Happy Birthday Bloggers!

I want to say a HUGE "Happy Birthday" and "Yom Huledet Sameach" to two of my most favorite bloggers and friends: Kate and Vicki.

Getcher party on girls!

Thoughts on Anonymous Posters.

I am utterly indebted to @slerner, who brought to my attention the brilliant words of Samson Raphael  Hirsch, the founder of contemporary Orthodoxy, written in the late 1800s. I would venture to say that Hirsch was far ahead of his time, writing the credo for bloggers who would receive anonymous content.

Various publications opposing our call for secession from the Reform community of this city have already appeared under the cover of anonymity. The contents of these publications only show that their authors are in no position whatsoever to voice any opinion worthy of note on this question. Therefore, in view of the seriousness and significance of this issue, I consider it my duty to announce, in connection with the open letter printed below, that any replies written anonymously or signed with a fictitious name will not receive any consideration from me. One who lacks the courage to sign his true name to his views must be aware that what he is saying is meaningless and that he therefore cannot expect others to take notice of it.

Let the anonymous gnatz buzz happily in the sunny meadows. I certainly do not want to spoil their pleasure.

S.R. Hirsch

I refuse to block commentors because on ocassion there are those whom I know who choose to comment anonymously because of their community or what have you, so for their sake I will leave commenting open. But let it be known that those with divisive opinions who intend to use my blog as a soapbox must include a name to be taken seriously at all.

Just a few Fellow Blogger notes.

D'var Torah? Alas, no. I heard many great d'vars on Friday at the rabbi's house and afterwards at the "pickles and vodka" that some of the students do on occasion, but I'm up to the challenge of iterating their brilliance. What I am up to right now -- amid attempting Hebrew and boatloads of reading -- is noting a few websites I think you should take a gander at. The Jewish blog-o-sphere is about a lot of things, but one of them is connections, making these connections, and supporting the atmosphere we've built and continue to build here on the intertubes. As a funny aside, I mentioned at Shabbos dinner on Friday that I was a blogger and one of the guests says "No, no, no ... you can't just say 'I'm a blogger' and leave it at that. What kind of blogger are you!?" to which I replied, "A Jewish blogger?" This pleased him, and it got me thinking about blogs and how big the Jewish blogging community is. It's quite a community -- made up of secular Jews, ultra-Orthodox Jews, Humanist Jews, Reconstructionist Jews, and Bu-Jews. The variety is endless, from Jewish food blogs to Jewish mom blogs to halakhic and d'var Torah blogs. It's a beautiful thing, and I love watching it grow.

+ Tuvia has started up a blog, and to be honest, he definitely has a really interesting perspective. He grew up going to Jewish day school, suffered the classic "force-fed" view on things, and he has now learned to appreciate what an upbringing like that can do, especially as he returns to his Judaism religiously. He just started up, and we all know how hard it is to get started. Go say hello over at FollowingMyJudaism.com.

+ Menachem Mendel posted a link to the University at Albany's Guide to Resources in Rabbinic Literature, and it's a pretty comprehensive and useful list. There are links to websites with study materials and Talmudic texts, too.

+ The newest edition of Haveil Havalim is up over on SuperRaizy. Appropriately, it's the Superhero Edition!

Domain Me!

You might have heard, you might not have, but I've purchased a couple domain names, and the one that now links to my blog is www.kvetchingeditor.com . Yes, I'm the proud owner of my unique moniker that when Googled will give you my Twitter, Facebook, Brightkite, Flickr, etc. And now? It's all mine!! (Along with Chaviva.net, but not sure what I'm going to do with that yet.) I don't know how this will affect the actual blog, but I'm pretty sure mamaloshen.blogspot.com will still get you here. If you run into any problems, though, please let me know.

So now, I'm going to try and find someone to do some type of digital caricature of me to plop on that couch up there, to sort of create the "Chaviva of the net," the one who surfs Web 2.0 as if it were a gentle, gentle wave. I'm going to tap my graphicy design friends, but if you want to give it a go, let me know. I'm picturing me, in a long skirt, sweater maybe, in a couch-sitting position. Is this idea silly? I'm not sure what the compensation will be. It'll fit the person who does it up, of course.

I'm back ... but wait!

Wow. Really? Seriously? Best weekend I've had in a long time. Shabbos in Washington Heights in NYC with Susanne and friends, drinks with various bloggers and internet personalities such as Sara from PopJudaica.com , EstherK , Ezra Butler and Susanne , of course, followed by the meeting of Evan's mother and grandmother (she was elated to feed me gefilte fish) and the conclusion of the weekend eating at a "kosher style" restaurant outside of Hartford? Well, yes, it was pretty darn amazing. But I don't have the energy or time (I have boatloads of homework to do before I sleep) right now, but rest assured you'll hear about my Orthodox shul adventure, eating lunch at Yeshiva University, and clomping around in the rain all weekend.

Until then, though, please go check out the newest edition of Haveil Havalim -- edition #184 "A Barbarian Roars Again" over at A Barbarian Yawp's blog! (And whoa, I got a mention this week, wahoo!) Oh, and just for fun, check out this awesome picture from the weekend -- yes, those are Internet superstars Chavi, Susanne, Esther, Ezra, and Sara! Until I get a free moment ... Shana Tova and may your new year be ever so sweet!

Do yer Laundry, and Getcher Blog on!

 

Photo by Kevin O'Donnell at Kevino.net.

Yes, it's that time again. Haveil Havalim #176-- The Dirty Laundry Edition -- is up over at Frumhouse. Give it a go and check out the delicious tastings of the Jewish blogosphere.