Rabbi DuBrow's special vision is that the Net can provide
"You don't have to deal with the reali-
many of the services of both a synagogue and a yeshiva: reach-
ty of communities. There are people who
ing out to the unaffiliated; teaching rituals to newly active Jews;
are turning this kind of cyberspace into
creating the feel of a neighborhood shul for Jews who don't have
their community — but it's not real. It's
one of their own.
like calling TV your community, when
"Havienu's particular focus is on creating
you can always
T here is one wonderful starting point
an environment in which its congregants can
I for your first foray into Jewish cy-
change the than-
experience a heightened spiritual sensitivi-
berspace.
nel."
ty and perception through contemplative
Set your Web browser to: http://
Rabbi Mark sharnash.nysernet.org to get on the
meditation and prayer," Rabbi DuBrow said.
Glickman of Shamash home page. Shamash is a New
Education is part of the cyber-shul's font-
Temple Israel
York-based outfit that is working hard
tion. "But the studies are not academic,"
in
to make Jewish cyberspace more acces-
Dayton
he stated. "We are encouraging that learn-
sible to the techno-klutzes among us.
Ohio, started
ing which literally transforms one's na-
Their home page is a kind of table of
"the Electron-
contents to Jewish cyberspace; there,
tore and opens one up to a direct
re you
is Chavurah,"
can get directories of the major Jewish
experience of Godliness."
or
social
mailing lists, a listing ofJewish and Is-
The parallel to a real synagogue even
rael-related newsgroups on the Internet
group, at his
extends to Havienu's new "building
and links to other Jewish Web sites
congrega-
fund" for a "shul library' and a Chasidic
around
the world.
tion. But he
The Shamash home page also can give
art gallery that will take advantage
antage of
worries you instant access to Havienu L'Shalom,
the World Wide Web's amazing graph-
that by
the virtual shul (to get there directly, set
ical capabilities.
creating the illusion of
Your browser for: http://shamash.nyser
Rabbi DuBrow admits that there are limits to what a virtual
net.org/havienu/index.him1).
a real community,
shul can do.
Jewish cyberspace Poi h For the most complete collection of Jew-
learning materials from a
ditional
"We cannot yet do those things which require the physical pres-
is diverting people
point
of
view,
set
your
browser
for
the
Pro-
ence in one room of a minyan," he said. "Yet from the e-mail we
from the arduous ject Genesis home page (http://
have received, it seems clear that a lot of our members have in-
wvvw.torah.org/).
process of building
creased their participation in their local shuls. And I know that
That'll give you information about all
and maintaining
the
Genesis mailing lists — a veritable Or-
many of us, despite our geographic dispersion, have joined to-
real-life relation-
thodox
library at your fingertips.
gether in prayer to help distant friends reach a higher state of
ships.
For a comprehensive Chasidic primer,
being, both materially and spiritually."
"It has led to try the Lubavitch home page (http://
Rabbi DuBrow, whose virtual shul receives some 2,000 "cy-
a situation chabad.lubavitch.org).
ber-visits" per week, is affiliated with Chabad. Not surprising-
For a serious, non-Orthodox point of
where
a
view sign up for the "liberal-judaisin" mail
ly, his Web synagogue has overtones of the messianism that is a
member of
' which offers civil, articulate dis-
ing list,
hallmark of the group. In fact, he argues, the Internet may be
my
con-
cussions
ofJewish
culture and observance
part of the process that will hasten the Era of Redemption.
from the Reform end of the spectrum.
He cites the promise that the Messiah will come when Jewish
To subscribe, send a message directly to
teaching is spread throughout the world.
list owner Daniel Faigin -- at faigin@
aero.org — and ask him to add you to the
"That purpose has now been fulfilled," he said. "I believe the
l-j
list. Include your full name and e-mail
Net has played no small part in the realization of that purpose.
address.
The 'virtual' congregants of Havienu L'Shalom are among the
And if you want your Jewish cyberspace
last generation of the galus (Diaspora) and the first of the geu-
uncivil, check out soc.culture.jewish, an In-
lah (redemption)."
ternet "Usenet" group that features raging
denominational and political warfare, if
Certainly the anonymity of cyberspace can be seductive. But
that's your cup of borscht. But be sure to
there is also a danger that the Internet is providing a refuge from
wear
your flame-proof suit ("flame," in net
the interpersonal struggles that go hand in hand with main-
lingo, means to verbally assault another
taining bonds between people.
user).
Reuven M. Lerner, an alumnus of the Harvard Hillel Student
Conservative Minyan, keeps in touch with the group through a
mailing list as he prepares for aliyah.
For mailing-list subscribers, the medium "adds to our own lives
and to the communities we inhabit," Mr. Lerner said.
gregation can feel as though he has 'gone
But he warned against substituting computer networks for
to Temple' merely by logging on and read-
"real" Jewish institutions.
ing other peoples' words," Rabbi Glick-
"Judaism is very much a community-oriented religion, and I
man wrote in a recent article calling for
think that swapping live communities for virtual ones is a dan-
"spiritual leadership" on the Net. "It leads
gerous game," Mr. Lerner said. "The primary source of Jewish
to the formation of computer hermits, in-
life must remain people living in close proximity to each other,
dividuals who interact only with evanes-
both for practical reasons, like kosher food or a minyan on Shab-
cent words on a screen, and not with real
bat, and because mailing lists are never going to completely sat-
people."
isfy the human need for being in the same place as other people."
That anonymity makes it easier to be
Rabbi Weber of New Jersey put the same sentiment in stronger
insulting on-line than face-to-face, a fact
terms. Some of these people don't have lives," he asserted. "Many
that breeds intense incivility on many un-
people on-line are kvetching, not joining a community. It may look
moderated Internet forums — areas where
like they're keeping in touch with the Jewish community. But on-
participants can say what they want, with-
line, you can ignore what you want to ignore.
out any control by a moderator.

O 111 Entering
•
Jewish Cqberspace

,

37

