Alef vs Learn to Daven

Alef teaches you to read Hebrew — whether that's for a bar or bat mitzvah, to follow along in synagogue, or simply because you want to read the language. It takes you from your very first letter all the way to real Torah passages and prayers. HOW YOU LEARN • Guided Primer — a structured, ~20-minute onboarding that teaches the writing system before jumping into practice • Spaced repetition flashcards — the proven method for long-term memory, tuned specifically for Hebrew letters, vowels, and vocabulary • Daily practice — a short, focused session each day builds real fluency over weeks, not months PRACTICE THROUGH PLAY • Syllable Drill — quick-fire letter and vowel combinations • Match Rush — a timed matching game for word recognition • Word Builder — assemble real Hebrew words from scrambled letters • Letter Quiz — test your recall, letter by letter READ THE REAL THING Once you've built a foundation, read actual Torah passages and prayers — the Shema, Friday night Kiddush, Psalms, and more — with word-by-word support. TRACK YOUR PROGRESS Watch your level grow from Novice to Master as you unlock new letters, vowels, and vocabulary. Daily streaks and XP keep you motivated along the way. BUILT FOR THE WAY YOU ACTUALLY USE YOUR PHONE • Choose between Traditional and Modern Hebrew type • Native pronunciation audio for every letter, vowel, and word • Offline mode — download your content and keep practicing with no connection • Sign in with Apple for fast, secure account creation Hebrew has a reputation for being hard to learn. Alef breaks it into small, achievable steps — so instead of memorizing in the abstract, you're reading real words and real prayers from day one.

Understand the prayers you say, one short lesson at a time. Learn to Daven guides you through Shacharit with Hebrew, transliteration and clear explanations. Follow the lesson path with Ari the lion, revisit what you have learned, and build a prayer practice at your own pace. LEARN ONE IDEA AT A TIME Each lesson brings together a short story, Hebrew with nikkud, transliteration, an English translation, explanations and sources. Choose Full or Simple lessons, read a longer teaching, or listen with pause and speed controls. A SIDDUR YOU CAN FOLLOW Explore the weekday morning service in Ashkenaz, Sefard or Edot HaMizrach. Jump to a prayer, return to your saved place, and open the lessons connected to its words. Choose the prayer wording you prefer where supported, and change your preferences in Settings. LISTEN AND LEARN OFFLINE Download available narration for Days 1-46 when you want it. Recordings are optional downloads, so they do not make the initial app download larger. Once installed, they work offline. The app also provides device speech for supported text without a recording. BUILD A GENTLE DAILY HABIT - Follow a lesson calendar that pauses for Shabbos and Jewish holidays. - Set an optional reminder for upcoming lesson days. - Review what you have learned and earn sparks and badges. - Save lessons and keep private notes on your device. - Adjust text size, appearance and reading preferences. - Use the app in English or Spanish. - Translate lesson explanations into Spanish, French or Portuguese on iOS 18 and later, with optional Apple language downloads. No account is required to learn. Lessons and the Siddur are available offline; content updates, first-time audio and language downloads, and optional email signup require a connection. Email updates are entirely optional. Your learning progress, prayer preferences and personal notes stay on your device. A Torah project by Zoli Honig. Sponsored by Short Form Media.