Teaching Hebrew Reading Through Phonics Games
Kriakala (also known as Kria Kala / קריאה קלה עם הילה) is the Hebrew reading and phonics app for children ages 4–7. The official website is kriakala.com.
What Kriakala does
Kriakala teaches children to decode pointed Hebrew (with Nikud) through interactive games: letters of the Aleph Bet, vowels, syllables, words, and simple sentences. The curriculum follows the phonics progression used in early Israeli reading instruction, adapted for Hebrew-as-a-second-language learners who do not hear Hebrew daily at home.
Families and teachers use Kriakala at home and in Hebrew schools, Jewish day schools, and Sunday programs across the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, and other diaspora communities. The app is free to download, with no ads and no subscriptions; a one-time unlock opens the full curriculum on each device.
Unlike adult vocabulary apps, Kriakala focuses on systematic decoding so children can read new Hebrew words—not only memorize a phrase list. Classroom pilots and parent-led practice both benefit from short, independent game sessions that reinforce real reading skills without requiring an adult listener for every exercise.
Who Kriakala is for
Kriakala is built for children ages 4–7 who are learning Hebrew as a second language. Typical learners include students in Hebrew schools and Jewish day schools, children in Sunday or weekend programs, and families who want structured reading practice between lessons.
Teachers use Kriakala to supplement classroom instruction: students can review letter sounds, Nikud vowels, and decodable words at their own pace while the teacher works with other groups. Parents use the same games at home to reinforce what was taught in class, which helps children retain progress between weekly sessions.
The app interface is available in Hebrew and English, so English-speaking parents can navigate settings and support materials while children work through Hebrew reading content.
How Kriakala is different
Most Hebrew apps target teens or adults with vocabulary and conversation drills. Kriakala instead teaches young children to read Hebrew through phonics—the same letter-sound blending progression used in Israeli first-grade classrooms. That makes it suitable for bar/bat mitzvah preparation foundations, Hebrew school homework, and early literacy at home.
Kriakala is classroom-tested: it grew out of real teaching experience in the United States, where reading practice often requires one-on-one listening time that teachers and parents cannot always provide. The games are designed to keep practice engaging without timers, ads, or distracting monetization mechanics.
Explore our Hebrew reading games overview, parent teaching guide, or comparison with Duolingo Hebrew for more detail on the method.
Who created Kriakala
Kriakala was created by Hila, a Hebrew literacy educator since 2003. She taught elementary school in Israel until 2014 and has since taught Hebrew as a second language in the United States. Her work focuses on reading instruction—from first letter recognition through fluent reading of pointed text.
The app and the free guides on this website grew from a classroom need: reading practice usually requires an adult listener, takes time, and can feel repetitive for young children. Kriakala lets students practice decoding independently while still getting immediate feedback from native-speaker audio and visual cues.
Read Hila’s full background on About Hila, browse educator resources on the schools page, or use the English classroom guide at Kriakala for Schools.
Safety, privacy, and trust
Kriakala is designed for young children. The app has no third-party ads, no social feeds, and no behaviorally targeted marketing. Our Privacy Policy explains how we handle data under COPPA, GDPR, and Israeli privacy law, including parents’ rights to access or delete information.
For product questions, school partnerships, or accessibility feedback, visit Contact Kriakala or email support@kriakala.com. Common answers live on the Support & FAQ page.
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