Category: Arabic

The Yale Dabke Group presented an engaging performance to a full house, moving in rhythm with stirring Arabic melodies. The atmosphere in the theater was vibrant, as the group’s movements wove together threads of art, heritage, culture, and communal identity into a unified expression. The audience, representing varied backgrounds, responded with applause as the dancers…Continue Reading Yale dabke brought the house down once again!

The Arabic Program is celebrating some remarkable success stories! We’re incredibly proud of our former students who have taken the next step to become Arabic Language Tutors. They’re now helping to spread the Arabic language and support their fellow learners right here in the program. But the pride doesn’t stop there! These dedicated tutors were…Continue Reading Parents can be learners too!

A few posts ago, we explored how the Intermediate Modern Standard Arabic II (ARNC 140, Spring 2025) class learned about and played the famous Iraqi Ramadan game, Mheibes (Read the post here). The Mheibes adventure didn’t end there. Weeks later, a Yale professional school student shared their experience introducing the game to their colleagues after…Continue Reading Mheibes game, Continued!

  The Yale Dabke Organization, founded by Katrina Azar and Joe Abou-Khalil, presented their second Dabke showcase on Sunday, April 20th, in the packed theater at 53 Wall Street as part of Arab Heritage Month celebration. The organization’s mission is to celebrate Levantine culture through the dynamic arts of dance and visual expression, honoring their…Continue Reading The Heartbeat of Heritage: The Yale Dabke Showcase

Curious about the diverse languages offered at Yale? Participants at the recent Language Tasting event had the opportunity to experience a unique micro-demonstration of the Egyptian dialect with Professor Randa Muhammed. Rather than simply drinking tea, students actively engaged with the language by practicing ordering tea in the context of a traditional Egyptian teahouse setting….Continue Reading Sweets, Tea and Egyptian Dialect.

Mheibes: From Theory to Thrill in the Classroom! During the holy month of Ramadan, a unique and engaging game called Mheibes (محيبس) is traditionally played, particularly in the Arab Mashriq, especially in Iraq. Similar to the English game Up Jenkins, Mheibes involves two teams and a hidden ring (محبس), creating a thrilling atmosphere of anticipation…Continue Reading Intermediate Arabic students play Iraqi Ramadan Game

Fall 2025, students in Intermediate Modern Standard Arabic II had the unique opportunity to take a private tour of the “Taught by the Pen (علّم بالقلم)” World Islamic Manuscript Exhibit at the Beinecke Library. Led by Robin Dougherty, Yale Librarian for Middle Eastern Studies, the students were treated to an insightful exploration of the exhibit’s…Continue Reading Exploring Islamic Manuscripts: A Special Tour for Arabic Students

The energetic spirit of cross-cultural connection returned to Yale this past spring with the “Heritage Meets Heritage” event, fostering deeper appreciation and understanding amongst heritage language learners. This event allows students to connect with peers navigating similar cultural landscapes, sharing reflections and building community. The Spring 2025 event was organized by the Arabic program (with…Continue Reading “Heritage Meets Heritage” Event Blooms Again in Spring 2025!

In February 2025 (Spring Semester), the Intermediate Modern Standard Arabic II class celebrated Valentine’s Day with a twist: using AI to create songs. Students wrote detailed Arabic descriptions of things they loved. Some chose to write about summer breaks, others about distant homelands. Some described an imaginary romance, others wrote about faith. These descriptions fueled…Continue Reading When AI Sings in Arabic: A Valentine’s Day Project

A group of heritage Arabic learners at Yale, along with their TA, decided to test their skills with a dialect challenge after gathering at the Arabic Table. See how they did: 👏…Continue Reading Dialect Challenge with Heritage Arabic Learners