A Couple of Points for Batya

Yesterday I went to the third annual conference on Judaism, Society and the Internet, which I previously marked in an earlier post as a coming attraction. I was a little bit run into the ground because of good news, namely a new grandson born on Shabbat and the Rebbetzin running off to the hilltop to take care of Mommy and baby. So I got there a bit late. It was held at the Inbal Hotel, all in Hebrew, which seems strange to us International Jewish Conspiracy bloggers, but it was a thoroughly Israeli event. I went there with the expectation of trolling the waters to find people conversant with Torah and media and do some networking. I did a little, not as much as I would have liked.
The sponsorship included the website Kipa, Lifshitz College, Ynet, Machon Puah, the safe ISP Internet Rimmon, the newspaper Makor Rishon and a few others. The crowd was a mix of middle-aged folks like myself along with a lot of the usual bright-eyed and bushy-tailed student types that you would expect, a nice bunch of people. The yishuvim in general were apparently well representated. Shiloh in particular was represented by my good friend and Batya's neighbor Rav Dov Berkovits. Batya can get some nachas from having been mentioned, though not by name. R. Dov was on a panel about community together with, among others Rav Shmuel Eliyahu. R. Dov pointed out what blogging can do for someone who is into it and referred obliquely to Batya. Another important rabbinical personality present in another session on anonymity was not at all anonymous but very well known, Rav Menachem Burstein, head of Machon Puah, which deals with reproductive issues and halacha. He pointed out that anonymity can be both positive (freeing people from embarrassment in asking delicate halachic questions) and negative (going ape and slandering people). The last speaker, whom I was tipped off not to dismiss, was the Minister of Communications (from Shas) Ariel Attias, who has been a solid consumer advocate in lowering phone charges and trying to get local and religious radio of the ground. One of the principles of JobKatif told me that he is a solid person, and his address seemed do bear that out. But it also incidently served as good election propaganda at the right time. For 20 shekels, worth it. I also hope to hear from people later on.