Mar Opiate

Cyber Spot

Cyber Spot reviews and Web site addresses are now on _IN Online:
www.d.etroitjewishnews.com

Content
Design
Ease of Use

Seeing Israel,

L

r

JAMES D. BESSER
Special to the Jewish News

IV

Unmistakably
Robertson Brothers...

Discover The Willits, Birmingham's most exclusive mid-rise
condominium.. just steps away from restaurants, entertainment
venues and world-class shopping. The Willits offers unparalleled
amenities, including an on-staff concierge, controlled access
underground parking and fitness room.

Luxury Condominiums

(ranging from 1788 to over 2900 square feet)
• 2 and 3 bedroom residences, many with dens; 9' ceilings
• Gourmet kitchens with granite countertops, double ovens and glass cooktops
• Jetted whirlpool tub in master bath

Priced from the high $500,000's*

Spectacular 2-level Penthouses

(ranging from 2635 to over 3800 square feet)
• Private, in-unit elevator between 1st and 2nd floor
• Spacious terraces; fabulous fireplaces; marble flooring
• Gourmet kitchens with all appliances included
• European-style master bath with jetted tub and bidet

Priced from $1.9 million*

Visit our Residential Marketing Center next
to Smith & Hawken at 286 West Maple from
11 am- 6 pm or call (248) 593-0855.

Pre-const ruction pricing available

Robertson Brothers Group —

Community

3/9

2001

106

'Prices subject to change
without notice.

Developers

ant to go to Israel with-
out leaving your living
room? Check out the
America-Israeli
Cooperative Enterprise (AICE)
"Virtual Israel Experience," another-
project of the prolific Mitchell Bard, a
longtime pro-Israel activist:
wwvv.israeltour.org
The Virtual Israel Experience is
"designed for anyone who plans a trip
to Israel, hopes to visit in the future or
just wants to learn more about the his-
tory of the Jewish state," Bard writes
in the opening page.
But the site is clearly aimed at peo-
ple who are getting ready for their first
trip to Israel; the first page is filled
with practical information, such as
checklists of what to take, helpful
Hebrew words and phrases, tips from
the State Department and advice on
illegal drugs (DON'T).
The tour offers choices: you can
follow the route mapped out by the
site creators, or create your own itiner-
ary.
The first stop is — naturally —
Ben-Gurion Airport. There's helpful
information about the flight and what
to expect from the first Israeli bureau-
crats you'll meet.
From there, the tour takes you on
the bus ride to Jerusalem.
Each page includes numerous
underlined links; click on them to
learn more about Israeli and biblical
history, culture or details about the
sites you encounter.
The tour of Jerusalem is exten-
sive; besides the pictures and maps,
there are plenty of opportunities to
learn about the city's history and
politics.
Next, the virtual traveler heads to

I

Tel Aviv and beyond. At any point,
click on "On Your Own" to get a map
of destinations; click on a town to
jump there.
Pay close attention; at the end of
your tour, you'll have an opportunity
to take a quiz.
The site also includes a "post
office," where you can leave messages
to the folks you met in Israel or post
photographs.
AICE specializes in providing
detailed information about Israel and
the Middle East to college students;
the Virtual Tour, like all the AICE
sites, is well organized, attractive and
chock-full of information.
"We believe preparation and fol-
low-up are a key component to deter-
mining whether the Jewish identity of
the participants of Israel trips will be
enhanced, and their affiliation with
the community strengthened," said
AICE Director Mitchell Bard. "We
consider this essential pre- and post-
natal care for the Birthright experi-
ence." ❑

Seen On The Net

Interested in finding out more about
the meaning of Jewish family names?
Every week, Beth Hatefutsoth — the
Nahum Goldmann Museum of the
Jewish Diaspora in Tel Aviv, offers
information on its Web site about the
meaning of a Jewish family name,
along with the biography of a famous
Jewish personality bearing the same
name. Click on over to:
www.bh.org.il/Names/NOW.asp and
www.bh.org.il/Names/POW.asp
For the Community of the Month,
the Jewish community of Recife in
Brazil, visit
www.bh.org.il/Communities/
Recife.asp