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The real Rosetta Stone, from the British Museum
I’ve been studying Hebrew with Rosetta Stone for several weeks now. I have no idea if it will help me in Israel, but I do know it is incredibly fun and addictive. Each lesson is short enough and builds enough on the last that I keep seeing success, and wanting to do “just one more.”
Recently, however, I encountered an exception that (I hope) proves the rule. It took me far too long to complete a spelling assignment. I came back to it multiple times over the course of several days. Eventually I had to use a “strategy” which may or may not have been what the designers intended. I restarted the exercise immediately every time I got something wrong, until I finally got through without it recommending I do the assignment over. I wonder if most people learn Hebrew spelling faster than I do, or if the designers got this particular assignment wrong. Anyway, I have now moved on and am back into a rewarding-feeling pattern wit the program.
I really want to have some Arabic as well. I wonder if trying Rosetta Stone Arabic would confuse or enhance my progress in Hebrew?
From Middletown to the Middle East 
Hi Terence! I studied Hebrew (elementary school and college) and a bit of Arabic (high school) and can say that the languages are similar, but different enough that studying them both should not be too confusing – perhaps even helpful.
Good luck with your life abroad!
🙂 Debi
Thanks Debi – that’s encouraging!
Yes, as a new Arabic speaker, I think I would pick up Hebrew much easier, just getting used to the alphabet may be the challenge.
Thanks Rebecca. Wanting to operate in both contexts at once while having neither language is bumpy. I’m just getting used to the basics of “thank you” and “excuse me” in Hebrew, and then today we visited East Jerusalem, in a neighborhood where I suspect the preferred order of languages would be Arabic – English – anything else – Hebrew. I’ll have to be careful! Also, yes, I do suspect the alphabet will be a major challenge!