Restoring the Aleph, essay and study guide
Written by historian and theologian Arthur Green, Restoring the Aleph: Judaism for the Contemporary Seeker raises provocative questions about how our community and theology might respond to the spiritual quests of Jews in our times. Targum Shlishi initiated publication of the accompanying study guide, designed for those interested in grappling with issues of spirituality.

“If you were born a Jew, or if you are drawn to Judaism, perhaps it is not just by chance,” Green wrote. “Perhaps what the human future needs of you is your reading of, your encounter with, this great portion of our shared spiritual legacy. You can raise up sparks that belong to your soul alone, reveal worlds that can be found by no other.” The works were published by the Council for Initiatives in Jewish Education. Targum Shlishi funded their distribution to 2,000 synagogues, rabbis, and Hillel directors. Those recipients were then offered up to 15 free copies to share with congregants or students.

The response to this initiative was extremely positive, with many requests for copies. “Outstanding essay. Thank you for making it available,” wrote Rabbi Sid Schwarz of Rockville, Md. “A marvelous adult education course,” Rabbi Howard Simon of Knoxville, Tenn., reported. “Very provocative…used during Friday evening sermon—reaction very enthusiastic,” wrote Rabbi Daniel Friedman of Deerfield, Ill.

Gesher Educational Affiliates, Jerusalem
Gesher means “bridge” in Hebrew, which describes the goal of Gesher Educational Affiliates: to bridge the gap between religious and secular Jews and between the right and left, to promote a society in which being Jewish forms the bond that unites, not the wall that divides. “Our mission is to encourage dialogue,” said Dr. Daniel Tropper, director of Gesher. “One way of doing that is by educational programs.”

Among Gesher’s educational initiatives is the groundbreaking Gesher Multimedia Bible Curriculum Series, which is transforming the study of the Bible in Israeli classrooms. Targum Shlishi helped fund the production of an English-language version of Gesher’s educational CD-ROM, “The Ten Commandments,” which is part of the series.

The impetus for creating a multimedia Bible curriculum was to help educators develop new and challenging ways to teach the subject. With the CD-ROM, students do not merely read the primary text; they can download maps of historic locations, hear audio of texts read in different languages accompanied by music of different styles, and read commentaries. The series was introduced to Israeli junior high schools beginning in 1997 and has had impressive results, which include dramatically enhancing students' comprehension and appreciation of Biblical texts. www.gesher.co.il

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