A Jewish Grandmother: Original, unedited daily musings, and host to the monthly Kosher Cooking Carnival. **Copyright(C)BatyaMedad ** For permission to use these in publications of any sort, please contact me directly. Private accredited distribution encouraged. Thank you.
Most of the modern world is suffering severe boredom, since we're in corona lock-down. Try reading blogs. There are still many bloggers like myself who post new material on independent blogs. You have nothing to lose. It's free.
I've been blogging for over twenty years. At one point there was quite a large community of Jewish and Israeli bloggers. We used to have regular blog carnivals, each with a different topic, general, kosher cooking and pictures. Then they faded away. I'm still in touch with some of those bloggers and others I met through blogging.
Some of the most successful bloggers have stopped blogging completely. Others, like myself still enjoy the medium. We get to write and "publish" what we like, when we want. I used to blog "religiously," daily on each of my blogs. Now I blog less.
Every once in a while I blog a round-up of blog posts from various blogs. My custom is just to give you the title without even a hint as to what blog it appears on. Today seems like a good time to offer you some blogs. Reading blogs is a nice way to travel and meet new people, or see old friends.
I'd like to make it clear that I'm not responsible for the opinions of other bloggers included in this round-up.
Once upon a time there was Havel Havelim, a weekly roundup of blog posts about Israel and Judaism. I met a lot of amazing people through it, some in person and some just online. Now a few of those people still blog, less frequently, and some I'm facebook friends with and others on instagram. And I even have real life f2f friends I first met via blogging.
In the heyday of blogging, there had been a real community spirit, but now it's different. It is what it is.
Still I think that there are some great blogs out there, and I'll now post a number of blog post titles linked to the blog. I hope you make the time to click, read, comment and even share. Yes, share on your blog if you're a blogger, or facebook or twitter or just send on whatsapp or email. It's a new world out there. Sorry, but in these roundups I don't include "blogs" that are on news sites, just independent blogs. If you have any to recommend, please add them to the comments here. Both my blogs, this and Shiloh Musings have blog rolls, listings of blogs I look at, or looked at when they were "live."
All opinions in included posts are those of the bloggers, not necessarily mine. Enjoy:
Bloggers, am I the only one who has noticed a downward trend in page/post views? I wonder if it's personal, or maybe the anti-spam check has kept the fake views down...
I do blog a bit less than previously. No longer do I skirt the OCD daily posting on both blogs, even when it's done by writing in advance and setting up the post to be published on a future date. Now I blog less frequently and rarely on both blogs, this one and Shiloh Musings, on the same day.
Blogs for me are the ones we publish on our own "sites," not when using the "blog" option on conventional mainstream news sites. That's another genre completely.
Over a decade ago, bloggers from all over the world developed a community, visiting, commenting and even promoting each other's blogs in a few different "blog carnivals." There were some Jewish ones which I was involved in, and I'm still friendly with other bloggers I met through these "carnivals." Havel Havelim was the biggest of all and continued for many years. I still use the name when posting blog "roundups."
Very few of the blogs from way back when are still active, but there are some interesting, well-written blogs. Here are a few posts for your reading pleasure. Please read, comment and share. And if there are some blogs you'd like to recommend, then list them in the comments here with full links, thanks.
Listed below are titles of blog posts about Israel and Jewish topics from a variety of blogs. Click to read and enjoy.
In honor of the fact that my friend Sharon Katz has opened/begun a new blog, I've decided to post a round-up of blogs. They are all "owned" by Jewish women mostly in Israel, and many of the bloggers are actually personal friends of mine. Each of these blogs is profoundly different. They reflect on the different personalities of the bloggers and what purpose the blogger has for blogging.
Some blogs, like my own, are updated daily or a few times a week. Other bloggers blog once a week or even less frequently. Generally blogs are begun with great expectations, which sometimes fizzle out pretty quickly. I must say that some of my most favorite blogs have died a gentle death and haven't been updated for a year or more. I miss them.
In this little blog round-up, I'll list titles of posts from the past week or so. Please click them to access and read them. Comments are always appreciated by bloggers.
Enjoy, and please "share" this post so that others can get to know the bloggers. Honestly, I don't consider blogging to be a dying genre of social media. And just to remind you that I'm not responsible for the content of other blogs.
I'm not quite sure why, but I didn't include my own blogs in this roundup. I trust that you're familiar with them already.
If you'd like me to post more roundups like this on, please let me know. And if you want to recommend a blog, please send the link in a comment. Thank you
I guess you know that I've been blogging for years and am among the few who has been consistent at it for well over a decade. Besides my two "independent" blogs, my posts/articles appear on Arutz 7 and the Jewish Press. There was a time I also blogged on the Jerusalem Post, but it just didn't seem worth my while. I don't think that anyone ever commented or read my posts. I was also one of the very first to blog on Times of Israel, but I left them because of their chutzpadik demands.
Since I don't get paid for blogging, I generally just write on this blog and Shiloh Musings and then copy some posts to Arutz 7. The Jewish Press has permission to copy whatever they want of mine.
It's basically an "online news magazine" written by bloggers. This is definitely a good idea, since we've needed an easy to access forum for those who appreciate bloggers and see us as legitimate journalists.
Israel Blogger is a lot more than a collection of op-eds. These are the topics planned:
ISRAEL,
DIASPORA,
FAMILY VALUES,
POLITICS,
RELIGION,
CULTURE,
TERRORISM,
OTHER
Of course, since it has just begun, there aren't too many articles yet, but give us a bit of time, and I'm sure you'll enjoy reading it. You may even find it better than most news sites. Tell me what you think. OK!
I couldn't think of a clever title for this combined Havel Havelim and Kosher Cooking Carnival, besides the fact that they are all "postponed."
Yesterday, Shabbat was the 17th of Tammuz, but since we don't fast, except for Yom Kippur, on Shabbat, the fast was postponed until today.
I usually post my Havel Havelim, the international Jewish blog carnival on Saturday night after Shabbat, but that, too was postponed until today.
I really had planned on posting a Kosher Cooking Carnival for Rosh Chodesh Tammuz, and that has obviously been postponed, since it's now closer to Av than to Tammuz, so this combines the two months.
So, I hope you don't mind that lazy summer's day, when I'm not working and not eating I've decided to produce another joint HH and KCC.
Havel Havelim is the long-running weekly international Jewish blog carnival, which had been started many years ago (by modern internet standards) by Soccer Dad, who no longer blogs. It floats from blog to blog, and we keep it organized on our facebook page. If you'd like to host one, please let us know, and it's yours! I'm always willing to help newbies. Hosting isn't hard and it's a good way to get your blog better known and know others.
The Kosher Cooking Carnival is the monthly (in theory--appearing on or around Rosh Chodesh, the beginning of the Jewish Month,) blog carnival I began a number of years ago on the specific topic of kosher food. It can include posts about every aspect from Halacha, Jewish Law, to recipes, customs, kosher cookbooks and restaurants. You can also volunteer to host an edition; we also have a facebook page.
To guarantee your post's inclusion in one of the blog carnivals, please send me the link, with a short blurb describing it, to shilohmuse@gmail.com and ither HH or KCC as subject, thanks. If there will be a different host, I'll just forward it. Since Havel Havelim is weekly, please send the link before Shabbat your time, thanks. I not only include links sent to me, but I also look for others.
Remember, that you don't have to be a blogger to read, comment and share the posts on Havel Havelim or the Kosher Cooking Carnival.
Marcia, last week's HH hostess, There may be no school but that doesn't mean that you shouldn't discuss the Torah with your kids.
Enjoying the Bible Online offers innovative fun activities, questions, and discussion guidelines related to God forbidding the children of Israel to use a sword while building an altar (in the book of Exodus) in "Does it Matter How We Get to the End Product?"
We aren't giving up. We aren't finished. We aren't history. We have a future. G-d willing we will be truly sovereign and rebuild our Holy Temple in our Holy City of Jerusalem, and the days of mourning will be turned into days of festivity and worship of G-d, and all of those in the Next World will return to us in joy together!
Bloggers and those who enjoy reading blogs are welcome to join our facebook page. And feel free to send in links to your posts or those you think should be included in the premier weekly Jewish Israeli blog carnival via blog carnival. HH hosts have the final say in which posts are included. Of course they can add whichever posts they like from that week. If you'd like to host one, then please contact me shilohmuse at gmail dot com, thanks.
There's also a monthly Jewish blog carnival based on the subject of kosher food, the Kosher Cooking Carnival. All aspects of kashrut are included from customs, halachot (laws,) recipes, news, and book/restaurant reviews. KCC is organized on our facebook page; links can be sent via blog carnival. The Kosher Cooking Carnival includes blog posts submitted by bloggers and other chosen by the host. If you'd like to host one, then please contact me shilohmuse at gmail dot com, thanks.
Recently I have discovered another Jewish blog carnival, one dedicated to book reviews of Jewish books, November Jewish Book Carnival. Details of how to participate are included in the carnival post. I've even been participating in it, but not as host. Being the "default" host and "coordinator" for both Havel Havelim and the Kosher Cooking Carnival are more than enough blog carnival and hosting responsibilities for me.
Have a joyful, healthy and enlightening Chanukah!!!
I've been greatly encouraged by the interest of newer Havel Havelim participants in hosting the veteran and distinguished Jewish Blog Carnival, Havel Havelim. Yes, this week is the debut of A Jewish Israel as Havel Havelim host, thank you. He did a wonderful job, and I'm also happy to see that there are new participants in this week's edition. Please share and visit/share the various posts included.
Now that we're getting very heavily (maybe the wrong word, since I'd hate to think that I'll be putting on weight) let's say intensely into the three week Jewish Holiday season of Rosh Hashannah, Yom Kippur, Succot and Simchat Torah, HH won't be weekly. I scheduled the editions a bit further apart. It's nothing that participants need to worry about, because when you send in your link via blog carnival, it will automatically go to the next host. Just please remember to send in links after posting, or if you're like me you'll forget and miss the deadline. Next host is Esser Agaroth, one of the most dedicated and veteran members of our jblog community.
There are a couple of ways to keep track of what's happening with Havel Havelim. One is to join and check up on our facebook page, and the other is to put the blog carnival Havel Havelim widget on your blog's sidebar.
Start your week with Ruti's latest Havel Havelim. It's the nicest one I've seen for a long time. It's also beautifully illustrated with lots of stunning pictures. Thank you Ruti!
Next week we have a debut Havel Havelim by A Jewish Israel. Yes, HH is still growing in the Jewish cyber world. To submit a post click blog carnival, sign in, fill in the form, and your post will go automatically, bli eyin haraa, to the next host. Keep in touch and sign up for hosting on our facebook page.
Havel Havelim is the most veteran of the Jewish blog carnivals, but it's not the only one. There are two others, the monthly Kosher Cooking Carnival and a few times a year JPIX. You can send in your links to KCC via blog carnival and for JPIX click here. There's also a KCC facebook group.
Havel Havelim is the weekly blog post round-up of Jewish and Israeli blogs. It floats around the internet from blog to blog, steered by our facebook page, with the help of blog carnival. Posting time is either before or after Shabbat, according to the time zone of the host.
All sorts of posts about Israel, Judaism, aliyah, Tanach (Jewish Bible,) Halacha (Jewish Law,) etc. may be included. I'll be hosting the next one, probably cross-posted here and on Shiloh Musings. So please send in relevant posts from the week from either your own blog or something you've read, thanks.
There are two other Jewish blog carnivals, the Kosher Cooking Carnival and JPIX. KCC is monthly, every Rosh Chodesh, and JPIX comes out a few times a year. Updates about KCC can be found on our facebook page. JPIX has a fb page, too.
Please participate in our online communities. Have a wonderful week!
It has been a very long time since Rafi G. has hosted a Havel Havelim, although he frequently does post a blog roundup he calls "Interesting Posts." I can usually tell that he has including one of my posts, because suddenly my "statistics" improve. So I was extremely happy when he agreed to host this week's Havel Havelim, which he did in his "interesting posts" format. All the information Rafi gives is the title or topic of the post. You have to click it to discover which blog it is. That's a good way to get to know other blogs.
I wish to thank Rafi for hosting and hope he offers again.
We
use our facebook page to
"coordinate," announce or volunteer who's hosting. You're welcome to volunteer
to host an edition. Send
your link or any relevant link from another blog in via blog carnival to
be part of Havel Havelim. I keep the page there up to date, so your link
will go to the right host blogger. Next week's host is Ima 2 Seven.
This week's Havel Havelim is hosted by A Soldier's Mother. Paula's blog, A Soldier's Mother is a very successful and popular blog, and I'm glad that it participates in Havel Havelim, which is the most veteran of all the Jewish blog carnivals. Actually, HH is one of the all-time veteran blog carnivals. It's a round up of posts from Jewish and Israeli blogs on all Jewish or Israeli topics from all over the world.
We use our facebook page to "coordinate," announce or volunteer who's hosting. You're welcome to volunteer to host an edition. I'll coach you through if needed. Send your link or any relevant link from another blog in via blog carnival to be part of Havel Havelim. I keep the page there up to date, so your link will go to the right host blogger. Next week's host is Rafi's Life in Israel.
Some of you readers are facebook friends of mine, and some of you even clicked this post because I mentioned it on my facebook status. To be frank that's why I joined facebook, to promote my blogs, but as I got to know fb, I began to treasure the personal, family and friend-real friend aspect of it. Most of my children, along with cousins and their kids are facebook friends, and I quickly began to limit the amount of people I agreed to "friend." Suddenly I put up barriers. If I didn't "know" someone either personally or their blog or want to know them as a person, I refused to accept their fb friendship.
Last night I was at a workshop (here in Shiloh) about using social media for Hasbara, Israel's information campaign. Now, that is why I opened an account with facebook. The young man who spoke, from something called "newmedia," if I got the name right, said that to make a splash, have your message get out to the maximum of people, you must have masses and masses of facebook friends. If I do that, I will offend my kids and confuse family. Of course I do post links to my blog posts, even the most extreme posts, or especially the most extreme posts. My political opinions are far from Center.
I have a lot to think about. Your opinions are welcome.
Most of the modern world is suffering severe boredom, since we're in corona lock-down. Try reading blogs. There are still many bloggers like myself who post new material on independent blogs. You have nothing to lose. It's free.
Every once in a while I blog a round-up of blog posts from various blogs. My custom is just to give you the title without even a hint as to what blog it appears on. Today seems like a good time to offer you some blogs. Reading blogs is a nice way to travel and meet new people, or see old friends.
The Death of Daas Torah
