Home for Bible Translators

 

The Home for Bible Translators (HBT) is a nonprofit ministry supporting translators and scholars from around the world to deepen their knowledge of the Hebrew Bible, the Old Testament. The Home offers a six-month study program especially designed for Bible translators and consultants. The program is offered in partnership with the Hebrew University in Jerusalem. The Hebrew University is fully accredited with about 25,000 students.

Since 1995, the Home for Bible Translators has trained over 80 Bible translators and scholars from 29 countries representing 53 languages. Through the God’s strength, these translators, and their teams, will make it possible for over 45 million people to read the Old Testament in their own language.
 

Our Mission

Our primary mission is to train national translators and consultants in the language and the land of the Bible so that they are better equipped to produce accurate and natural translations. We provide a home away from home in Jerusalem, thus the name Home for Bible translators.

 

The Urgency


Of the 6,912 languages in the world, only 425 have the Old Testament. The vast majority of people in the world cannot find comfort in the Psalms or wisdom in the Proverbs. [The statistics above are from the Ethnologue by SIL International, and the United Bible Societies in 2005.]

 

The Advantages of Studying in Israel

Translators increase their skill in understanding the Text in its Context as they study Biblical Hebrew while experiencing for themselves features of the land, its landscape, climate, plants and animals, as well as its archeology (including even household objects mentioned in the Bible). Translators internalize Hebrew vocabulary while experiencing it as a living language at the Hebrew University, on the streets of Jerusalem, and during their field trips throughout Israel.

 

Our Ministry to National Translators and Consultant

HBT gives qualified national translators and consultants first priority because they improve the efficiency, stability, and accuracy of translation projects:

• Efficiency is increased since mother tongue translators need only learn one language – Hebrew.
• Stability is improved because mother tongue translators can work on their project while living in their home countries.
• Accuracy is enhanced when the translation is done as much as possible from the Hebrew source text.

Mother tongue translators have a burden to bring God’s Word to their people though they often lack the resources to study in Israel. HBT provides heavily subsidized housing in Jerusalem and need-based scholarships based on good will offerings of supporters. Tax deductible financial contributions in US dollars may be sent to Home for Bible Translators, c/o Mary Gemmel, 1450 Webster Ln, Des Moines, IL 60018, USA.

 

The Home

The Home offers a quiet setting for study in an international community of serious students and scholars. It provides a small library, computers, Hebrew language tutorials and software for study of the Hebrew Bible.

In addition to translators and consultants, HBT also serves Bible scholars and students who are seeking greater understanding of the Old Testament text through study projects in the Land of the Bible. One can also have directed study of the Jewish roots of the New Testament by special arrangement.

The present Home holds 10 to 12 students in four bedrooms each with a private bathroom. Volunteer staff provide daily meals, bedding, linen and transportation service so students can devote themselves to their studies.

Read here the story how the HBT was established!


 

 

 

Visit Us

We are grateful for your interest in this ministry of Bible translation and extend a warm invitation to you on your next trip to Israel. Witness firsthand the work that is being accomplished here in an effort to spread God’s Word. Please email us at: BibleTranslatorsJerusalemSchool.org or call us using the information on the Contacts page.
 

 

The Founders

Halvor and Mirja Ronning are long time Christian residents in Israel, and well known in Christian and academic circles in Jerusalem.
 

Halvor has a BA (St. Olaf College), a BD (Luther Seminary), and an MA (Yale University), followed by studies in the Synoptic Gospels at the Hebrew University. He is a high-level lecturer in the history and geography of the land of the Bible, as well as a licensed guide in Israel. Halvor is a scholar in the Hebraic background of the Gospels.

Mirja, a Finnish citizen, has had Hebrew education since childhood and has been a resident of Israel since 1949. Mirja has a BA (Concordia College,  Minnesota, USA) and Graduate degrees from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem: in Scientific Translation, in Clinical Psychology, and most recently in The Bible and Its World. Mirja conducts an ongoing Bible Translation project from the Hebrew to Finnish, and has published Genesis, Joel, Obadiah, and Ruth. She has taught Biblical Hebrew and Bible translation in academic settings in Jerusalem for many years.

The Ronnings have resided in Jerusalem for nearly 40 years, and have three children and eight grandchildren.

   

 

Staff

Brian Kvasnica came on board with the Home for Bible Translators in the summer of 2005. As a youth he spent a couple years in the Philippines and graduated from high school in Papua New Guinea where his parents were Wycliffe support personnel.  Brian is married to Shoshanna, an Israeli nurse, and they have three children Boaz, Dror, and Liyah.  Brian has a B.A. from Houghton College (NY), an M.A. from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, and is beginning a Ph.D. program in Ancient Judaism.  Since arriving in Israel in 1995, Brian has worked for the Orion Center for the Dead Sea Scrolls, the Jerusalem Center for Biblical Studies, Narkis Street Congregation, and Shevet Achim.  In the summers he teaches Hebrew with the Biblical Language Center.  He has taught dozens of study-tour groups in Israel, Jordan, Greece, and Turkey and is excited about how he can help HBT in facilitating Christian education in Israel.  Brian works with HBT’s administration, teaching of historical geography and tutoring in Hebrew.