Everyone knows how technological changes can be daunting for me. However, I quickly jumped on the iPhone wagon and have been using Jewish apps for a long time. On my iPhone I have a complete Tanach, a siddur, Jewish calendar, Rashi, Pirkei Avot, and more.
As a Jewish educator, I cannot say enough about the convenience of having many of our sacred texts literally on the palm of my hand. Many times, during a class, I want to use a certain pasuk: it is there! Or I need to pray and am not around a siddur - it is right there! And so it goes...
Using a Torah text from my iPhone does not diminish the sanctity of the text - it allows me to have access to the text more frequently than before! Being able to study Torah while I am drinking coffee at Starbucks without carrying a heavy Tanach with me is wonderful!
You've changed my opinion about this one, I think! I still do feel like it might be easier to teach proper intentionality about studying Torah when the environment is more controlled....but having greater access doesn't necessarily preclude that lesson being learned.
ReplyDeleteDebbie
I agree wholeheartedly. And I have purchased more than one Jewish-related book while I was stuck somewhere to begin reading on my Kindle app. (Once while a sick baby was sleeping on my chest and I couldn't move.) :-)
ReplyDeleteYou give two great examples of the "just enough, just-in-time" accessibility that technology affords us.
ReplyDeleteI like being unplugged and I'm afraid an iPhone would prohibit me from doing so. My laptop is usually close by and since there is so much WiFi space available I can resort to that if really necessary. I much prefer taking a book off the shelf of my classroom and leafing through it with students.
ReplyDeleteLisa - I guess my iPhone is instead of the laptop (which I do not have). Also - when I referred to using it in the classroom, I forgot to point out that I work with adults. So I use it as a reference, when someone comes up with a question that was not expected in the class, and I want to refer to a pasuk or a specific quote.
ReplyDeleteIf I were working with children, I would certainly stop and take a book off the shelf.