Dor L'Dor
- meaning 'generation to generation' in Hebrew was launched as a result
of developing a software package to teach the Hebrew alphabet to Sara,
one of my students with special needs. Hebrew uses a whole different character
system; letters go from right to left (as opposed to English which is left
to right) and the vowel system is under, next to or over the letters.
So the eye has to learn to track very differently than English. On
the other hand, Hebrew is a phonetic language so a 'b' sound is consistently
a 'b' sound - there are very few exceptions to the rule.
Our original goal was to be able to focus Sara for 10
seconds. We started developing the program in October; we had Sara
beta test weekly (as well as my other students, parents, educators, and
whoever came into the door) and in March gave her a completed package.
Meanwhile,
Jay, my techi and partner who is ADD and has learning disabilities,
discovered that he had also learned the alphabet by writing the code and
playing with the software.
Now, just three years later, we have the following products:
* Letters, Vowels,
Sounds - teaches the Hebrew alphabet; print version is available with optional
fingerspelling for those who are hard of hearing
* BrachaBuilder (bracha
means prayer) - teaches 18 prayers in 4 modules of learning
* SiddurSurfer (siddur
means prayerbook) - teaches 18 prayerbook blessings and 5 modules of learning
* RashiReader (Rashi
is a whole different alphabet system written by Rashi thousands of years
ago and used to understand Biblical commentary) - teaches Rashi characters,
morphs first and last sentences of the Bible from print characters to Rashi
characters
All programs are available for Mac and Windows.
The products are sold nationally and internationally to children, adults,
and the special needs community in homes and in schools.
Expanding our horizons, we have develped Hebrew alphabet
accessories to enhance learning. The products are as follows:
* 4-color 3D Hebrew
alphabet mousepads
* Activity books/parent
guides supplement alphabet learning using nmemonics
* AlefBetZoom T-shirts
- 4-color alphabet starting from large to vanishing in the center of the
shirt; children and adult sizes
* ColorMyAlefBet T-shirts
- color with washable, non-toxic markers (included), wear, wash and color
again or embroidery or use fabric paints on letters of your name or all
the letters of the alphabet for a permanent design; children and adult
sizes.
* AlefBet Jewelry
- earrings, pins (can be worn as pendants); prayershawl clips featuring
stunning Hebrew graphics in blue and white enamel on gold or silver background.
Ideal gifts for family, friends, teachers, and Bar or Bat Mitzvah.
I tell my own three children that a main goal in life
is to influence one person's life in a positive way. I have been
blessed with the gifts that have enabled me to influence many through teaching,
tutoring, and now software. The stories that are relayed to both
Jay and I on how the software has brought individuals closer to their own
spirituality help encourage us to continue to create products that will
'give them what they want' and 'bring Judaic education into the 21th century. |
