random bits

[cellio]

New word: bloggerrea. I'd been wondering why sometimes an update causes the RSS feed to spew old entries. Pretty annoying.

Clever, in that "uh-oh" sort of way: one piece of spam-sending malware installs its own anti-virus program, because it doesn't want all your other viruses slowing it down. (I recommend Security Mentor to pretty much everyone, even the tech-savvy. Syndicated here as securitymentor2.)

Unclever, in that "uh-oh" sort of way: A few months ago I replaced my anti-virus software (moved from MacAfee to BitDefender). I disabled MacAfee but didn't uninstall at the time. This weekend my subscription expired -- and something (MacAfee? Windows?) decided that since I was obviously unprotected, it would be best for all concerned if I couldn't see the internet. Ahem. Fixing that was much more hassle than it should have been.

When I was in Boston one of the LJ folk I talked with (I forget who) mentioned t'fillin Barbie. I've now forgotten where I got the link too; I think a (different) LJ source. Twisted, very twisted. (The Barbie, I mean, not my friends. :-) )

I found this article on reaching the 20- and 30-somethings in congregations interesting. Excerpt:

Jewish community leaders would do well to examine the changing nature of today's 20 and 30 year olds. For Baby Boomers, synagogue membership and Jewish institutional affiliations were primary markers of Jewish identity. In the past, Jews showed their support for synagogue life by paying dues- whether they were enthusiastic participants or not. Today, that sense of obligation is gone: young adults do not feel compelled to join a synagogue if they have no intention of attending. However, when they to do decide to join, they participate as active, invested members.

Comments

[cellio]

That's good to hear. I of course have much less experience with Orthodox congregations than you do. I have visited several and I don't think I've ever been invited for (or queried about) a meal after services. I've asked in advance (once) and been matched up with someone, but when I just show up by myself at services, I end up leaving by myself too. So I just assumed that was the more common case.

[ichur72.livejournal.com]

The shuls I'm familiar with have all had hospitality programs of one sort or another. Where they differed was in the degree of publicity, as it were. In some places the rabbi makes a point of announcing the fact at the end of the service and points out the person who makes the arrangements; in other places it gets done less publicly but still gets done, and of course there are variations somewhere between the two.