Reducing the Digital Divide
The Israeli government started to build LEHAVA centers (“LEHAVA” is an acronym for words translating to “reducing the digital divide in Israeli society”) in 2002, to expand access to computers and the Internet. Free courses are offered at these centers, covering the basics of Internet use and certain software (e.g., Excel, Word, PowerPoint, and Photoshop). Today, there are 30 such centers around Israel, where 60,000 to 70,000 people have taken courses, and 100,000 have used the facilities. Representatives of the LEHAVA program note that older adults have demonstrated particular interest in using the Internet for information searching (e.g., government websites, recipes, and travel) and for social aspects (e.g., social media and online picture albums). Given that children and young adults make up 70 percent of participants, one interesting approach that several of the LEHAVA centers have taken focuses on intergenerational programs, where older adults and their grandchildren work on a project together, such as compiling a slideshow. Similar intergenerational projects have been initiated in other programs that also have computer-training components. These include the “Elderly on the Move” program, where members of youth movements participate in activities with senior citizens, including computer lessons, and the “Through the Eyes of the Elderly” (“Mizkeinim Etbonen”) program, where youth help older adults compose their personal and life stories using a computer to add to a family tree database.