‫ו‬Vav (v)

‫ה‬Hay (h)
‫ד‬
Daled (d)
‫ג‬
Gimmel (g)
‫ב‬Vet (v)
‫ּב‬
Bet ( b)
‫א‬
Aleph (silent)

‫כ‬
Chaf (ch)
‫ּך‬
Final Kaf (k)
‫ּכ‬Kaf (k)
‫י‬ Yud
‫ט‬Tet (t)
‫ח‬
Chet (ch)
‫ז‬
Zayin (z)

‫ס‬
Samech (s)
‫ן‬
Final Nun (n)
‫נ‬Nun (n)
‫ם‬
Final Mem (m)
‫מ‬
Mem (m)
‫ל‬
Lamed (l)
‫ך‬
Final Chaf (ch)

‫ק‬ Kuf (k)

‫ץ‬
Final Tzaddi (tz)
‫צ‬
Tzaddi (tz)
‫ף‬
Final Fay (f)
‫פ‬Fay (f)
‫ּפ‬
Pay (p)
‫ע‬
Ayin (silent)

‫ת‬ Taf (t)

‫ּת‬Taf (t)
‫ׂש‬
Sin (s)
‫ׁש‬
Shin (sh)
‫ר‬
Raish (r)
 Blending Letters and Vowels

In order to be able to read letters with vowels, we teach the children to say the phonetic sound of the letter first,
followed by the sound of the vowel and then to merge these sounds together.

For example:-

g + a = ga ‫ָגג‬
m + i = mi ‫ִממ‬
Once the children have mastered this skill with practice, they are able to merge the sounds together simultaneously.
 Vowels
Once the children have mastered the Alef Bet, they are introduced to vowels in the following order. They begin by
blending single letters with vowels before moving on to 2 and 3 letter words. As they learn more vowels, they begin to
read words with mixed vowels.

Name of Vowel Shape of Vowel Sound of Vowel

Kamatz
‫ָג‬ a, as in bat

Patach a, as in bat

Patach yud i, as in high

‫י‬
Tzeirei e, as in bed

Tzerei yud ay, as in hay

‫י‬
Segol e, as in bed
 Name of Vowel Shape of Vowel Sound of Vowel
Sh’va u, as in mud
(sometimes this vowel
is not sounded)

Cholam
ֹ /‫וֹ‬
o, as in top

Chirik
‫ִמ‬ i, as in tin

Chirik Yud
‫י‬ ‫ִמ‬ ee, as in tree

Koobootz oo, as in boo

Shoorook
‫ּו‬ oo, as in boo

Final letters are often written without vowels – if no vowel appears then you just read the phonetic sound of the letter.

On the next few pages you will find aleph bet charts with each of the vowels – please remember that Hebrew is read from
right to left.
 ‫ָוו‬
va ha
‫הָו‬ ‫ָוד‬
da
‫ָוג‬
ga va
‫בָו‬ ba
‫ּבָו‬ ‫אָו‬
A (hat)

‫כָו‬
cha
‫ָוּך‬
ka
‫ּכָו‬
ka
‫ָוי‬
ya
‫ָוט‬ta cha
‫חָו‬ ‫ָוז‬
za

‫ָוס‬
sa
‫ן ָו‬
na
‫ָונ‬
na
‫ם‬m
‫מָו‬
ma
‫ָול‬ la
‫ָך‬
cha

‫ָוק‬
ka
‫ץ‬ tz tza
‫צָו‬ ‫ף‬f
‫פָו‬
fa
‫ּפָו‬
pa a
‫עָו‬
ta
‫תָו‬ ‫ָוּת‬
ta
‫ָוׂש‬
sa
‫ָוׁש‬sha
‫ָור‬
ra
 ‫ַוו‬
va
‫הַו‬
ha
‫ַוד‬
da
‫ַוג‬
ga va
‫בַו‬ ba
‫ּבַו‬ ‫אַו‬
A (hat)

‫כַו‬
cha
‫ּך‬
k
‫ּכַו‬
ka
‫ַוי‬
ya
‫ַוט‬ta cha
‫חַו‬ ‫ַוז‬
za

‫ַוס‬
sa
‫ן‬n
‫ַונ‬
na
‫ם‬m
‫מַו‬
ma
‫ַול‬ la
‫ך‬ ch

‫ַוק‬
ka
‫ץ‬tz tza
‫צַו‬ ‫ף‬f
‫פַו‬
fa
‫ּפַו‬
pa a
‫עַו‬
ta
‫תַו‬ ‫ַוּת‬
ta
‫ַוׂש‬
sa
‫ַוׁש‬sha
‫ַור‬
ra
 ‫ֵוו‬
veh
‫בֵו ֵוג דֵו הֵו‬
heh deh geh veh beh
‫ּבֵו‬ ‫אֵו‬
E (pen)

‫ֵוכ‬
cheh
‫ֵוט ֵוי ּכֵו ּך‬
k keh yeh teh
‫חֵו‬
cheh
‫ֵוז‬
zeh

‫ֵוס‬
seh
‫מֵו ם ֵונ ן‬
n neh m meh
‫ֵול‬Leh
‫ך‬ ch

‫ֵוק‬
keh
‫פֵו ף צֵו ץ‬
tz tzeh f feh
‫ּפֵו‬
pah
‫עֵו‬
eh

‫ֵוׂש ֵוּת תֵו‬

teh teh seh
‫ֵוׁש‬
sheh
‫ֵור‬
reh
 veh
‫ֶוו‬ ‫הֶו‬
heh
‫ֶוד‬
deh
‫ֶוג‬
geh veh
‫בֶו‬ beh
‫ּבֶו‬ ‫אֶו‬
E, as in pen

‫כֶו‬
cheh
‫ּך‬
k
‫ּכֶו‬
keh
‫ֶוי‬
yeh
‫ֶוט‬
teh
‫חֶו‬
cheh
‫ֶוז‬
zeh

‫ֶוס‬
seh
‫ן‬n
‫ֶונ‬
neh
‫ם‬m
‫מֶו‬
meh
‫ֶול‬ leh
‫ך‬ ch

‫ֶוק‬
keh
‫ץ‬tz tzeh
‫צֶו‬ ‫ף‬ f
‫פֶו‬
feh
‫ּפֶו‬
pah
‫עֶו‬
eh

‫תֶו‬
teh
‫ֶוּת‬
teh
‫ֶוׂש‬
seh
‫ֶוׁש‬
sheh
‫ֶור‬
reh
 ‫ווֹ‬
voh
‫הוֹ‬
hoh
‫דוֹ‬
doh
‫גוֹ‬
goh
‫בוֹ‬
voh
‫ּבוֹ‬
boh
‫אוֹ‬
o, as in hot

‫כוֹ‬
choh
‫ּכּך‬
k
‫וֹ‬
koh
‫יוֹ‬
yoh
‫טוֹ‬
toh
‫חוֹ‬
choh
‫זוֹ‬ zoh

‫סוֹ‬
soh
‫ן‬
n
‫נוֹ‬
noh
‫ם‬m
‫מוֹ‬
moh
‫לוֹ‬
loh
‫ך‬ ch

‫קוֹ‬
koh
‫ץ‬
tz
‫צוֹ‬
tzoh
‫ף‬f
‫פוֹ‬
foh
‫ּפוֹ‬
poh
‫עוֹ‬ oh

‫תוֹ‬
toh
‫ּתוֹ‬
toh
‫שוֹ‬
soh
‫שׁוֹ‬
shoh
‫רוֹ‬ roh
 voh
‫וֹו‬ ‫ה‬
‫ֹו‬
hoh
‫ֹוד‬
doh
‫ֹוג‬
goh voh
‫ֹוב‬ ‫ֹוּב‬
boh
‫א‬
‫ֹו‬
0, as in hot

choh
‫ֹוכ‬ ‫ּך‬k
‫ֹוּכ‬
koh
‫ֹוי‬
yoh
‫ט‬
‫ֹו‬ toh
‫ח‬
‫ֹו‬
choh
‫ֹוז‬
zoh

‫ס‬
‫ֹו‬ soh n
‫ן‬ noh
‫ֹונ‬ ‫ם‬ m
‫מ‬ ‫ֹו‬
moh loh
‫ֹל‬ ‫ך‬ ch

‫ק‬ ‫ֹו‬
koh
‫ץ‬tz
‫ֹוצ‬
tzoh f
‫ף‬ ‫ֹופ‬
foh
‫ֹוּפ‬
poh
‫ֹוע‬oh

‫ת‬
‫ֹו‬toh
‫ּת‬
‫ֹו‬
toh
‫ׂש‬soh
‫שׁ‬
ֹshoh
‫ֹור‬roh
vih
‫בִו גִו ִוד ִוה וִו‬
hih dih gih vih
‫ִוא ּבִו‬
bih i, as in bit

‫ִוט יִו ּכִו ּך כִו‬

chih k kih yih tih
‫זִו ִוח‬
chih zih

‫ִומ ם נִו ן ִוס‬

sih n nih m mih
‫ך לִו‬
lih ch

‫ִופ ף צִו ץ ִוק‬

kih tz tzih f fih
‫עִו ִוּפ‬
pih ih

‫ִוׂש ִוּת ִות‬

tih tih sih
‫ִור ִמשׁ‬
shih rih
 ‫ווּ‬
vooh
‫הוּ‬
hooh
‫דוּ‬
dooh
‫גוּ‬
gooh
‫בוּ‬
vooh
‫ּבוּ‬
booh
‫אוּ‬
oo, as in boo

‫כוּ‬
chooh
‫ּכּך‬
k
‫וּ‬
kooh
‫יוּ‬
yooh
‫טוּ‬
tooh
‫חוּ‬
chooh
‫זוּ‬ zooh

‫סוּ‬
sooh
‫ן‬n
‫נוּ‬
nooh
‫ם‬m
‫מוּ‬
mooh
‫לוּ‬
looh
‫ך‬ ch

‫קוּ‬
kooh
‫ץ‬tz
‫צוּ‬
tzooh
‫ף‬
f
‫פוּ‬
fooh
‫ּפוּ‬
pooh
‫עוּ‬ ooh

‫תוּ‬
tooh
‫ּתוּ‬
tooh
‫שּׂו‬
sooh
‫שּׁו‬
shooh
‫רוּ‬ rooh
 vooh
‫ֺוו‬ ‫ֺוב ֺוג דֺו הֺו‬
hooh dooh gooh vooh
‫ֺוּב‬
booh
‫אֺו‬
oo, as in boo

‫ֺוכ‬
chooh
‫טֺו ֺוי ֺוּכ ּך‬
k kooh yooh tooh
‫חֺו‬
chooh
‫ֺוז‬
zooh

‫סֺו‬
sooh n
‫מֺו ם נֺו ן‬
nooh m mooh
‫ֺול‬
looh
‫ך‬ ch

‫ֺוק‬
kooh
‫ֺופ ף ֺוצ ץ‬
tz tzooh f fooh
‫ֺוּפ‬
pooh
‫ֺוע‬
ooh

‫שׂ ּתֺו תֺו‬
tooh tooh sooh
‫שׁ‬
shooh rooh
‫רֺו‬
 Here are some 1 and 2 syllable words to try:-

‫רּות‬ ‫צָג פֹן‬ ‫פָג לט‬ ‫צָג הֹב‬ ‫קּום‬ ‫טיָגס‬

root tzafon palat tzahov koom tayas

‫לבן‬ ‫חָג מץ‬ ‫ביִמ ת‬ ‫ִמאיָגר‬ ‫שּׁוק‬ ‫רשׁת‬

leben chametz bayit iyar shook reshet

‫ָאמר‬ ‫מחט‬ ‫כָג שׁר‬ ‫בָג חר‬ ‫מצָג ה‬ ‫גּור‬

amoor machat kasher bachar matzah goor

‫זזּו‬ ‫שׁבָג ת‬ ‫קרס‬ ‫צָג נח‬ ‫טּוב‬ ‫סכָגה‬

zoozoo shabbat keres tzanach toov sookah

‫ָגשׁנָגה‬ ‫עָג שּׂו‬ ‫זכָגה‬ ‫לָגנּו‬ ‫שׁלִמ י‬ ‫חסד‬

shana asoo zoocah lanoo shelee chesed

‫ִממיץ‬ ‫חלָגה‬ ‫ט ִמסי‬ ‫גֹלּו‬ ‫בֹקר‬ ‫אלּו‬

meetz challah toosee goloo boker eloo
 Here are some slightly more tricky words to try:-

‫ָגשׁבּוע‬ ‫ב ָגשׂדה‬ ‫גּופי‬ ‫ע ֹולָגם‬ ‫מהלָגל‬

Shavoo-a basadeh goofay olam M’hoolal

‫יּובל‬ ‫יר ָגשׁה‬ ‫פעלָגה‬ ‫מפָֹאר‬ ‫קוֹרא‬

yooval Y’rooshah P’oolah M’fo-ar koreh

‫גִמ בוֹר‬ ‫מנחָג ה‬ ‫ַאהבָג ה‬ ‫י ָגקלּו‬ ‫שּׁועָג ל‬

gibor M’noochah ahavah yekaloo Shoo-al

‫נוֹתן‬ ‫ח ִמקים‬ ‫עָג סּוק‬ ‫לילי‬ ‫קלּות‬

noten chookeem asook laylay kaloot

‫ָגשׁלוֹם‬ ‫בָג רּוך‬ ‫ּובָג ָארץ‬ ‫יָגסּור‬ ‫ִמשׁיֹלה‬

shalom barooch Uva-aretz yasoor sheeloh
 Sh’va Rules
There are many rules for the Sh’va vowel – we only introduce the first 2 rules to begin
with and later, once the children are confident with reading multi syllabic words with
all vowels, we begin to introduce the rest of the rules.
1. A sh’va at the beginning of a word is sounded.
Examples :

P’tach ‫פתח‬
D’var ‫דבר‬
V’et ‫ואת‬
2. A single sh’va in the middle of a word is usually not sounded.

Shelcha ‫שׁלָך‬
Etchem ‫אתכם‬

Catvah ‫כָגתבָג ה‬
3. A double sh’va in the middle of a word – the 1st sh’va is not sounded and the
2nd sh’va is sounded.

Yilb’shoo ‫יִמ לבשּׁו‬

Kadsh’cha ‫ָגקדשָׁך‬
Yisr’foo ‫יִמ שׂרפּו‬
Nichs’fa ‫נִמכספָג ה‬
Ezr’cha ‫עזרָך‬
4. A single sh’va at the end of a word is not sounded.

Lech ‫לְך‬
Berach ‫ברְך‬
At ‫אָג‬

5. A double sh’va at the end of a word – neither are sounded.

Ant ‫ַאנ‬
vayashk ‫וישׁק‬
amart ‫ָאמר‬
gadalt ‫גָגדל‬
6. A letter with a sh’va that has a dagesh (dot) inside it is sounded.

Hab’chor ‫הבכוֹר‬
Kid’shanoo ‫ִמקד ָגשׁנּו‬
Mip’nay ‫ִממפני‬

7. If there are twin letters in a word and the 1st one has a sh’va vowel it is
sounded.
Hin’nee ‫ִמהננִמי‬

Har’ray ‫הררי‬

Hal’loo ‫הללּו‬
 Hebrew Writing

The Hebrew letters are mostly formed in a certain way to enable the writing to
flow from right to left as this is the way Hebrew is written.

Script writing is introduced in Year 2. Moving from block to script is the

equivalent of learning cursive writing in English. Whilst Block print reinforces
reading skills, script writing is used as a means of speedwriting.

In its more advanced form, Script writing is used without vowels but to begin
with we encourage the children to use vowels in order to be able to read the
words they have written.

On the following pages you will find charts showing the correct formation of the
Hebrew letters in both block and script.
 .

. .
.
Now try and copy these letters:-