Jews in the D

26 | APRIL 23 • 2020 

A

s a population especially 
vulnerable to COVID-19, 
seniors are heavily dis-
couraged from having any phys-
ical contact with anyone. But all 
that isolation gets lonely fast, and 
many seniors aren’
t comfortable 
setting up videoconferencing 
technology like Zoom on their 
own. 
In response, the Detroit Jewish 
Coalition, a partnership between 
Jewish organizations based in 
the city of Detroit, is launching 
a new program, Technology 
Buddy 101, to help seniors learn 
more about technology so they 
can stay connected to their fam-
ilies during this social distancing 
period. 
Community members who are 
interested in becoming a “tech 
buddy” for a senior can sign up 
online and participate in one of 
the volunteer orientations. Check 
for upcoming orientation times.
During a phone conference, 
the Detroit Jewish Coalition 
was brainstorming ideas to 
help ensure the connectivity of 
the community, especially for 
seniors, during this challenging 
time.
The coalition includes Repair 
the World Detroit, Isaac Agree 
Downtown Synagogue, Hillel of 
Metro Detroit, Cohn-Haddow 
Center for Judaic Studies at 
Wayne State University, Chabad 
in the D, Detroit Jews for Justice, 
Moishe House of Detroit and the 
Reconstructionist Congregation 
of Detroit. 
Becca Steinman-DeGroot, 
community engagement special-
ist for Repair the World Detroit 
and director of education at the 
Downtown Synagogue, came up 
with the idea after she was help-
ing her parents get familiar with 
Zoom for their services.
“It feels like this is a huge 
need, and it is something that 
we heard a lot from our fellows 
at Repair the World,
” Steinman-
DeGroot said. “Even young 
adults in the community have 
stated that they have been 
helping their grandparents or 
their parents get on Zoom or 
Facetime.
”

Volunteers must be at least 
15 years of age and well-versed 
in Zoom, Google Hangout, 
Facetime and Facebook 
Hangout. This program is focus-
ing on the visual connection, not 
just phone calls.
“We’
re just asking that our 
volunteers are excited to make a 
connection with someone who 
is not necessarily versed in tech-
nology, can coach someone over 
the phone and [are] interested in 
helping create that community 
feel,
” Steinman-DeGroot said.
To become a tech buddy, vol-
unteers must fill out an online 
sign-up, answering questions 
about what technology they feel 
comfortable teaching and what 
they’
re currently using. After 
signing up, volunteers will fill out 
an orientation RSVP so they can 
participate in one of the virtual 
training sessions with members 
of the coalition.
“The training sessions will 
teach volunteers how to connect 

with their Zoom buddy and 
about the value connection pro-
vides to our community, espe-
cially our seniors,
” Steinman-
DeGroot said. “We want our 
volunteers to feel comfortable 
and confident on the phone. We 
are not looking for technology 
wizards, but just someone who 
wants to try and help someone 
get online and get connected to 
their families.
”
Interested seniors can sign up 
through email, but also over the 
phone. Seniors will also fill out 
what type of technology they are 
looking to learn so they can be 
paired up with the perfect match.
Any senior who wants to par-
ticipate is welcome to sign up, 
not just Jewish ones and not just 
ones within the city itself.
“We are anticipating sending 
out this information to different 
senior life platforms, includ-
ing synagogues and senior-life 
groups,
” Steinman-DeGroot said. 
“We’
re also encouraging orga-

nizations and synagogues who 
have senior participants who 
may not be present online to let 
them know about this program 
so they can become connected to 
the community.
”
In addition to helping seniors 
become tech-savvy, the coalition 
hopes that this program will 
make the community stronger 
and allow for friendships to 
blossom.
“We want to ensure, for both 
the needs of the seniors’
 mental 
and physical health, that they 
are connected, not only to their 
families, but to their community 
as well,
” Steinman-DeGroot said. 
“We want no one in our com-
munities to be left out during 
this time, and hope that this will 
grow a larger support system for 
everyone.
”

Email Rebecca.Simon-DeGroot@
werepair.org for more information.

Technology Buddy 101: 
Creating Tech-Savvy Seniors

The program engages seniors with community members
who can help coach, mentor and support them through
the use of technology.

CORRIE COLF STAFF WRITER