More Religious-Zionist Praise for Excluding Bloggers Not Like Them
For those of you confused by all the commotion, it’s pretty simple. I got upset about the disproportionate frum presence at the upcoming Heimesh B’ Heimesh Blogger Convention, and it was picked up by others, and Haaretz wrote about it. Then all hell broke loose.
Aussie Dave felt that Failed Messiah should not have been invited because he is an “anti-Judaism blogger.”
After defending the choice to exclude those outside of this narrow band of frum, Aussie Dave insists no such exclusion took place in any way, and insisted that the fact that “Anyone can register” is proof that the convention is ecumenical. But…there were no claims that people couldn’t register if they weren’t Kookniks…anyone can register for the Agudah convention on Thanksgiving weekend also…but that doesn’t make it a general Jewish convention, now, does it?
ck of Jewlicious is trying to heal the warring camps, but peace is so not happening. Frankly, the Left-wing Modern Orthodox should just move out of the way and let these white hats reveal how exclusive and arrogant they truly are.
The Muqata, who judging by his anger, perhaps misinterpreted my constructive comments about his dork graphic takes some obvious shots, writing,
There are blogs that harp almost exclusively on many issues that plague the Jewish and Israeli world. Be it bashing Rubashkins, exposing dangers to the Jewish community from within, or kvetching in general.
In case you missed it, let’s try one more oh-so-subtle-dig (you know how subtle the frum are),
To build a readership one needs a lot more than negativity. To interact with the JBlogosphere, no one wants to see a mega-kvetcher.
Of course this dude is friends with Ezzie and is going to the Beyond BT shabbaton.
Looking forward to seeing you at the JBlogger Convention next week (you can view it via the web as well), or at the SerandEz/BeyondBT melaveh malka on Motzei Shabbat in Queens.
You know, why don’t they just call the Beyond BT shabbaton The First International Jewish Weekend Ever since it’s pretty much the same as the Nefesh to Nefesh convention?
To clarify what should be obvious but what Ezzie’s pack of heimeshes fail to comprehend, I am not upset I wasn’t invited to be a panelist. Shmarya isn’t upset he wasn’t invited to be a panelist. We are upset that you chose a very ecumenical name when you are catering (pandering?) to a predominantly religious-Zionist based community. That is the issue. Address it, or shut your traps. No one actually cares about the content of this lame-o excuse for a blogger convention. The only thing that is of interest is how you misrepresented it. This is much more interesting than anything else that will come out of it.
37 comments
Read my post and comments again and then feel free to correct all the glaring errors in your post. Alternatively, I’ll help you out because I’m a giver.
Umm..no. Here’s what I said:
And that was talking of being a panelist. No-one was stopping him (or you) from registering to attend.
I don’t believe either of you. The Ha’aretz article indicated he was, as did his own comment:
Clearly not the words of someone only worried about the conference name.
Who is the “you” in your last ranting paragraph? This conference was not organized by bloggers, but by NBN. I certainly had no hand in it.
Oh. And perhaps you purposely failed to mention that the second panel is mostly comprised of non-observant Jewish bloggers?
No conspiracy here. Perhaps there are many Right-wing, religious bloggers attending because they decided to register? Perhaps there are many on the panel because they promote aliya on their blogs rather than bitch about everything?
For someone who preaches “due diligence” in blog posts, you certainly failed the grade. But bonus marks for your humorous
“Shut your traps” line. Oh please come to the conference and say that to my face
“Oh please come to the conference and say that to my face ”
If you think I would spend the cash and waste that kind of time all in order to prove my machismo, I can assure you that I am much too big of a true Jew (in that shtetl sort of way know YOU PEOPLE love) to worry about such things.
You wrote,
Umm..no. Here’s what I said:
No, dude…you wrote anti-Judaism blogger. Read your own fucking post.
Secondly, the argument that this anti-Judaism blogger should have been contacted by Nefesh B’Nefesh about the pro-aliyah blogger conference - because he has been cited by the mainstream media a few times - is ridiculous beyond belief.
Oh. My. H@sh*m.
Look at the 4-hour program. There’s a brief intro. Then the first panel will talk about increasing readership. Nothing in there about Rav Kook, or Aish Hatorah or the Joys of Being A Settler. Then a 15 minute comedy routine followed by an Israel a foreign ministry guy who will talk about branding Israel. Yeah, the same people who were behind the Maxim Magazine Women of the IDF thing. That’s sure to be very Heimish. Afterwards we will have the blogging about Israel part, which will include musings by Yael of Oleh Girl, who lives in Tel Aviv and Gila of My Shrapnel who lives in Tel Aviv, and Benji of WhatWarZone who lives in Tel Aviv - get my drift there? I’m not comfortable discussing people’s levels of observance in public, but I have no problem telling you where they live. That there represents half the panel, including the moderator. I somehow doubt the panel will devolve into a discussion of how best to prepare Palestinian babies for consumption in Shabbes chulent.
I spoke to Shmarya yesterday. Turns out we knew each other in a previous life. I know he’s a good, decent and reasonable person. I think it’s time to admit that y’all made a mountain out of a molehill - elevating a mere semantic issue into some kind of major scandal based on inaccurate information. I hope Shmarya comes around. As for you? We all know you’re bat shit crazy, so I guess I’m not expecting much…
BTW, are we on for drinks and a melaveh malka Sat. night?
ck, I am addressing the unfortunate perspective of your friends on the right who are actually gloating that they dominate the convention, and who have helped to promote this model Jblogger average by explaining that they rock and everyone else sucks.
And in light of such behavior, you appeal for us to sit passively as they spit in our faces.
Bullshit. Complete bullshit.
Is Sat. night at a bar or club? Because I don’t like to spend gobs of money on drinks and pretend that is fun.
I agree DK’s got a point when a self-proclaimed international Jewish bloggers’ convention is a conference at which the overall policy of invited panelists is grossly uniform, thus making the panels unbalanced. They could have called themselves a Zionist bloggers’ convention, and everything would have been fine.
Apart from that, I still consider it a huge waste of money and resources considering that more than one third of the world’s Jewish population lives below poverty line (Catholic congregations here raise money for Israeli foster homes!) and that Israel’s expected to run out of water supply by 2015. Apparently there are more pressing issues for Israelis in particular and Jews in general to take care of rather than to see who can take time off to attend such a convention or spend a day in front of their computer to follow it.
Now, now. Take a few deep breaths. Rinse then lather.
Again, read my post more carefully. You claimed I said Failed Messiah should not have been invited because he is an “anti-Judaism blogger.” My anti-Judaism comment you cited was in relation to being a panelist. Like I said in my previous comment. The conference is not invitation only.
No-one is gloating they are dominating the convention. My whole post was a reaction to an unjustified attack on the conference in Ha’aretz.
And you still haven’t responded to my contention that Failed Messiah attacked the conference because he felt he should have been a panelist, replete with the quote from his blog. Nor the 3 Tel Aviv panelists on the panel of 5.
ck, you crack me up!
Aussie Dave, I am relaying what I understood from our Shmarya’s and my own conversation. I can guess how Shmarya would answer your question, but perhaps you should ask him.
You claimed I said Failed Messiah should not have been invited because he is an “anti-Judaism blogger.” My anti-Judaism comment you cited was in relation to being a panelist. Like I said in my previous comment. The conference is not invitation only.
Like I said in my previous comment, we are all talking about panelists. You don’t get points for allowing general admission. In other words, you said it. So own it.
DK, I own everything I say.
I already asked Shmarya to clarify his comment. He hasn’t.
What is so hard to understand about NBN wanting panelists - religious or not religious - who blog about Israel in a way that promotes their aliyah agenda? That is my point: Failed Messiah does not do this, media citations and JIB award notwithstanding.
And for the record, I was not invited to be on a NBN flight to blog about new immigrants. I assume it was because my blog does not deal so much with the “slice of Israel” posts like some of the others. Similar principle: NBN seem to be choosing the panelists/aliya flight bloggers on the basis of traffic and suitability. Being religious is not a precondition, although being a Zionist is.
What is so hard to understand about NBN wanting panelists - religious or not religious - who blog about Israel in a way that promotes their aliyah agenda?
Again, again, again…NOTHING. The problem is the name of the blogger convention. It sounds ecumenical and very comprehensive, and that is false marketing.
Be the Nefesh B’ Nefesh Olim and Zionist Blogger Convention, and no one will care.
I already asked Shmarya to clarify his comment. He hasn’t.
I clarified it several times, Dave. Perhaps you should stop foaming at the mouth for a few minutes and go back and reread what I wrote.
The issue is not me being a panelist or me being personally invited.
The issue is NBN personally invited a disproportionate number of right wing and Orthodox bloggers, and the panels are made up with the same disproportion.
If NBN had asked me, I would have helped them organize a balanced conference, but I probably would not have attended because it is difficult for me to travel right now.
But I don’t think NBN owed me that.
Again, if a Jewish org seeks to have an international conference on a particular thing, then all parties should be invited and panelists should, as much as possible, represent that diversity.
NBN did not do this.
Again, Dave, the issue is not me being on a panel or me getting a personal invite – the issue is disproportion and wholesale exclusion.
Holy cow. It’s a 4 hour event - much of it taken up by eating. It’s not the penultimate Jewish bloggers conference - an event that will by the way, never ever take place because who would host it? Who would pay to unite all us schnorrers? No one, because what would be the point spending all that cash? So there you have it. Y’all really need to relax and focus on, you know, important things…
Shmarya
I get the feeling any mouth-foam action happening here is on your side.
All you have clarified with your comments is how way off base you are. Not to mention thin-skinned.
I should love to see the sugar sachets printed with DK’s portrait on them though (you can custom order those thingies at relatively low cost).
ck, I’ll invite any JBlogger who doesn’t keep kosher and is not allergic to cats and dogs and is ready to deal with my atheist scientist brother who’s famed for his quick wit. I guarantee the food will be great.
The NBN convention should be straightforward about it being a right wing orthodox convention.
I have a funny feeling that I wouldn’t be invited. XD
You’er pissed because they claim to be mainstream judaism?
Every three jews with an organization does that. The JDL does it, the ADL does it, as a matter of fact, you do it yourself.
It’s a kike thing.
Kvetch, y’all ain’t all that FUNNY no more. If I wanted to hear this kind of kvetching, I could listen to various relatives complain about who didn’t invite whom to whose bar mitzva. Some of us just don’t care about the blog convention.
We will drop you from our “favorites” list if you don’t go back to telling haredim to get a job.
Why on EARTH do you care so much about the Shabbaton? Give it a rest!
SJ you wouldnt be invited because you are a bad blogger and cant make a cohesive argument.
That’ s funny. Click here for ” Well, I’m convinced. He [SJ] pointed out our errors, rationally and convincingly. I’m considering becoming irreligious right now” in the comments section.
omg are you a moron? SJ that’s called sarcasm! he was making fun of you!
I also find it humorous that you have to point to ONE comment in the comment section of a random blog as the ONLY evidence that you don’t suck
Why do you spend even a minute obsessing over what a group of irrelevant, imbecilic, semi-literate douchebags call their circle-jerk?
Now THAT’S articulate! The kind of prose that will get one a Wiki page consisting of 3 lines.
Really people, it’s been a pleasure, but with this much hatred for others and calm, rational discussion, I think my time is better spent on my own blog.
Keep on kvetching! Because people LOVE that! Then next year you can discuss your methods on a panel at the conference.
Peace!
Shlomo,
1) He closed his orthodox freelancers blog and started a freelancers blog in general writing that his views are not necsessarily the same
2) My ratings on israelforum.com are pretty good.
you are just mad that someone disagreed with orthodox judaism, it is sad that you are not straightforward about this fact but frankly it does not fool me.
Shlomo in fact gave me great material for my blog. XD
We will drop you from our “favorites” list if you don’t go back to telling haredim to get a job.
Nooooooooooooo! Please, please, please! Don’t do that!
DK might just be busy with other things, y’know, but I”l gladly help out.
To all Charedim reading this blog:
“Gey arbetn.”
“Why do you spend even a minute obsessing over what a group of irrelevant, imbecilic, semi-literate douchebags call their circle-jerk?”
Oh my. Are you saying the NBN are “irrelevant, imbecilic, semi-literate douchebags?” They organized and named this particular circle jerk… You may however be referring to the participants/panelists who had nothing to do with naming this event. In any case, good to have you back in all your smug and crabby glory EV.
Aussie Dave wrote,
Really people, it’s been a pleasure, but with this much hatred for others and calm, rational discussion, I think my time is better spent on my own blog.
Yes, by all means…go back to your RWMO circle jerk where you are comfortable.
ck wrote,
You may however be referring to the participants/panelists who had nothing to do with naming this event.
Yes, correct, they are being dicks and are kvelling that this conference is disproportionately RWMO Jews like themselves.
B”H
I found this to be an interesting post. We seem to be critical of the same group(s) but for different reasons, and from different angles. Please correct me if I’m wrong. I don’t want to misunderstand, nor mis-characterize you.
I doubt you and I would agree on much, unless you like coffee and science fiction. So, let’s not even pretend to try and agree.
I looked the date of your previous post on this issue (7-22), but I can’t remember when the agenda [magically] began to transform before our eyes. I was wondering if this was some feeble attempt to pander to the non-religious zionist crowd, by creating a [lame] sense of pluralism. Your thoughts?
Also, anyone who identifies as “ultra-orthodox” couldn’t possibly be that ultra nor that orthodox if s/he is going to a mixed event. We have a phrase to describe such posers: “American Haredi” (Not all Americans fit into this category, don’t worry.)
“Mehadrin” food. Oh please. Half the people there probably don’t know what the means (and what that doesn’t mean).
(I don’t mind “right” vs. “left” or “religious” vs. “secular” so much. What I DO mind is hypocrisy)
I wasn’t going to the conference for several reasons, one of which is because I’m not a pluralist. (You may dislike this or at least my POV’s on everything, but at least I’m honest, and don’t try to pander.). I actually thought the conference was too pluralist, even from the original agenda.
I also didn’t want to go because of the involvement of the establishment, sponsors, the Foreign Ministry, etc. I believe that one of the factors legitimizing bloggers as a resources for news, commentary, and information is our autonomy.
Now, I must thank you for confirming the hypocrisy involved in this conference.
Shlomo’s right. I was being sarcastic. I started a new blog because I’ve moved to Miami and don’t have time to keep up the OFG. I said my views weren’t necessarily the same because some of the older stuff on the blog I’ve changed my mind about and I’m open to changing my mind about the newer stuff too.
DK,
I knew that you were anti-haredi, anti-”penguin”, anti-any Jew who came to the US post-war, anti-rabbinic kashrus, anti-social, anti-establishment, antidisestablishmentarianism, and anti-just about anything that will garner blog blog hits but I didn’t know that you were anti-shabbaton. Maybe it was the name of the shabbaton that bothered you. BTW, I cautiously eyed Jameel at the melava malka and, despite the fact that there were numerous babies present, Jameel did not eat one of them.
David Linn,
I am glad your shabbaton went well. My issue was not that Beyond BT had a Shabbaton, but rather, that a supposedly ecumenical organization’s roster looked a bit too similar to your specifically Orthodox event.
Hmmmmmmm, sounds like a conspiracy. Ezzie, Jameel, let’s bolt, I think they’re on to us.
No conspiracy, David.
Oh, ok, then we’re all just mutually independent exclusionists.
That was not about Beyond BT. It was about the name of the Nefesh b’ Nefesh blogger conference.
Whatever.
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