Chabad.org is marking twenty years since the Rebbe gave Rabbi Yosef Y. Kazen the bracha and haskama to proceed with Chabad-Lubavitch in Cyberspace.
In the words of Rabbi Kazan, a”h:
“[Rabbi Krinsky] went into the Rebbe on ohr Le’Chof Teves, the yahrtzeit of the Rambam… On that evening, after maariv [he] came out and told me,‘Yossel, mazel tov! The Rebbe gave approval for Chabad’s name to be on the Internet.”
He then told me, ‘You’ve got a job. Your Chabad House is going to be open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year and you can’t have a minyan!’”
Chabad-Lubavitch in Cyberspace, or Chabad.org as it is known today, has been operating for twenty five years. Chabad.org proudly traces its roots back to Rabbi Kazen’s early involvement in uploading content and answering people’s questions on BBS and other networks back in 1988.
The Chabad.org domain name and website, however, was acquired and launched twenty years ago, soon after the World Wide Web as we know it today became available.
As part of research into the history of Chabad.org conducted by members of the Chabad.org team, a recording of the “Chabad-Lubavitch in Cyberspace Session” at the Kinus Hashluchim 5755 was located. The session features a presentation on the reach and vision of Chabad Lubavitch in Cyberspace by Rabbi YY Kazen a”h. In this talk, Rabbi Kazen maps out to his fellow shluchim many of the future plans for this organization which continues to flourish today.
Audio: Rabbi Kazen at the Kinus Hashluchim 5755 (1994)
Chabad-Lubavitch in Cyberspace Session
Visit Jewish.TV for more Jewish audio and video.
Video: Chabad.org Over the Years
(18 Years in One Minute)
BS”D as i once mentioned to one of his kids, not only was he ahead of his time in internet use etc but in order to answer the questions he had to have a phenomenal knowledge of Judaism
I recall when he explained to me about the internet-the highway information. I didnt really know what he was talking about, but he knew very well what a powerful tool it was and use it for kedusha. Yossi we really miss you
I have learn more on this site about Judaism in 1 year than I did in the previous 40 years of my life.
Rabbi Yossi Kazen
Thank you
Rabbi Yossi Kazen was a brilliant, kind, patient man. He understood the world of internet way before many people even knew what the word meant. He spoke passionately about getting the name and Chassidic concepts of Chabad to the WWW, and B”H he was able – despite his passing at too young an age – to accomplish so much. His legacy lives on through his wonderful work.
May his children and wife find comfort in knowing what a great man he was.
A friend who worked with and learned much from him at ULY OP