J-Blogosphere

J-Blogosphere is the name the Jewish blogging community uses to refer to itself. Blogs with a Jewish focus are called J-Blogs. The name "J-Blogosphere" was coined by Steven I. Weiss of Canonist, when he was the leader of "Protocols," a now-defunct group J-blog, and the first notable Jewish blog.

history is summarized in ^*.

General

A blog is generally accepted as a "J-blog", or part of the "J-blogosphere", if the blogger is Jewish and specifically discusses Jewish political, religious, or personal themes in his or her blog. There is no way of knowing how many J-blogs there are, although several have come together to create a Jewish category on BlogAds.

Conservative, Modern Orthodox, post-denominational, Reform, secular, and Ultra-Orthodox Jews are involved in writing J-blogs. Some J-bloggers, although religious in practice, use their blogs to discuss theological views which are skeptical or nonconformist. J-blogs fall into liberal and conservative camps with respect to both Israel and the United States.

Three websites keep track of the J-blogosphere - JewishBlogging.com, Jrants, JBlogSphere.Net by agrregating RSS feeds in various ways.

The JIBs

The JIBs, the Jewish and Israel Blog Awards, founded and hosted by Israellycool in 2004, are the J-blogosphere's annual award contest. The aim of the contest (a play on the word jib, the small triangular sail of a sailboat that directs the wind into the main sail) is to direct new readers towards Jewish, Israeli, and pro-Israel blogs. The JIBs begin with nominations in January and then a semifinal and final round. Good-natured rivalry and campaigning are associated with this event.

In 2005, the Jerusalem Post, took over hosting duties, bringing the JIBs greater attention. Israellycoolremained the organizer and a sponsor.]

Haveil Havalim

The carnival of Jewish blogs is Haveil Havalim, a weekly collection of Jewish & Israeli blog highlights, tidbits and points of interest collected from blogs all around the world. David Gerstman, who blogs as Soccer Dad and at Israpundit, invented the concept and continues to coordinate the weekly Havel Havalim posts which rotate among bloggers. The term “Haveil Havalim”, which means "Vanity of Vanities", is from Kohelet, Ecclesiastes, which is traditionally ascribed to King Solomon. The participating blogs are from a variety of circles within the J-blogosphere, though some circles are more involved than others. One of the purposes of Haveil Havalim is to expose newer bloggers to larger audiences and expand the circles those bloggers belong to. Over 69 iterations of Havel Havelim, 31 different bloggers have hosted.

Blogs A Rabbi Must Follow

Blogs a Rabbi Must Follow, compiled by blogger Rabbi Gil Student, is a presentation given in May 2006 to the annual gathering of the Rabbinical Council of America, an Orthodox group. The presentation explains the importance of J-blogs, the impact of the J-blogosphere upon Jewish communities, lists popular subjects and topics within the J-blogosphere and directs the reader to noteworthy blogs.

In the Media

Contact Magazine, "The Internet: Pathways and Possibilities", Various Authors (Spring 2006) - Adobe PDF Format

JTA article, "From Internet pals to real friends, blogs remaking Jewish community", Sue Fishkoff (May 8, 2006)

B'nai B'rith Magazine, "Cruising The Cybershtetl", Richard Greenberg and Menachem Wecker (Spring 2006)

JTA article, "Sermonizing Mingles With Sex Talk As Jewish Surfers Pick Up Blogging", Rachel Silverman (January 18, 2006)

Chicago Jewish News article, “Can We Blog? New Way to Talk About Jewish Issues”, Rachel Silverman

Jewsweek article, "The Jewish Corner of the Blogosphere", Alli Magidsohn

Cleveland Jewish News article, "Don't Call Me Rebbetzin", Lila Hanft (October 20, 2005)

World Jewish Digest article, "People of the Blog", Sarah Bronson (July, 2005)
Bitch Magazine article, "Blog is My Co-pilot," Rachel Barenblat (Fall, 2004)

External links

List of Aggregators

Blogs about Jews and Judaism

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