We provide computers, smartphones, and data plans to help with Jewish learning, connecting with others, and seeking resources.
Kulanu helps communities become known by and connect to the wider Jewish world. We have learned that in most cases a crucial step in this process is access to the internet, including email and Facebook. These are essential to community members for online Jewish learning, as well as for finding resources and making friends around the world. Kulanu’s technology fund provides a laptop and funds for internet connection to communities that cannot afford these tools. Volunteer Sarapage Podolsky, an electrical engineer in Israel, represents a vital resource to help community leaders determine which hardware and internet plans best meet their needs with a modest budget. She takes into account how often there are blackouts (not unusual in third-world communities), whether the laptop user has electricity in the home, and whether the internet will continue to work when the electricity goes off. Significantly, she teaches local people to use spreadsheets to analyze various options and choose the best plan.