ellgeditorials Editorials and Letters to the Editor are posted and archived on JN Online: www.detroitjewishnews.com High Tech Learning C /- omputers can be an excellent teach- ing tool in Jewish education — but only if they're used to supplement, not replace, a strong core curriculum and traditional teaching methods proven to work. Meanwhile, Jewish educators must improve communication with their colleagues in day schools, congregational schools, adult education programs and affiliated agencies if we want to maximize cyber learning opportunities. These two themes resonate from today's cover story, "High Tech Jewish Education." The Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Detroit is planning to spend $700,000 to get Hebrew schools on-line, as part of its $50-mil- lion Millennium Campaign for Detroit's Jew- ish Future on behalf of the Jewish Community Center of Metropolitan Detroit and Jewish life experiences. While we applaud that outlay, we urge Federation to back that hardware invest- ment with solid support and training so teach- ers can use the computers effectively. Computers don't create curriculum, inspire dialogue or sense emotions — teachers do. Computers can't consider classroom nuances to know whether to rely on traditional teaching methods or go high tech — but teachers can. So teachers must be trained in the comput- er's multifaceted uses and must receive regular refresher training. By doing so, they can master the technology, and harness what it can do that a chalkboard can't. Without teacher training that's timely and IN FOCUS coordinated, computers could quickly become expensive paperweights in Hebrew school classrooms. That serves no one's best interests. Computers seem to be holding the atten- tion of children — for now. We can't always count on that, however. As kids become cyber savvy at younger ages, and as the world of bytes pervades more of everyday life, comput- ers will lose some of their sheen. So instead of computers being the draw, the programs and Web sites they link us to must be interesting, informative and interactive. Without significant upgrades in Jewish soft- ware and links, there's no rush for Hebrew schools to buy fancier computers. Sticking to proven teaching tools is wiser. At the same time, bigger schools need to commit themselves to sharing their cyber expe- riences with less-affluent ones in the spirit of cooperation. Federation, via its Alliance for Jewish Edu- cation and the Agency for Jewish Education, is the right agency to spur such a sharing of experiences. It then could share what it has learned about computer technology with the Jewish Education Service of North America and other Jewish communities, while seeking out what they've learned. The Internet could facilitate such a resourceful exchange. As the heartbeat of our religion, Jewish edu- cation clearly provides the sustenance that binds us from generation to generation. Fl Arafat's Fishing Trip T o our relief, the international com- munity has weighed in resoundingly against Yassir Arafat's plan to unilat- erally declare Palestinian statehood on May 4. It is clear that such a declaration, two weeks before Israel's national elections, would boost the political right wing and help re-elect Binyamin Netanyahu. We do not quibble with that outcome if it is the desire of Israel's democratic process, but it is unlikely what Arafat wants. Thus, Arafat, a sharp politi- cal calculator, is doing more political saber rat- ding than anything else. But the Palestinian leader will want some- thing in return for abandoning his announce- ment. And so he comes to Washington, D.C., next Tuesday on a political fishing expedition. Clearly, a unilateral Palestinian declaration of statehood would be destructive to the peace process, however stalled, however fragile. Indeed, Israel has warned that such an initiative could collapse negotiations and result in unilat- eral annexation of parts of the West Bank. Meanwhile, Congress in recent days has passed resolutions opposing such declarations by the Palestinians and urging the Clinton administration to state clearly its own opposi- tion. U.S. officials repeatedly and publicly have criticized Arafat's statehood threats. Congress might also have strongly called on both parties to uphold their responsibilities and avoid any unilateral actions — without the hairsplitting of spelling out what that means. Dennis Ross, U.S. special Mideast envoy, to Israel's consternation, called Jewish settlement activity "very destructive to the pur- suit of peace" because it "prejudges what ought to be negotiated." He also called on both par- ties to resume final status talks on an intensive and accelerated basis." We share his sense of urgency while remind- ing the case for Palestinian violations of Oslo is quite strong. But talks have slowly resumed on several levels; that's where the focus should be. Netanyahu can trumpet settlements and Arafat can yell about hopes for a state. Both know they would harm their people if, in the absence of more progress in this complex and emotional process, they forcefully acted on such desires. A Special Bond More than 430 congregants, friends and relatives were on hand March 13 to pay tribute to Cantor Samuel Greenbaum, right, on his 25th anniversary with Congregation Beth Shalom. His wife, Mona, is in the center. They're pictured with Rabbi David and Alicia Nelson. Rabbi Nelson received a congregational trib- ute in 1997 when he celebrated his 25th anniversary with the Oak Park synagogue. LETTERS Workable Plan For Sinai rent and know that they can't remain if they abuse the privi- lege given them. If they have children, they would have to know that they must keep them in control or they Will not be allowed to stay. Doctors and patients will miss Sinai Hospital ("Goodbye Sinai; Hello Sinai-Grace," March 5). Here's an opportunity to turn a sad situation into a golden opportunity to avoid another J.L. Hudson demolition. Plan to convert Sinai into a place for the working homeless and responsible people who can't afford the high cost of an apart- Sinai's West Outer Drive campus in ment or home. Detroit. The state of Michigan contributed $55 million This is a positive approach toward construction of a new to something that will benefit Tiger Stadium. Perhaps it can the people and the city of come up with a portion of the Detroit. money needed to bring this Zelda and Milton Rose about. Farmington Hills The occupants would pay 3/19 1999 Detroit Jewish News 27