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p
religious contacts, especially in areas with
ly or foolish for asking a question. I now have the whole world
few Jews.
at my fingertips."
"Rabbis often feel in Diaspora from
For pioneers like Ms. Herrera, education is no less impor-
was Wronil
one
another," said Rabbi Weber, who
tant a benefit of Jewish cyberspace than building a sense of
leads
Temple
Rodeph
Torah
in
West
community for a population that no longer lives in tight-knit
Monmouth, N.J. A certified cyber-
Rilichael Gerber's encounter
clusters in the biggest American cities.
with Jewish cyberspace —he
space
pioneer,
Rabbi
Weber
be-
Consider David Kravitz, whose view of the Diaspora has a
asked that his real name not be
gan
exploring
the
Jewish
on-line
distinctly northern exposure.
used — was a story "of rediscovery
community in 1984; for six
Mr. Kravitz lives in the community of Yellowknife, in the
and escape from Christianity," he
years, he chaired the Com- writes via e-mail.
Northwest Territories, Canada; the nearest bagel shop is a
mittee on Computers and the
A 54-year-old engineer in Irvine,
thousand miles
Calif.,
he was raised in a Jewish
Rabbinate
for
the
Central
away, the nearest
•
•
home, but had little to do with the
Conference
of
American
synagogue far out-
religion after childhood. He inter-
Rabbis, the main rabbinic
side commuting
1
married — "my in-laws were viru-
You've heard of all these different services: In-
body of Reform Ju- lent anti-Semites," he said.
range.
I ternet, America Online, CompuServe, Prodi-
Mr. Gerber and his wife turned to
daism.
"The first minyan
gy, Delphi. Which is the best?
"In North Dakota, Mormonism.
ever
in
Yellowknife
oc-
The unequivocal answer is, it depends.
"But after 10 years we knew some-
there's only one (rab-
curred in 1982, by acci-
If you plan to concentrate eventually on the
thing was wrong," he said. 'The anti-
bi)
in
the
state,
two
dent — at a bris," Mr.
Internet, go with a local full-service Internet
Semitism was there and they kept
provider or one of the national companies that
Kravitz, a government
in Alaska. Rabbis reminding me and my son that we
provides full-service Internet connections
write to us and were Jews and somehow different."
worker, said in an e-mail
through local nodes, like Netcom Online Com-
Then he discovered the Jewish FAQ
say that this
interview.
munications (800-501-8649).
at Ohio State University — or "fre-
is
their
life-
There may be a dozen and
The cost for full-service Internet providers
quently asked' questions" file, Internet
said
line,"
a half Jewish families in the
varies; the average is about $20 per month,
argot for a file or message answering
with plenty of on-line time and unlimited ac-
region, he estimated, organized
Rabbi We- basic questions about a specific subject.
cess to e-mail.
ber. "Every
"I studied that, and then joined 'm-
in the Arctic Jewish Communi-
A year or two ago, impenetrable interfaces
debate,'
" he said, referring to a mailing
mo
rn
i
ng
ty Association. "But we meet
made these services unsuitable for beginners.
they
go
list
devoted
to discussions and debates
very rarely; there are very limit-
But today, you can use glitzy software pack-
about the tactics of missionaries. "When
ages like Netscape to make the job easier — ed community resources."
I was bold enough to talk on the forum,
although this is still not a good choice for tech-
That's where the Net figures in.
I asked a lot of questions."
no-phobes.
That comfortably anonymous on-line
Internet mailing lists have filled a
Another downside is that most of these ser-
contact, he said, led to his return to Ju-
vices were started in garages by techies more vacuum created by Mr. Kravitz's ge-
daism.
ographic isolation. His religious inter-
interested in playing with equipment than
"We joined a synagogue in our neigh-
in customer service. Now that they've grown est and involvement have grown with
borhood and we are taking classes from a
into substantial companies, many have re-
his contact with other Jews.
local rabbi. My son, now 16, while not yet
tained that attitude. Translation: customer
converted, has been accepted by his Jew-
"Access to the Internet has given me a
service and reliability are iffy, at best.
ish friends. He joined the local chapter of
way to be touched by Jewish ideas and con-
If you want to ease into the on-line world
AZA
and was elected mazkir."
cerns that would not otherwise be part of
more gently, look at the big commercial ser-
— J.D.B.
my life," Mr. Kravitz said. "It has reminded
vices like Am.erica Online or CompuServe.
Originally, these services were little
me of the extreme complexity and diversity
worlds unto themselves, complete with "chat
to the e-mail and have what amounts
of what being Jewish is. It allows me to have
rooms," facilities for helping kids with home-
to a chat with colleagues. That's absolutely
a forum to hear ideas — some safe, some riski-
work, games and special interest forums.
amazing." Eric S. Gurvis, a Reform rabbi in
er."
But the surge in interest in the Internet
Teaneck, N.J., began using on-line services
The two most popular Internet mailing lists
has forced these companies to adapt; now,
to keep in touch with his congregation's col-
most offer at least Internet access, includ-
are "liberal Judaism" and "mail Jewish" (the low-
lege students. Encouraged by that experi-
ing e-mail; newsgroups (some 15,000 fo-
ercase usage is dictated by finicky Internet corn-
rums on everything from religion and
ence, he began a modest "cyber-study"
puters). Each list — the first for mostly Reform and
technology to things that can't even b e
program as part of his congregation's adult
Conservative Jews, the second for more traditional
mentioned in a family publication); and
education program.
positions — provides running dialogues among sub-
the World Wide Web.
"Through my participation," he said, "I
The big plus for these services is ease
scribers, usually about points of religious law, ritual
have
found myself contacted by Jews — and
of use. CompuServe and American On-
or Jewish culture.
line, for example, provide free software
even
non-Jews — from all over."
"Computers provide an inviting vehicle for Jewish 'ex-
that even an adult can install (pre-teens,
Dozens
of synagogues have developed
periences,' " said Lisa Shimoni, director of the Israel Fo-
of course, can do it in handcuffs).
Web
pages
— sites on the World Wide Web,
rum on CompuServe, an all-purpose gathering spot for
Both also have fairly extensive Jewish
an
Internet
service that includes attractive
areas, and e-mail connections that can Jews around the world. The Forum features real-time
graphics
and
the ability to quickly jump to
link you to the rest of the on-line world.
"chats," as well as message areas and files. Like a "real" coin-
The disadvantage is expense. Com-
related
sites
with
the click of a mouse.
puServe and AOL will cost you about munity, the chats allow like-minded people to get together
Many
of
those
sites are little more than
to shmooze about nothing at all, as well as the serious issues
$10 per month — plus hourly charges
pictures
of
the
temple
building, lists of offi-
after a limited number of free hours. If
in their lives.
cers
and
announcements
from the rabbi.
you get hooked, prepare to get out your
"The Forum expands the size of an individual's Jewish coin-
But
some
have
taken
the
concept to the
checkbook.
munity; there is definitely a sense of community between the
— J.D.B.
next
level.
active participants," Ms. Shimoni maintained.
Rabbi Leib DuBrow is director of Havienu
Those electronic interactions may not seem as real as talk-
L'Shalom
in Missouri — a 9-month-old "vir-
produce
can
ing to friends after Shabbat services — but they
tual
shul,"
one of the most forward outposts
strong feelings of fellowship across geographical boundaries.
in
the
world
of Jewish cyberspace.
Even rabbis are coming to rely on the nets to maintain their

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