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Posts Tagged Innovation
Modernizing Yiddish
Posted by Rachel Broder in Jewish Innovation on May 12, 2011
modiya.nyu.edu
I have grown up with a Bubie who boasts impressive Yiddish skills. She always reminds me of which songs she can still sing in Yiddish, teaching me phrases along the way. What amazes me is the way in which Yiddish is more of a way of life for her than just a language. Speaking in Yiddish is a link to her upbringing, and teaching it to my mother, and then bits to me, was a way of infusing a past way of life into our modern living. I have my favorite Yiddish words – mishegoss and schvitz –, and though many have snuck into modern English, I still feel a bond with my Bubie when I use them.
This feeling that I am describing is probably most aptly termed “communal,” for it ties me to Jews all over the world. Orthodox Jew and non-observant Jew alike use “oy vey,” and in a sense we are connected across oceans and through primary language barriers because of Yiddish. This being said, the newly introduced Yiddish cell phones in Israel offer a more modern way for Yiddish speakers to connect. Manufactured by Alcatel-Lucent, the phones are the product of many months of hard work to help bring traditional Jews into contact with modernity. Yiddish phones 
have a Yiddish interface and – most shockingly for me as a Western cell phone abuser – are without internet access or texting capability. The phones also screen calls from sex lines, for the community fears explicit calls or texts. Essentially, Yiddish cell phones are a way for those using them to say in touch, but without outside temptations or distractions.
The modern Yid phenomenon is really well represented in the anonymous blogger, “Katle Kanye,” highlighted by The Forward. Katle combines Yiddish street lingo with rabbinic literature vernacular, while writing about Hassidic life. (Side note: Katle has my vote, for the article lists P.G. Wodehouse among Katle’s influences, and I harbor extreme affection for Bertie Wooster and Jeeves.) The article describes Katle as not only “amusing,” but also quite clever. Is Yiddish finally emerging from the past, floating from the tongues of our grandparents to modern bloggers? The future for Yiddish seems rather bright, and somewhat hip- not a description those of my Bubie’s generation would expect.
Summer Nostalgia
Posted by Rachel Feltman in Link Roundup on July 30, 2010
Image: Jessica Giles
There’s something very nostalgic about this time of summer. Maybe it’s because of what those late July, early August days mean to most kids. Everyone runs around trying to enjoy themselves while increasingly frequent glances at the calendar remind them that school is looming in the near future. Of course, for me school is looming in the near future, but you get what I mean.
Here are some articles about summer fun, past and present.
- So many people are writing about Jewish summer camp! It makes me wish I’d gone…I was too busy spending my summers at nerd camp studying Latin. (Can we pretend that I’m kidding?) Like all things, the concept of Jewish summer camp has changed a lot from one generation to the next (though Israeli dancing has remained a favorite activity among campers). Now there’s even an eco-friendly camp, called Eden Village Camp, that focuses on teaching campers to be environmentally friendly! Crazy kids.
- There’s a new fad taking over Jewish summer camps everywhere: Jewish-themed Silly Bandz! The popular rubber bracelets are now available in the shape of various Jewish symbols, ritual objects, Hebrew letters, etc.
- A lot of boomers, Jewish and not, have fond memories of summer days at Coney Island. Astroland closed a couple of years ago, and its heyday had arguably passed a long time before. Now Luna Park, its replacement, is making new memories for Coney Island veterans and their kids (and grandkids)!
- Alright, so there isn’t really anything nostalgic about this article: It’s just about a hip ice cream place in the city. I argue, however, that the very idea of ice cream itself should make you nostalgic…or at least very hungry.
School is starting up in just a little more than a month! Let’s make the rest of the summer count.
Introducing our new CEO, Barry Schwartz!
Posted by admin in Publishing on July 14, 2010
The Jewish Publication Society has named Rabbi Barry Schwartz as our new Chief Executive Officer. Prior to joining JPS, Rabbi Schwartz spent 11 years serving as the senior rabbi at Congregation M’kor Shalom in Cherry Hill, New Jersey. In addition to his rabbinical work, he served on the board of several nonprofit social justice organizations, where he was active in Jewish environmental work, and authored four books, a prize-winning short story, and scholarly articles that have appeared in the Journal of Reform Judaism, American Jewish History, and the Hebrew Union College Annual.
Q: What made you want to enter the publishing world and to work for The Jewish Publication Society?
A: I’ve loved JPS books since I was a kid. In my 1500 volume Judaica library, place of pride belongs to many wonderful JPS books. I strongly believe in our mission, and hope to help guide the transition to our future.
How will you translate your skills and experiences as a Rabbi to being the CEO of JPS?
It’s all about building and sustaining relationships. As a congregational rabbi for the past 25 years, I know my way around the Jewish community. We need to reach out to the community far and wide. Educators, rabbis, donors, and of course, book lovers all have a crucial role in our future success. I hope to share my passion for life long Jewish learning in a way that will help enhance Jewish literacy in general and JPS in particular.
What do you hope to accomplish at JPS and what are your long term goals?
The three words I think express my hope are: affirmation, imagination, and collaboration. We need to affirm JPS’ mission of publishing books of enduring worth that will stand the test of time. Yet in the digital era, we need imagination in order to innovate in ways that will excite a new generation. And I know that our future is linked to partnerships. Few of us in Jewish publishing will be able to go it alone in the years to come.
I am devoting this year to a non-stop series of conversations about our future, and I welcome anyone to join the conversation. Who are we, where are we going…and what is “the next big thing” for JPS?
What do you think is the greatest challenge in the publishing industry right now?
The short answer: how to make money from e-books. The bigger challenge: how to harness emerging technology for quality learning. The biggest challenge: how to combat the culture wide decline in “deep” reading.
Where do you see JPS in 5 years?
Five years is an eternity in publishing right now. At the same time, as I told an interviewer recently, the monuments of Judaism that endure are not buildings, but books. Great books will continue to convey the wisdom and beauty of our heritage, and one way or another I hope JPS will be part of that!
Related Interest:
The Jewish Exponent: Pulpit to Publishing: A New Leader for JPS
Jewish Community Voice: Rabbi Barry Schwartz to head The Jewish Publication Society
-Jill Finkelstein
Introducing the Future of the Encyclopedia
Posted by Rachel Feltman in Jewish Innovation, Jewish Knowledge on June 29, 2010
The internet has gained a fun and exciting new resource for those interested in Eastern European Jewish culture! The Encyclopedia of Jews in Eastern Europe was actually published two years ago, but the online version just launched earlier in June.
http://www.yivoencyclopedia.org
The YIVO Institute for Jewish Research has designed a great online encyclopedia. The site is free, easy to browse, and incredibly thorough. Check it out, whether or not you have any specific research to do. Warning: With all the articles to read and images to enjoy, you’ll probably lose track of the time!
The online version doesn’t just feature text. Each article features relevant images, and even video in many cases. The fully interactive media resources turn the encyclopedia into something of an archive. It’s not to be missed.
For more information, check out Tablet Magazine’s podcast featuring the encyclopedia’s editor in chief, Gershon Hundert, talking about the project.
Passover 2.0
Posted by admin in Link Roundup on March 22, 2010
Sarah, our New Linkages intern, guest blogs today with a Passover Roundup.
Behrman House
In this day and age, technology and education are advancing so rapidly it’s hard to keep up. Just in case you feel threatened that all these advancements might happen to “pass over” you, in honor of Passover, we are bringing you a tech-savvy, literary round-up! These new innovations can help make your Passover Seder a more fun-filled family experience.
- Feeling a little lost about what to do for your Seder this year? Haggadot.com, a new take on the Open Source Haggadah, allows you to create your own Haggadah. Users can upload their own content and borrow from others to create a Haggadah that makes your Seder a more personal and spiritual experience.
- Even iTunes wants to help make your Seder interactive and educational. iMahNishtnah, an iPhone application, is a new way to practice reading over the Four Questions. It’s colorful, fun and easy to use for children!
- Itunes also offers a complete Haggadah application for iPhone. In case you forgot your text or you’re in a rush, this brief but thorough guide will definitely come in handy.
- A group of 140 Rabbis have decided to add a bit of excitement to the Passover story by reenacting the tale online through tweets, giving the ancient story a contemporary setting. This project will continue through the holiday. Stay updated with TweetTheExodus!
- Want to make Passover a bit more kid-friendly? Babaganewz’s Pesach Central has a multitude of movies, games and recipes all about making Passover more fun for your family.
- In addition to all their great Passover resources, MyJewishLearning is holding a Best Seder Ever. You can submit your own story or video describing your best Passover. Hurry since the contest ends today at 5pm!
If you happen to know of any other online Passover educational tools, games, recipes or anything at all, let us know in the comment section.
We hope you have a happy and healthy Pesach!
-Sarah
The Complete JPS Audio Bible is Finally Here!
Posted by admin in Jewish Innovation on March 9, 2010
The JPS Tanakh is considered the authoritative translation of the Jewish Bible and is certainly the most widely read English edition. That said, we’ve always known we wanted to make our Bible available to everyone, in any format that a person would want to use. Thus came the idea for an audio version and the Jewish Braille Institute (JBI) was the clear partner for collaboration. After 12 months of recording the 2,000 pages of the Tanakh into 60 hours of audio using 13 narrators, the Audio Bible is finally here! Last October we gave readers a sneak peek with our free weekly Torah portion (widget-version below), but now readers have the option to purchase the entire TANAKH, only the Torah, The Five Megilloth and Jonah, or any of the other 36 books of the Bible.
The JPS Tanakh: The Jewish Bible, audio version even makes it easy for you to bring the text wherever you go, and whenever you want. Offered in both MP3 and iTunes download formats you can listen on your iPod or MP3 Player on the road or anywhere on the go.
To celebrate the release of this landmark project, we are offering a special introductory offer – purchase the download of our audio version of the complete JPS Tanakh or Torah and we will send you our Torah eBook FREE of charge!
We could keep going on about how excited we are about this audio Bible, but our Interim Director, Carol Hupping, sums it up best in this recent Q & A session.
Q: How did the Jewish Braille Institute (JBI) and The Jewish Publication Society (JPS) come to partner on the JPS Tanakh: The Jewish Bible, audio version?
A: JPS had wanted an audio version of its Bible for years, but we knew that producing it would be very expensive. We’re talking about 2,000 book pages, about 60 hours of listening time. We had gotten a bid from a commercial audio book producer, but it was much more than we could afford. Then we recalled conversations we’d had with JBI a few years back about publishing a large-print Bible and remembered that they also produced audio books. We asked if they would be interested in collaborating on the project. Indeed they were.
Q: How does this project fit into the new direction JPS is taking?
A: For the last 120 years, JPS has been primarily a publisher of print books. But that’s changing now, because the Internet and handheld devices like smart phones and ebook readers have changed the way people access and use information, and the way many people read books. So, in addition to print, we’re now offering ebooks and also audio, starting with this audio version of the JPS Tanakh, directly through our website and via many other distributors. We want to reach as many people, in as many ways, as possible.
Click here to read the rest of the interview with Carol, as well as a Q & A with JBI President and CEO Ellen Isler and several of the Audio Bible narrators [73K PDF]. Feel free to link to the complete Q&A or to excerpt from it, if you wish.
Also, for more information about the JPS Audio Bible go to http://jewishpub.org/books/audiobible/about-bible.php.
-Jill Finkelstein
Create Your Own Prayer Service
Posted by admin in Jewish Innovation on February 22, 2010
www.flickr.com/photos/rbarenblat
Back when I was a member of BBYO, I was frequently in charge of putting together and leading services. It wasn’t an easy task. When you get a bunch of Jewish teenagers together on the weekend, praying is usually the last thing they want to do. Not only that, but when you’re dealing with Jews from a variety of Jewish educational backgrounds, it can be hard to create a service that everyone is comfortable with. I would make photocopies of common prayers, their English translation, and their transliteration then paste them all together to make one comprehensive prayer packet. We were always trying to spice up services with themes and quotes to make them more fun, only that required more cutting and pasting for each new service.
Now thanks to BBYO International, there is now a website called Build a Prayer dedicated to creating your own prayer service. There, you can choose which service you would like to plan (Friday Evening, Saturday Morning, Saturday Evening, or Blessing After Meal), which type of service you would like (Traditional, Pluralistic, or Custom), which languages you would like to choose (English, Hebrew, and Transliteration), and which template you want. From there you can select which prayers you want to include and add your own commentary, images, audio, video, etc to personalize your service. With this site, you can now quickly make a custom prayer service for any occasion. It also allows you to browse through services created by other users and to learn more about the purpose for each prayer. For an online tutorial, BBYO has even included this online tutorial:
Don’t be fooled! Just because this site is sponsored by BBYO, doesn’t mean it is just for teens. I encourage you to check it out and play around to create your own personalized and meaningful service!
Let us know in the comments section what other online Jewish educational tools you’ve found helpful.
-Jill Finkelstein
Become Your Own Book Critic
Posted by Sarah in Jewish Books, Publishing on October 22, 2009
Imagine it. A place where social networking combines with books – creating one of the largest communal book groups in existence. When I heard that such a place existed, I was so excited. What better combination could there be 
for someone like me, who works with social media and books everyday? My only disappointment is that it took me almost three years to discover this place. So, for all of you out there who have yet to stumble upon this site and hear about it from friends, allow me to invite you into the world of Goodreads!
It all started a week or so ago when a friend of mine insisted that I join. When I asked her what it was all about, she told me about how members can indicate which books they are reading and have read in the past, and then review/rate their selections. The site includes millions of books for readers to rate, and even allows individuals to add books that the site may have missed. How cool is this?! You can make an entirely virtual library and share with other the greatest books you’ve ever read, along with the greatest duds. Delve into this site, and you’ll find books spanning numerous genres, allowing you to experience any type of writing you want!
Here’s the best part. You can find JPS books on Goodreads!
Have you been dying for a way to share with people your favorite JPS books? Or, maybe you wish you could’ve reviewed a JPS book, but you had no way of doing so. Well, now you do! Not to mention, we love seeing how the public feels about our books, so take this opportunity to share your opinions with us and the rest of the reading community. And, of course, relish in the chance to connect with others through similar reading interests! There’s nothing more exciting than finding someone who loves the same books you do.
Have fun!
-Sarah
Mmmm…Chocolate Books…
Posted by Julia in Jewish Books, Jewish Innovation, Publishing on July 31, 2009
Source: http://farm4.static.flickr.com
So, I’m sure everyone would guess that reading is a pretty relaxing activity. That is, I suppose, unless you’re really into the Twilight saga or scary Stephen King novels, or if you like to read on your roof…
But a new study by Mindlab International at the University of Sussex seems to confirm that reading is the best, fastest way to calm frazzled nerves. The study, whose findings were published in an article in the UK version of Marie Claire, showed that just six minutes of reading could reduce stress by 68%. Many doctors believe this is because concentrating on a book places emphasis on the brain, taking the burden off of the muscles and the heart.
But the kicker is who sponsored the study: Galaxy Chocolate, a division of Mars, Inc., which is also best-known for its chocolate products. So what could possibly motivate a chocolate company to go shilling for books?
Galaxy is in the midst of their Irresistable Reads promotion, where they’re looking to give away 1 million books to customers who visit their website. In fact, the company already sponsors a book club, claiming that there’s no better way to pass the time than curling up with a good book, and of course, a bar of their chocolate.
Though I’d get a little worried that the combination of a relaxing read and decadent chocolate might lull me into a coma, as a staffer at JPS and a chocolate lover, I heartily approve of this campaign. Though I’m wondering if Galaxy gives out Hanukkah gelt…
-Julia
The Jewish Non-Profit Guide to Social Media Marketing
Posted by Alx in Jewish Books, Jewish Innovation, Jewish Knowledge on July 2, 2009
Source: http://neilojwilliams.net
What a world and oy vey! There is so much digital swirl swooshing around your head every nano-second and you don’t have a clue how to even begin Social Media Marketing for your teeny tiny Jewish non-profit.
Well. We’re here to help.
In the past few months, JPS has moved to the next level with this stuff. Our blog is booming- we have over 1,000 fans on Facebook and over 1,200 followers on Twitter. These media have become three of the top ten referrers of web traffic to our regular website, and our hits have nearly doubled. We’re branding ourselves in a digital world, and I have to say, it’s pretty exciting for a 120 year old Jewish non-profit!
It can seem a bit overwhelming at first, but with a little bit of time you will be writing your own how-to tutorials!
Why Social Media Marketing?
Let’s face it: Most people live their lives online nowadays. They are there to connect, be social, find information, make purchases, and even order dinner. People are integrating their personal lives more and more with their internet lives by communicating only through Facebook and Twitter and saving on cell phone minutes. So why not join them?
The truth is that people don’t go online to be marketed to. People go online to achieve something.
So here is rule number one. Don’t market. Again. I’ll repeat rule number one. Don’t market.
Source: http://i.ehow.com
This is about meeting people where they are. This is about adding value to the internet and providing a resource for people on their own terms. It is not about the hard sell. You’ll just turn people away.
Great! I get it! Now how do I do it?
There are a bagillion web tools that people use daily. Yes, a new one pops up every time you get used to the last one. Yes, it’s hard to keep up with them all. But wait! You’re not alone. As a marketer, you are ahead of the curve. Your eyes are open wider than the general public’s. Their world is moving just as fast as yours, so take a deep breath. You can do this.
Here are some best practices for some of the big guns in the world of Web 2.0.
Facebook:
• Create both a Fan Page and a Cause for your non-profit. (A Fan Page must be connected to a personal profile, so be sure that you have one set up before you dive in. You’ll be glad you did.)
• Join groups of similar interest to your organization.
• Use your page to update fans about things relating to your world, but not necessarily your own work. For example, we post links to Jewish history sites for added value.
• Pull your blog posts into “Notes.” (More on blogging later.) Facebook offers some nifty ways to integrate your media and walks you through all of it.
• Be current. People judge pages based on how often you update. You can always set your Twitter feed to pull in automatically and update your status for you. (Yup. More on Twitter later.)
• Be colorful. The web is becoming increasingly about aesthetics. You want the quality of your logo to be good. Upload images as frequently as possible. Better yet, add videos to your page.
Twitter:
• Twitter is about conversation. So. Have some.
• You can speak directly to people by using the @ symbol and their username. So you should absolutely tell @jewishpub that you read this post and like it.
• Use hash tags (#) to talk about a specific subject or event. When I attended the AAUP conference I would tweet:
• Don’t be afraid to hold Twitter-only contests. This is about getting people involved. For example, every Wednesday at 1:30 we give a free book away to anyone who can answer a trivia question based on something from our blog or website.
Blog:
• You can use a free blogging program like WordPress or Blogger to set up your blog in just a few clicks. (I’m partial to WordPress since you can install it on your own hosting and keep your own URL.)
• This is where you really get to add value to what you do. Since you work so hard for the greater good, you might as well talk about the greater good!
• Be yourself. People need to know that a person is writing and not an organization. If you’re smart enough to know the difference, so are your readers.
• It’s O.K. to plug your own work on your own blog, but the blog shouldn’t JUST be about that. If you work for a Jewish immigration organization, your topics could span from conditions in a certain country to the naturalization process.
• Pretty, pretty, pretty. Pictures, videos, links, colors, and fonts. You don’t have to make people love the look of your site; just don’t turn them away. Remember that simplicity is also good. Google won out over Yahoo! because Google was simple and Yahoo! was hectic.
• Promote the pants off of your blog (In three weeks, our blog has become the number one referrer of web traffic to our main website).
Ok! I’m on Facebook, Twitter, and have a Blog! Now what!?
Remember that these things must work together in order to be able to work at all. You can tweet about your Blog post and send updates to your Facebook fans. You can set your Twitter account to update your Status on Facebook. You can link to all of your “spaces” right from your Blog. (Hey. It’s called a WEB for a reason, right?)
You have to keep up with it. The hardest part in all of this is staff time. I know that we all work hard, and none of us has a free moment in our busy Jewish non-profit world, but it must be done. Have a staffer tweet three times a day and write two blog posts a week. It will take less time than you think after the ball is rolling. Promise.
Once this is all set up and moving, you will start to see the results in just a few months. People will trust you more since you have met them on their level. You will become an expert in your field, because your sites will come up when Googled. People will begin to interact, and you will start to feel like you have made great strides in managing this digital swirl that is swooshing around your heads.
-Alx
News From JPS- Tamara Cohn Eskenazi and Tikva Frymer-Kensky Awarded 2011 National Jewish Book Award for JPS Bible Commentary: Ruth
- The University of Nebraska Press and The Jewish Publication Society Announce Collaborative Publishing Agreement
- New Commentators' Bible: Numbers -- Available This Month!
- Tweet #Torah to the Top!
