Neville’s remark about “ong” reminded me that the Dutch Jews use “ong” for ע, saying “shmong Yisrael” and so on. As for New Yorkers and others who have a hard time with this or that letter, usually it isn’t that big a deal to add a new sound to the repertoire. Arabs who go to the trouble pick up “p” perfectly. As for me, I make it my business to learn and say ע and ח in leining and in talking because the letters are there and, since I casually refer to Hebrew as לשון הקודש, I may as well talk the talk, too. If as an Ashkenazi I need an excuse for doing to (although no one has asked me for one), it’s enough to mention the great ba’al qore at Lederman’s shul, who is maqpid loud enough for hundreds of people to hear.
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