tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-224772682024-03-23T12:58:45.356-05:00Interviews With a J-BloggerUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger13125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22477268.post-48236432435462375542010-01-03T17:38:00.000-05:002010-01-03T17:38:13.289-05:00Welcome Back EveryoneIt's been a while but it's time to revive this blog and bring it back to it's original greatness. I look forward to interviewing new Jewish blogs and getting things up and running soon. Stay Tuned!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22477268.post-75908606489756066752008-07-01T07:00:00.000-05:002008-07-01T07:00:00.581-05:00Interview with Dixie Yid!<div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="nfakPe">Well it hasn't been too long since my last interview with <a href="http://jewishmuzic.blogspot.com/2008/05/j-blogger-interviews-frum-satire.html">FrumSatire</a>. Here is yet another interview with another up and coming blogger making his own impact on the Jblogosphere:</span><br /><span class="nfakPe"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Dixie Yid</span>!</span><br /></div><span class="nfakPe"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br />JB:</span>Dixie</span> Yid, That's an interesting name are you from the South?<br /><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">DY:</span>Yes, I'm a bona fide Southern Jew. I was born in Charleston, SC and then my family moved to Nashville, TN, where there are about 5,000 Jews. I lived there all the way through the end of high school, at which point I decided that I needed more of a Jewish education, so I pursued my B.A. at Yeshiva University.<br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">JB: </span>I understand you are a BT, originally coming from a Reform background.What and who inspired you to seek out Orthodox Judaism?<br /><br /></div><div> </div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">DY:</span>When I was 16 and a member of my <a href="http://www.nfty.org/index.cfm?" target="_blank">Temple</a> Youth group, I went to an inter-youth group "lock-in" at the JCC for Chanukah. There, I met a couple of people who were there through <a href="http://www.ncsy.org/" target="_blank">NCSY</a>. That was my first-ever real exposure to orthodox Jews. We talked all through the night about everything that teenagers talk about, including all of the questions that I'd always been thinking about orthodox Jews but that I had never had anyone to ask. My initial impression was that the explanations they had were so much deeper than any of the explanations from my reform rabbis until then. Although I was very impressed and fascinated and wanted to learn more about it, I didn't want to "convert to orthodoxy," as I put it. It did pique my interest and so when I went to other classes to learn more, I became even more and more fascinated with how deep everything in Torah is. That's aspect of it is really what got me into it.<br /><br /></div><div class="Ih2E3d"> <div> </div> <div><span style="font-weight: bold;">JB:</span> I noticed you have a lot of posts concerning hasidic themes as your blogs description, are you Breslov, Hasidic etc.?<br /><br /></div> <div> </div> </div><div><span style="font-weight: bold;">DY:</span>I am not Chasid, in the colloquial sense of the word. I live, dress, and keep the minhagim of your average Nusach Ashkenaz Yeshivisheh Balabos. The only variation on that theme is the fact that I wear colored shirts. In another sense, though, I do strive to be a Chassid. Really, being a Chassid is not about belonging to a certain Chassidic group or dressing in a certain way. As Rabbi Tal Zwecker wrote in <a href="http://beermayimchaim.blogspot.com/search?q=%22What+is+Chassidus%3F%22" target="_blank">these</a><a href="http://beermayimchaim.blogspot.com/search?q=%22What+is+Chassidus%3F%22"> posts</a>, Chassidus is about a method of refining one's self and growing closer to the Creator of the world, according to the teachings of the students of the Baal Shem Tov. IY"H, I hope to grow so that I could be considered a "real chassid."<br /><br /><div> </div> <div><span style="font-weight: bold;">JB:</span> Do you believe that "<span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">you are what you wear</span>" and if so does your colored shirt make you a colorful person?<br /><br /></div> <div> </div> <div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">DY:</span>What someone wears is both everything and nothing. Inherently, one's external appearance doesn't matter at all when compared to what's inside. However, like you said, how one dresses does inevitably affect how a person sees himself, and by extention, how he comports himself. Now when I say "colored shirts," I just mean to say as opposed to just black and white. We're not talking Hawaiian shirts or anything like that. I initially stopped wearing only "black and white" on weekdays because my wife likes how I look in colored shirts. However, I guess it does have an affect how how I see myself. I don't feel as "yeshivish." My hope is, then, that my spiritual growth will be more internally focused, since I'm not trying to "look religious" on the outside.</div><br /><br /></div> <div> </div> <div><span style="font-weight: bold;">JB:</span>What turned you on to the J Blogosphere?<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div> </div> <div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">DY:</span>For a number of years I have often had (what I consider to be) insightful thoughts or I have seen ideas in various seforim that really got me excited. When I'm happy and excited about some insight I've had or some great pshat or perspective in a sefer, my natural desire is to want to share that with other people. But unless I had some hapless friend nearby or my chevrusa didn't mind if I showed him something, my desire to share was thwarted. However, when I came across sites like <a href="http://asimplejew.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">A</a><a href="http://asimplejew.blogspot.com/"> Simple Jew</a> and <a href="http://mysticalpaths.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Mystical</a><a href="http://mysticalpaths.blogspot.com/"> Paths</a>, it gave me the idea that I could channel my desire to share things that interested me and excited me through the blog venue. Essentially, having a blog is a great way to channel my desire to share insights, chidushim, inspiring or funny Jewish music or anything else I wanted to.<br /></div><br /></div><div class="Ih2E3d"> <div> </div> <div><span style="font-weight: bold;">JB: </span>Some of your favorite bloggers are?<br /><br /></div> <div> </div> </div><div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">DY:</span>I think this might be obvious to people who've read <a href="http://dixieyid.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span class="nfakPe">Dixie</span></a><a href="http://dixieyid.blogspot.com/"> Yid</a>, but I'd have to say that my favorite blog is <a href="http://asimplejew.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">A</a><a href="http://asimplejew.blogspot.com/"> Simple Jew</a>("ASJ".) I'd have to say that ASJ is not only my favorite blog, but ASJ himself is definitely my "blogging rebbe." He has given me a lot of advice and he linked to me fairly often at the beginning, which shuffled some traffic over to my site, which let people know who I am and that I was there. His site is also very good because he puts a lot of work into it. His posts are interesting, varied, insightful and personal. He is also a great networker and brings to the table a lot of guest posts from great people in the Jewish world.<br /></div><br /></div><div class="Ih2E3d"> <div> </div> <div><span style="font-weight: bold;">JB:</span>How long have you been blogging for?<br /><br /></div> <div> </div> </div><div><span style="font-weight: bold;">DY:</span>I've been blogging since December 2006. I'm a baby blogger!<br /><br /></div><div class="Ih2E3d"> <div> </div> <div><span style="font-weight: bold;">JB:</span>What do you enjoy most about Chassidus?<br /><br /></div> <div> </div> </div><div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">DY:</span>I love the fact that Chassidus teaches you how to go beneath the surface of the superficial Yiddishkeit that it seems so many of us get stuck in. Halacha just becomes a checklist of things we have to get done before we can move onto the things we really enjoy in life. That's not the way it's supposed to be. And Chassidus teaches us how to dig deep within ourselves and within all of our Jewish practices to find the light and the fire that lie within both. Chassidus shows the excitement of Yiddishkeit and teaches you how to enjoy Judaism even more than all of the <em>other</em> ways that even frum people find their enjoyment in life.<br /></div><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">JB:</span>What part of Chassidus do you dislike if any?<br /><br /></div><div class="Ih2E3d"> <div> </div> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">DY:</span>I can't say that there's anything I dislike about Chassidus per se. However, the same cannot be said about the various Chassidic communities. They have their own issues, just like other segments of the Jewish community have theirs. However, I've never been a big "chassid" of criticizing other Jewish groups. If I'm going to criticize any part of the Jewish community, it should be my own.<br /></div><br /><div class="Ih2E3d"> <div> </div> <div><span style="font-weight: bold;">JB:</span> Tell us about how blogging has impacted your understanding of Judiasm.<br /><br /></div> <div> </div> </div><div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">DY:</span>I don't know if blogging has affecting my understanding of Judaism per se. However, being part of the "JBlogosphere" and reading other blogs has definitely affected my outlook on things. I have read things by people like <a href="hasidicrebel.blogspot.com" target="_blank">Hasidic</a><a href="hasidicrebel.blogspot.com"> Rebel</a> and <a href="sixmonthmalkie.blogspot.com">S</a><a href="sixmonthmalkie.blogspot.com" target="_blank">ix</a><a href="sixmonthmalkie.blogspot.com"> Month Malkie</a> who are very unhappy about their experiences with frumkeit and frum people. Reading these types of things make me more cognizant of the kind of Jewish experience that I am bringing my children up to. Do I want them to be brought up with a Yiddishkeit which is just a bunch of prohibitions and social pressure-related obligations, <span style="font-style: italic;">but with no heart</span>? Or do I want them to experience a Yiddishkeit which is the most exciting thing in the world and where connecting to Hashem is considered more important than what the Schwartzes next door think of us? I think that being conscious of how I bring up my children in Judaism is definitely affected by reading things in the "JBlogosphere."<br /></div><br /></div><div class="Ih2E3d"> <div> </div> <div><span style="font-weight: bold;">JB:</span> If you could speak to any past rebbe which one would it be and why?<br /><br /></div> <div> </div> </div><div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">DY:</span>I think that I would want to meet the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yaakov_Yitzchak_of_Lublin" target="_blank">Chozeh</a><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yaakov_Yitzchak_of_Lublin"> </a>(Seer) of Lublin. He was known as having a very deep sight into reality and into the people he met. I would be both terrified and grateful if I could meet a Rebbe like that who could just clarify for me what the nature of my "self" is, what I'm supposed to accomplish in this world, and what my true kochos and chesronos (strengths and weaknesses) are.<br /></div><br /></div><div class="Ih2E3d"> <div> </div> <div><span style="font-weight: bold;">JB: </span>Tell us about your favorite sefer and why?<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: right;"> </div><div> </div> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">DY:</span>I'd have to say that right now, my favorite sefer is <a href="%3Ca%20href=%22http://dixieyid.blogspot.com/search/label/Meor%20Einayim%22%3E" target="_blank">Meor</a><a href="%3Ca%20href=%22http://dixieyid.blogspot.com/search/label/Meor%20Einayim%22%3E"> Einayim</a>. It's by the first Rebbe from Chernobyl, Reb Menachem Nachum of Chernobyl. He was a student of both the Baal Shem Tov and the Magid of Mezrich, so it's one of the original expressions of Toras HaBaal Shem Tov. Besides it's "earliness," I like it because I like the feeling of being blown off my feet every time some new layer of reality is revealed to me. The Meor Einayim does that for me more than other seforim, like I wrote about <a href="http://dixieyid.blogspot.com/2008/01/why-serving-hashem-is-not-like.html%22%3E" target="_blank">in</a><a href="http://dixieyid.blogspot.com/2008/01/why-serving-hashem-is-not-like.html%22%3E"> this post</a> . I'm just a glutton for that feeling of being taken down the rabbit hole into aspects of reality that I was not aware of.<br /></div><br /><div> </div> <div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">JB:</span>What was the most difficult thing to take on as a religious orthodox Jew?<br /><br /></div><div> </div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">DY:</span>For me, one of the hardest things at the beginning was giving up theater. I was a big thespian in high school and I was very into broadway plays and music. It was one thing to give up acting due to issues of Shabbos and "shomer negiah," but it was even more difficult to get out <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Into_the_Woods%22%3Eof%3C/a" target="_blank">of</a> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Les_Mis%C3%A9rables%22%3Ethe%3C/a" target="_blank">the</a> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miss_Saigon" target="_blank">music</a> due to "kol isha," since it was a significant interest of mine. However, knowing and feeling that what I was getting was far greater than what I was giving up, I was able to do it.<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><span style="font-weight: bold;">JB: </span>If you could give any advice to a potential BT what would it be?<br /><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-weight: bold;">DY:</span>I would say not to take yourself too seriously. When your parents or other family asks you why you're doing something, and its seems like it's a hostile question, then just give a silly answer and don't talk about the substance. Like <a href="http://www.simpletoremember.com/audio/Rabbi_Dovid_Orlofsky.htm" target="_blank">Rabbi</a><a href="http://www.simpletoremember.com/audio/Rabbi_Dovid_Orlofsky.htm"> Orlofsky</a> said one time, if someone coldly asks you why you're wearing a black hat, don't give some philosophical sounding answer. Say it's because you want to look like Robert Deniro. Also, I'd say it's important to chill out and not try to make your parents religious. They'll likely not be convinced in most cases by the person whose diapers they used to change. If anything is likely to bring them around eventually, it'll be seeing that you have become a better person with better midos than you were before. So focus more on your own midos bein adam l'chaveiro and on kibud av va'eim as your preferred method of kiruv with your parents.<br /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22477268.post-85683469038240081282008-05-27T07:08:00.002-05:002008-05-27T07:59:18.825-05:00Interview with Frum Satire!<div style="text-align: justify;">For those who are unfamiliar <a href="http://frumsatire.net/">Frum Satire</a> is one of the newer J Blogger who has been making a real impact on the J Blogosphere with his witty and funny videos and posts. He has agreed to be interviewed by J Blogmeister so without any further adieu, here is the interview!<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">JB</span>: Tell our viewers a little bit about your background<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Frum</span>:I grew up on the Upper West Side of Manhattan- most famous for its bagels and singles scene, I attended Manhattan Day School and went to Matov Day Camp, I think these were two modern orthodox institutions that all kids from the west side had to take part of. We always said the folks from the East Side were just snobby and rich. </div><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal">My mother died when I was 6 so I pretty much raised myself. I also gained this totally different perspective of Judaism because we were very modern behind closed doors- but in the open my father was just this old school orthodox guy that happened to have learned in some very prestigious yeshivas. I remember being driven to yeshiva chofetz chaim in Rochester and stopping on the way to get an eggplant farm at some non-kosher place, I also remember watching TV on shabbos afternoon.<br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-weight: bold;">JB</span>:How did you come up with the name frumsatire? What other names did you consider?</p><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Frum</span>:It just flowed off the tongue, I thought about "frum rants" but it didn't sound as cool, although "frum sarcasm or irony" may be a better fit as I have progressed along the humor scale.</p><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-weight: bold;">JB</span>:How did you get introduced to the J Blogosphere?</p><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Frum</span>:I started blogging as someone who had no idea what a blog was- I started it just because I had a lot to say. The day I was introduced to the fact other Jewish blogs existed was when I got my first big links. Krum as a Bagel and Aidel Maidel both linked me up when I wrote about different categories in orthodoxy- and suddenly I was thrust into the J-Blogsphere.</p><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-weight: bold;">JB</span>: What do you do for a living and what's your dream job?<br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Frum:</span>I work as a an Internet Marketing Manager- for all those techies out there I am really an SEO/SEM guy who dabbles with <span style="border-bottom: 1px dashed rgb(0, 102, 204); cursor: pointer;" class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1211891090_0">Google</span> advertising and shopping all day long, but this allows me to work on my own stuff by learning the field.<br /></p><div style="text-align: justify;"> Dream job would be a back country forest ranger in a National Park- so many reasons it wouldn't work, shabbos and proximity to frum communities have consistently worked against me when I have tried to get into the outdoors field. <br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">JB</span>: I understand you are 26 and single. How is the single life?<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Frum</span>:I love every minute of it. Of course I would love to meet someone, but I don't spend too much time worrying. I have a philosophy about living life to its fullest and being single really allows for lots of leeway. I have taken at least 10 one month long road trips since I was 18 and last year drove to <span style="border-bottom: medium none; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%; cursor: pointer; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;" class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1211890088_0">Alaska</span>- not even retirees get to make the drive. </div><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal">Cons: the winter is awfully lonely- especially when there isn't enough snow for skiing. I wish I could have someone to show all of the beautiful things I have seen. In the words of Chris McCandless- experience is nothing unless shared.</p><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-weight: bold;">JB</span>:Do you ever fear that your videos will have any consequences in shidduchim?</p><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Frum</span>:I go through stages- I am constantly taking stuff down due to philosophical debates about how I want to present myself. I used to not care- but now my audience is too large not to care. I have cleaned up my act and try to only put kosher things up- its better for business in general </p><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style=""><span style="font-weight: bold;">JB</span>:</span>How many dates have you gotten due to the popularity of your blog and videos?<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Frum</span>:How many dates have I gotten or how many have I been on? That's important, I have been on many dates with fans, even had a short relationship with one. I have also turned down offers and am constantly getting emails and facebook messages that contain an obvious request to hang out or date- but I usually am not interested. I find that people expect too much out of me, I am funny in person, but my blog and videos are not my life. I lead a public and a private life, like any actor.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">JB</span>:Which do you prefer more blogging or your videos and why?<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Frum</span>:Well they are both different experiences, I am definitely talented in both venues. I find that I love to do the videos- but cannot make them as long as I like, I would rather be doing performances. I would have to say the writing is better because its more interactive, that may be because anyone can comment, on you tube you need an account which is prohibitive to further the discussion.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">JB</span>: Where would you say you got your sense of humor from?<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Frum</span>:My father definitely has a big part to do with that, he was always saying whatever was on his mind, he was always himself. Other then that I have no idea, I never even knew I could do anything with it, people always found me funny- but I never paid any attention to trying to get it on paper.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">JB</span>: The funniest Blog you ever read would be?<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Frum</span>:You know I really don't read blogs that often unless people send links. But <a target="_blank" href="http://bangitout.com/"><span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1211890088_5">Bangitout.com</span></a> consistently has the best and funniest stuff around.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">JB</span>: What part of being Jewish do you enjoy the most?<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Frum</span>:That's a hard question- never even thought about it. I could be funny and say the food- because the food is not only good, we are the only community in which you can pretty much get free food any time. I would say shabbos is my favorite part of being Jewish, the natural breaks in which we have time to reflect upon life, chow down, stare over the mechitza and hang out with family and friends. With our fast paced electronically driven lives I think many people have lost a connection to regular old relaxation and family time.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">JB</span>:How long do you see yourself continuing this blog ? 1yr-10 yrs?<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Frum</span>:My audience is changing slowly, as I become more known so it continues to develop into something different all the time. I always think I am going to run out of things to say and suddenly I have a flood of things to write. Its almost 2 years and realistically I have no clue. I have some cool stuff coming up and am starting to collaborate with several popular Jewish personalities so who knows where I will end up. But realistically I would like it to become a full time job.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">JB</span>: Do you have a favorite fan? Have you been subjected to any stalkers?<br /><br /></div><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Frum</span>:Wow favorite fan, I get a lot of emails saying how awesome I am. Commenters come and go, I will have one person commenting for 6 months straight and suddenly they are gone. These commenters are usually women by the way. Some guy just contacted me the other day, he is the director of a large Jewish political not-profit in NYC and he says he's been reading my stuff since I started and loves me. In two weeks time he got me a spot on some cable TV show, and wants to write me up for some of his newspaper connections. Is he my biggest fan? </p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><br />Stalkers is an interesting subject. I do have stalkers, people will stalk in various ways, usually through comments and then I'll get messages on facebook and if I'm on frumster they will find me- but specific cases are way too many- I have them and usually they are quite fun. <br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><span style=""><span style="font-weight: bold;">JB</span>:</span>What new ideas do you see yourself putting forth on your blog other than your videos?</p><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Frum</span>:Well I was just contacted by Y-Love and he asked me if I wanted to do some sort of podcast with him, personally I would love to get on the radio- or do some sort of podcasting, I have lost to say and can just keep going- but I need people top feed off of. I would also love to start a new humor blog with multiple contributors- that's been floating around my head. I think it would be great exposure and mix things up a bit- since strictly humor wise there really isn't anything besides for me and Bang it out.<br /><br /><span style=""><span style="font-weight: bold;">JB</span>:</span> What is the coolest place you traveled to and why?<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Frum</span>:By far the Yukon Territory in <span style="border-bottom: medium none; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%; cursor: pointer; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;" class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1211892501_0">Canada</span>, last September I drove with two friends from <span style="border-bottom: 1px dashed rgb(0, 102, 204); cursor: pointer;" class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1211892501_1">NY</span> to <span style="border-bottom: 1px dashed rgb(0, 102, 204); cursor: pointer;" class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1211892501_2">Alaska</span> with we spent time driving and hiking in the Yukon. I am completely fascinated with remote and rural areas. Prior to the building of the Alaska Highway in 1942- there was no road connecting this area to the outside world. Just the vastness and beauty of the land. They have towns that are only accessible in the winter when the rivers freeze and they make ice roads. Its so cool to be in an English speaking country on the same continent as <span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1211892501_3">NY</span> and be so distant from the lives we know. 200 miles between gas stations, grizzly bears and hiking with my shotgun were also exciting.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">JB</span>:Have you ever been to <span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1211892501_4">Israel</span> and if so tell us a bit about your experiences. </div><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Frum</span>:I have been in <span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1211892501_5">Israel</span> twice, first time on a Hillel Birthright trip with the <span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1211892501_6">University of Rochester</span> in 2002 and then again a couple years later when I took off 5 months to learn at Ohr Someyach. I love <span style="border-bottom: 1px dashed rgb(0, 102, 204); cursor: pointer;" class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1211892501_7">Israel</span> and will undoubtedly live there someday- who knows when. I brought my mountain bike and saw the country from the 10 mph perspective, I went on rides with random riders through ruins and the desert and saw a lot, learned very little. I look at all my experiences through that of my bike, I used to ride to the kotel at 2 in the morning to daven maariv- its eerie let me tell you. I especially liked staying in <span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1211892501_8">Chevron</span> during the whole Chayei Sarah weekend events- camped out the Baruch Goldstien memorial park- found that kind of ironic. Oh and the food- one must not forget the food- luckily I rode a lot- or else I would have blown into a blimp- like the first year seiminary girls do. <br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><span style=""></span><span style="font-weight: bold;">JB</span>:What Jewish Music are you currently listening to? </p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Frum</span>:Well I'll tell you I just got the AKA Pella adaptations album and am very impressed- just wrote a review. I also just got Yossi Greens The 8<sup>th</sup> Note and its wonderful, besides for that I am addicted to Avaraham Fried and the Marvelous Middos Machine of all things.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">JB</span>:Your current favorite Jewish Solo Artist is? </p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Frum</span>:Well in terms of innovative and up and coming I would have to say Mendy Pellin, he's funny and completely kosher and appeals to both kid and adults. I think Matisyahu and Y-Love are amazing thing for Jews as a whole, because they allow Jews to feel comfortable being Jews. It makes more people want to take off their baseball caps and don yarmulkes.</p><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">JB</span>:Based on the amount of comments you receive your blog seems to be very popular. How much traffic do you get?Tell us about he most traffic you ever got in one day and the corresponding post for that surge.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Frum</span>:I don't think I get many comments for the amount of traffic I have and I attribute this to the fact that I rarely comment on other blogs- therefore most of my comments come from people outside the blogging field. If I get over 20 comments on a post its amazing- the big J-bloggers I see getting 200-300 comments per post every day. Right now average about 800-1000 unique hits per day with about double that in page views. You know my traffic has been pretty steady. I do remember this one day I received almost 2000 unique hits but couldn't figure out why- it was inexplicable.</div><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22477268.post-57092583467936856672007-06-18T23:13:00.000-05:002007-06-18T23:37:17.634-05:00Jewish Blogmeister Interviews Dafnotes!<div style="text-align: justify;">And now the moment you have all been waiting for: The Return of the J Blogger Interview!This new interview is with none other than Blogger heavyweight <a href="http://dafnotes.blogspot.com/">Dafnotes</a>. This is a cross post at <a href="http://jewishmuzic.blogspot.com/2007/06/j-blogger-interview-featuring-dafnotes.html">Jewish Blogmeister</a>.Enjoy.<br /><br /><br />JB: How did you get into blogging?<br /><br /><span class="fullpost">DafNotes:Last summer, after I finished teaching, I was off for two weeks before starting my camp job, and I said to my brother: “why don't we start writing on the daily Daf, and give everyone a chance to contribute a little?” Daf Yomi was always about “togetherness amongst Klal Yisroel." Having a Daf Yomi site where people can "chap" a bite of learning during lunch or by a break, thus inspiring them throughout the day, was something special that we wanted to be a part of. We currently have regular Daf Yomi learners who visit the blog daily and we have those that are interested in specific topics. We even have people that drop by who are not currently studying the Daf, but nonetheless, they enjoy learning and are interested in the issues discussed. The blogger community (including <a href="http://mrbagel.blogspot.com/">Mr. Bagel</a>, <a href="http://muqata.blogspot.com/">Jameel</a>, Bennett from <a href="http://daledamos.blogspot.com/">Daled Amos</a>, <a href="http://soccerdad.baltiblogs.com/">Soccer Dad</a>, <a href="http://lifeinisrael.blogspot.com/">Rafi G</a>., <a href="http://www.jewishmuzic.blogspot.com/">Jewish Blogmeister</a>, <a href="http://serandez.blogspot.com/">Ezzie</a>, <a href="http://www.seraphicpress.com/">Seraphic Secrets</a>, <a href="http://sicat222.blogspot.com/">Irina</a>, <a href="http://thewaykasambaseesit.blogspot.com/">Kasamba</a>, <a href="http://shilohpics.blogspot.com/">Batya</a>, The Way she Writes and others -sorry if I missed anyone) is extremely helpful for us amateurs, who were not trained in html codes, widgets and trackbacks.</span><br /><br /><span class="fullpost">JB: Tell us a little bit about your background.</span><br /><br /><span class="fullpost"><div style="text-align: justify;">DafNotes:I lived most of my life in Chicago and I studied in Telz Yeshiva and learned b'chavrusah with the Rosh Yeshiva, Rabbi Avraham Chaim Levin for many years. My first years in Yeshiva were in Edison at RJJ, when the Yeshiva initially opened, and then I spent a winter with the Talmid of the Chofetz Chaim, HaRav Yehudah Zev Segal in Manchester, England. That experience propelled me to advance in learning. I learned in the Telz Kollel for six years, and then I was asked to be a Rosh Chabura of a new Community Kollel in Beachwood, Ohio together with Rabbi Yaakov Zev Katz, son of the late Telzer Rosh Yeshive, Rav Mottel Katz zt"l. I was there for three years and then I began teaching sixth grade in the Cheder, Mosdos Ohr HaTorah, the position I am currently in.</div></span><br /><span class="fullpost">JB: Besides discussing the Daf, is there anything else you deal with?</span><br /><br /><span class="fullpost">DafNotes: See above. I also say an early morning in depth "Dirshu shiur" to men before they go to work and I say a Daf-Yomi shiur in the evening. I take bechinos every month on the Daf Yomi and I have other study partners as well. In between, I write the Daf Notes, respond to comments, update my blog and help my wonderful wife take care of our family. <p>JB:At times the daf's discussion may be a little dry, how do you make it interesting?</p></span><span class="fullpost"><p>DafNotes:I always look for a Torah discussion relevant to the Daf that will be interesting to all the serious Daf Yomi learners, the occasional learners and the one's that are just getting started. I look for stories related to the Daf, and issues that pertain to many areas of the Talmud. Every once in a while I will write about a somewhat controversial topic, which can be beneficial. </p> <p>JB:Are you the only blog that does the daf?</p><p>DafNotes: There was one before me; David G. from A Daf a Day. He had stopped and I asked him some advice before I began. Since then, another one started called Heoros on the Daf from Avi Lebovitz, a Rosh Kollel in Palo Alto, California. His discussions are deeper and more intricate than mine.</p><p>JB:What's your favorite daf?<br /></p></span><span class="fullpost"><p>DafNotes:The Gemora tells us that we are not supposed to choose one portion over the other. Every day, I write over most of the Daf in English in a manner that it can be self-understood without the text in front of you, besides writing a short discussion on the Daf. It is easier to write when it is a halacha topic, but the discussions can be easier when it is a Homiletical Gemora.</p></span><span class="fullpost"><p>JB:How long have you been involved in daf yomi?</p><p>DafNotes: I began twenty years ago, but it was sporadic. I started learning it b'chavrusah approximately ten years ago, and I have been saying a shiur for eight years.</p></span><span class="fullpost"><p>JB:Your Blog is very well put together, did you do that yourself?</p><p>DafNotes: Thank you. I initially designed it myself, and then I had input from other bloggers on ways to enhance it. Recently, the blog took a facelift and all the credit for that must go to Mr. Bagel. He wanted to see a Torah blog have the appearance of a top-notch blog, and I must say that he's an expert and he succeeded in his mission. I can't thank him enough.</p></span><span class="fullpost"><p>JB:What do you find most inspiring about blogging the Daf?</p><p>DafNotes: All the Gedolim always talk about the connection to your fellows that is created by learning the Daf. Rabbi Levin always talks about the people he sat next to on an airplane and they studied the daf together. With blogging, we have this experience every day. Like I said before, all types of people stop by. We get inspired from the interest that everyone has. People in all types of businesses take a break in middle of their hectic day to see what's cooking on the daf and to see if they have anything to add to the discussion.</p></span><span class="fullpost"><p>JB:Do you see yourself continuing this blog for a long time?</p><p>DafNotes: With G-d's help I hope so. The next cycle should be easier.</p></span><span class="fullpost"><p>JB:Any last words to our reading audience?</p> <p>DafNotes: Firstly, I'd like to thank Hashem for giving me the opportunity to disseminate Torah to all over the world. Secondly, I'd like to express my deepest sense of gratitude and appreciation to my wife, Tzippy, for putting up with me and all my projects, and for offering her words of encouragement when things are going tough. My children pick up the slack for me in taking care of the house, and they are most helpful. I thank my brother Ben from <a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="http://us.f550.mail.yahoo.com/ym/Compose?To=ben@topofthelinepromotions.com"><u>topofthelinepromotions.com</u></a> for taking on this project with me, and for all his assistance in editing and researching now. I can't forget my brother Motti from Petach Tikvah, Israel, who controls the Midrashiya server that delivers the Daf to everyone mailbox every day. I thank the rest of my family, personal friends, helpful bloggers and everyone for contributing to this Kiddush Hashem. Thank you and may we merit the coming of Mashiach speedily.</p></span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22477268.post-1166550327955233322006-12-19T12:44:00.000-05:002006-12-19T13:09:45.150-05:00J Blogger Interview: LakeVentI'm pleased to introduce another one of my favorite bloggers: <a href="http://www.lakevent.blogspot.com/">Lakevent </a>! If you have missed my other recent J Blogger interviews <a href="http://jewishmuzic.blogspot.com/2006/12/jblogger-interview-wrap-up.html">click here</a>. Now you can finally find out some of the secrets of this famous town in NJ: Lakewood!<span class="fullpost"><br /><br />JBM: What are some of the best things about living in Lakewood?<br /><br />LakeVent:The air in Lakewood is fresher and cleaner than in big cities. In Lakewood people actually know each other and care for one another, something you don't always have in New York or other big cities. There is no shortage of Kosher food and services in Lakewood. Besides for certain times in certain areas there usually isn't much of a traffic or parking problem in Lakewood, and when I get home at night I have a driveway to park my cars! Not to mention I have grass and trees near my house.<br /><br />JBM: what is your favorite "chumra"?LakeVent:I am not into chumras. I have a hard enough time doing the things I am supposed to do without the added burden of extra chumras. But i do try to say the "Zayins" in krias shma with extra PiZZaZZ to outdo the brisker sitting next to me in shul (10:00 am minyan of course)<br /><br />JBM: If you could change anything about Lakewood what would it be?<br /><br />LakeVent:I would have people care more about the character of others and care less about the outward appearance of everyone else. Unfortunately in Lakewood many people rush to judge everyone else based on shirt/hat color etc.<br /><br />JBM:Tell us a bit about your family any kids etc..<br /><br />LakeVent:Well, I cannot tell you much without revealing a little about my identity (which I must be careful to protect, otherwise the Lakewood Internet Police will be after me). Let me just say that I have a nice wife and beautiful children.<br /><br />JBM: Has anyone in Lakewood figured out who you are?<br /><br />LakeVent:I hope not.<br /><br />JBM: You are currently listening to what Jewish Album?<br /><br />LakeVent:The new Uncle Moishy CD is currently playing in my car (my kids won't let me listen to anything else). But when they aren't looking I am listening to the new Shlomo Simcha Cd.<br /><br />JBM: You mention on your blog that it is a kind of therapy for you. Do you still find it to be the case?<br /><br />LakeVent:Absolutely. Not every time I post is this the case, but many times i do post for the therapeutic aspect of blogging.<br /><br />JBM:Who is your favorite maggid shiur?<br /><br />LakeVent:In Lakewood? I would have to say Rabbi Simcha Bunim Kohen. In general? I enjoy Rabbi Tatz.<br /><br /><br />JBM: When will you continue your "Life in Kollel" story?<br /><br />LakeVent:I get a lot of emails asking me to continue. Honestly, I think I made my point with the first installation, and there really isn't any point in doing part 2. What good can come out from continuing the story? The idea has been spoken, the actual story needs not to be told again.<br /><br /><br />JBM:Do you actually learn in Kollel?<br /><br />LakeVent:No, I actually work for a living.<br /><br />JBM:If you remember I had a post about a fellow who goes around Lakewood selling "ban the internet" bumper sticker for $5. Have you ever seen that man?<br /><br />LakeVent:I have never seen that man nor have I ever seen such a bumper sticker. The most common Bumper sticker in Lakewood is the Oorah green ribbon which for some reason people feel possessed to place on their cars.<br /><br />JBM:What's the funniest thing about living in Lakewood<br /><br />LakeVent:Good question. Never really found anything about living here"funny" per se. I guess the fact that people can dedicate their lives to dreaming up chumras and ways to outdo their neighbors frumkeit is pretty funny.<br /><br />JBM:Are there any other Lakewood bloggers?<br /><br />LakeVent:There are lots of Lakewood bloggers. Many of them identify themselves as such, but many hide the fact that they are from Lakewood. Some simply don't post where they are from (but it is self evident many times) and some actually post their hometown as NY, Monsey or some other heavily Jewish city. Why someone would hide that fact is beyond me.<br /><br />JBM:If you could be any type of black hat, what would it be.....<br /><br />LakeVent:I don't particularly like black hats, but if I had to choose one it would definitely be the Hamburg! They are so cool.<br /><br />JBM:What kind of wicks do you use on your menorah?<br /><br />LakeVent: I am old fashioned when it comes to these things. I don't use the ready made pre-wicked (is that a word?) kind. I roll my own cotton and place them in metal holders. They don't burn as nicely or evenly but I enjoy "doing it yourself"</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22477268.post-1166102715526229592006-12-14T07:35:00.000-05:002006-12-14T08:25:15.610-05:00Coming Up! Lakewood Vent Interview<span style="font-family: arial;">Details </span><a style="font-family: arial;" href="http://lakevent.blogspot.com/2006/12/jbm-interviews-lv-coming-soon.html">here</a><span style="font-family: arial;">. </span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22477268.post-1166053597442113072006-12-13T18:43:00.000-05:002006-12-13T18:46:37.453-05:00Jewish Blogmeister's J-Blogger Interviews<span style="font-family: arial;">If you liked what I used to do here, then you should totally check out </span><a style="font-family: arial;" href="http://jewishmuzic.blogspot.com">Jewish Blogmeister's</a> interviews. They are really good. Here are the ones he has done so far. <br /><br /><a style="font-family: arial;" href="http://jewishmuzic.blogspot.com/2006/12/first-israeli-jblogger-interview-life.html">Life-In-Israel</a><br /><br /><a style="font-family: arial;" href="http://jewishmuzic.blogspot.com/2006/11/blog-interviews-life-of-rubin.html">Life-Of-Rubin</a><br /><br /><a style="font-family: arial;" href="http://jewishmuzic.blogspot.com/2006/11/jblogger-interview-serandez.html">SerandEz</a><br /><br /><a style="font-family: arial;" href="http://jewishmuzic.blogspot.com/2006/12/interrigation-interview-of.html">Bagel Blogger</a><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22477268.post-1153741271171907642006-07-24T06:37:00.000-05:002006-07-24T06:41:57.683-05:00Interview with a J-Blogger<span style="font-family:arial;">Rafi from Life in Israel sends </span><a style="font-family: arial;" href="http://lifeinisrael.blogspot.com/2006/07/interview-with-jblogger.html">this</a><span style="font-family:arial;"> in. </span><br /><br /><span style="text-decoration: underline;font-family:arial;" ></span><blockquote style="font-family:arial;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"></span>"and LBlogger (Lebanese blogger) posted!!<br /><br />Joh Padgett has guest blogged on the Taylor Marsh website. He wrote about the conflict on the northern border and he interviewed an Israeli blogger (me) and a Lebanese blogger (Mustafa from Beirut Spring) to get our views on the conflict.<br /><br />Check out the website <a href="http://www.taylormarsh.com/" target="_blank">here</a>. Currently his post is at the top, but if it moves down and you want to find it directly, click <a href="http://www.taylormarsh.com/archives_view.php?id=24289" target="_blank">here</a>"</blockquote><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">As far as this blog is concerned, don't give up on it yet. I actually have a very exciting interview in the finishing stages. The questions have been sent and it's hopefully almost done. It's with a blogger in Israel right now and I really think it's going to be very interesting. More on that later. </span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22477268.post-1142777144960619492006-03-19T09:05:00.000-05:002006-03-19T09:18:39.486-05:00An Interview With ...Blog In Dm<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><b style=""><span style="font-family:Arial;">Welcome everyone to another edition of The J-Blogger Interviews. This week I am very excited to introduce you to a personal favorite of mine, <a href="http://blogindm.blogspot.com">BlogInDm</a>, AKA Hasidic Musician. A guy who has written many important posts, including <a href="http://blogindm.blogspot.com/2003/12/on-jm-marketing.html">this one</a>, which I myself have <a href="http://life-of-rubin.blogspot.com/2005/04/why-for-g-ds-sake-why-do-you-lie-to-me_18.html">referenced</a> many times. I like to think of BlogInDm as the BlogFather and consious</span></b></span> <span style="font-size:100%;"><b style=""><span style="font-family:Arial;">of Jewish Music.</span><i style=""><span style="font-family:Arial;"> <o:p></o:p></span></i></b></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;" >Thanks again for taking the time to answer these questions,<span class="q"> I’m sure everyone will enjoy reading your answers.</span></span><span class="q" style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:Arial;"><o:p><br /></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="q" style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:Arial;"><o:p></o:p><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">LOR: Where were you born?</span></span></span><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;" ><br /></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;" ><span class="q"><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 102);">BiDm:</span> </span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><st1:place><st1:city><span class="q"><span style="font-family:Arial;">Jerusalem</span></span></st1:city><span class="q"><span style="font-family:Arial;">, </span></span><st1:country-region><span class="q"><span style="font-family:Arial;">Israel</span></span></st1:country-region></st1:place></span><span class="q" style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:Arial;">. The </span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><st1:country-region><st1:place><span class="q"><span style="font-family:Arial;">US</span></span></st1:place></st1:country-region></span><span class="q" style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:Arial;"> government won't let me put the </span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><st1:country-region><st1:place><span class="q"><span style="font-family:Arial;">Israel</span></span></st1:place></st1:country-region></span><span class="q" style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:Arial;"> part on my passport though. </span></span><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;" ><br /></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;" ><span class="q"><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">LOR: What age did you start playing an instrument?</span><br /><br /></span> </span><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;" ><span class="q"><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 102);">BiDm:</span> </span></span><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;" ><span class="q">I started formal lessons when I was seven, but I'd been playing by ear before then. </span><br /></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;" ><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0); font-weight: bold;" class="q">LOR: Do you recommend every parent to encourage their children to take up playing an instrument? If yes, describe why you think it's important. </span><br /></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;" ><span class="q"><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 102);">BiDm:</span> </span></span><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;" ><span class="q">I'm curious why you chose to phrase the question this way instead of asking "if no, why not?". I believe that everyone has unique talents that they should develop. If a child is musically inclined, than their parents should encourage music lessons, if they paint or draw, the parents should encourage the development of those skills. I believe that letting ones talents go undeveloped is a form of ba'al tashchit.</span><br /></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;" ><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(255, 0, 0);" class="q">LOR: Do you think that we will see a Heimish (or dare I say "Shiny Shoe") singer reach the level of a MBD or Avraham Fried again anytime soon?</span><br /><br /></span><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;" ><span class="q"><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 102);">BiDm:</span> </span></span><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;" ><span class="q">What do you mean by level? Regardless of whether you mean talent, sales, popularity etc, the answer is yes. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(255, 0, 0);" class="q">LOR: Do you find that limiting yourself to the subject of music is constricting to you? </span><br /><br /></span><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;" ><span class="q"><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 102);">BiDm:</span> </span></span><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;" ><span class="q">Nope. My life is a lot more than the blog. The blog just happens to be about music and music-related posts. Its no more constricting than any other form of specialty writing. I view the blog as essentially being my own op-ed page on J-music. Judging by the readership I've established, the responses I've been getting, and the number of websites (Jewish and otherwise) that have linked to me, a lot of people are interested in reading about these topics. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(255, 0, 0);" class="q">LOR: Are there other things that you would want to blog about? </span><br /><br /></span><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;" ><span class="q"><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 102);">BiDm:</span> </span></span><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;" ><span class="q">Sure. Currently, I've been considering writing about the murder of Ilan Halimi in </span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><st1:country-region><st1:place><span class="q"><span style="font-family:Arial;">France</span></span></st1:place></st1:country-region></span><span class="q" style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:Arial;">. I also thought about blogging my thoughts on the </span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><st1:city><st1:place><span class="q"><span style="font-family:Arial;">Gaza</span></span></st1:place></st1:city></span><span class="q" style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:Arial;"> disengagement this past summer, but ultimately decided not to. </span></span><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;" ><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(255, 0, 0);" class="q">LOR: There is a new site opening soon called J-Tunes which will be offering downloads of Jewish Music. Do you think this will successful? </span><br /><br /></span><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;" ><span class="q"><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 102);">BiDm:</span> </span></span><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;" ><span class="q">I have no knowledge of the specifics of their business model. I think the Jewish community is ready for a legal download option, but I'd feel a lot more comfortable both buying and selling music through a well-known company like Apple via iTunes or other similar companies. The company you mention has already announced and postponed their launch a number of times. I just checked out their site again and while they are now in "public beta", so far it's not confidence inspiring.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0); font-weight: bold;" class="q">LOR: What are your views on being able to download Jewish music, good or bad for the JM Industry?</span><br /><br /><span class="q"><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">BiDm: </span>Are you talking about legal downloading? I think it's a good thing. It will enable more artists to get their music out there with less upfront expense because they won't have to manufacture CD's. Illegal downloading is another story. I get a huge number of hits from people looking for illegal Jewish mp3 downloads. These hits increase during bein hazmanim. Recently, I've begun posting PSA's at those times encouraging people to support creative Jewish music.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">L</span><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);" class="q"><span style="font-weight: bold;">OR: What do you say to people who claim Halacha doesn't say anything about "intellectual copyright" in other words, music isn't physical so its not stealing.</span> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;" ><span class="q"><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 102);">BiDm:</span> </span></span><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;" >I’d suggest they talk to a posek about the issue; the kind that doesn’t say it’s ok to cheat on taxes. They might also want to investigate the concept called “Dina d’malchusa dina.”<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;" ><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(255, 0, 0);" class="q">LOR: Where do you think the line is drawn between Loshan Hora and kosher J-Blog reporting.</span><br /><br /><span class="q"><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">BiDm: </span>That's a good question. I believe that it is fair to report and comment on public information which is what I usually try to do. I think that private behavior that has no effect on the public should not be covered. The sticky part is when there is public information about private acts or private information about acts affecting the public. It's a balancing act between preserving the individual's privacy and protecting the community. I've run posts about unpleasant topics by Rabbonim with experience in that area for review.</span><br /><br /><span class="q">I should point out that there are many bad actors in the frum community at large that rely on the public's ignorance of the Halachos of Lashon Hara to protect themselves from the consequences of their actions. This is an area in which I think blogs can have a huge positive impact. </span><br /><br /><span class="q">Sometimes, some sensitivity is required. For instance, I wrote two posts about how the industry should respond to one performer's arrest in </span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><st1:country-region><st1:place><span class="q"><span style="font-family:Arial;">Israel</span></span></st1:place></st1:country-region></span><span class="q" style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:Arial;"> for highly inappropriate behavior. Many people know who I was referring to, but they didn't learn his identity from me. By design, neither of those posts mentioned his name, because since the people in the JM industry knew who I was referring to, it wasn't necessary to include his name in the post. I also deliberately didn't link to the many posts by bloggers or on websites who were naming him. Such nuance is often lost on some readers, but the intelligent ones get it. </span></span><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;" ><br /><br /><span class="q">Also, J-bloggers need to be careful not to ascribe motivations to others. I recently posted about a Bar Mitzvah I'd played that Chabad of Mineola had hosted for a 76 year old Holocaust survivor. One blogger whose opinion I respect was very critical of Chabad's actions due to a number of assumptions he'd made that happened to be untrue in this case. IMO, if he'd not ascribed motivations, he'd have avoided tripping up. The irony is that his underlying premise is unfortunately correct in some cases. Not this one, though.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(255, 0, 0);" class="q">LOR: Do you think by blogging about certain hypocrisies and reporting on real issues in the JM world that people in the industry will think twice about trying to pull fast ones on the consumers? In short, do you think we're making an impact?</span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;" ><o:p></o:p><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">BiDm:</span> </span>Absolutely. I’m not going to give examples here, but I’ve received emails from artists commenting on things I (and other J bloggers) have written. I know who many of my readers in the industry are, and I know that some have acknowledged making changes in response to issues raised on blogs. More importantly, the next generation of net savvy J –musicians all know that the free ride on this sort of thing is over. I am aware of a number of JM websites that have changed content in response to criticism from bloggers.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;" ><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(255, 0, 0);" class="q">LOR: BlogInDm is a great name, but what if when you started it had been taken. What alternative name would your blog have been given?<br /><br /></span><span class="q"><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">BiDm:</span> Blog in D Freygish</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(255, 0, 0);" class="q">LOR: Which JM "star" would be most likely to have their own cereal box? </span><br /><br /></span><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;" ><span class="q"><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">BiDm:</span></span></span><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;" ><span class="q"> Dedi</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;" class="q"><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">LOR: Which JM "star" would be most likely to have his own designer clothing line?</span> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;" ><span class="q"><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">BiDm: </span></span></span><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;" >Shloime Dachs<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;" ><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(255, 0, 0);" class="q">LOR: In your second post on your blog you wrote about the famous Yidden song's true origins. Today when people speak about Jewish Music copying goyish music without crediting the original source, Yidden is the first and probably still best example of this.<br /></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;" ><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(255, 0, 0);" class="q">Why do you think MBD did it, and do you ever think he would talk about it, speak out against it, and show regret or anything along those lines? </span><br /><br /></span><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;" ><span class="q"><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">BiDm: </span></span></span><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;" ><span class="q">These are questions you should really ask MBD. Incidentally, Yidden isn't the first example of this. MBD had previously recorded Bobby Vinton's Melody of Love as "Shir Hashalom" and Andrew Lloyd Webber's "Close Every Door" from "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat" as "Lichtiger Shabbos."</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(255, 0, 0);" class="q">LOR: What's your message to young/new JM singers who might be thinking of borrowing "goyish" music and pretending it's their own.</span><br /><br /></span><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;" ><span class="q"><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">BiDm:</span></span></span><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;" ><span class="q"> Don't do it. If you're going to use someone else's song, then license it and credit it in the appropriate way. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(255, 0, 0);" class="q">LOR: Do you think there is a level of hypocrisy that the same people who chastise Matisyahu have only prases when it comes to Reb Shlomo who, whether people like to hear this or not, went way beyond the lines of what's considered frum when dealing with his chevra. </span><br /><br /></span><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;" ><span class="q"><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">BiDm:</span></span></span><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;" ><span class="q"> One one level, there is an element of inconsistency which is only human. But on the other hand, Shlomo isn't with us anymore. Matisyahu is. There is still the ability to impact what he does. Clearly, he's taken some of the criticism to heart. I believe that's why he's no longer stage diving at shows.</span><br /><br /><span class="q">Also, Shlomo wasn't just a singer. He also taught a lot of Torah, single-handedly brought many Jews back to Judaism, and gave virtually all his money to tzedaka. He got results that Matisyahu hasn't and won't ever get singing Jewish reggae. And then there's the whole Yechi thing...</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(255, 0, 0);" class="q">LOR: What's your favorite Jewish album of all time?</span><br /><br /></span><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;" ><span class="q"><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">BiDm:</span></span></span><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;" ><span class="q"> It's hard to choose just one.</span><br /><br /><span class="q"><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0); font-weight: bold;">LOR: Could you try? Maybe name a few of your top albums.</span><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;" ><span class="q"><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">BiDm:</span></span></span><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;" > OK. Here are a number of albums that come to mind. This is hard to do. I’m sure I’m omitting many. I’m going to keep it limited to “Jewish” music for brevity. In no particular order, they are:<br /><b><br /></b>The New Neginah Wedding Album Volume 1. In my opinion this is the best Jewish wedding album (of NY Orthodox wedding repertoire.) Few of the musicians on that album play for Neginah anymore though.<br /><br /></span></p> <ul> <li><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;" > Ruach – Vol. 1</span></li><li><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;" > Neshoma Orchestra – A Simcha Celebration (Vol.1)</span></li><li><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;" > Diaspora – The Diaspora Collection</span></li><li><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;" > Adi Ran – Ha’acharon Sheba’am</span></li><li><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;" > Yosef Karduner – Simanim Baderech</span></li><li><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;" > Shlomo Carlebach – In The Palace of the King</span></li><li><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;" > Issac Bitton — Songs for a Brother Volume 1</span></li><li><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;" > Piamenta – Mitzvah </span></li><li><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;" > Chilik Frank – Chasdei Hashem</span></li><li><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;" > Captain Dovid and the Rebbes of Rhythm</span></li><li><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;" > Kol Simcha – Crazy Freilachs</span></li><li><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;" > Gershon Veroba – Sasson V’simcha</span></li><li><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;" > London/Sklamberg/Caine – Nigunim</span></li><li><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;" > Mooshy - Assia</span></li><li><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;" > Hasidic New Wave - Kabology</span></li><li><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;" > Klezmatics – Jews with Horns</span></li><li><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;" > Margo Leverett – The Art of Klezmer Clarinet</span></li><li><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;" > Fleytmusic – Adrienne Greenbaum</span></li><li><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;" > Chaim David – A New Light</span></li><li><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;" > Andy Statman and Zev Feldman – Klezmer Music</span></li><li><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;" > Micki Rosenbaum – Psipas (Mosaic)</span></li><li><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;" >Yitzchak Attias – Gather The Sparks</span></li><li><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;" > Kesher - Vol. 1</span></li><li><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;" > Shlock Rock - Vol. 8</span></li><li><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;" > Avraham Fried – Avinu Malkenu</span></li><li><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;" > Lipa Shmeltzer – Letova</span></li><li><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;" > 613 Torah Avenue – Bereishis</span></li><li><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;" > Dveykus - Vol. 2</span></li> </ul> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;" ><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(255, 0, 0);" class="q">LOR: What are you listening to currently?</span><br /><br /><span class="q"><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">BiDm:</span> Chaim David – Ma'aser Rishon</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(255, 0, 0);" class="q">LOR: Who is your mentor musically?</span><br /><br /></span><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;" ><span class="q"><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">BiDm:</span></span></span><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;" ><span class="q"> I don't really have one mentor. I try to learn from all of the musicians I listen to or work with.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(255, 0, 0);" class="q">LOR: Let's play Yes or No. </span><br /><br /><span class="q"><span style="font-weight: bold;">MBD's new album will be a huge success. </span><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">Yes or No?</span></span><br /><br /></span><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;" ><span class="q"><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">BiDm:</span></span></span><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;" ><span class="q"> No. But it will sell a lot of copies.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;" class="q">When Eli Gerstner releases The Chevra 3, with new singers. It will bomb tremendously. <span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">Yes or No?</span></span><br /><br /></span><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;" ><span class="q"><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">BiDm: </span></span></span><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;" ><span class="q">Yes.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;" class="q">Avraham Fried will have a new album by next Chanukah. <span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">Yes or No?</span></span><br /><br /></span><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;" ><span class="q"><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">BiDm: </span></span></span><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;" ><span class="q">Yes.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;" class="q">Will Chaim Dovid ever have another hit like Yamamai. <span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">Yes or No?</span></span><br /><br /></span><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;" ><span class="q"><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">BiDm:</span></span></span><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;" ><span class="q"> Yes. He's writing some interesting tunes these days.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(255, 0, 0);" class="q">LOR: </span><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(255, 0, 0);" class="q">What advice do you want to give to someone who wants to start a career in the Jewish Music scene, band wise or CD wise.</span><br /><br /></span><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;" ><span class="q"><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">BiDm: </span></span></span><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;" ><span class="q">Be yourself. Be honest. Try to focus on your unique expression rather than trying to copy everyone else. Be very wary of producers who make promises they can't deliver. There are some real "winners" out there who will sell you a bill of goods. These guys are happy to produce an album that they know won't sell because, in addition to their fees, they get to direct a whole lot of money to their friends in the industry including musicians, studios, graphic designers, etc.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(255, 0, 0);" class="q">LOR: Would you advise future Jbloggers to blog about just one topic?</span><br /><br /></span><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;" ><span class="q"><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">BiDm: </span></span></span><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;" ><span class="q"> Sure. If they're so inclined.</span><o:p></o:p></span></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22477268.post-1142171842100705802006-03-12T08:56:00.000-05:002006-03-12T19:33:50.370-05:00An Interview With .... David 'Treppenwitz' Bogner.<div style="font-family: arial;font-family:verdana;" ><span style="font-size:85%;"><strong><em>I want to thank David of course for agreeing to take part in this interview. I also want to thank all the bloggers who linked to this site. I really appreciate it. This blog had just about 1,000 hits in the first week. I'm extremely proud of this new project and I really encourage everyone to link to it.<br /><br /></em></strong></span></div> <div style="font-family: arial;font-family:verdana;" ><span style="font-size:85%;"><strong><em></em></strong></span> </div> <div style="font-family: arial;font-family:verdana;" ><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><strong><em>There are tons of amazing Jbloggers, and I hope to get to everyone. You can always check the sidebar to see who is coming up. You can also submit questions to me to any Jblogger on the roster.<br /><br />Now please enjoy this interview with David of the <a href="http://bogieworks.blogs.com/">Treppenwitz</a> blog.</i></em></strong></span><br /></span></div><div style="font-family: arial;font-family:verdana;" > </div> <div style="font-family: arial;font-family:verdana;" ><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span><p> <span style="font-size:100%;"><a href="http://bogieworks.blogs.com/"><img src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/751/858/320/trepinter.0.jpg" border="0" /></a></span> </p><p><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /><strong><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">Life-Of-Rubin: What city were you born in?</span></strong><br /><br /><strong><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 160);">Treppenwitz:</span></strong> Long Beach, New York. I only lived there for a few months before we moved, though. Here are some other places I've lived:<br /><br />Troy, New York<br />New paltz, New York<br />San Diego, California<br />Bridgeport, Connecticut<br />Trumbull, Connecticut<br />Honolulu, Hawaii,<br />Beer Sheva, Israel<br />Jerusalem, Israel<br />New York, New York<br />Brooklyn, New York<br />Fairfield, Connecticut<br />Efrat, Israel<br /><br /></span><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);font-size:100%;" ><strong>LOR: Please describe for us your idea of a perfect dinner.</strong></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /><br /><strong><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 255);">Trep:<br /><br /></span></strong><u><strong>Appetizer:<br /></strong></u>Tossed green salad with duck confit<br />Plate of toast rounds with pâté de foi gras<br />Snifter of Pappy Van Winkle's 23 year old bourbon<br /><strong></strong></span></p></div> <div style="font-family: arial;font-family:arial;" ><span style="font-size:100%;"><strong><u><br />Main Course:</u></strong><br />64 oz. perfectly marbled Prime Porterhouse steak (medium rare) served with bernaise sauce and sides of steamed spinach, baked potato and freshly baked bread.<br />A glass or two of any good 'oaky' Merlot<br /><strong></strong></span></div> <div style="font-family: arial;font-family:arial;" ><span style="font-size:100%;"><strong><u><br />Dessert:</u></strong><br />Crème brulee and/or orange flan with caramel sauce<br />A small wedge of bittersweet chocolate<br />Strong Turkish coffee or double espresso<br />A glass (or two) of good Port<br /></span></div> <div style="font-family: arial;font-family:arial;" ><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"><u>Dining Companion</u></span> (the most important ingredient of all):<br />My lovely wife Zahava.<br /><br />[We've had this exact meal on more than one occasion]<br /></span></div> <div style="font-family: arial;font-family:verdana;" ><span style="font-size:100%;"><strong><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);"><br />LOR: Can you tell us what inspired you to become a musician?</span></strong><br /><br /><strong><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 255);">Trep: </span></strong>After years of taking piano lessons I heard a trombone for the first time and fell in love with the sound. I was too young to play the instrument (my arm wasn't long enough) so I took lessons on the Bass Fiddle to become more comfortable with reading base clef. The moment I could reach 7th position (I cheated and used a rubber band to keep the slide from falling off) I switched over to trombone and never looked back.<br /><br /><strong><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">LOR: If you could choose any three musicians to jam with anywhere in the world, which would they be? Oh and they have to be living. <em>(Sorry - Jimmy Hendrix, Shlomo Carlebach and Beethoven are just too easy an answer.)</em></span></strong><br /><br /><strong><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 255);">Trep:</span></strong> [I'll assume you mean other than the one's I've already had the pleasure of jamming with]<br /><br />1. <a href="http://www.billwatrous.com/">Bill Watrous</a> 2. <a href="http://www.billwatrous.com/">Christan Lindberg</a> 3. <a href="http://www.thedrakenet.com/Eddiebert/default.htm">Eddie Bert</a><br /><br />(All trombonists, for those not in the know)<br /><br /><strong><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">LOR: What (if any) Jewish Music are you listening to these days?</span></strong><br /><br /><strong><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 255);">Trep:</span></strong> If by 'Jewish music' you mean music composed, arranged and/or performed by a Jew, I don't think there's much value in differentiating between that and music composed, arranged and/or performed by non-Jews. It's either good or bad.<br /><br />However, if you mean music of a purely Jewish nature, I'd have to limit the list to a couple of old Benzion Shenker recordings of Modzitzer niggunim and the Carlebach Oeuvre (performed by the composer himself! If Reb Shlomo could have heard what some of these unwashed poseurs (whoops, did I say that out loud?) are doing to his innocent Jewish music he would probably have stipulated in his will that his body be wrapped in copper wire and placed inside a magnetic coffin so that he could at least supply the world with abundant free electricity as he spun rapidly in his grave).<br /><br /><strong><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">LOR: What would your blog be like if you hadn't moved to Israel. Do you think you would even have a blog?</span></strong><br /><br /><strong><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 255);">Trep:</span></strong> I doubt there would be a blog. I started treppenwitz because I am bone lazy and couldn't bear the idea of having to email my family and friends individually to keep them apprised of our goings on here in Israel. I set up the site with the idea that whenever there was anything newsworthy worth sharing or a few new pictures I'd post them. This would place the onus of checking in entirely on everyone else! What I didn't anticipate were all the other people who would inexplicably take an interest in what I had to say.<br /><br /><strong><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">LOR: I know you've sort of <a href="http://bogieworks.blogs.com/treppenwitz/2005/02/falling_off_the.html">addressed this</a> on your blog - but if you could go back to the beginning WOULD YOU start off as a anonymous blogger?</span></strong><br /><br /><strong><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 255);">Trep: </span></strong>I go back and forth on this issue (because time travel is such a pressing issue), but if I had it to do over again I would still probably be completely 'out'. I've found that the occasions when I've truly longed for the expressive freedom that anonymity would provide are usually the times where I want to say something really irresponsible or really hurtful. I truly believe that if I had the opportunity to do either of those things on a regular basis it would slowly blacken my soul.... and I'd end up like any of the trolls who spew their anonymous filth all over the blogosphere. Being 'out' forces me to act responsibly (most of the time, anyway).<br /><br /></span><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);font-size:100%;" ><strong>LOR: Speaking of going back to the beginning, if you could what other name than 'the wit of the stairs' would you choose for your blog?</strong></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /><br /><strong><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 255);">Trep:</span></strong> I've actually grown to love the name treppenwitz (along with its wonderful meaning), although I have to admit that I didn't anticipate people calling me 'Trep (or treppie). But as they say: 'Into each life some rain must fall'.<br /><br />However, if I had to chose another name for my site... I'd probably choose:<br /></span></div> <div style="font-family: arial;font-family:arial;" ><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 255);font-size:100%;" ><strong>"M'Naghten Rule Journal"</strong></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /><br /><em>'Laying the groundwork for an insanity defense since 1961'</em><br /><br /><strong><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">LOR: You don't shy away from speaking from the heart on many issues. Is that hard given that you are not an anonymous blogger?</span></strong><br /><br /><br /><strong><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 255);">Trep:</span></strong> I'd have to say that my big problem (as you correctly point out) is speaking from the <em>heart</em> and not from the <em>head</em>... not the fact that I write under my own name. </span> <div><span style="font-size:100%;"> </span></div> <div><span style="font-size:100%;">Most (but not all) of the kerfuffles that occur in my comments section stem from my not having given enough thought to something before posting it. I always wait between 4 and 6 hours between writing something and publishing it to allow some common sense to kick in... but clearly that isn't a foolproof safeguard. :-) </span></div> <span style="font-size:100%;"><br /><br /><strong><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">LOR: <a href="http://psychotoddler.blogspot.com/">Psycho Toddler</a>, who is another blogger who uses his real name and also is a musician, has children that are now of bloggable age. In fact they are blogging. Do you think when your own kids reach that age they will also want to blog?</span></strong><br /><br /><strong><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 255);">Trep:</span></strong> <a href="http://psychotoddler.blogspot.com/">Mark</a> and I go back many years and have even performed together on occasion, but I don't know his family well. In fact, I only really know them from his descriptions... and from their blogs. But my impression is that they are all quite extroverted. Both of my big kids are extroverted in their own way, but I don't know if they would feel comfortable with this particular form of public self-expression. Only time will tell. The most likely scenario is that, like Zahava, they will occasionally guest-post on treppenwitz. Who knows... maybe one of them will take it over one day.<br /><br /><strong><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">LOR: One of the things that everybody loves about Teppenwitz is that you take the time to answer or reply to every comment. How important is something like this in maintaining a good relationship with your readers?</span></strong><br /><br /><strong><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 255);">Trep:</span></strong> I would argue with the basic assumption you've made in that first sentence since I can name of plenty of people who have expressed feelings for my site (and me) ranging from dislike to disdain. But setting that aside for the moment I'll address the whole 'responding to comments' issue: If a writer makes the decision to allow comments on their site (and I can make a compelling argument for going either way on this issue), they are making a tacit agreement to engage in a dialogue with anyone who shows up and responds to what is posted.<br /><br />To allow comments and then not respond to them is like inviting someone to play tennis... repeatedly showing off your fancy serve... and then refusing to return any of the volleys.<br />Who would stick around for that sort of nonsense?<br /><br /><strong><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">LOR: Now that I have you here, tell us the truth, does your wife being the designer of the winners badges for the JIB's have anything to do with the fact that you win so many? :-)</span></strong><br /><br /><br /><strong><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 255);">Trep: </span></strong>I'm assuming this is a gag question,</span><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);font-size:100%;" > [Ed. Note, It was]</span><span style="font-size:100%;"> but I'll play along...I've seen this particular accusation floated in the darker corners of the J-blogosphere and it's one of those things that baffles me. Just like those who ignored the open nomination process and then accused Aussie<a href="http://israellycool.com"> Dave</a> of stacking the JIBs with only right-wing and/or religious blogs... anyone who would say that treppenwitz gained a meaningful edge in the JIBs voting because Zahava designed the logo is willfully ignoring the mechanics of how the voting was conducted.<br /><br />A more cogent question would be whether the fact that treppenwitz is featured several times a week on the Jerusalem Post's 'Blog Central' should have disqualified it from being in the JIBs at all. The same could be asked about several others, such as the Dry Bones blog that had ammassed a tremendous amount of brand equity from having been featured for several decades in the Jerusalem Post.<br /><br />I honestly don't know how I feel about this. How does one quantify enough additional exposure to qualify it as an unfair advantage. Should such additional exposure also disqualify bloggers who regularly contribute to group blogs and journalistic forums? Should it disqualify bloggers who are well known in political, journalistic or entertainment circles?<br /><br />Blogging/Journaling is measured according to many criteria; One is quality. Another is popularity. It isn't enough that you are the best damned writer on the planet if nobody knows about you.<br /><br />Obviously one of the main goals of the JIBs is to increase people's awareness of as may blogs as possible. But the ones that get the most votes are (in theory) the ones that have met both the quality and popularity requirements. So if a blogger/journaler has fulfilled these two requirements to such an extent that other sites start featuring them (potentially making them even more popular) should they then be handicapped, or even disqualified, for having achived that level of 'success'?<br /><br />I honestly don't know the answer to that question, but if by next year there is a growing feeling that blogs/journals like mine should step aside and let some of the new writers have their moment in the sun... I'd have no problem with that whatsoever.<br /><br /><strong><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">LOR: How does one measure if their blog is successful?</span></strong><br /><br /><strong><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 255);">Trep:</span></strong> I already considered treppenwitz a success before I even published my first entry. Some people measure success in numbers... of links... of comments... or of visitors. I measured my initial success by the tingly, mildly buzzed sensation I got when I was writing down something that was important to me. I absolutely loved the feverish, almost possessed way the writing made me feel. </span></div> <div style="font-family: arial;font-family:verdana;" ><span style="font-size:100%;"><br />Most bloggers I know place almost as much value on comments/feedback as they do on traffic in terms of measuring their 'success'. Both traffic and number of comments can be helpful tools... but they are not always reliable indicators of success or failure.<br />For instance, you might post 20 wonderfully crafted entries about things that are deeply meaningful to you without garnering any significant traffic or comments... yet when you dash off a mindless post about something salacious or controversial you are suddenly flooded with both. </span></div> <div style="font-family: arial;font-family:verdana;" ><span style="font-size:100%;"><br />The combination of search engine users looking for specific terms and certain topics that will always garner an eager audience, has tempted many a blogger to abandon their original format and pander to the basest interests of the mob. I would strongly discourage anyone from going down that road. </span></div> <div style="font-family: arial;font-family:arial;" ><span style="font-size:100%;"><br />Just as the class clown and the class slut quickly discover the most expedient way to attract attention to themselves... I suspect that neither one ends up entirely pleased with the long-term quality of the attention they attract. </span></div> <div style="font-family: arial;font-family:verdana;" ><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /><strong><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">LOR: Do you like being called a J-Blogger, would you rather just be known as a BLOGGER or maybe an I-Blogger (Israel Blogger)?</span></strong></span></div> <div style="font-family: arial;font-family:verdana;" ><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /><strong><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 255);">Trep:</span></strong> I actually prefer the term 'journaler' to 'blogger'. In my mind 'bloggers' are people who write about, and link to, all the neat stuff they encounter while surfing the web. Journalers are those that are simply keeping an online journal of their thoughts, opinions and experiences.<br />Obviously the border between these two terms has blurred to the point that nobody can really get upset by being saddled with one title or the other. But 'journaler' still seems to feel more 'right' for what I do. As to the addition of the hyphenated 'J' or 'I'... no thanks. My topics are just as frequently about secular topics as Jewish or Israeli ones.<br /><br /></span><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);font-size:100%;" ><strong>LOR: What advice do you give J-Bloggers who are just starting out?</strong></span></div> <div style="font-family: arial;font-family:verdana;" ><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /><strong><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 255);">Trep:</span></strong> I can't over-emphasize the importance of being nice to people online. This sounds easy but it is sometimes quite difficult (just look at some of the responses I've posted on my comment board!). The online world is full of 'tards and trolls. Most of them are trying to provoke confrontations that they wouldn't dare attempt in real life. Be nice if you can... ignore them if you can't. </span></div> <div style="font-family: arial;font-family:verdana;" ><span style="font-size:100%;"><br />Being nice to other bloggers is also a simple way to get your first few readers. Not surprisingly, some of the most voracious readers of blogs are bloggers. If you find a few blogs that interest you and you take the time to occasionally leave a cogent comment, there is a a good chance that the blogger, or some of his/her readers, may wander over to your site to see who you are. </span></div> <div style="font-family: arial;font-family:verdana;" ><span style="font-size:100%;"><br />Shamelessly plugging your blog in someone else's comments section or begging other bloggers for reciprocal linking is not the way to endear yourself to anyone. You'll most likely just come off as sounding needy. The same can be said for sending impersonal, cut & paste email requests for linkage to every blogger with a visible e-mail address. </span></div> <div style="font-family: arial;font-family:verdana;" ><span style="font-size:100%;"><br />You also probably don't want to go the route of leaving deliberately provocative / inflammatory comments around the blogosphere in hopes of drawing attention to yourself and your site (can anyone guess who I'm talking about?). This kind of 'Jerry Springer' approach to blogging will get you noticed... but will probably not get you the kind of attention or reputation your were hoping for. </span></div> <div style="font-family: arial;" face="verdana"><span style="font-size:100%;"><br />If you are going to set up a blog, you'd better enjoy the idea of feeding it, because it is always going to be hungry. The huge number of abandoned blogs floating around the blogosphere with only a handful of half-hearted entries is a pretty good indicator of how many people rush to adopt a virtual puppy, kitten or bunny... but have no desire to own and care for a full grown virtual dog, cat or rabbit.<br /><br />Keeping up a blog is like having a 'special needs' child. It is never going to be self-sufficient and it will make demands on your time and attention that you can't even begin to imagine. This isn't to say that your efforts won't be richly rewarded... but the reward isn't always what you expected it would be.<br /><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><strong><em>Disclaimer: Before anyone takes anything I've said to heart... please remember that I could be completely full of sh*t. Oh, one more thing: Thank you to Chaim for inviting me to participate in this wonderful idea. I hope the idea still seems as wonderful now that I've participated. :-)</em></strong></span></span></div> <div style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /><strong><em>[Full Disclosure: Some of the advice on blogging I've included here was excerpted from a post I wrote a couple of years ago. <a href="http://bogieworks.blogs.com/treppenwitz/2005/04/free_advice.html">You can read the whole thing here</a>.]</em></strong></span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22477268.post-1142166954264786372006-03-12T07:33:00.000-05:002006-03-12T07:37:27.620-05:009 AM<span style=";font-family:arial;font-size:130%;" >Check back here at 9AM, I will have the Treppenwitz interview up. You can read David's Pre-Interview post </span><span style="font-size:130%;"><a style="font-family: arial;" href="http://bogieworks.blogs.com/treppenwitz/2006/03/a_great_concept.html">here</a></span><span style=";font-family:arial;font-size:130%;" >. </span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22477268.post-1141563473051982452006-03-05T07:52:00.000-05:002006-03-10T16:15:10.100-05:00An Interview With .... Dan 'Mobius' Sieradski.<span style=";font-family:arial;font-size:130%;" > </span> <div style="direction: ltr;font-family:arial;"><code></code><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><br />Thanks again to <a href="http://orthodoxanarchist.com/">Mobius</a> for agreeing to take part in this. I really appreciate it. Let me also just thank the other bloggers who have been agreeing to take part in this. Without you guys, this blog would never work. </span><hr style="height: 4px;"><span style="font-size:130%;"><br /><br /></span><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 102, 0);font-size:130%;" >Life-Of-Rubin:</span><span style="font-size:130%;"> Where were you born?<br /><br /></span><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(153, 0, 0);font-size:130%;" >Mobius:</span><span style="font-size:130%;"> Brooklyyyyn! My parents were living in Teaneck at the time but my mom didn't want me to have to go through life saying I was born in pansy-ass Teaneck. So she drove, in labor, to Brooklyn.<br /></span></div> <div style="direction: ltr;font-family:arial;"><span class="q" style="font-size:130%;"><br /></span><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 102, 0);font-size:130%;" >LOR:</span><span style="font-size:130%;"> </span><span class="q" style="font-size:130%;">How important a meal is breakfast to you?<br /><br /></span></div> <div style="direction: ltr;font-family:arial;"><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(153, 0, 0);font-size:130%;" >M:</span><span style="font-size:130%;"> I live for eggs and homefries. I'm launching a new site in a couple of weeks with Harry from <a href="http://theviewfromhere.net/">The View From Here</a>. My regular feature will be breakfast reviews.<br /></span></div> <div style="direction: ltr;font-family:arial;"><span class="q" style="font-size:130%;"><br /><br /></code></div> <span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 102, 0);font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:130%;" ><br />LOR:</span><span style=";font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:130%;" > </span><span style=";font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:130%;" class="q" >Who is your favorite male Yid in Hollywood?<br /></span> <div style="direction: ltr;font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:130%;"><br /></span><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(153, 0, 0);font-size:130%;" >M:</span><span style="font-size:130%;"> Jon Stewart.<br /></span></div> <div style="direction: ltr;font-family:arial;"><span class="q" style="font-size:130%;"><br /></span><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 102, 0);font-size:130%;" >LOR: </span><span class="q" style="font-size:130%;">Who is your favorite female Maidel in Hollywood?<br /></span><span style="font-size:130%;"><br /></span><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(153, 0, 0);font-size:130%;" >M:</span><span style="font-size:130%;"> Sarah Silverman.<br /></span></div> <div style="direction: ltr;font-family:arial;"><span class="q" style="font-size:130%;"><br /></span><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 102, 0);font-size:130%;" >LOR: </span><span class="q" style="font-size:130%;">How hard is to have and/or maintain 32,345,620 Blogs? Do you ever sleep?<br /><br /></span></div> <div style="direction: ltr;font-family:arial;"><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(153, 0, 0);font-size:130%;" >M:</span><span style="font-size:130%;"> A piece of me dies inside with every mouseclick. Just kidding, sort of.<br /><br />It's tough to deliver high quality content consistently. It's tough to sit hunched over a keyboard for 12 hour stretches. It's tough being so open and getting so much shit from the cruel and socially inept. It's tough, busting your ass for three years solid and watching other folks jack your site model and steal your thunder because their shtick is more "socially acceptable." It's tough standing up for what you believe in and being hated for it by perfect strangers.<br /><br />I go to bed when the sun comes up, roll over at noon, throw back a latte, and hit the keys again. Wash, rinse, repeat.<br /></span></div> <div style="direction: ltr;font-family:arial;"><span class="q" style="font-size:130%;"><br /></span><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 102, 0);font-size:130%;" >LOR: </span><span class="q" style="font-size:130%;">Of all the things you've done on the Blogs you're active on, which one thing are you most proud of?<br /><br /></span></div> <div style="direction: ltr;font-family:arial;"><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(153, 0, 0);font-size:130%;" >M:</span><span style="font-size:130%;"> I'm presently most excited about <a href="http://www.radicaltorah.org/">Radical Torah</a>. It will probably take a while before it fulfills the vision I have for it, but we're off to a great start, and I have high expectations.<br /></span></div> <div style="direction: ltr;font-family:arial;"><span class="q" style="font-size:130%;"><br /></span><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 102, 0);font-size:130%;" >LOR: </span><span class="q" style="font-size:130%;">Do you like being called a J-Blogger? Would you rather just be known as a BLOGGER?<br /><br /></span></div> <div style="direction: ltr;font-family:arial;"><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(153, 0, 0);font-size:130%;" >M:</span><span style="font-size:130%;"> I'm a blogger, yes. I'm a Jewish blogger. That makes me a jblogger. But I used to run a blog that had no Jewish content whatsoever. Would I still have been a jblogger then? Or do I need to be writing about Jewish content to qualify? The bigger question is, who cares? What purpose does the label serve? Am I supposed to give some pissy Philip Roth answer about being "just a writer" and not a "Jewish writer." I'm a Jew. I'm a writer. I'm a Jewish writer. I'm a writer who covers Jewish subjects. I'm a Jewish writer who covers non-Jewish subjects. The labels are irrelevant. I'm just a dude, man.<br /></span></div> <div style="direction: ltr;font-family:arial;"><span class="q" style="font-size:130%;"><br /></span><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 102, 0);font-size:130%;" >LOR: </span><span class="q" style="font-size:130%;">Who invented the term J-Blogger anyway?<br /><br /></span></div> <div style="direction: ltr;font-family:arial;"><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(153, 0, 0);font-size:130%;" >M: </span><span style="font-size:130%;">It was probably Steven I. Weiss, hot </span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-size:130%;" >shit</span><span style="font-size:130%;"> that he is.<br /></span></div> <div style="direction: ltr;font-family:arial;"><span class="q" style="font-size:130%;"><br /></span><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 102, 0);font-size:130%;" >LOR: </span><span class="q" style="font-size:130%;">Do you think J-Blogging will ever become passé or 'tired'?<br /><br /></span></div> <div style="direction: ltr; font-family: arial;"><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(153, 0, 0);font-size:130%;" >M: </span><span style="font-size:130%;">Man, I'm like, so over it. I'm working on my exit strategy.<br /></span></div> <div face="arial" style="direction: ltr;"><span class="q" style="font-size:130%;"><br /></span><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 102, 0);font-size:130%;" >LOR: </span><span class="q" style="font-size:130%;">Where does a J-Blogger draw the line between respecting another J-Bloggers opinion and being too mean or harsh towards the other a J-Bloggers opinion?<br /><br /></span></div> <div style="direction: ltr;font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(153, 0, 0);font-size:130%;" >M: </span><span style="font-size:130%;">How much tolerance and patience do you have within you? And when is tolerance and patience inappropriate, and direct action necessary? It all depends on who's crossing what lines. The Dalai Lama, who's in Israel this week, would probably say, getting upset and lashing out a someone is never productive. But damnit, sometimes it's such a necessary release. Reading the endless spouting of intolerable views, you get riled up at the whole world and need to let off some steam. Screaming your head off on a website is a lot less dangerous and embarrassing than doing it in real life. But yeah, it's tactless, irresponsible, and non-compelling. Sometimes, though, you just have to tell an unrepentant prick where to stick it.<br /></span></div> <div style="direction: ltr;font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span class="q" style="font-size:130%;"><br /></span><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 102, 0);font-size:130%;" >LOR: </span><span class="q" style="font-size:130%;">Where do you think more J-Bloggers blog from Israel or the U.S? Do you think the NY area J-Bloggers think they are the hub of the J-Blog community?<br /><br /></span></div> <div style="direction: ltr;font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(153, 0, 0);font-size:130%;" >M: </span><span style="font-size:130%;">Definitely more in NYC. But Jerusalem is definitely the hub. It's where Jewschool and Jewlicious are both based, even if most of Jewschool's writers are in NY.<br /></span></div> <div style="direction: ltr;font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span class="q" style="font-size:130%;"><br /></span><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 102, 0);font-size:130%;" >LOR: </span><span class="q" style="font-size:130%;">Cholent: treasured Shabbos dish or gross bowl of beans?<br /><br /></span></div> <div style="direction: ltr;font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(153, 0, 0);font-size:130%;" >M: </span><span style="font-size:130%;">Tasty Metamusil alternative.<br /></span></div> <div style="direction: ltr;font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span class="q" style="font-size:130%;"><br /></span><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 102, 0);font-size:130%;" >LOR: </span><span class="q" style="font-size:130%;">If Matisyahu and D'mitri Salita suddenly engage in a dance off, who would win?<br /><br /></span></div> <div style="direction: ltr;font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(153, 0, 0);font-size:130%;" >M: </span><span style="font-size:130%;">Horny teenage girls.<br /></span></div> <div style="direction: ltr;font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span class="q" style="font-size:130%;"><br /></span><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 102, 0);font-size:130%;" >LOR: </span><span class="q" style="font-size:130%;">Oy ... lol... Do you think O.J. will ever find the "REAL" killer?<br /><br /></span></div> <div style="direction: ltr;font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(153, 0, 0);font-size:130%;" >M: </span><span style="font-size:130%;">Did you ever see Momento?<br /></span></div> <div style="direction: ltr;font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span class="q" style="font-size:130%;"><br /></span><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 102, 0);font-size:130%;" >LOR: </span><span class="q" style="font-size:130%;">Who's more pathetic of a creature a NY Mets/Yankees fan or an Israeli Soccer fan?<br /><br /></span></div> <div style="direction: ltr;font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(153, 0, 0);font-size:130%;" >M: </span><span style="font-size:130%;">The Yankees fans, for being the right-wing conservatives of the baseball world -- cheering on the wealthy (who inherited their fortunes) as they pummel the underprivileged (who have broken their backs for everything in life) into the ground.<br /></span></div> <div style="direction: ltr;font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span class="q" style="font-size:130%;"><br /></span><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 102, 0);font-size:130%;" >LOR: </span><span class="q" style="font-size:130%;">… and last on the list. What advice do you give J-Bloggers who are just starting out?<br /><br /></span></div> <span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(153, 0, 0);font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:130%;" >M: </span><span style=";font-family:arial;font-size:130%;" >Buy a notebook and a pencil, go sit under a tree, and put the goddamn </span><span style=";font-family:arial;font-size:130%;" >computer away.<br /><hr /><br />There you have it. Thanks again for agreeing to be part of this. I encourage people to link to this blog, and of course interact. Please comment, or send me suggestions and/or questions for the J-Bloggers coming up. To see who is coming up next, please <a href="http://jbloggerinterviews.blogspot.com/2006/02/coming-march-5th-2006.html">click here</a>.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22477268.post-1139971668385266382006-02-14T21:42:00.000-05:002006-03-01T12:41:03.106-05:00Coming March 5th, 2006<span style="font-family:arial;">This is going to be a really cool project. I'm working on a new blog modeled after <a href="http://basilsblog.net/archives/2005/09/1316/">Basil's interviews</a>. I will start interviewing some of our favorite J-bloggers. The interviews will be published on this page.<br /><br />Please feel free to <a href="mailto:lifeofrubin@gmail.com">email me</a> to </span><span style="font-family:arial;">suggest a J-blogger to be interviewed or if you are a J-Blogger and would like to be interviewed. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">One interview will be featured every week. This project will hopefully start sometime in March, after my <a href="http://life-of-rubin.blogspot.com/2006/02/life-of-rubin-is-going-on-hiatus_02.html">hiatus</a> is over. I'm looking forward to this new challenge and hope people will really enjoy it. </span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic; color: rgb(204, 0, 0);">Update: We now have a schedule.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">March 5th</span>: We will be <a href="http://www.jewschool.com/">interviewing</a> <a href="http://orthodoxanarchist.com/">Mobius</a>.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">March 12th:</span> We will be interviewing <a href="http://bogieworks.blogs.com/">Treppenwitz</a>.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">COMING UP:<br /><br /></span></span><span style="font-family:arial;"><a href="http://blogindm.blogspot.com/">Blog in Dm</a><br /></span><span style="font-family:arial;"><a href="http://renegaderebbetzin.blogspot.com/">Ren Reb</a><br /></span><span style="font-family:arial;"><a href="http://dovbear.blogspot.com/">DovBear</a><br /><a href="http://www.israellycool.com/blog">IsraellyCool</a><br /></span><span style="font-family:arial;"><br />If you would like to be interviewed or would like to suggest a blogger to be interviewed <a href="mailto:lifeofrubin@gmail.com">email me</a>.<br /></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com8