Dr. Motti Friedman (left) helps Baltimore's Tzahi Posner gear up for Virtual Jewish World

The relationship between Baltimore, Maryland and Karmiel-Misgav within the framework of the Jewish Agency's Partnership 2000 will be strengthened via the Internet following a recent seminar at Sde Boker in Israel. Entitled "Building A Jewish World: Home and Community Summer Seminar for Jewish Education from Israel and the Diaspora," the encounter brought together 16 Israeli educators and 16 Diaspora educators at Midreshet Sde Boker in the heart of the Negev.

They learned how to build virtual links between Israeli and Diaspora schools through the Jewish Agency's virtual Jewish world site - www.jewish-world.org.il .

"Jewish educators do not need to invent the wheel," explained Project Director Dr. Motti Friedman. "The Virtual Jewish world infrastructure already exists. They just need to how to learn how to use it and the most effective way to use it."

Among the participants at the seminar was Tzahi Posner, the deputy principle of the Berman-Lipavsky Religious School in Baltimore, Maryland. He plans to institute a virtual link with its Partnership 2000 community in Karmiel-Misgav. "There is an amazing framework in place," he said. "This is so much more than just being pen-pals."

Posner was particularly enthusiastic about the "forum" provided by the jewish-world site - a kind of bulletin board where students can leave messages.

"This gives us teachers the ability to monitor the messages being sent," he explained, "unlike chat rooms, which are spontaneous dialogue."

In addition to chat rooms and forums, the seminar participants learned how to build their own web sites, and use the general resource material available at the site.

The Virtual Jewish World program will add a cyberspace and student element to an already flourishing relationship between senior educators in Baltimore and Karmiel-Misgav. Last summer a delegation of principles from Baltimore came to Karmiel and this winter Karmiel principles will pay a reciprocal visit to Baltimore.

"The Virtual Jewish World is comprised of three program modules," explains Dr. Friedman, "My Community, My Roots and My Environment. In addition we have added a fourth component - Common Themes - for groups with less time to spare."

The Sde Boker seminar focused on "My Community" and how the program can be best implemented between schools in the Diaspora and Israel. Each of the program components has been outsourced by the Jewish Agency with Midreshet Ben Gurion responsible for the topic of My Community. The essence of the program is that the children will simply write about themselves, enabling Israel/Diaspora peers to learn about each other.

"The essence of Partnership 2000 is connecting," added Posner, "and the Virtual Jewish world will allow us to do just that and develop a really meaning ful relationship. Our children have so much to learn from Israelis about their Jewish identity, while I think Israeli children can learn a lot about the religious aspect of their identity from our students."

By the end of 2000 Dr. Friedman expects 41 classes to be on-line in the program including Baltimore Karmiel-Misgav, about one third of them in the Diaspora. The site can also be used by individuals and in the long-run he plans to expand the program to involve synagogues, community centers and other organizations.

Av 5760 - August 2000