Gemara Berura develops an educational platform that helps students understand complex Talmudic texts by highlighting keywords, annotating text, and creating visual flowcharts that clarify the structure of the discourse. One of the projects I worked on with them was redesigning their interface. We focused on optimizing the user experience for both teachers and students, transforming a complex methodology into an intuitive digital learning tool.
The Problem
The Talmud is an ancient text written in a dense, non-linear style.
Students often struggle to follow its logic or connect its parts.
A quick search for "I love learning Talmud" returns only frustration.
The solution
Like LEGO or a puzzle, students interactively break the Talmud text into logical parts, tag their roles, and reassemble them into a clear, visual flow. This hands-on method transforms dense learning into an engaging experience.
Divide the text into logical segments
Label each part by its role (question, answer, objection, etc.)
Create visual links between segments
Highlight and get explanations for key words
Learn more about the sages mentioned in the text
Translate Aramaic terms
View a live flow diagram of the structure
These tools help students see the logic behind the text, stay focused, and truly engage with the material.
Redesign
In 2018, I was brought into the project to design the UI based on a detailed UX spec that had already been defined. Over the years, as I continued to work with the product and saw how it was actually used, I realized some core interactions needed a fresh UX approach.
In-place segmentation tools
Students had to open the "Segment" menu and move back and forth between it and the text for every cut.
Clicking between two words opens a floating menu with Divide, Subdivide, and Undo - plus keyboard shortcuts for fast use.
Display tools, simplified
Tools like highlighting sages' names or translating Aramaic words were buried in a secondary "View" menu, forcing users back in just to turn them off. I moved everything into a fixed bottom toolbar - always visible, always accessible.
Panel visibility made intuitive
Hiding the text or diagram meant digging through a menu behind an eye icon. I replaced it with simple arrow buttons at the center of the screen - one click to show or hide each side.
The result
The interface became faster to use, easier to navigate, and more intuitive overall.
By simplifying the layout and making key tools visible at all times, users can now divide and work with the text without friction - no more jumping between menus or hunting for buttons.
Everything just works the way you'd expect.