I can't resist adding my own two cents on this subject, especially since I
wrote a query about this matter to this list about six months ago.
1. Modern Israeli Hebrew is not, as commonly believed, sephardi Hebrew.
Anyone who has davened in a real _Bnai Edot HaMizrach_ synagogue knows what
I'm talking about. The pronunciation is more precise in regards to letters
that Ashkenazim don't even think about, such as a pointed or unpointed
dalet and kof. They pay close attention to dageshes -- they make sure they
get double strength! It goes with out saying that by Sefardim an 'ain is
an 'ain and a chet is a chet.
Strangely enough, some of their letters sound almost Ashkenazi, such as the
kamatz and the unpointed tav, which some of them sound as <th>. Of course
the tefilla (prayers) and kriya (public torah reading) are done in an
entirely different musical style/trop.
My Sefardi friends jokingly refer to the Israeli style pronunciation as
Ashkenazi!
2. That having been said, what is the place of Israeli in the Beit Knesset
(synagogue)? Outside of Israel, I'm not sure. But within Israel, we might
be able to make the following statement: (a) the Hebrew used must be
grammatically consistent and correct according to the accepted laws of the
Hebrew Language, and (b) must be consistent with the usage of the place.
What ever faults one may find with Eliezer ben Yehuda and his dictionary,
one must admit that at least his system is consistent and correct within
the previously existing laws of the language. Remember that the Rishonim
(early commentators) spent considerable effort on Hebrew dikduk (grammar),
and Ben Yehuda depended on them at every turn. I speak here with special
regard to the misplacing of accents, which is a real Askenazi disease (that
they should have a refuA shleMA, and not reFUa SHLEma). Changing the
ending kubutz to an <ee> sound is wrong, pure and simple.
In addition to all this, Israeli has become the style of the makom, like it
or not. This matter isn't simply one of mesoret avoteinu (tradition).
When the majority speak Hebrew in a specific place in a certain way, there
exists a certain requirement for all to use the same pronunciation. I
would venture to suggest that this is doubly true for Chozrei B'Tshuva
(people who have become religious), whose families may not have spoken/used
any Hebrew for two or three generations. (why try to sound like saba, when
saba himself hardly used any Hebrew in "temple"?)
3. Note that after the Spanish Expulsion, the Jews who went North into the
Ashkenazi hinderlands came to speak according the Ashkenazi method. I know
of no examples of "sefardi tahor" families in Europe using the old
pronunciation of Spain while in Europe. Some of the same pressure exists
today on Sephardim living in the US. So it is not entirely outside the
realm of the possible that Israeli Ashkenazim (and Sefardim) might
Israeli-ize over the course of the generations. I see it happening
already. Is this really so terrible?
I realize that these observations will not satisfy any of the previous
posters on this subject, especially the Ashkenazi stalwarts. Comments
welcome.
Shmuel Arons
shmuela@cc.huji.ac.il