Are you trying to choose a good kriah (Hebrew reading) CD for your kids, but you’re confused about which to buy? It can be hard to find detailed information about what each CD offers. Since our family recently bought a new kriah CD, we thought we’d share our experiences with the two that we own. Hopefully this review will help other families choose which one is best for their family.
Kriyah Coach is a new CD that was created as a way to raise money for tzedakah. It assumes that kids already know the alef-beis; there’s a quick alef-beis review you can click on, with video footage of a rebbe and his class pointing to the osios and reviewing them, but that’s all that’s offered for alef-beis. The CD’s focus is on learning the nekudah sounds and learning to blend. For each nekudah, there’s a 3-step approach: first, a computer-animated scene with characters introducing the nekudah; second, video footage of Rabbi Henoch Potash teaching that nekudah to his class; and third, a brief exercise for the child to practice with.
The pronunciation used is mainstream yeshivish.
Overall, Kriyah Coach is cute–the little boys in Rabbi Potash’s class are adorable, and the animated characters interest kids–but it doesn’t offer a lot of practice.