Is Social Media Reviving Judaism?

It’s astonishing to think there was a time when we couldn’t find answers to all our questions in less than a minute using the Internet. Whether we want to know the daily special at our favorite restaurant, hear President Obama’s latest campaign speech, or learn how our friends are doing or where to find the perfect wind chimes, we now have immediate access to this information. Here at 614, we’ve come to wonder how social media is reshaping the messages of Judaism, and whether Jewish leaders are pleased or disheartened by this open-source knowledge. Is social media helping keep Judaism alive or chipping away at it? In this issue, you’ll hear what five Jewish women have to say on the matter.
Michelle Cove, Editor, mcove@brandeis.edu

In This Issue

• YouTube Delivers Decency?

  How one online campaign may be preventing gay teens from committing suicide

• The Online-Giving Revolution

  Why Judy Stern Peck is waiting for Jewish women to create a philanthropy revolution using the Internet

• The Digital Shtetl

  Internet forums for ultra-Orthodox women are not creating the rebellion expected by many rabbinic leaders.

• A Virtual Space of One’s Own

  Jewish blogger Chanel Dubofsky on the pros and cons of voicing intimate thoughts through blogging

• Is the Internet Evil?

  An exploration of what the Torah might say about spreading Jewish messages via online technology

• Resources - Vol 5, Issue 1

  A sampling of resources that provide more information about Jewish social media.