Chabad.org
Encyclopedia
Chabad.org is the flagship website
of the Chabad-Lubavitch
Hasidic
movement. It serves not just its own members but Jews worldwide in general. It was one of the first Jewish internet
sites and the first and largest virtual congregation.
Yosef Yitzchak Kazen, a Chabad Rabbi, began creating a Chabad-Lubavitch
presence in Cyberspace
. With the advent of computer communication technology, Kazen recognized its potential for reaching an almost limitless audience, unlimited by geographic and other constraints. Kazen digitized thousands of documents into what became the world's first virtual Jewish library, and enabling thousands of people to learn about Judaism for the first time. Chabad.org served as a model for other Jewish organizations, who created their own educational Web sites.
After Kazan's death in 1998, the site was rolled under the umbrella of the Chabad Lubavitch Media Center directed by Rabbi Zalman Shmotkin
. Today, Chabad Lubavitch Media Center, maintains some 1100 websites, including the flagship Chabad.org, specialized holiday sites, and over 1500 customised sites for local Chabad houses.
Being, G-d & Man
, Concepts and Ideas, The Torah
, The Physical World
, The Jewish Calendar
, Science
& Technology
, People
and Events.
There are comprehensive sections on Shabbat
, Kosher, Tefillin
, Mezuzah
, the Jewish way to Death
and Mourning
and a concise Synagogue
companion.
” sites. Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak Kazen reached out to thousands of people on Fidonet
, an online discussion network, as far back as 1988.
In 1994, Kazen launched the first version of Chabad’s “Ask the Rabbi” Web site. Today’s version, in which 40 rabbis and educators field questions via e-mail, has answered more than 500,000 questions between 2001–2006, averaging about 270 a day. Many people take advantage of the Web’s anonymity to impart experiences and ask for advice from chabad.org.
In an effort to service a female population, Chabad.org also operates TheJewishWoman.org's “Dear Rachel”, a similar service which is run by women for women.
Website
A website, also written as Web site, web site, or simply site, is a collection of related web pages containing images, videos or other digital assets. A website is hosted on at least one web server, accessible via a network such as the Internet or a private local area network through an Internet...
of the Chabad-Lubavitch
Chabad-Lubavitch
Chabad-Lubavitch is a Chasidic movement in Orthodox Judaism. One of the world's larger and best-known Chasidic movements, its official headquarters is in the Crown Heights section of Brooklyn, New York...
Hasidic
Hasidic Judaism
Hasidic Judaism or Hasidism, from the Hebrew —Ḥasidut in Sephardi, Chasidus in Ashkenazi, meaning "piety" , is a branch of Orthodox Judaism that promotes spirituality and joy through the popularisation and internalisation of Jewish mysticism as the fundamental aspects of the Jewish faith...
movement. It serves not just its own members but Jews worldwide in general. It was one of the first Jewish internet
Internet
The Internet is a global system of interconnected computer networks that use the standard Internet protocol suite to serve billions of users worldwide...
sites and the first and largest virtual congregation.
History
In 1988, RabbiRabbi
In Judaism, a rabbi is a teacher of Torah. This title derives from the Hebrew word רבי , meaning "My Master" , which is the way a student would address a master of Torah...
Yosef Yitzchak Kazen, a Chabad Rabbi, began creating a Chabad-Lubavitch
Chabad-Lubavitch
Chabad-Lubavitch is a Chasidic movement in Orthodox Judaism. One of the world's larger and best-known Chasidic movements, its official headquarters is in the Crown Heights section of Brooklyn, New York...
presence in Cyberspace
Cyberspace
Cyberspace is the electronic medium of computer networks, in which online communication takes place.The term "cyberspace" was first used by the cyberpunk science fiction author William Gibson, though the concept was described somewhat earlier, for example in the Vernor Vinge short story "True...
. With the advent of computer communication technology, Kazen recognized its potential for reaching an almost limitless audience, unlimited by geographic and other constraints. Kazen digitized thousands of documents into what became the world's first virtual Jewish library, and enabling thousands of people to learn about Judaism for the first time. Chabad.org served as a model for other Jewish organizations, who created their own educational Web sites.
After Kazan's death in 1998, the site was rolled under the umbrella of the Chabad Lubavitch Media Center directed by Rabbi Zalman Shmotkin
Zalman Shmotkin
Rabbi Zalman Shmotkin is a spokesman for the Chabad-Lubavitch movement, director of its website, Chabad.org, and its Media Center.-External links:* -References:...
. Today, Chabad Lubavitch Media Center, maintains some 1100 websites, including the flagship Chabad.org, specialized holiday sites, and over 1500 customised sites for local Chabad houses.
Jewish Knowledge Base
Chabad.org has a comprehensive Jewish knowledge base which includes over 100,000 articles of information ranging from basic Judaism to philosophy. The major categories are The HumanHuman
Humans are the only living species in the Homo genus...
Being, G-d & Man
Man
The term man is used for an adult human male . However, man is sometimes used to refer to humanity as a whole...
, Concepts and Ideas, The Torah
Torah
Torah- A scroll containing the first five books of the BibleThe Torah , is name given by Jews to the first five books of the bible—Genesis , Exodus , Leviticus , Numbers and Deuteronomy Torah- A scroll containing the first five books of the BibleThe Torah , is name given by Jews to the first five...
, The Physical World
World
World is a common name for the whole of human civilization, specifically human experience, history, or the human condition in general, worldwide, i.e. anywhere on Earth....
, The Jewish Calendar
Calendar
A calendar is a system of organizing days for social, religious, commercial, or administrative purposes. This is done by giving names to periods of time, typically days, weeks, months, and years. The name given to each day is known as a date. Periods in a calendar are usually, though not...
, Science
Science
Science is a systematic enterprise that builds and organizes knowledge in the form of testable explanations and predictions about the universe...
& Technology
Technology
Technology is the making, usage, and knowledge of tools, machines, techniques, crafts, systems or methods of organization in order to solve a problem or perform a specific function. It can also refer to the collection of such tools, machinery, and procedures. The word technology comes ;...
, People
People
People is a plurality of human beings or other beings possessing enough qualities constituting personhood. It has two usages:* as the plural of person or a group of people People is a plurality of human beings or other beings possessing enough qualities constituting personhood. It has two usages:*...
and Events.
There are comprehensive sections on Shabbat
Shabbat
Shabbat is the seventh day of the Jewish week and a day of rest in Judaism. Shabbat is observed from a few minutes before sunset on Friday evening until a few minutes after when one would expect to be able to see three stars in the sky on Saturday night. The exact times, therefore, differ from...
, Kosher, Tefillin
Tefillin
Tefillin also called phylacteries are a set of small black leather boxes containing scrolls of parchment inscribed with verses from the Torah, which are worn by observant Jews during weekday morning prayers. Although "tefillin" is technically the plural form , it is loosely used as a singular as...
, Mezuzah
Mezuzah
A mezuzah is usually a metal or wooden rectangular object that is fastened to a doorpost of a Jewish house. Inside it is a piece of parchment inscribed with specified Hebrew verses from the Torah...
, the Jewish way to Death
Death
Death is the permanent termination of the biological functions that sustain a living organism. Phenomena which commonly bring about death include old age, predation, malnutrition, disease, and accidents or trauma resulting in terminal injury....
and Mourning
Mourning
Mourning is, in the simplest sense, synonymous with grief over the death of someone. The word is also used to describe a cultural complex of behaviours in which the bereaved participate or are expected to participate...
and a concise Synagogue
Synagogue
A synagogue is a Jewish house of prayer. This use of the Greek term synagogue originates in the Septuagint where it sometimes translates the Hebrew word for assembly, kahal...
companion.
Ask the Rabbi
Chabad.org was the pioneer of “Ask the RabbiRabbi
In Judaism, a rabbi is a teacher of Torah. This title derives from the Hebrew word רבי , meaning "My Master" , which is the way a student would address a master of Torah...
” sites. Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak Kazen reached out to thousands of people on Fidonet
FidoNet
FidoNet is a worldwide computer network that is used for communication between bulletin board systems. It was most popular in the early to mid 1990s, prior to the introduction of easy and affordable access to the Internet...
, an online discussion network, as far back as 1988.
In 1994, Kazen launched the first version of Chabad’s “Ask the Rabbi” Web site. Today’s version, in which 40 rabbis and educators field questions via e-mail, has answered more than 500,000 questions between 2001–2006, averaging about 270 a day. Many people take advantage of the Web’s anonymity to impart experiences and ask for advice from chabad.org.
In an effort to service a female population, Chabad.org also operates TheJewishWoman.org's “Dear Rachel”, a similar service which is run by women for women.
Features
Chabad.org maintains a number of sub-sites, including- A Weekly Magazine on TorahTorahTorah- A scroll containing the first five books of the BibleThe Torah , is name given by Jews to the first five books of the bible—Genesis , Exodus , Leviticus , Numbers and Deuteronomy Torah- A scroll containing the first five books of the BibleThe Torah , is name given by Jews to the first five...
, and contemporary life. - A search feature that enables the user to quickly find a Chabad House in any part of the world.
- An online Jewish library that contains some 100,000 articles.
- An "Ask the Rabbi" feature.
- A multimedia portal, where user can stream Jewish audio and video downloads.
- A children's section.
- A section featuring reports in the media on the activities of Chabad Lubavitch ShluchimShaliach (Chabad)A Chabad shliach is a Chabad member sent out to promulgate Judaism and Chasidut around the world.Chabad shluchim as of 2010 number about 4,500 worldwide, and can be found in many of even the most remote worldly locales.-Origins:...
"emissaries"). - Parts of the site have been translated into many languages.
- An area for children, including some on-line videos of the "Itche Kadoozy Show", a puppet show starring amongst others a Lubavitch Rabbi, Rabbi Kadoozy.
Statistics
Chabad.org and its affiliated sites claim over 7.6 million visitors per month, and over 365,000 email subscribers.Sources
- JTA News article
- Wired.com interviews Chabad.org director Rabbi Zalman ShmotkinZalman ShmotkinRabbi Zalman Shmotkin is a spokesman for the Chabad-Lubavitch movement, director of its website, Chabad.org, and its Media Center.-External links:* -References:...
- Chabad launches Jewish women’s site
- Rabbi Schneerson’s life for a history-gathering project
- Let my people download! Passover texts available online
- ‘Ask the rabbi’ – online
- Yosef Kazen, Hasidic Rabbi And Web Pioneer, Dies at 44 The New York TimesThe New York TimesThe New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
December 13, 1998.