By Dvora Lakein, lubavitch.com
With the arrival of the new first family and the 44th president of the United States into the White House last month, came a new email system. Also gaining residence at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue was President Barack Obama’s souped-up PDA.
Like our new president, many Chabad-Lubavitch representatives (shluchim) are finding that technology is an inseparable part of modern life. And though they may not be carrying the world’s only NSA-secured smartphone on their hips, shluchim are using assorted Web 2.0 applications to get their own executive missions accomplished.
Mordechai Lightstone, a writer for Lubavitch.com, updates Twitter with regular tweets (instantaneous messages of up to 140 characters). “I was surprised to see Twitter being used in such a sharp way,” recalls Lightstone. “They played it to its strength and were able to inform people of the goings-on.”
“For better or worse,” Lightstone continues, “people today want to be in constant touch. Sites like Twitter and Facebook are the way of the future.”
On college campuses around the globe, they are also very much the way of the present.
Rabbi Mendel and Brocha Lent moved to Nottingham, England last August and both credit the internet with their budding success on the Universities of Nottingham and Derby campuses. “Students’ lives literally revolve around Facebook,” says Mrs. Lent, “so we reach out to them through this medium. Many students think that we’re here to convert them, and are too nervous to come by. After we develop a friendship with them, through chatting on Facebook, they are willing to check us out.”
In Venezuela, Rabbi Yosef Chaim Slavin says that of his ten years serving the downtown Jewish community of Caracas, this past was his most successful. The credit, he says, goes to a three-minute JabadTube presentation which he has prepared each week since December of 2007.
The audio-visual presentation explaining the week’s Torah portion takes approximately 30 hours per week to produce. Together with his wife and a professional editor, Slavin finds subject matter, writes and translates his speech into Spanish, locates appropriate graphics, and films the presentation.
Slavin estimates that 1,000 people view his short clip each week, via YouTube, his own website, and through email. “People who I have never met before thank me for the show…and ask when the next one is coming out.” Slavin ends each video by saying, “Chassidut explica” (Chassidut explains) and leaves his viewers with a parting message of inspiration. “Often when I am walking through the streets of Caracas,” he chuckles, “people will beep their car horns and shout, ‘Chassidut explica!’”
“The broadcast,” says Slavin, “allows me to get into people’s homes and offices. I know of many couples who watch the show on their laptops before bed.”
“Not everyone is available, emotionally or otherwise, to come to the synagogue on Shabbat to pray and listen to the rabbi’s speech,” explains Rabbi Mendy Herson of Basking Ridge, New Jersey. “I feel that the words I say from behind the pulpit are directed to a more select group. My blog provides an avenue to reach people who do not want to attend shul regularly, but do want a connection.”
Herson began his blog in August of 2007 when community members begged him to record his experiences visiting sites of historic and religious significance in Russia.
Though Herson directs his “quick capsules of inspiration” towards community members, some of his 300 regular readers hail from across the United States, Australia, and France. “My writing has taken on a certain style. I know that I have to keep it short. People are accessing it in their offices and there is not enough space in the brain to process a long speech. My goal is to flip into the tiny crack of consciousness that is open.”
Approximately 900,000 blog posts are created daily around the world with over six billion people using the internet on a regular basis. The thousands of Chabad representatives who utilize this important tool, are quick to point out that the internet is merely a springboard for personal, meaningful connection. “People read my posts and then bring discussion points or questions to the synagogue and the street,” states Herson. “I didn’t realize what a tremendous (and undervalued) tool we have available.”
Chabad has been at the forefront of viral marketing even before the internet was created, beginning with chabad.org, our Torah content and children’s content website, and askmoses.com, a live chat website.
But with its inception, Torah podcasts, Youtube videos illustrating how to wrap Tefillin, and Shabbat invitations via Facebook, are the contemporary facade of this traditional movement. Wherever you find Google, there too is Chabad.
I Am the Son Of The Rabbi Who Makes Theese Videos I Am In It
My Name Is Shua Slavin From Caracas Venezuela And I Am Happy To be A Shliach From The Rebbe
I like the comments you wrote about me and my brothers!!! (Mendel Slavin).
hay pero que lindos son los ninos!!! “pero no puedo comer mucho miel porque me sea pegajoso…..” q lindos!!!!!
y el bebe, HAshem yevarej otja, Yisrael aryeh leib slavin, que di-s te bendiga con TODOS los bendiciones!
espanol! que linda que hay espanol en colllive!!!
muy bien
jazak y baruj!
una mejicana
venezuela is a lucky country to have you, but thanks to youtube and www all of us spanish speakers around the world are lucky too.
we’d like to send a donation in memory of my grandfather who would have loved to see this – will contact chabad.org to get contact info for you. why don’t you set up a sponsorship for memorials, simchas, etc. for everyone?
we knew your grandfather, dr. joseph (yosef chaim) slavin a”h who was m’karev the parshans to the Rebbe very much…what nachas he is having from you. He dedicated his life to exactly what you are doing. I’m sure the shluchim in your city are proud to have you!
I am a spanish speaking american guy, married to a Venezuelian – not Jewish – need to talk to you, rabbi slavin. i will look you up, but just wanted to post a public note that your presentation with the kids was brilliant, you seem unassuming, and i would like to get to know you better. btw, is spanish really not your first language?! i also have some friends who want to start a group with their kids, with you and your kids. why didn’t you post a picture of the mother, too??
your kids are adorable!
much naches!
why is the vilna shul in the backround?????????
anyone who knows yosef slavin from yeshiva is not surprised by his accomplishments. Yosef, you’re a real go-getter. a firmly grounded chassidishe yid.
hatzlocho in everything you do!
and lots of nachas from the children ka’h – kein yirbu.
i agree all the possibilities should be invested too move forward subtitles did rock!!
even if its bittul torah the internet is still a powerful tool with proper values and goals
Yosef,
You have really proven a point. yagata, umatzasa…boy did you persevere! can'[t believe how well you speak Spanish! I always knew you would be out there touching people’s lives in bigger ways you could ever dream. You ALWAYS had it in you!! kol hakavod!
lots of nachas from your shluchim – in- training. adorable!!
To subscribe send info to [email protected]
Maybe we can have these clips weekly on the Spanish section of Chabad.org ?
Yosef,
Reb Yoel is proud, no doubt!
Where can we send our spanish speaking mekurovim from all over the world to subscribe?
Please post.
Thanks!
GO YOSEF CHAIM!!!
Dear Rabbi Slavin, You really caught my attention! I’m on shlichus for many years and am wowed by your youtube! Venezuela and all Spanish speaking countries are lucky to have something so professional, so adorable (the kids), so positive. Having the kids really takes the edge of “seriousness” and gives the viewers a very real-to-life feeling, that Chassidus isn’t only a “study” for adults, but a way of life that nurtures and produces very happy, intelligent, high-level kids! Everyone is interested in getting their kids into the best schools, gifted programs, etc. and here you show that a frum, chassidic… Read more »
love it!
your kids are adorable what a nice way to get a message across!
Este es el verdadero “uforatzto”…”Chazak”
¡Gran idea! Qué tan maravilloso modo de dar aquellos que pueden estar avergonzados para ser encontrado en una clase, una oportunidad de aprender
only Chabad- the rebbe really taught us how do use our resources to spread the chassidishe message- very impressive!
GO YOSEF CHAIM!!!
we need those english subtitles so fellow colleagues can appreciate this in the office.
i too am inspired with the quick and to the point inights!
keep it up!
I’m writing in english because i now see this on an english site. Your weekly inspiration keeps me waiting for the upcoming post.
yosef, unbelievable! you’re an inspiration to all your fellow shluchim around the world..
ps your kids are adorable!!
go Slavins. Los queremos muchos. Gracias por todo el trabajo que hacen en ccs
Chazak V’amatz Yosef! Keep up the great work!