Let’s face it, not everyone devoted the necessary time and effort needed to be able to read and write in Hebrew, let alone speak it. Maybe this is only a problem when you visit family in Israel or when you go to temple but are there other times when you wish you'd paid more attention in Yeshiva? This is not just a religious problem. It effects the cohesion of the Diaspora too.
Unfortunately, many people rarely recruit Hebrew translators unless they want a tattoo in Hebrew (rabbi would not approve!). But another time that professional Hebrew translation services come in handy is when you are dealing with Israeli legal matters. If you’re registering a business in Israel or you are expanding abroad, then all legal documentation and corporate literature must be accurately translated.
Sure, you’re going to have a lawyer who deals with the legal side of things, but translating existing contracts and other English documents into Hebrew isn’t necessarily his job. There are times when you can rely on your cousin or rabbi to help you out with the Hebrew and there are other times when you really need to get a professional to do it. When it comes to law, one word can make all the difference!
Hebrew translations are important if you are advertising in Israel too. Make sure the marketing material is as good over there as it is in Boston. You wouldn’t allow sloppy advertising copy to represent your business in America, so why settle for anything less than perfect Hebrew in Israel? If your Hebrew is just OK, and you think you can get by, then chances are, it’s not good enough to represent your company abroad.
Basically, this principle applies to legal and business matters in any country. If you work in an international industry, particularly one that involves exporting, then you need to invest in language services at some point. Estimates suggest that more than 30% of the Jewish Diaspora cannot speak Hebrew, so if you’re among the guilty party then get some professional help!
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