June 23, 2009
Shalom, world!
Temple Beth-El is now up and in the blogging world!
Rabbi Alan Berlin sent me a link to Rabbi Hayim Herring’s blog, called “Tools for Shuls,” and it got me fired up to actually begin our blog. I’ve been talking about it for ages, and there’s no time like the present!
I can remember when the Temple had no computers at all, and I addressed the Temple Bulletin using an Addressograph machine and metal plates for each family. At that time, in 1984, that Addressograph machine WAS technology – can you imagine? That was only 25 years ago, and we thought we were on the cutting edge of hi-tech office equipment.
If you think about it, the Torah itself is technology! What came before Torah? It was oral tradition and stories, handed down through generations. When Torah came along, Judaism was able to be spread further and wider than ever before. Granted, not everyone could use the new technology, in that not everyone could read. Rabbi Bergman Vann told us last week in the Adult Confirmation class that Torah was read and/or chanted for the multitudes in the markets on Mondays and Thursdays, and that’s why the Torah is read 3 times a week to this day – Mondays, Thursday, and Shabbat.
But I digress – sorry. Back to technology. As technology changes, and it changes more rapidly now than ever before, Temple Beth-El, as an organization, needs to find new ways, and new technologies in order to keep up an ongoing dialogue with congregants. This blog, with its humble beginning, will hopefully accomplish that over time.
I’m looking forward to our ongoing dialogue!
Geri Gregory
Member Services Coordinator
