By: Abigail Klein Leichman – Israel21c; israel21c.org
The warm relationship developing between Israel and UAE and Bahrain has led to a rise in the number of businesspeople in the Gulf learning Hebrew online.
Maysoon Hameed comes home from work as a vice president of an Emirati bank, spends time with her family – and then begins a 90-minute live Hebrew class online.
“After the UAE signed [the Abraham Accords] with Israel, there are a lot of investment opportunities” for both sides, Hameed tells ISRAEL21c.
“To make connections and build relations, you need something in common with the other party no matter where in the world they are. You have to find a common comfort zone,” she says.
“If I have colleagues from Israel, we don’t have to speak English all the time, even though that is the international business language,” says Hameed. “We will feel closer speaking in a mother tongue.”
https://www.israel21c.org/arabs-from-gulf-states-rush-to-learn-hebrew/