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Mixed Media
5th Annual
Novi Art Festival News & Reviews
August 7 8c 8
Saturday & Sunday
10 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Shabbat On CD-ROM
At the end of the blessing pronounced
over bread, for example, the virtual
Klezmer music emanated from my
challah — unlike its actual counter-
computer, and kitchen cabinets, appli-
part — is covered up again.
ances and refrigerators danced on my
Those criticisms noted, I wax more
screen. No wonder that within min-
enthusiastic each time I pop in to
utes of my opening Virtual Shabbat, a
Virtual Shabbat. With an intended
CD-ROM from the National Jewish
audience of unaffiliated and marginal-
Outreach Program (NJOP), my col-
ly affiliated Jews, the CD-ROM covers
leagues gathered around my desk.
no topic in depth, but its breadth is.
After an introduction by Rabbi
impressive and it includes an
Ephraim Buchwald, founder and
admirable bibliography for anyone
director of NJOP, the user clicks on a
who wants to explore more deeply.
picture of a kitchen, a dining room, a
(Click on the bookcase in the dining
synagogue or a Hebrew crash course.
room for a literary menu.)
You cant help but be intrigued by
Individuals who are used to success
this interactive multimedia product.
in their academic and professional
In the kitchen area of this lively
lives often find their inadequacy in
Shabbar revue, I clicked on one of the
Jewish knowledge embarrassing. The
cabinets. Its doors opened and out
prospect of going to services in an
flew dishes, rimmed in blue. A drawer
Orthodox shul, where everyone else
with blue-handled flatware opened
seems to know the liturgy and when
simultaneously, while a voice-over
to stand up, sit down, bow and step
explained that a kosher kitchen has
forward or back, is daunting. An invi-
separate utensils for dairy, for meat
tation to Shabbat lunch at a tradition-
and often for parve.
al home, however welcome, also can
Clicking on other spots prompted
produce performance anxiety.
similar visual and verbal lessons about
What I like best about this CD-
kashrut and the Shabbat kitchen.
ROM is that it addresses the Jewish
But playing around revealed a few
competency gap.
quirks. There is• no foolproof way to
In the virtual synagogue, opening a
know what will open when you click
book on the prayer lectern allows the
on it; the prompt arrow is inconsis-
user to listen to the key prayers in the
tent. The person who does not know
Friday evening and Saturday morning
what points are relevant might miss
services in their entirety. Corresponding
significant information.
page numbers for The Complete
During my first "visit" to the din-
Artscroll Siddur, a well annotated
ing room, for example, I missed the
prayer book available at most Jewish
chanting.ofAyshet Chayil, a portion of
bookstores, are provided.
Proverbs that the husband chants to
In the dining room, the user has
his wife on Friday nights, and a dis-
access not only to the prayers recited
cussion of
Shabbat rimers.
You have to.
tool your way
around and try
everything. Had
I not known the
order for the
Friday night
home ritual,
clicking around
the room would
not have revealed
Hebrew
it.
is
Crash
Course
The way the
visuals change
back to their
original form
after an explana-
tion is given also
"Virtual Shabbat," a CD-ROM of ring a completely interactive
might confuse
Jewish Sabbath experience, seeks to stem the J2K roblem — the
meltdown ofJewish life in America at the end of the 20th centuiy.
the uninitiated.
-
,
eakilikaa
=
kAka-giattek
Outdoor Art Festival at
NOW TOWN CENTER
at 1-275 and 1-96
FREE ADMISSION!
Presented by:
DWYER
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Sponsored by:
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dad a call (248) 347-3830 • (954) 472-3755
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8/6
1999
92 Detroit Jewish News
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