Alefbet is a platform for Jewish religious education in German. Alefbet is a synonym for the Hebrew alphabet in the Hebrew language אָלֶף-בֵּית עִבְרִי and in Ivrit alef-bet ivri. The editor in charge is Efraim Yehoud-Desel.
In 2005, Efraim Yehoud-Desel established the "Initiative from Below." It aimed to end "the loneliness of the Jewish religious teacher." There were hardly any curricula, and hardly any teaching materials or textbooks existed in German.[1] Likewise, there needed to be more Jewish religious teachers. After the fall of the Berlin Wall, the number of Jews living in Germany had risen from about 20,000 to 170,000, partly due to immigration from Russia and the other states of the former Soviet Union. Despite this development, there needed to be an adequate school education available. To make matters worse, in Germany, only the Heidelberg College of Jewish Studies offers a course of study to train Jewish religious teachers.[2]
Because of this state of shortage, Alefbet was created. It represents a networked platform between rabbis, university teachers such as Daniel Krochmalnik for research and teaching, and religious teachers. Since the platform is generally accessible, it may be used by any interested layperson. Alefbet offers articles and presentations that can be read and understood even without theological knowledge.
