As the city moves to rapidly expand the number of dual language programs in the public schools, students in Brooklyn now have the option of learning in Hebrew for the first time. NY1's Lindsey Christ filed the following report.

At IS 228 in Gravesend, about two dozen sixth and seventh graders spend half the day learning in Hebrew. It's not a language class but a dual language program, which means key subjects - including math, social students and literature - are taught in Hebrew. The students also use it to talk to one another, their teacher and a reporter.

"I like to do Hebrew because I think it's fun and I like to read and write in Hebrew," said Kayla Amisial, a student.

This is the city Department of Education's first Hebrew dual language program. The students are a mix of those who grew up speaking the language and those who began learning it in elementary school, at the Hebrew Language Charter School in Midwood. But not all of the new Hebrew speakers are Jewish.

"I think my parents thought it was interesting for me to learn a new language because as the career I wanted to be when I grow up I want to travel a lot," said Jeremy Thompson, a student.

"I started it in school. My parents don't know Hebrew," said Kayla Amisial, a student.

Several other students say the opportunity to learn modern Hebrew has allowed them to communicate with their extended family for the first time.

"My dad is Israeli and my mom is Jamaican. So when I went to this Hebrew program, I learned so much Hebrew, like I can speak to my dad's side. It was like a miracle for me because now I can understand that my family is talking about," said Galia Amor, a student.

The city now has about 180 dual language programs in nine languages, including Spanish, Haitian-Creole and Arabic.

IS 228 has four of those programs with Hebrew joining Spanish, Mandarin and Russian. The school's principal expects the new Hebrew program to grow, rapidly. 

"Our enrollment has really rocketed. We've gone up by 70 percent, from 800 students to nearly 1,400 students in four years. And if you build it, they'll come," said IS 228 Principal Dominick D'Angelo.

"It was awesome because if I didn't get to go here, my dad wanted to send me to a yeshiva, and I did not want to do that. I just wanted to learn to speak read and write in Hebrew not everything else," said Danielle Avihzer, a student.