As part of Synaplex Shabbat, an initiative to “draw in Jews not presently attending synagogue” and “expand the range of possible Sabbath observance for established congregants, Town & Village Synagogue is hosting a dinner and roundtable discussion with some of your favorite bloggers. See info below:
Jewlicious, Jewschool, Kesher Talk, Blogs of Zion, My Urban Kvetch, JDaters Anonymous, Shabot6000 – are all part of a vibrant virtual community that is reinvigorating the conversation and connections among Jews. Come hear four Jewish bloggers representing seven blogs read some of their favorite posts and talk about the impact of the Internet on Judaism.

RSVP required to [email protected] or 212-677-8090 x26, by Monday, December 4, with advance payment of $20/adults, $15/young adults & students, $10/children under 13.* This includes a Chinese buffet dinner…

Pay online at www.paypal.com (click “send money”, insert [email protected] and note it is for Dec 8 dinner); or send check payable to Town & Village Synagogue at 334 East 14th Street, NY NY 10003, writing “Synaplex” in memo space.

Hope to see you there!

Esther Kustanowitz

About the author

Esther Kustanowitz

For more posts by Esther, see EstherK.com, MyUrbanKvetch.com and JDatersAnonymous.com.

26 Comments

  • I am talking bigger prizes dude, this is something for Shmueli to do, He is a do-er. These people here just are into partying, drinking different kinds of vodka and beers, taking pictures ad nauseum.

    Of course there is some pre-screening. All participants have to pass an aids test,etc.

    Maybe they all met before or something.

    Then whamo. Let Reb Michael said, just do it.

    Confront your fears, bloggers.

  • Esther, if you marry the whatever dude sits in the first row, I’ll buy you a toasteroven.

    A blender if he’s in the second row.

  • reality show, couples that tie the knot get prizes, cash, house, etc. use your imagination, 10% for me.

  • Geez it’s no wonder the IDF can’t actually advance anymore, they’ve got all this typical BS to deal with. The wars between the Jews have to stop people. The half that are religious & faithful need to get in contact with the half that is not. And vice versa. Not to scorn ‘the other’, or curse or work up more hatred for them. For better understanding. For more communication across the divides. It’s the only way we’ll actually truly succeed as a people. Now it’ll be Uzi’s at 40m otherwise. Cheers & Good Luck! ‘VJ’

  • It is perfectly possible to blog with a baby nearby, as long as you don’t get apricot puree in the keyboard.

  • I never said unmarried people should shut up, at all, at all.

    What Esther said is interesting: if this conference can produce a different flavor of shadchan, rather than a different flavor of Judaism, that might be useful. The elephant in the room is not what’s wrong with Judaism, but the lack of effective shadchanim for today’s non traditional Jew. Hmm.

  • start an instant proposal nite.

    Pick one and propose.

    Even tie the knot. Drinks, Food, celebrate, and more.

  • Esther – I think it’s just a plot by Steves Rick and Jewish Mother to get you to give up your apartment.

  • Cheer up, Esther. Get married, and you’re immediately qualified to lecture everyone else.

    He may turn out to be a shlemiel, but who cares? What a deal!

  • Obviously, Steves Rick has to be right. Only married people who have children should be allowed to speak about Jewish life. After all, they’re the successful ones. Why bother listening to people who can’t even get their acts together enough to marry and procreate?

    In related news, I’ve given up my three blogs, all of my writing, and will never comment again on Jewlicious or any other blog. I mean, what could I possibly have to contribute? Instead, I’m going to put on a long skirt, go to a shadchan, and marry the first dude I’m set up with, and get myself knocked up before the eighth night of Hanukkah.

    Goodbye, Jewlicious, and have a nice life, not that any of us have ever made an impact on anything.

  • Hey JM, none of these bloggers are married. Why don;t they get their act together first before lecturing about the future of Judaism in the world?

    That is why I think Shmueli should be the keynote spealer at least he is married and has like 8 children.

    VJ, Secular culture dies, only Torah really sustains. I didn’t say strict religiousity, Torah values.

    Shules per se are not about the money.

    Rabbi’s are needed to get people’s minds out of the gutter and financial conversations.

  • Hey JM, none of these bloggers are married. Why don;t they get their act together first before lecturing about the future of Judaism in the world?

    That is why I think Shmueli should be the keynote spealer at least he is married and has like 8 children.

  • Robbie, you’re right. When I was retyping that, I’m like…hey! Half of those blogs are me! Makes me rethink my speaker’s fee…

  • You know, the list makes it look like there will be tons of people there, but when you take a second to think about how many of those are written by the same person….

  • When the Kol Nidre sermon is about money and membership…
    When the stockbroker gets Shlishi every other week, while the plumber is lucky to get a Chamishi twice a year…
    When the homeless Yeshiva dropout in Shmattes who knows more about Judaism than all of your boardmembers combined is snubbed because he hasn’t had the opportunity to shower in two weeks…
    When the rabbi in your shul knows more about fundraising and PR than he does about Talmud…
    When the security guard at your temple turns away a Rosh Hashana congregant because he doesn’t have a fucking ticket…

    …then perhaps it’s due time you did a Cheshbon Hanefesh and thought about who your god really is.

  • Buildings cost money, power costs money, etc… my synagogue give you discounts on your membership in relationship to the time you donate. It also adds another dimension to the congregation: I do not only see people at evening miyan, I see them when we are cleaning the basement, fixing the yard, etc…

  • Am I the only one who smells horseshit in a Judaism where everything costs money? That’s one of the primary reasons why THIS Jew is not presently attending synagogue.

  • If there’s 2 paying people who walk through that door that you’ve never met before, she’s more or less proved you wrong. So are there any bets on the house? We know Esther must be queen of all media as she’ll represent about 1/3 of the conference just herself too!

    And BTW: Riddle me this SR, What’s the purpose of media? And why was there a few 100 years of Yiddish theater? Why did The Forward publish long extracts of classical literature in Yiddish for decades? Is there to be life beyond the Torah, but still reflecting upon Jewish existence? Geez this gets old before it got old. Cheers & Good Luckon the event! ‘VJ’

  • You should invite Shmuely Boteach to speak about his television show.

    Seriously. I hope something happens there.

    I don’t see how you can turn people on to being more Jewish through blogging conversations but prove me wrong.

    What I mean is only through Torah do people really connect. Prove me wrong.

  • So close, yet so far away. I’ll be in DC that night. Much closer to NY than usual, but too far away to attend. Enjoy the night, should be grand!