LOST AND FOUND CYBERSPACE
puter-generated dust. Perhaps the
most effective such use of the net-
works has been the "Chabad-
Lubavitch in Cyberspace" project.
"Many Jews are unaffiliated
and in places you would
not dream of," said Rab-
bi Yosef Yitzchok
Kazen, director of activ-
ities for the on-line pro-
ject. "They've asked for
authentic Jewish material — and,
often, the only way for them to get
this is via computer."
Chabad, he said, turns out
more than 6,000 pieces of E-mail
of the Chabad network's utility:
Hours after the June 12 death of
the Lubavitch rebbe, its circuits
were humming with information
from Chabad designed to help his
followers cope with their
loss.
"Mail-Jewish," an In-
•
•
ternet mailing list, fulfills
many of the same func-
tions for a broader spec-
trum of Orthodox Jews. "Mailing
lists" are forums in which mes-
sages on selected topics are col-
lected and then distributed by
moderators who make sure par-
every week to subscribers — all
at no charge. It also has made ef-
fective use of Internet "gophers"
— a system that lets computer
users anywhere in the world
browse through available mater-
ial in Chabad libraries.
The Chabad network has
transmitted some badly needed
Jewish camaraderie to a Jewish
student in a remote corner of Aus-
tralia, helped a Jewish traveler in
Sweden make a Shabbat connec-
tion, sent a student in Poland a
Haggadah just in time for
Passover, and ships to a tiny Jew-
ish community in Upper Manito-
ba fresh religious material every
week from Lubavitch headquar-
ters in Brooklyn.
Rabbi Kazen didn't cite what
may be a more poignant example
ticipants stick to the issues and
avoid "flaming," network lingo for
screaming and name-calling.
Currently, Mail-Jewish goes to
about 1,200 subscribers in rough-
ly 20 countries, according to mod-
erator Avi Feldblum of Highland
Park, N.J.
"Several list members tell me
Mail-Jewish is one of their main
sources of Jewish contact," said
Mr. Feldblum. "The majority of
the list is Orthodox, but there are
several Conservative and Reform
Jews, and a few non-Jews who are
thinking about converting."
Recent topics include Jewish
messianism, Kabbalistic healing
and the morality of government
funding of religious institu-
tions. ❑
DETRO IT J EWIS H NEWS
PRO
LU
48
Getting On Line
0
ne could write a book about entering the
incredible world of computer network-
ing. In fact, dozens of people have done
just that. Two of the best are "The In-
ternet for Dummies" by John R. Levine and Car-
ol Baroudi and 'The Whole Internet" by Ed Krol.
To be on the network, a modem and com-
munications software are necessary. A 14,400-
baud modem can be purchased for less than
$150. Some Internet services, including E-mail
and mailing lists, can be accessed through com-
mercial on-line ser-
vices, such as
American Online. Oth-
ers, such as Delphi, of-
fer more complete
Internet access, in-
cluding Gopher and
"FTP," a scheme for
transferring ffies from
remote systems to your
own computer.
For the most com-
plete Internet access,
sign up with a local
full-service provider.
For $20-$30 per
month, you get virtu-
ally unlimited Internet
access. Many providers
advertise in the busi-
ness pages of major
newspapers. But be-
ware: Interfaces used
by these services can
cause high blood pres-
sure for on-line begin-
ners.
Some local bulletin
boards provide simpli-
fied, reduced Internet
access that may be all
you need. Check with
your local computer store or users groups.
Once on-line, you can access:
• MAILING LISTS: These are Internet pub-
lications regularly distributed to subscribers for
free. For all users, subscribe to Internet lists by
sending a message to the official subscription
address, in the following format: Subscribe, your
first name, your last name.
• USENET newsgroups: Open Internet fo-
rums on more than 8,000 different topics. Drop
in whenever you choose; read messages that in-
terest you; reply if you want.
• GOPHER: A tool for digging around re-
mote computer systems from your home. This
is Internet at its best: A way to explore the vast
resources available on-line.
Jewish resources on the "nets" include:
• ISRAELINE AND ISRAEL-MIDEAST:
Internet mailing lists published by the Israeli
government and featuring daily news bulletins,
Israeli domestic news features, digests of edi-
torials in the Hebrew press, op-eds by Israeli
opinion leaders and Israeli economic surveys.
vm.tau.ac.il
• IL-TALK A general-purpose bulletin board
forum that provides a link between Israeli Jews
and Jews around the world. Available as a mail-
ing list (send subscription messages to: tauni-
vm.tau.ac.il ) or as a USENET newsgroup on
Internet.
• HOLOCAUST: A mailing list maintained
by the history department at the University
of Illinois at Chicago for Holocaust scholars, ed-
ucators and those interested in rebutting re-
visionists. Academic and substantive.
Subscription uicvm.uic.edu
• SOC.CULTURE.JEWISH and SOC.
CUL'IURE.ISRAEL . General debate and chit-
chat on Jewish subjects. Orthodox, Conserva-
tive and Reform slug it out on both.
• TALKPOLITICS.MIDEAST emphasizes
discussion and debate on Mideast issues.
• MAIL-JEWISH: Serious discussions of is-
sues from an Orthodox perspective. Substan-
tive and issues-oriented. israel.nysernet.org
• LIBERAL-JUDAISM: A mailing list for
religiously liberal Jews. fagin@aero.org
• CJ-L: Addresses concerns of Conservative
Jews. uacsc2.albany.edu
• CHABAD IN CYBERSPACE: Lubav-
itchers offer many on-line publications and ser-
vices. Use their Gopher to explore what's
available: gopher lubavitch.chabad.org
• JERUSALEM.: A project of the Jewish
International Association Against Assimilation.
Compiles information on worldwide Jewish
events, kashrut in various cities, Israeli poli-
tics, resources on Mideast peace process, infor-
mation on Hebrew word processing and
material from Israeli religious groups. Use its
Gopher: gopher jeru salem 1. datasry .co . iL
• M-DEBATE: Discussions on how to fight
Christian missionaries interested in Jewish
souls. jerusaleml.datasry .co. it
• JEWISHGEN: Discussions about ge-
nealogical research, lists of resources for re-
searchers, pleas for help in locating relatives.
Israel. nysernet. org
• KESHERNET: an international bulletin
board network featuring forums on Jewish
matchmaking, politics, Halachah, Jews with
disabilities and other topics. Register on-line
and follow the menus to the Keshernet area.
❑
—J.B.