compusci@aecom.UUCP (Yitz Twersky) (07/24/85)
What has happened to net.religion.jewish!! In the front page story of the Yeshiva University Computer Science Society Publication "CompuSci Speaks", the headline read "Computer Network Promotes Jewish Awareness Worldwide". Let me quote one paragraph. The newsgroup, in essence, is an international forum of Jewish thought, posing and answering questions regarding religious observance and Jewish philosophy. Discussions on the network include diversified views representing Jews of all affiliations in the ideological spectrum. For those who inquiring about Jewish law and customs, Jewish life and culture, its traditions, language, and life in a non-Jewish society, the newsgroup provides detailed explanations concerning these areas. After reading the articles lately, I must retract the above paragraph. I see more filth and cursing in net.religion.jewish than in net.jokes!!!! Do I have to unsubscribe to net.religion.jewish also? We should be an example to other newsgroups on how to behave. I am embarrased and ashamed. We have published an article about something that we at Y.U. are proud of, we have had inquiries from Rabbi's to try it out. Now, I am afraid to read it myself! This filth must stop! This type of worldwide forum was started by Rabbi Meir Shapiro with the Daf Yomi. This means of torah communication has great potential to grow. Please do not let it die. Yitz Twersky President Yeshiva College Computer Science Society Editor-in-Chief CompuSci Speaks -- The executioner's argument was, that you couldn't cut off a head unless there was a body to cut it off from... The King's argument was that anything that had a head could be beheaded... The Queen's argument was that, if something wasn't done about it in less than no time, she'd have everybody executed... From Alice's Adventures in Wonderland.
beslove@osu-eddie.UUCP (Adam Beslove) (07/26/85)
In article <1809@aecom.UUCP> compusci@aecom.UUCP (Yitz Twersky) writes: Refering to the net's creation, Yitz Twersky writes: >This type of worldwide forum was started by Rabbi Meir Shapiro with the Daf >Yomi. This means of torah communication has great potential to grow. >Please do not let it die. > Yitz Twersky > President Yeshiva College Computer Science Society > Editor-in-Chief CompuSci Speaks I think that here are many of us out here who would enjoy talking about other Jewish topics besides torah, but a newsgroup for such discussion doesn't exist. It seems that when mainstream American Jews mix with Frum Jews in a forum as anonymous as the net, it turns into a free for all! I've been discussing this with some other netters and we have a few ideas. Create a newsgroup, possibly moderated to deal with Jewish culture, not religion. For example: Isreal, Jewish Singles, Jewish folklore (ie. dancing, art, literature, etc...), Jewish lifestyles, Jewish trends (both with an American emphasis), and generally--discussion of mainstream contemporary Jewish life. Sound good? Call it something like net.culture.jewish. Does that serve a broad enough group for you Rich? >>>>Adam Beslove (c)1985 (aka Odious Verity) ====================================================================== ---------------------------------------------------------------------- (UUCP: ...!cbosgd!osu-eddie!beslove) (CSNet: beslove@ohio-state) The world is my sandbox, (ARPA: beslove%ohio-state.csnet@CSNET-RELAY) humanity my playmates.
faust@osu-eddie.UUCP (Mitch Faust) (07/26/85)
> > What has happened to net.religion.jewish!! > > In the front page story of the Yeshiva University Computer Science Society > Publication "CompuSci Speaks", the headline read "Computer Network Promotes > Jewish Awareness Worldwide". Let me quote one paragraph. > > The newsgroup, in essence, is an international forum of Jewish thought, posing > and answering questions regarding religious observance and Jewish philosophy. > Discussions on the network include diversified views representing Jews of all > affiliations in the ideological spectrum. For those who inquiring about Jewish > law and customs, Jewish life and culture, its traditions, language, and life > in a non-Jewish society, the newsgroup provides detailed explanations > concerning these areas. > > After reading the articles lately, I must retract the above paragraph. I > see more filth and cursing in net.religion.jewish than in net.jokes!!!! > Do I have to unsubscribe to net.religion.jewish also? > We should be an example to other newsgroups on how to behave. > I am embarrased and ashamed. We have published an article about something > that we at Y.U. are proud of, we have had inquiries from Rabbi's to try > it out. Now, I am afraid to read it myself! This filth must stop! > This type of worldwide forum was started by Rabbi Meir Shapiro with the Daf > Yomi. This means of torah communication has great potential to grow. > Please do not let it die. > > Yitz Twersky > President Yeshiva College Computer Science Society > Editor-in-Chief CompuSci Speaks Yes I must agree, this nets quality of discussion has eroded since I first subscribed. I think the problem here is not everyone is tolerent of others ideas and beliefs. Maybe a moderated jewish net is in order or maybe there should be a jewish subgroup of another net for non religious jewish discussion. Its just a though...any comments? I just love to recieve mail. ___________________________________________________________________________ Mitchell Faust - Just a scaler in a vector world looking for direction.
ark@alice.UUCP (Andrew Koenig) (07/27/85)
> I've been discussing this with some other netters and we have a few ideas. > Create a newsgroup, possibly moderated to deal with Jewish culture, not > religion. For example: Isreal, Jewish Singles, Jewish folklore (ie. > dancing, art, literature, etc...), Jewish lifestyles, Jewish trends (both > with an American emphasis), and generally--discussion of mainstream > contemporary Jewish life. Sound good? Call it something like > net.culture.jewish. Does that serve a broad enough group for you Rich? One vote here for net.social.jewish ^^^^^^
martillo@mit-athena.UUCP (Yakim Martillo) (07/29/85)
In the past we have discussed many issues in net.religion.jewish and I don't see any particular need for a new group. What we are seeing in net.religion.jewish is more the expression of Ashkenazi/American neurosis rather than any genuine need. Rosen has some sort of problem with the belief in a god who takes an active interest in human affairs. Some religious Ashkenazim have adopted Russian Orthodox ideas about life and religion and tend to reduce Yahadut to pravoslavie. net.religion.jewish may be ill-named but I think there is no reason that the same sort wide-ranging issues which are discussed in net.nlang.india cannot be discussed in net.religion.jewish. I would not mind seeing net.religion.jewish being renamed net.nlang.hebrew.
slerner@sesame.UUCP (Simcha-Yitzchak Lerner) (07/30/85)
> > I've been discussing this with some other netters and we have a few ideas. > > Create a newsgroup, possibly moderated to deal with Jewish culture, not > > religion. For example: Isreal, Jewish Singles, Jewish folklore (ie. > > dancing, art, literature, etc...), Jewish lifestyles, Jewish trends (both > > with an American emphasis), and generally--discussion of mainstream > > contemporary Jewish life. Sound good? Call it something like > > net.culture.jewish. Does that serve a broad enough group for you Rich? > > One vote here for net.social.jewish > ^^^^^^ How about net.mod.jewish?? Given the low level of posting lately, it seems that a moderated group is the only answer. As an aside, if you feel you must argue with someone repeatedly, why don't you spare the rest of us and do it via mail? -- Opinions expressed are public domain, and do not belong to Lotus Development Corp. ---------------------------------------------------------------- Simcha-Yitzchak Lerner {genrad|ihnp4|ima}!wjh12!talcott!sesame!slerner {cbosgd|harvard}!talcott!sesame!slerner slerner%sesame@harvard.ARPA
mbr@aoa.UUCP (Mark Rosenthal) (08/23/85)
Although our site has been receiving articles for the past few months, articles posted to the net have not been getting distributed until recently. The following is a reposting of an article I sent out quite some time ago. I believe it never made it to the net at large. While I believe it is still worth posting, the articles in the references line have probably all been expired by now. Apologies if you have seen this before. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - In article <294@mit-athena.UUCP>, Yakim Martillo (martillo@mit-athena.UUCP) writes: > In the past we have discussed many issues in net.religion.jewish and > I don't see any particular need for a new group. I don't recollect such discussions having happened much after the first month after the creation of net.religion.jewish, however I'll take you at your word. I'd like to hear from other Jews who are involved in relationships with non-Jews. Particularly those who wish to maintain a Jewish cultural identity, but are primarily secular rather than religious Jews. How do you and your spouse/spouse-equivalent deal with it (if at all)? If you're married, did you include any elements of Jewish ritual in the ceremony? If you have children, how are they affected? What decisions have you made about their cultural/religious upbringing? How has it worked out? Does anybody on this net admit to having been raised Reform? Speak up! The "frummies" have dominated this group long enough. Lets discuss matters that affect us in the day to day, rather than spending 100% of our time picking theological nits. Also, is anybody out there interested in Klezmer music? And finally, where can one find a good sour garlic pickle (not those anemic half-sour things) around Boston? The closest place I've found is Rein's in Vernon, Conn. (about 100 miles from here). Serious followups only, please. Flames and abuse from the "frummer than thou" crowd will be taken as a demonstration that there really is a need for a new group. -- Mark of the Valley of Roses ...!{decvax,linus,ima,ihnp4}!bbncca!aoa!mbr
fsks@unc.UUCP (Frank Silbermann) (08/25/85)
In article <259@aoa.UUCP> mbr@aoa.UUCP (Mark Rosenthal) writes: >Does anybody on this net admit to having been raised Reform? >Speak up! Lets discuss matters that affect us in the day to day, >rather than spending 100% of our time picking theological nits. I was raised Reform. I learned a lot of Jewish history at the Temple, but I was never taught the theological foundation of Reform. Is there any? >I'd like to hear from other Jews who are involved in relationships >with non-Jews. Particularly those who wish to maintain a Jewish >cultural identity, but are primarily secular rather than religious Jews. One question that troubles me is, "What is a Jewish cultural identity?" The easy answer is "the habits and values of Jews." But this leads to the question, "What is a Jew." The only answers I can come up with is "people who have dedicated their lives to live by the Talmud, and also the descendents of such people." Is there really a way to define Jewishness without somehow coming back to SOMEBODY's dedication to the traditional Jewish way of life (either your own dedication or that of an ancestor)? And if one _doesn't_ want to dedicate oneself to this way of life, from which springs all "jewishness", however indirectly, then why would one _want_ to maintain a Jewish cultural identity? >How do you and your spouse/spouse-equivalent deal with it (if at all)? >If you're married, did you include any elements of Jewish ritual >in the ceremony? What would be the point of such empty ritual? It wouldn't symbolize anything. >If you have children, how are they affected? What decisions have you >made about their cultural/religious upbringing? How has it worked out? This is the one stumbling block, that makes it difficult for me to just throw in the Tallis. If I reject Judaism, I can't see myself accepting any of the alternative religious traditions in this country (including secularism). Maybe I should start my own church. Frank Silbermann
barryg@sdcrdcf.UUCP (Lee Gold) (08/26/85)
I'll proudly admit to being raised as second generation Reform...and still being Reform. What's more, I just went out and bought the new UAHC translation of the Bible into English. (I can't read Hebrew, don't have the time or linguistic ability to learn, and prefer reading the Bible in modern rather than pseudo-KJV English.) Please send all flames at me for daring to exist to /dev/null. Let's see, about those questions. My husband is also second generation Reform. (Meaning his parents like mine were raised Reform.) We were married by a Reform rabbi. We belong to a Reform synagogue. We don't work on Sabbath but do use the computer, write, drive, and watch TV (as well as reading the Sabbath portion of the Torah). We observe the High Holidays at the synagogue. We observe Passover, Sukkoth, Shemini Atzeret, Shevuot, Tu B'Shevat, Hannukah, and Purim at home, usally inviting our friends over (also Reform Jews). We've got a mezzuzzah on the door. It probably doesn't meet the kosher requirements we've discussed lately. Anyone want to discuss the new UAHC translation of the Bible in terms of its accuracy and/or literary felicity? --Lee Gold