העורך Editor

Hyehudi Survey Highlights

I recently asked our readers and subscribers what they want more of and what they want less of. Naturally, I mostly got generic responses to the first question and details on the second.

Thanks to those who answered!

I thought the complaints would include the audacity to attack well-known אנשי צורה, and readability. One deemed the site “precipitous”. Maybe that’s what he meant. (Read much Mishpacha, do you?)

Here are some of the answers received plus rejoinders (anonymized, translated, altered and abridged):

I prefer what relates to Torah directly.

The site concerns Judaism, not “Torah”. Sorry.

Will you add more video?

I hope not.

How about allowing comments?

I make it difficult to leave comments because I lack interaction time. There’s always the contact page. I have printed readers’ comments in the past. Here are One, Two, Three, Four, Five, Six, Seven, Eight, Nine examples.

More Hebrew, please!

I try to keep Hebrew under a third, although this is tough on both kinds of readers. What else can I do? The Torah is today partly only in English, as per “טט בכתפי שתים פת באפריקי שתים”.

What Is WebChaver?

The idea of Internet Accountability is simple: A person will certainly not view inappropriate material on the internet if others could see what they have viewed. WebChaver (using the acclaimed Covenant Eyes software) will send an easy-to-read report of your internet activity to a Chaver of your choice; a spouse, parent, or friend, who can view the report and ensure your browsing integrity.

This concept is not new. Our Sages tell us that a shomer (guardian) that has the ability to check up on someone is an effective safeguard against sin. Many Halachic authorities have declared the Internet to be no different than being alone with a forbidden woman (yichud). The most effective way to counter this is by appointing a shomer – someone that can “check up” on your activity and ensure the internet is being used only for the good.

From their website.

Rabbi Yitzchak Berkovitz is a big fan. He adds one should also have some form of filter (WebChaver offers an optional one, too).

Check it out.

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Thank the Boss!

Israel Democracy Institute: Israelis Optimistic But Not About Politics

Excerpt in English from Hamodia:

The survey found widespread dissatisfaction with the country’s politicians. It reported that 68 percent of all respondents felt that Knesset members do not perform their duties properly, and 80 percent believe politicians are more concerned with their own interests than those of their constituents.

Power via politics is an illusion, so disillusionment is good. The results are even more significant considering the “Rightist” government coalitions.

Yet, there was a startling inconsistency between perceptions of public figures versus the country as a whole, about which respondents were much more positive.

Tamar Hermann, an Israeli professor who led the research, acknowledged that while the dissatisfaction levels were similar to last year’s survey, this year there was a marked increase in people who believe the country’s overall situation is good, to 48 percent from 36.5 percent last year. Nearly three-quarters of Israelis are satisfied with their personal situations.

Why is that inconsistent?! Country ≠ State.

The study interviewed 1,024 people and had a margin of error of 3.1 percentage points. The margin increased to 3.4 points for Jewish respondents and 7.9 points for the smaller Arab sample size. The research was conducted in May, but took months to analyze and publish. Hermann said, however, that public opinion on such issues is “pretty stable.”

Of course, people lie to pollsters, but I assume they lie in the other direction.