Nontraditional Jewish High Holy Day Programs Make the Difference in 2009

Posted by Jan Lee Oct 2, 2009

I have always assumed that what readers most look for on the internet prior Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur is information about synagogues services that they can attend in person.

Well, that may have been true in past years, but not necessarily in 2009.

Perhaps it is the recession that is guiding readers’ interests. This year it has been a struggle for many families to cover the costs of attending High Holy Day services. It has also been a struggle for many shuls to cover the costs of putting on the services. High Holy Day services can be extremely expensive for synagogues that require more than one venue to accommodate their large membership.

But it is fairly clear from the distribution of page views we have received on Judaism topics this month that an increased number of readers are considering online alternatives to attending synagogue.

Page views for articles that discussed online services and programs more than tripled just prior to, and during the High Holy Days. The most popular article of all was Nontraditional Jewish High Holy Day Programs, which detailed the efforts of Temple Emanu-El in New York City to offer online broadcasts of their Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur services. Between August 27 and September 28 (Yom Kippur), the article received more than twice the number of hits than any other article I had written.

Many readers sought information about “live online Yom Kippur services,” while others searched for information pertaining to “Rosh Hashanah internet services.” Most telling of all, were the searches for “alternative” Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur programs, which included a variety of search terms, but clearly illustrated that readers were looking for new ways of hearing services during the holiest time of the year.

Equally surprising was that the searches came from all over the world – from Mexico to Ghana, and from California to Chicago. Emanu-El’s services weren’t a surprise to many readers, either. Many readers were already aware of Emanu-El’s radio and internet broadcasts, and simply needed to know how to link to them.

What do these statistics say about the future of Jewish synagogues and synagogue services?

For one, it proves that Jews are still very much linked to their religious and cultural traditions. Religious services still matter to many, whether they are able to physically attend services in a synagogue or not. It matters enough that they are willing to seek alternative methods for personally fulfilling the mitzvah of observing the High Holy Days.

It also opens up the question as to whether there are new, creative ways that synagogues and Jewish community centers can fulfill the needs and interests of observant Jews. Are there more opportunities for internet forums? Can youth groups utilize the internet to energize its members? Should services be taped for shut-in patients and others who can’t attend?

For many congregations, the answer may be no. Many attendees come to shul to observe the separation of the “sacred and the profane” aspects of our 21st-century lives. Integrating online features into their lives would be too intrusive to the traditional morays that have shaped almost 6,000 years of Judaism.

But for others, this experiment has already begun. Congregations all across North America have explored the possibility of recording their services and broadcasting them over the internet. Other organizations have seen the advantages of this opportunity as well, and are providing new electronic venues for internet outreach.

In the next few months I will be featuring other services that are available on the internet and in alternative venues. I would love to hear your input. Is your congregation on the cutting edge of a new idea? What do you think of the possibility of internet Shabbat services? What do you look for each New Year?

Shanah Tova!