Chabad.org and COLlive reporter
Today, 12 Kislev, marks the 13th Yahrtzeit of Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak (“YY”) Kazen obm, legendary founder of Chabad in Cyberspace.
Well before most people – or any Jewish organization – knew of its use or potential, Rabbi Kazen used the fledgling internet to reach Jews throughout the world. Many were profoundly touched by Rabbi Kazen in those early years when he pioneered Chabad In Cyberspace – later to become Chabad.org – when he rightfully earned the title: “Father of the Jewish Internet.”
While working in the office of Lubavitcher Yeshiva in the 1980’s, Rabbi Kazen entered a chat room while using the school’s new computer, and found a request from a woman asking, “I have questions, and all I can find here are missionaries. Is there anyone Jewish out there?”
Realizing that there must be a great many individuals out there with the same questions, Rabbi Kazen set up the first website with Jewish content.
“He used to say, ‘When I press the send button, and the information is posted, I don’t know how many are reading it,'” his sister Henya Laine told COLlive.com.
“Only after he passed away, did we have an idea of how many people he had reached. The condolence emails started coming in, and there were thousands of them.”
In the early years of his web site, Kazen was ridiculed as wasting his time. “I asked the Rebbe if it would be worthwhile to look into going on the Internet,” Kazen said in 1997. “And the Rebbe said to go ahead with it—absolutely pursue it.”
Kazen and his team established a presence on the web in 1993, dubbing it Chabad-Lubavitch in Cyberspace, with the slogan Spreading Judaism at the Speed of Light.
Later, Kazen began the tedious task of scanning books, transforming the digital images to text, proofreading the text and posting on the web.
Thus was created the world’s first virtual Jewish library, enabling thousands of people to learn about Judaism for the first time.
Kazen was a visionary, penning a proposal of what he wanted the site to look like: from interactive games to an online school where kids from across the globe could learn together. It was way beyond even the minds of those who then brought Internet to the lay people.
Today a team of more than eighty staffs Chabad.org, the largest Jewish information site on the Internet.
Would that all of us could , at even 120 years of age, look back and say “I’ve done my best to be mevarer as many neetsutsim as possible.” It was not for nothing that Rabbi Kazen was gifted with an aptitude for things technological; He used it well. Surely his work is bringing Moshiach that much sooner.
Thinking of you, Raizy….
Rabbi Kazen was there for me at a time of my life when I had great confusion, questions, and need. He patiently gave of his time and attention to give me advice and guidance and lead me to a path of light and life. I am forever grateful to him.
I don’t know why and never looked into the reason (i should) but from a very young age i would go every year and watch the Rebbi bentch lulav and esrog and hand over to Rabbi Harlig, it was at that time i began to take notice how yossi kazen would show up as early as 4-5am come to 770 and give out tickets (not to bentch himself first!) so there would be a seder of who came first, not to knock the vaad hamisadrim that always came to help make a seder but it was yossi that came to… Read more »
may his kids only know happeness and blessings
i remember when he came to talk to the OT bochrim about the work and spreading it to the mivtzoim routes i remeber thinking this guy is out of him mind not only did we not understand the concept i remember thinking yossi was normol guy but whas gotten into his head certainly in a few weeks this project will be over because it sounded like when you meet UFO believers..of course the joke was on us!
maybe it means Bunch ‘O Bagels?
#3:
You misread what it says in the article and therefore came to your conclusion. What it says there is that he REPEATED the story in 1997, not that the story HAPPENED in 1997.
p.s. B.O.B. the singer, or does it stand for “Boy Oh Boy?”
B:H He gets credit for his innovative mind with respect to the internet, but lets not forget that he answered all the questions posed ,thus he had to be a Torah scholar as well
Rabbi Yossi Kazen is still touching lives. One can not imagine how Kazen’s forsight turned over the Jewish world.
May he pray for his wonderful family who lost such an incredible father at such a young age.
The Rebbe said go ahead in 1987 not 1997, TYPO Busted.. only kiddin’
This legendary chosid is the Bill Gates – Steve Jobs of the Jewish world. May his Wifi signal from heaven penetrate each and everyone of our lives.
I was sitting with my family at the seudas hamafseke when I received a call from my friend Yossel Kazan. I just cried. I was deeply touched that he called me to wish me a gut Yor. I went to the hospital to visit him chol Hamoed. That was the last time I saw him. I recalled when a few years earlier he explained the internet to me.He was so ontop of things. Yossel was the one who hung up in 770 the Yalkut Shemoni about Mashiach al hagag. The rebbe stopped and glanced at it and then the Rebbe… Read more »
it was the last time we spoke. We had collaborated on different projects to do with the inception and development of Chabad in Cyberspace. He was an incredible man, an innovator and a true Chosid. He is irreplaceable – such a loss to us all. May his memory be a blessing.