Building a Jewish World

Frequently Asked Questions

Topics:
- General What is "Building a Jewish World"? What does "Building a Jewish World" offer? - Registration How do I register? If the group takes part in a project, will each participant have to register? How do I register to a group? What does a registered participant do who forgot his username and password? Why is it worthwhile to register? How is the information of the Writing Pages saved? Does a participant who wants to register to several groups need a new username and password for each group? How do I know that I registered to the website? - Other Languages Is it possible to write the participant's name in English on the Hebrew homepage? In which languages does the website exist? Can two groups who do not know each other's language learn together in the program? Is it worthwhile to participate in the learning programs in order to learn a foreign language? - Contents of the Website What is the difference between the learning programs and the Open Contents? What is the meaning of the three steps in the learning program? Is it necessary to work according to the structure of the learning program? Is it possible to do the whole learning program in only half a year? Where can we see the "group message" sent to us by the partner group? What are the advantages for the teacher? - Activities "What's New?" What is "What's New?" on the homepage? - Special Tools on the Website Which tools appear on the website? - Group Administrators What is a group administrator? Does a group administrator have special authorities? How is the timetable adjusted with the group administrator of the partner group? What is the success formula for the connection to a partner group? - Forums Do I have to be a group member in order to write in the forum? How do I write a new message in the forum? How do I answer to a message in the forum?

General

Question What is "Building a Jewish World"? Answer "Building a Jewish World" is a website connecting Jewish communities in Israel and all over the world. Read more about "Building a Jewish World" here...

Question What does "Building a Jewish World" offer? Answer "Building a Jewish World" offers various individual and group activities. Individuals – Family tree builder; forums enable contacts with Jews from all over the world; Open Contents enrich the knowledge and offer various activities. Groups – Learning programs support the contact with Jewish communities in Israel and all over the world. Activities are conducted according to the Hebrew calendar. Forums deal with day-to-day matters and important matters of the Jewish people. Groups also use the various internet tools (web site builder, forums, etc.).

Registration

Question How do I register? Answer Individuals register here . Groups: The group administrator receives the group name and the password. For the registration go to the individual registration page and register the group.

Question If the group takes part in a project, will each participant have to register? Answer Yes. Each participant has to register as a new user and also to the group to which he belongs. In the first step of the registration process the participants choose a user name and a password. In the second step they insert the group name and the password they received from the group administrator.

Question How do I register to a group? Answer In order to participate in a project you have to complete the Request to Open a New Group.. After a partner group is found, the "Building a Jewish World" team will provide the group administrator with a group name and a password. Each group member registers on the site to the group to which he belongs.

Question What does a registered participant do who forgot his username and password? Answer Participants who do not belong to a group and forgot their username and password write to the "Building a Jewish World" team Participants who are group members turn to their group administrator.

Question Why is it worthwhile to register? Answer The registration to the website enables the participation in the learning programs, the using of the internet tools and the saving of all the information in the "Building a Jewish World" database.

Question How is the information of the Writing Pages saved? Answer The information is saved in a database on the website. Registered participants can continue their activities from every computer connected to the internet.

Question Does a participant who wants to register to several groups need a new username and password for each group? Answer No. Each participant who registered once on the site (personal registration) can register to several groups by using the group name and password of each group.

Question How do I know that I registered to the website? Answer Registration and working on the site make it possible to see the name of the participant and the name of the group he belongs to on top of the banner.

Other Languages

Question Is it possible to write the participant's name in English on the Hebrew homepage? Answer It is possible to write the participant's name in every language, also if you are on the homepage of a different language.

Question In which languages does the website exist? Answer The website exists in six languages: Hebrew, English, French, Spanish, German, Russian.

Question Can two groups who do not know each other's language learn together in the program? Answer Yes. Each learning program consists of three steps: personal activity, group activity and interactivity. Personal and group step are conducted in the group framework and in the language the group chooses. In the interactive part the group writes to the partner group in the forum and sends a group message. In this step it is important to use the communication language. The group administrators decide on the appropriate language for the participants.

Question Is it worthwhile to participate in the learning programs in order to learn a foreign language? Answer The programs and the content of the website are not intended to learn a foreign language. But they can support the learning of the language.

Contents of the Website

Question What is the difference between the learning programs and the Open Contents? Answer The learning programs are built according to a determined process. A. Personal activity; B. Group activity; C. Interactivity. The process promotes mutuality and responsibilities between two groups. During the activities interesting internet tools are used (statistics of criteria, information centers, writing pages, forums, etc.). The participation in the learning programs requires a mutual timetable between the two group administrators. The Open Content is the connection to a whole world of contents which can serve as a basis to connect two groups. The group administrators agree upon the activities which take place in the forum. Students can also suggest an Open Content and work on it with the members of the partner group. The work in the frame of the Open Content demands initiative and originality.

Question What is the meaning of the three steps in the learning program? Answer In the personal activity, the first step, each participant works alone with his computer. In the group activity the participants work with the group databases (group statistics, Group Answer Page with all the answers of the group members, etc.). In addition, the group discusses topics live and then writes the group message. In the interactive part the group administrators send the group message to the members of the partner group. In addition, all the participants write in the forum.

Question Is it necessary to work according to the structure of the learning program? Answer The continuous work with the program during the year gives the participant the whole picture of the topic which he is learning. But it is also possible to connect between the various units and the various lessons, e.g. to start with the first lesson of "Home and Community" which deals with identity and getting-acquainted and then continue with "Roots".

Question Is it possible to do the whole learning program in only half a year? Answer Yes. The working time of the groups depends on the group administrators. Before the work starts both group administrators must agree upon the timetable. Each program in "Building a Jewish World" has a recommended timetable. Here you can see the recommended timetable for the work with the learning programs.

Question Where can we see the "group message" sent to us by the partner group? Answer In the lesson after the group message was sent to the partner group (e.g. if the group message was sent at the end of lesson 1, we can see the message sent to us in lesson 2). It is possible to see the group message by pressing the button "See the group message of the partner group".

Question What are the advantages for the teacher? Answer There are many advantages: - Improvement of the students' computer knowledge - Learning of a foreign language with a community of native speakers - Lessons which combine individual and group learning - Learning programs in various languages - Effective lessons according to the students' progress - Learning programs on subjects according to the Ministry of Education: "Home and Community", "Roots" - No foreknowledge necessary - Fixed structure – From one program to the other without guidance - Modules – possibility of creating programs by connecting several lessons - Connection with Jewish communities all over the world – for the students and for the teachers

Activities "What's New?"

Question What is "What's New?" on the homepage? Answer In "What's New" Activities open for all internet users (it is not necessary to register on the website). The activities deal with the Hebrew-Zionist calendar and are updated from time to time. Activities: competitions, quizzes and forums to various topics.

Special Tools on the Website

Question Which tools appear on the website? Answer The website contains various tools. Some of them are part of the learning programs, like the statistics of criteria, writing pages, family table of names, etc. Other tools, also available to individuals and groups and not in the framework of a learning program are: Forums Family Tree Builder (In order to use this tool one has to register on the website)

Group Administrators

Question What is a group administrator? Answer The group administrator (in general the teacher) is responsible for the group which is working in the project. The team of "Building a Jewish World" defines him as the group administrator.

Question Does a group administrator have special authorities? Answer Yes. Group administrators receive several authorities: 1. He submits the group message to the partner group. 2. He can see the group page which includes: 1) Names of the participants, their usernames and passwords 2) Possibility to see the writing pages of the students 3) Possibility to see the writing pages of all group members 4) Possibility to edit or erase messages in the forum.

Question How is the timetable adjusted with the group administrator of the partner group? Answer The timetable is adjusted with the help of the Program Planner, which is sent to the group administrators by e-mail or regular mail. The group administrators decide upon the subject, and submit dates regarding their working time, holidays and disposal of computers. In addition to the Program Planner, the team of "Building a Jewish World" coordinates a phone conference between the two group administrators in order to get to know each other and to agree upon the objectives.

Question What is the success formula for the connection to a partner group? Answer Success depends on several conditions: 1. Stable connection between the group administrators and obligation to the process 2. Standing to the agreed timetable 3. Participation in the forum 4. Using of synchronic tools in order to strengthen the connection (web/video conferences).

Forums

Question Do I have to be a group member in order to write in the forum? Answer It is not necessary to be a group member in order to write in the forums. - Forums for the members of a group - Forums open to all internet users Group members enter the website by registering their username and password. On their personal page they find the forum of their group. Visitors to the website can participate in all the general forums or in the forums of "What's New?". It is recommended that all visitors to the website register. Then their name will appear automatically in the forum they write.

Question How do I write a new message in the forum? Answer First you have to enter the forum page and choose the forum where you want to write. (It is also possible to reach the forum via your personal page if you are registered.) Then press the button "New Message" and write the message: title and message body. It is possible to add attachments by pressing "Browse". Finally send your message by pressing "Post Message".

Question How do I answer to a message in the forum? Answer In order to open a message you must click on its title (Bold in black) At the bottom of the message there is the possibility of "Reply". Click on this icon, write the answer and then click "Post Message". Return to the forum page to see the answer and at its side a little orange square which marks the answer (Re.).