kutan shel hachabura wrote on 02 Dec 2009 19:51:


Kutan,

I wasn't suggesting that the Chizuk e-mails be reduced to weekly, only that Guard recycle one of the older ones around ONCE PER WEEK.  We would still get new ones 5 days per week.

Ah, that is indeed a good idea. He can definitely recycle some stuff. It doesn't get stale, you know, and the shiur of shich'cha is one year.

kutan shel hachabura wrote on 02 Dec 2009 19:58:


You hear that, Guard?  Your time is precious to us (almost as precious as YOU are!).

I wonder what the Rav found inappropriate about the site. Well much of the FAQ is graphic, and - I guess someone with no exposure would find this all a bit much. The shaala is if there's anyone left like that, and it's a cost vs loss analysis - a great deal of good would come from it, certainly the Rav (I think they speak to R Nachum Eisenstien but I don't know if that's still true) knows that for an addict the site is life saving - perhaps a little bad. But I don't think anyone will get addicted from this site. "Oh yeah, look at all that great misery and regret and pain! I want some too!"

Those on the 'outside' simply have no idea what goes on 'inside'.

I have a friend who is a wonderful person and a respected Rav. He speaks shabbos shuva and hagodol for hundreds of people. I've kept him informed of the dangers of the internet. And he speaks about it every time.
But not with  the same feeling as he does against say the fliers that get placed all over the shuls and distract people from davening.

I really think he should get internet access just to feel whats going on.

Anyway, its just human nature. We all are that way, and really cannot blame anyone else. Just try to keep spreading the word, as politely but as sincerely as possible.

There is even a vort (sources are in the Rishonim) that Moshe Rabeinu broke the luchos out of shock and anger when he saw the eigel... EVEN THOUGH HASHEM ALREADY TOLD HIM PREVIOUSLY!
that means that even Moshe hearing from Hashem did not  have the same effect as actually experiencing it....


So... hold off the blame!

kutan

Instead of printed magazines, why not focus more advertising on the heimish websites? 

Stuart wrote on 02 Dec 2009 21:48:


Stuart,

You're right that websites should be the priority.

Guard told me that, if he had a free moment, he'd like to get on Arutz Sheva where he is being offered excellent rates plus an article.  My response: Go for it, Guard!  I'll bet you could get this done if you took a day or two off from the forum and Chizuk e-mails (and if we all tried to keep the e-mails and PMs to a minimum).  It's sort of like a Rav or Rosh Yeshiva leaving his Shul or Yeshiva for a few days to do some outreach!  It would be a sacrifice for all of us, but it would contribute to the greater good.

I commend you for your forward thinking.  As a marketing professional you are limiting your thinking to:

#1:  Frum people who read Mishpacha.  There are newspapers in every large Jewish community who would print
a press release for nothing about this topic.  The Jewish Press already has.

#2:  Vus Is Nais and Yeshiva World will put up banners but they cost $275-350 per month. No, they won't do
them for free for non profits.  That would put them out of business!. But if someone can find some serious frum
bloggers who would put this up in a respectable way, this would also spread the word at less cost.

#3: We don't have to only target the extreme right wing of Judaism..  There are plenty of frum people in Young Israel
and yes even the OU (please don't ban me from the forum :D.  These orgs have magazines and bulletins that they
send out monthly.  The Agudah has an email system that goes out to its membership.  Maybe a Kol Koreh is in order.

#4:  This may shock some of you but Duvid Chaim and myself both give phone groups and we are not from the
New York area.  THERE ARE PEOPLE IN THE REST OF THE WORLD and all of these small communities have
weekly newspapers.  Many of them would unfortunately jump at the chance to show frum people have this, so we need to discuss this strategy.

Lets start with what were able to do NOW!
I printed up 25 copies of the flyer- and started putting them up whenever I go to a new Shul.
Asking permission from the Rav of the shul to put up the flyer is a great way to introduce him to the idea- so he knows this is available to refer people. So far frum Rabbonim that I asked- had no problem with the idea of advertising Chizuk in Shmiras Einayim- and didn't have internet to start looking at the site in depth.

Anyone out there able to print something up with Yiddish and some english- It is easy to circulate in the Shtetls such as KJ, Tosh etc.
Its very cost efficient to get the guy who puts up signs to plaster them on every shul etc in these neighborhoods-word gets around fast.
Unfortunately there is no lack of need... Could the forum,etc work if English is not first language?

I tried mentioning the idea of online accountability partners to one of the Rebbe's with many Chassidim- he listened, when I asked him if he was interested in this idea for his Kehila he declined- but grassroots it could really spread

Someone sent me an e-mail:

After reading the thread of the aguda convention, i don't know whether to laugh or cry. It brought tears to my eyes just as it did to yours. Besides the fact that you are giving all your time and energy for us, besides living on a minimal amount because of this. If i'd have the money, i'd make sure to support u comfortably. But anyway your sechar in the next world is unfathomable for every second of ur time u are spending with us, poor souls. I was thinking that it's such an amazing time of the year, around chanuka time. A time when we were saved not from physical destruction, but spiritual destruction. But just as the macabiis emerged victorious, hashem will make you and all these special people on gye victorious. I have not got the ability to join the forum, with only phone access to the internet, but this is my message.

Speaking on behalf of the younger generation on gye, it's heartwarming to see everybody's response. But as was mentioned a few times, i'm trying to fix myself first before anyone elses. As it's stated 'chayecha koidmim'. I just wanted to point out from my experience, there are young kids getting trapped every day. It used to be just the WEB, but i totally disagree today that it's just the web. Today the media advertisement, mode of dress,newspapers, magazines littered all over the streets, traps young unsuspecting kids just as much. I personally, till recently, did not have open access to the internet. From when i was a young kid i got attracted by all those mentioned above, i fed my y"h from things that came through our front door, on the streets etc(of course they ended up in the trash, but in a very attractive way. I ended up buying p. magazines, masturbating. I was getting driven more and more to it, till it became a full blown addiction. I almost reached much worse things. I stopped many times only at the last minute (so sad to think about it, but it's reality. I am so grateful to hashem for helping me do teshuva). The internet was just 'the last straw on the camels back'.

But b"h i had the zechus of finding this website not long after, after reaching a point of despair on one occasion. I was told that just as much tumah on the web one can find matters pertaining to any 'dovor she'bikdusha'. So i searched for a site about guarding ones eyes, and obviously found this site. This same story is probably being repeated by many young kids who also don't have internet access. My mashgiach did sometimes mention about these things, but it was not enough to calm my y"h. ONE HAS TO REACH OUT TO THEM TOO. My brother, whom i revealed a fraction of my problems to, told me he was always dreaming of something that would reach out to even young kids. One has to also try to uproot this at the start, when kids are young, bearing in mind that it's not only the internet or eyepods or cellphones that turned this into a full blown addiction.

Thanks again for everything. Hashem should bless u with all his infinite amount of berochos

Based on this post, I have sent e-mails to several of the rabanim in my community asking them to forward the flyer that Reb' Guard provided to their kehilas.  One rov I contacted has already forwarded my e-mail to the shul list.

We all have private and anonymous e-mail addresses. It would be a tremendous zechus for each and every one of us to anonymously e-mail our rov and ask that the flyer be e-mailed with this weeks zemanim.  Just say that the attached flyer advertises a web site that was discussed at last weeks Agudah convention.

Imagine the impact that the site could have if the flyer was mailed to several hundred or several thousand people this erev shabbos.

Do not delay - e-mail right now

Ashrecha Steve, that's the way to go!

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WOW!

I  havent had a chance to read this till now.
"Mi k'amcha Yisrael" is all I can say.

Hashem must be shepping such nachas at this moment as He listens to these warriors on the war path!

B'ezras Hashem we will yet do our part to bring mashiach and save ourselves,
and our brothers and sisters
from this slimy situation called galus.

Count me in!

I REALLY FEEL THAT WE NEED TO KEEP THE INSPIRATION ALIVE

HERE ARE A FEW EMAIL ADRESSES

PLEASE SEND A RESPECTFUL AND INFORMATIVE TO THESE INFLUENTIAL  PEOPLE.


RABBI ZWEIBEL AT THE AGUDAH

dzwiebel@agudathisrael.org

PHILLIP ROSENTHAL

philip@philiprosenthal.org


HAMODIA

editor@hamodia.com

i dont have the mishpachas email if s/o has it please post

I WOULD LOVE IF S/O LIKE KEDUSHA CAN WRITE A BASIC OUTLINE FOR A LETTER TO THESE INDIVIDUALS

bards