A friend sent along a post from Gizmodo. In the post, I read about two new offerings in the Itunes App Store. For the uninitiated or the stranded on desert islands: the Itunes App Store is a place where you can buy software for your IPhone or Ipod Touch. There are awesome offerings and some really impressive ones in the realms of world religions. I have a Quran, Bible, Catholic Calendar, and other religiously oriented pieces. All the programs I have mentioned are free.
Enter “IBlessing” and “ParveOMeter” Each program is cute enough and functions without glitches.

IBlessing gives you guidance in reciting the blessing over food products as well as Shema Yisrael, Modeh Ani, hand washing and a shortened version of Birkat Hamazon (Grace After Meals). The tool is useful for those who are new to the
experiences of regular blessings recitation or for encouraging children, students or really anyone who wants to learn.

ParveOMeter is basically a timer that runs backwards from 6 hours to 0 reminding you of when you may eat dairy products after having eaten meat. This is for those Jews who observe the custom of waiting 6 hours from meat to dairy. Of course there are other customs, 3 hours, 1 hour and, though rare 4 and 5 even. None of these are included in the program. The ParveO also includes a handy tool for those who wait between dairy and meat, i.e. 30 minutes or 60 minutes must pass from the time of eating dairy to the consumption of meat.

These programs are put out by an organization called the Jewish Learning Group and include links to their website where they have a multitude of books, posters and programs aimed at bringing Jews to a state of religious observance that is in concert with their belief system.

Allow me to editorialize. I checked out these cute programs and thought that to be diligent I should even read the “Item Description” of another of their products the, “Say-a-Blessing” electronic Keychain which is found under the “Keychain” tab in IBlessing. I found the following sentence at the very top: “Finally a religious device with buttons that doesn’t explode.”

I was shocked. Horrified. Confused. I thought I must misunderstand. Long story short (too late) I contacted Rabbi Zalman Goldstein who appears to be in charge in some way, his response:

“I hear ya. What’s wrong with turning evil into kedusha (holiness)? Isn’t that what we are all about? Can’t you see the positive of this tremendous kiruv (rapprochement) tool instead of finding something negetive (sic.) in all the good?” (translations in parentheses are mine.)

Wow! We had a less than pleasant exchange of emails. Let’s just say we’ve agreed to disagree and that he isn’t inviting me for Shabbos anytime soon. As someone who has lost friends to bombs and has felt the misery of life in a state haunted by terror I just don’t know what else to say.

Yes the programs work. Should you download them - that is up to you. Are you sensitive to the unheard voices of the people behind this program? Should we bump this up on the cool list and allow people who twist Judaism behind the veil of Jewish Law and kiruv/outreach?

It takes more than a 5MB program on an Iphone to teach people how to make it through the world.

UPDATE:

I received an email from Rabbi Zalman Goldstein at 8:20PM last night, which said the company plans to remove the offensive reference.