage with these realities in both languages. Our goal is to build communities of students and teachers who use Hebrew and Arabic as tools to become active participants in society and make an impact, both individually and collectively.
Language is a priority, but not the only one. We strive to create meaningful dialogues and challenge political, economic, and social inequality in the region.
How We teach
Our teaching method is based on the principles of critical pedagogy and we encourage our students to critically engage with themselves, the complex reality of Israel and Palestine, and their place within it.
In practice, we encourage our students to ask questions, imagine, and challenge reality. At the beginner levels, we do this by exposing them to injustices within the language (such as the prioritization of the masculine in Semitic languages), introducing them to the identities that make up society, and examining the power dynamics within it. At the advanced levels, we continue this work through theme-based courses, with topics that are political, cultural, and social.
Critical consciousness tends to dig deeper into interpretation; it aims not to "shift responsibility," but instead pushes us to become more involved.
The courses we offer are built around a central theme that forms the core of each lesson. In this way, our students not only learn a language, but also broaden their understanding of political, social, and cultural issues.
We believe that every student is a teacher and every teacher is a student. This is especially true when it comes to adult education. Therefore, all our lessons are designed to create a collective learning experience. Whether online or in-person, in Jerusalem, Haifa or Tel Aviv, our classes are fun and engaging, using prolific discussions, games, cooking, tours and more.
Our Story
TINAU was founded in 2012 by a group of teachers and students frustrated by their own Ulpan experiences where the language taught was too often removed from the real world. The group believed a language school should teach the language of everyday life (and in real-life situations where possible). The group also identified the lack of language schools teaching both Hebrew and Arabic and believed that in order to reduce cultural barriers within Israel that first the language barriers needed to be reduced.
2012
The Tel Aviv branch of TINAU was founded, offering 3 Hebrew courses: Elections and Choices in Israel, When Chomsky Met Ben-Yehuda, and Theater in Hebrew.
2017
TINAU is officially organized as a cooperative of teachers and students.
2025
The Haifa branch of TINAU was founded.
2011
A group of local critical educators and immigrants gathered around the 2011 protests in the Rothschild encampment, learning Hebrew relevant to the struggle (e.g. reading Marx in Hebrew together).
2014
The Jerusalem-Al-Quds branch of TINAU was founded.
First Arabic course at TINAU - TINAU’s people realized that to be truly connected to meaningful activism in the land, they had to learn and teach Arabic as well.
2020
Following COVID-19 lockdowns, TINAU began teaching online in international classrooms.
TINAU PRINCIPLES
We don't learn Hebrew and Arabic, we learn in Hebrew and Arabic. our goal isn't to learn grammar or spelling; it's to acquire the tools necessary to understand and engage with our surroundings and positively impact society. Language is a priority, but not the only one.
We don't hide the tough realities of this place. Instead, we actively and critically engage with those realities in Hebrew and Arabic: critical education doesn’t accept things as they are. In this forum we question the reality around us and through understanding the process that brought us to the present, we build an understanding of the alternatives that are out there. In short, we engage the real politics and culture of Israel-Palestine in order to close the gap between the real and ideal.
Every student is a teacher and every teacher is a student. This means that each course has a teacher, who works according to the principles of critical pedagogy and participants who do the same. Everyone is actively involved in shaping the learning process together, with guidance from the facilitator. We are building a community made up of language learners at many different levels and with different strengths, so that we can learn from and teach each other.
We believe in equality and respect for diversity and welcome newcomers from all corners of the world. Through language learning and active participation in this unique community, we are empowered to voice our opinions and become active members of society.
We aim to practice non-hierarchy and the principles of participatory democracy in our decision making and educational processes.
Learning a language always makes you look and talk funny. We know it and you know it too. Together we will accept that fact and be proud of the progress we make together. Confidence is key to progress and we will build it together