JewsByChoice.Org

It looks like Israel has had it with the missing link between Israel and the Diaspora, and thus, it has set out to create an International Web Portal for Jewry! There’s also this story.

… last week, cabinet secretary Oved Yehezkel called a meeting in the Prime Minister’s Office of representatives of world Jewish organizations, including the Jewish Agency, the World Jewish Congress, the Anti-Defamation League, the Jewish People Planning and Policy Institute and Hillel. On the agenda: how to create a platform to serve the entire Jewish people on-line and be a bridge between Israel and the Diaspora.

The goal is part of new plans to redefine the relationship between Israel and the Diaspora, which I think is a noble cause. But the doubters are already present, and have a good point.

‘It will never happen,’ declares one participant in the meeting, who asked not to be identified.’”If it’s a government site, it will be treated like one and will not be popular. If people can freely state their opinions and advertise, there will be lots of things the government and Jewish organizations will not be able to live with, and they’ll have to censor.’

So what do you think? Is such an endeavor worthwhile? Is it feasible? What would YOU like to see on such a web site? Would it be best run by the state? Run by an independent organization? Would it be best modeled after one thing? Should it maintain a secular/cultural base or cover all aspects of all types and awareness of Judaism?

The Jewsbychoice.org blog is a very unique endeavor that I am quite proud to be a part of. As I watch the world wide web expand and as I explain to others about the way that the Jewish Blogosphere branches like a very large tree — with one blog linking to another and another — I always amaze myself. Those who read my personal blog and who have found us here, well, it amazes me how such connections are made.