A note from Rabbi Feinstein

Erev Shavuot

June 7, 2011

Dear Haverim,

Fifteen years ago, as the internet was beginning to spread through the community, Phyllis Beim and I convened a committee of tech-savvy friends to consider the implications of the new technology for the synagogue. Neither Phyllis nor I were literate in the technology, and both us of us sat astonished as this group of tech wizards spelled out our future in a language we hardly understood. Words like "website," "networking," "download," "bandwidth" were new and strange.

Under Phyllis's leadership, that group took up the project of creating a VBS Website. We were among the very first synagogues to have a website. Through the site, volumes of teaching, information, community conversation were shared with millions of users. Every Passover, thousands of Jews worldwide downloaded our VBS Hagaddah. (We were most proud to be named the official Hagaddah of the US Navy's Seventh Fleet!) Every Rosh Hashanah, Jews around the world enjoyed Rabbi Schulweis' sermons and insights. Brides downloaded our wedding guides. Families in mourning found comfort in our pages on grief and mourning in the Jewish tradition. We have consistently been one of the Jewish community's most visited websites.

We owe a great note of gratitude to Phyllis Beim for her leadership and endless hours of work, dedication, patience and vision. Through her dedication, we have maintained one of the finest synagogue websites on the internet. The group of volunteers that maintain that website changed over the years. That group included David Summer, Richard Rice, Larry Paul, Steve Krantz, Cheryl Gillies, Bill Green, Matt Waterman, Michael Nitzahn, Maurice Halmos, Jerry Rabow, Gregg Orloff, Scott Howard, Steve Mark, Keenen Milner, Brian Link, Darwin Miller and many many others. We owe them all our gratitude for all their work, their wisdom, their time and energy in sharing the spirit of Valley Beth Shalom with the world through our website.

This week, we initiate a new website. Please visit us: www.vbs.org.

This new VBS website is the result of a process envisioned by Rabbi Joshua Hoffman. To Rabbi Hoffman, and to Eric Weisser, our communications administrator, and to all who worked on this project, we extend our appreciation for a beautiful new presentation of our community's life. We acknowledge all the support and help of Jay Schulman, Leonard Dick, Emily Weiss, Michelle Levin, Ricky Mintz, and Lisa Liss, and the invaluable guidance and support of Phyllis Beim and tech committee.

Today is Shavuot, when we celebrate the first fruits of the harvest and the gift of a Torah. Today, we stand at Mt Sinai once again in wonder as we receive new gifts of learning and wisdom. What better time to open a new page - quite literally - in our community's experience. Thanks to all who have helped make this special moment.

Rabbi Ed Feinstein