Easy/pretty way to typeset Hebrew with Te'amim

Question

I'm setting out to create a bentsher and am looking for the right software for the job.

First, it is important to me that I have the ability to add Te'amim to biblical passages (e.g. kiddush).

Second, it should be easy to enter text. Some songs I want to add might not be available in the right format. I should be able to enter texts in a natural way. Being able to copy and paste from common formats could be a huge plus.

Third, it should be able to produce a pretty output. It should give me freedom with page dimensions (bentshers are rarely 8.5 by 11).

I've looked into a few things. TeX based solutions include this package(?) makor which a) is no longer being developed and b) is based on omega which is being deprecated. It seems to take input from BHS well, but I can't find their biblical text online in ascii format. Otherwise, text entry doesn't seem so natural. Whatever the tool I use should be up to date and not really on old or broken software.

There was some mention of XeTeX, but I didn't see many details about how to enter te'amim. I also would very much like to see a guide to getting started with it.

Alternatively, other programs, TeX based or not, are all welcome if they're the right tool.

Answer 1

I'm actually working on a siddur right now! I have been using InDesign and Mellel (both require a license, and Mellel is more affordable). If you are using a Mac, the most up-to-date version of Pages has RTL support.

One thing to be aware of with InDesign is that if you're not careful, words may migrate between lines (a problem only with justified text). You should also be aware that there are several anglophone versions, select the one with the word עברית next to it, it supports RTL completely.