These are all very interesting observations. Regarding Ari's question about whether the bat mitzvah girl who learns to chant Torah online is missing out on other facets of her Jewish education. The answer is yes, but let's not throw out the baby with the bathwater.
If that young girl lives in a remote area of the country (or world) in which no bat mitzvah tutors are in close proximity, then she and her parents should be thankful for the modern technology that allows her to prepare for her bat mitzvah through the Internet.
Yes, there are still other pieces of her Jewish educational puzzle that will not be solved online. However, it has to be one step at a time.The girl learns to chant her bat mitzvah Torah portion online and in doing so wants to learn more about Jewish history and culture. She asks her parents to send her to a Jewish camp that summer to meet other Jewish children and to be engaged in informal Jewish education. She is no longer a "Jewish community of one" and all because the online bat mitzvah preparation experience led to her becoming part of a larger community outside of her geographical borders.
These are all very interesting observations. Regarding Ari's question about whether the bat mitzvah girl who learns to chant Torah online is missing out on other facets of her Jewish education. The answer is yes, but let's not throw out the baby with the bathwater.
If that young girl lives in a remote area of the country (or world) in which no bat mitzvah tutors are in close proximity, then she and her parents should be thankful for the modern technology that allows her to prepare for her bat mitzvah through the Internet.
Yes, there are still other pieces of her Jewish educational puzzle that will not be solved online. However, it has to be one step at a time.The girl learns to chant her bat mitzvah Torah portion online and in doing so wants to learn more about Jewish history and culture. She asks her parents to send her to a Jewish camp that summer to meet other Jewish children and to be engaged in informal Jewish education. She is no longer a "Jewish community of one" and all because the online bat mitzvah preparation experience led to her becoming part of a larger community outside of her geographical borders.
Rabbi Jason Miller
Jewish Techs blog (The NY Jewish Week)
http://www.thejewishweek.com/b...