The One Question I Get Asked Most Often.

I get asked all the time, what's with social media, and why should I join the Facebook/Twitter/Tumbler bandwagon? Moreover, the question really is, how do I get members to my website, and why aren't they coming when I do try? The answer to these question is simple: most websites don't have the content that these social media sites are using to make them seem interesting.  Let's take Facebook for example.  Why is it that over 50 million people are on it?  What makes this simple, no content website appealing? That's the problem; there is lots of content on the site, just not what you think of, when you think 'content'.  Facebook's content comes from the users.  In this day and age, people are interested in what others are doing, or what others think.  It's the natural evolution of the internet.   When the internet first started it was about information being transferred only one way.  You might go online to find out what constellations are visible where you live, or 'how much wood, would a woodchuck, chuck, if a woodchuck, could chuck wood?'  But now people are interested in the personal lives of others; they are interested in peoples personal thoughts and opinions.  It's still about information, just a different kind of information. This brings me back to my point of 'why can't I get my members to visit my website?'  The answer is, your site lacks the content that people find new and interesting.  A great example of an interesting website, with lots of information, is Reddit.  Reddit is a site where people can post anything they want, from articles, to YouTube videos, and even comics that make fun of life situations.  This site has grown from a small community, to having over a million daily hits.  The content on the site is new and interesting; people want to know about it. But what can you do to make your website more viable?  The answer is new and relevant content.  An example might be having students post short blogs about their daily life, or maybe a weekly Shabbat recipe brought to you by the sisterhood.  Some other great ideas might be to offer 'Groupons' (group/website sponsored coupons).  Also don't forget to notify your members about your website and these updates, Constant Contact is great for this type of thing.  These ideas don't have to be long; in fact, the shorter the better (remember twitter is only 140 character posts).  Try new things, update your site regularly, make it easy to navigate.  All these things contribute to getting people to visit your site, and all these things will effect whether or not these people come back again and again.

Digitizing the Ancient World!

Judaism is one of the world's oldest religions, dating back over 5,000 years. Being this old, there is a lot of history to it. Today we are lucky enough to have the technology to look back in time and get a real idea of how these people lived.  One of the greatest discoveries in the past 60 years has been that of the Dead Sea Scrolls. The Dead Sea Scrolls were discovered by archaeologists between 1947 and 1956.  The scrolls are named for the area where they were found, the northwest shore of the Dead Sea, and date back to the 3rd century BCE.  They found 5 different parchments; The Great Isaiah Scroll, The War Scroll, The Temple Scroll, The Community Rule, and The Commentary on Habakkuk.  Each of these scrolls give us insight into the life of the Jewish people during the time of the Second Temple. This is all great information, but what does it have to do with technology?  Over the past few years, the Israel Museum has been working with Google to put these scrolls online.  For the first time, you can now view these scrolls up close and personal without having to travel to Israel.  James S. Snyder, Anne and Jerome Fisher, the Director of the Israel Museum, explained that, "They are of paramount importance among the touchstones of monotheistic world heritage...Now, through our partnership with Google, we are able to bring these treasures to the broadest possible public."  By hosting these scrolls, Google has made it so that you can now explore the life and times of the past. Google used a 1,200 Mega Pixel Camera (keep in mind the camera on your cell phone is at best 8 mega pixels) that had an exposure of 1/4000th of a second.  This was the least intrusive way to shoot the scrolls as light can deteriorate the scrolls themselves (remember they are over 2,000 years old).  You are able to zoom in and really examine these pieces of history.  "The Dead Sea Scrolls Project with the Israel Museum enriches and preserves an important part of world heritage by making it accessible to all on the internet, " said professor Yossi Matias, the Managing Director of Google's Research and Development Center in Israel. The Dead Sea Scroll Digitizing has been funded by George Blumenthal and the Center for Online Judaic Studies. To see them for yourself, head over to The Dead Sea Scrolls Online.  See what life was like 2,000 years ago without ever leaving your chair!

Jewish education, now easier than ever!

It’s Thursday night.  You come home after a long day and are ready to relax.  You sit down for dinner, when you realize what’s going on this weekend.  It’s your nephews Bar Mitzvah, and you’re being called to an Aliyah.  The problem, it’s been 20 years since your B’nai Mitzvah and you’ve forgotten the prayer.  Or maybe, you’ve decided to be more religious, and start the morning prayers, but yet you don’t have time to go to services in the morning, nor do you have time to go to Adult Education Classes in the evening.  Behrman House, the people who make many of the Hebrew Education Books have created a few Iphone apps to help with just these things.  They have Apps for prayers, blessings, Jewish traditions; they even have an app for a Hanukkah game.  They have 8 apps in total, each with a different function.  For the most part, these apps look great.  It’s an easy way to get the information you want, conveniently.  The only issue I would have with them, is the fact that there are 8 different apps, which means your going to have to download 8 different items, and pay for them (a few of their apps are free of charge).  If you are interested in learning about Judaism, refreshing yourself on your prayers, or just looking for something to keep the little tikes occoupied for a little bit, head over to the Apple App Store and search for Behrman House.

Data roaming on cell phones no longer a problem!

We all go on trips, some for business, some for pleasure, and we all have the same problem: what to pack.  Clothing is the easy part; I know I'm going to Mexico, so I should pack some shorts, or I'm traveling up to Canada for the week, I should probably take a sweater.  The one thing we always seem to have trouble deciding to take with us is our cell phones.  Personally, I take my cell phone everywhere, including trips, as it is more than just a phone. It is my music player, my video gallery, my camera; it does just about everything. The only problem is when I get to my destination. Sometimes I forget to turn it on Airplane Mode (disabling the cellular signal so I don't get charged for roaming). An Israeli startup company has fixed this for you. No longer do you have to worry about surfing the internet with your Iphone and being charged thousands upon thousands of dollars on your next bill. The company, Onavo, has developed a way so that your searches and web pages go through their servers first, compressing your data. For those of you without smart phones (Iphones, Android, and Blackberrys) when you surf the internet, just like at home, data is sent back and forth.  Your carrier will give you a certain amount of data for free and when you go over, will tack on extra charges.  By compressing your data, a smaller amount of information is passed back and forth between the carrier’s server and your phone, and you will not be charged these overages.  The carriers will also charge for 'roaming' with your data just as they do with your cell phone minutes.  By going through Onavo servers, you are no longer roaming, and therefore won't be charged with roaming fees. Onavo has almost every carrier on board with this.  The carriers are happy because you are taking up less of their bandwidth (data being passed back and forth) and customers are happy because it costs them a lot less; a win/win situation for both parties. Onavo is currently only available for the Iphone, but they are working on an Android version (and more than likely will move to Blackberry soon).  If you have an Iphone and are worried about going over your allowed data limit, or are traveling out of the country or even out of your area of service, I would recommend picking up this app.  Currently it is free, so get it while you can before they start charging for the service.

Backing up your data, not just for the conglomerates anymore.

Backing up your data is one of the most important things you can do (right next to saving on a regular basis).  Believe me I know; I've spent time doing some video editing,  working for over 4 hours, and then losing everything because my computer crashed.  Had I backed-up my work, I would have been fine.  But I've learned from my mistakes and hopefully you can too! There are a few different ways of doing a backup.  First you can do it cheaply and easily using a burnable CD or DVD.  There is no real problem with this, as it is cheap, easy, and just about everyone has a CD or DVD burner  In fact, from my understanding, MM2000 back up their MMOnTheWeb data everyday using this method.  The only problem becomes storage of all those CD's, though with the way the music business is heading, I'm sure you can find a 2000 CD Folder for under 10 dollars.   The second method for backing up your data is to do it via an external hard drive.  There are two types you can get: a flash drive (one of those little sticks) or an external Hard Drive.  The flash drives are small in stature, as well as in size.  You can get them in up to 64 gigabytes (the same size as the largest Ipod).  Most people would never need to backup this much data so it would work.  The only downfall, a flash drive that size is going to cost you a pretty penny, though there are some out there for the value.  I picked up a 4 gig flash drive for under $20 (four gigs should be enough to back-up).  If you feel you need to go bigger, you can go with the external hard drive.  These can run you anywhere between $100 and $200, but will get you between 1 to 2 terabytes of hard drive space (that's 1000 gigs).  This will more than cover you for a few years as I guarantee most people will never go through this much space, especially at work. There is one alternative to this method and it is to backup your data on the cloud.  There are a few companies out there who host just plain hard drive space, letting you upload anything you want.  Most places charge for this and do so based on how much space you want to rent.  It is a monthly fee so it might be cheaper at the start; it won't in the end.  These monthly fees can range from $4.99 to $15.00 per month depending on how much space you need.  The drawback, it could take forever to upload all your data.  But once again, if you have less than a gig of data you need backed up, then there really shouldn't be a problem. It comes down to a preference.  Would you rather have the hard drive in your hand, or would you rather "set it and forget it".  Before you make any decisions I would encourage you to do research, just like with anything else.  The key thing is to make sure that you are backing up your data.  The worst thing you can do is ignore it, come in one day, and your computer is completely fired because the janitor spilled his soda on it the night before.

Creating Revenue Out of Nothing!

Times are hard right now, and we are all fighting for donations and revenue, especially for non-profits.  Thus, we must find new ways to generate revenue. I've discovered a great way to generate that revenue without having to do much work. JudaicaBeautiful is a site that does just that.  They are a company that works with Synagogues to help them make money.  They provide you with the items to sell and you post them on your website.  They take care of everything; all you have to do is host it.  Best part is, you get part of the sale.  You host a page on your site, with items that they sell.  When one of these items sells (from your website) they give you a percentage of the sale.  They sell anything, and everything Jewish!  From accessories (watches, key chains, money clips) to candy, gift baskets, and more!  They even do ecards!  They essentially expand your small sisterhood gift shop into a large organization offering more than what you can host in the small space.  They are online at JudaicaBeautiful.  Go check them out and see how they can work for you!

Who Is Driving Revenue? - Robert I. Evans, Founder & Managing Director of The EHL Consulting Group, Inc.

Using technology pro-actively in fundraising requires a strategy and an understanding about what attracts donors and makes the donation process as easy as possible.  Here is one prominent fundraising consultant’s thinking about being donor friendly. Every non-profit organization, including the thousands North American Jewish congregations, employs a varied staff to service many important functions. The clergy leads the spirituality of the congregation, the executive director oversees overall operations, the financial expert safeguards the financials, the school staff nurtures learning, and the teen director creates social experiences for the young adults; increasingly, congregations are adding a development director, too. Together, it is a sophisticated blend of managing the membership base and keeping current and potential members happy . . . and generous. But who is really responsible for strengthening the congregation’s fundraising and how is new technology becoming the new driving force in raising that money? Think about your congregation’s staff as your own personal social network. How many of them actively pursue the synagogue’s development interests? In reality, the responsibility lies within the purview of every staff member. That’s right, EVERY synagogue staff member, no matter what functionality or level of authority, is in essence a part of the fund resource development team. Now think of technology as enhanced technological social network. Let’s begin with your own synagogue website. It is also important to reach out to your members in a free and non-abrasive way. Collect Twitter handles and create a Facebook Group. With Twitter, you can create a hashtag for your synagogue functions (a # before your posts that signals for Twitter to create it as a topic). With Facebook, you can add events and drum up interest by self-promoting. Every person interacts directly and indirectly with people, knows someone, is connected to someone or can introduce someone to the congregational family. This works on both a personal and as a social network level. Working in a membership based organization is different than with almost any other situation. Mechanics see cars come and go, a plumber may fix the sink and never need to be seen again, a chef cooks food but seldom interacts with the restaurant’s patrons. All are important service-oriented industries that rely on repeat customers but synagogues offer a special warmth and emotional service that cannot always be calculated. Unless every member of the congregation’s team is working in concert to show the values of membership, members may affiliate elsewhere. As it is true that the Rabbi may often be the most often acknowledged fundraiser because he/she is the face of the congregation, more money will be raised if the staff is considered as an invaluable aspect of the fundraising team, involved and passionate about the synagogue. Think about who brings in the dollars from members and realize that every man and woman is part of the fundraising process. Recognize, too, that online fundraising is probably the “new” area of fundraising for Jewish organizations and especially congregations. Truly think outside of the tzedakah box in considering new revenue streams, using technology creatively, and appealing to members of the Jewish family at all ages and at all levels of technological proficiency. Robert Evans is the founder and managing director of The EHL Consulting Group, based in suburban Philadelphia. EHL Consulting works with non-profits across the globe on fundraising, strategic planning, non-profit business practices, and volunteer leadership issues. Look for frequent blogs on www.eJewishphilanthropy.com. Contact him at revans@ehlconsulting.com

The Future of Synagogue Software An Interview With Jim Gelles

There has been a lot of talk lately in the Synagogue Software industry about new platforms, and new directions. With Rakefet leaving the market, Synagogues all over the world will be looking for something new. So I thought this would be the perfect opportunity to sit down with one of the leaders of the Synagogue software community, Jim Gelles, owner of Membership Management Services and publisher of MM2000. He was kind enough to spend some time with me and answer a few of my questions.

Mike: Jim, thanks for this opportunity to sit down with me. So give me a little background, how long have you been in business?

Jim: I started working with computers in the late 70's, mostly selling computer systems. It wasn't until 1987 when I got into software. In '87 I started Membership Management Services with the intention of selling specifically to synagogues.

Mike: Why synagogues, why not go into something a little bigger?

Jim: I thought that the synagogue market was one that hadn't really been explored. It was a niche market, and so we went for it, and I've continued since then. We felt it was important that we specialized; only working with Synagogues.

  

Mike: How do your account for staying in business for over 25 years?

Jim: The one thing that Membership Management Services has been successful at is continuing to keep up with the development of software. In the late 90's, when Windows really took off, we moved from a DOS to Windows Package. Because I do a lot of the programming, and own the company, I had the knowledge and was willing to put the time in to move from one platform to another. That's what made us successful. We are one of the few companies that can say they've been successful moving from one platform to more effective ones.

Mike: Is this what makes MM2000 and Membership Management Services stand out above the rest?

Jim: MM2000 stands out because after almost 25 years of development it's what synagogues need. MM2000 has been developed over the years by letting the synagogues tell us what they want, and us modifying the program to match their needs. This has made our software into a more diverse and complete package.

Mike: So what is the next step?

Jim: Well there is a lot of talk right now about going to the cloud, this is indeed the future. We're determined to take another leap forward just like we did with DOS (to Windows), by rewriting our entire package in the language of the internet, JAVA. The project is currently being worked on and by the end of the year we will have something to show everyone at the Conventions.

Mike:  So what is "cloud computing"?

Jim: The cloud is a methodology that allows access to data from many locations. It makes it very easy when you're sitting at home, your office, or even an airport to be able to access your data.

Mike: That is most interesting!

Jim: Well, it also raises a lot of concerns in terms of security; it's not something to just be rushed into. With saying all of that, there are many technologies out there right now to move to the cloud. In fact, a few of our customers have already done this. They are successfully running MM2000 with their data locations separate from their main office.

Mike: Can't synagogue members then just change their own data willingly without the synagogue ever knowing about it?

  

Jim: We feel that it is very important for the back office to be separated from the front office; we don't want the members to be able to manipulate the Synagogue's data. That's why MM2000 is designed with an optional App (module) called MMOnTheWeb. With MMOnTheWeb members can update their records, make donations, and even register for school or events. But because it's a separate application from MM2000 the synagogues never have to worry about members actually accessing the back office. Everything flows back and forth between the two programs smoothly all while providing a huge layer of security.

  

Mike: So why haven't you switched over fully to a cloud based program?

Jim: I think in the next couple of years the internet will be a lot more secure, but at this point every one needs to be very concerned with security. With huge companies like Sony, Google, and even the CIA are being hacked, right now the security just isn't there. That doesn't mean that the cloud isn't on our mind, and that the cloud isn't the future. That's why we are moving to JAVA, the language of the internet.

Mike:  So JAVA is the next step?

Jim: Yes. We are really excited about this. Going to JAVA will accomplish a lot of things. First, like I said, JAVA is the language of the internet. This way we can run the next version of MM2000 as a browser based program, giving you the ability to access the program from anywhere. But even before that, by moving to JAVA we will be able to run on just about any platform; Mac, Windows, even on the Ipad/Iphone and Android. So you truly will be able to run on anything.

  

Mike: That will make the Java version really convenient to access.

Jim: That's not all. You will also be able to theme the next version of MM2000, just like you would any web page. Think of it this way, you go on Constant Contact and select a certain look for your email. Our JAVA product will have the same capabilities. You will be able to pick your colors, font, and general look. I'm really excited to see what synagogues will do with this!

  

Mike: So why go with JAVA and not some other platform?

Jim: JAVA seemed like the most reasonable. We looked at going other directions like .Net, but we didn't want to be tied down by the limitations of just Microsoft. I'm looking at the long distance future, not just the short term future, and in 10 years how will Microsoft fair against everything else? I mean who knows, Android could become the dominant operating system. If we went with .Net we would have been forced to use only a Microsoft Database. As good as they are, they still have limits to what they can do. I see PC's and Ipads (tablets) as the future, and by going to JAVA we are already ready for this.

  

Mike: Is there anything you would like to close with? Anything you want to tell anyone out there?

Jim: Well to close, I like to think that our 25 years of experience speaks for itself. We successfully moved from one platform, DOS to the next, Windows, and now we are taking the next giant leap into the true internet age with JAVA.

  

We've always been about our customers, the synagogues, and what they want, and what their needs are today. MM2000 is an easy to use, user friendly software package. Because of that we have been able to offer the lowest support prices in the industry, usually 30% less than our competers. So even though we have more features than other software, our cost of ownership is much less than the rest of the industry. For example we charge $1100 per year for unlimited multiuser support.

For those who are looking for new synagogue software or just want to find out why MM2000 is the best solution for Synagogue software, check their web page at www.MM2000.net . You can also reach MM2000 & Jim Gelles, by phone at 818/988-0008 or e-mail at jim@mm2000.net. 

 

( The interviewer, Mike Gelles, is the Director of Markting for Membership Management Services, and also the son of owner, Jim Gelles.)

Streaming Your Services - Get Judaism Online.

It's everyone's dream to walk down the street, and one day get spotted by Steven Spielberg to be the star of his next film.  I can almost guarantee this won't happen, sorry everyone.  But that doesn't mean you still can't be a star in your own right.   Since the advent of YouTube, the internet has become the next place to get "found" in Hollywood.  From people like Rebecca Black (who used her Bat Mitzvah money to make a music video which became a viral hit) to the Star Wars Kid (one of the first internet sensations when he filmed himself wielding his Light Saber), it's now easier than ever to get noticed.  But we aren't really concerned with becoming famous, now are we?  What we want to be able to do is show the world that it's not what you do that makes you important, but how you live your life. Today we are going to take a look at how to get that message out there, and how to make it easier for your members to attend services.  We are talking about streaming your Synagogue Services over the internet. But, why should I stream, this is just something extra to spend money on! There are many times where your members are out of town either on vacation or work.  By streaming your services they can still feel like they are part of the community.  This also goes for the sick and elderly.  These people have trouble leaving their location, yet we don't want to exclude them.   Moreover, a member may have a B'nai Mitzvah, where the members family is out of town.  How great would it be if they could join in the celebration over the internet?  These are just a few reasons why you should think about streaming your services! Now you could go all out, spending thousands of dollars, bringing in professionals to operate your camera, an editor to throw in some transitions, a sound op to make sure that your choir sounds just right, and even a director to switch from camera A to camera B.  The problem with this, the cost would be way too high for just about any synagogue, and it would involve of working on Shabbat, a big no-no; but that doesn't mean that you can't stream your services.   The best way to do this is to first find a site to host the stream.  I would suggest using either Justin.TV or Ustream.TV.  Both Justin.TV and Ustream.TV let people set up streams of their lives, TV shows, sports events, and even web cams of their pets.  What's great about both of these sites is that it is free!  You can use Justin.TV or Ustream.TV to host the stream, then just embed it into your website.  It's really easy to use, and makes it so that there is no cost.  The only problem, your viewers will see ads when they first start watching.  There is some good in this also; you can run ads in order to generate some revenue (based on how many people are watching your stream).   "But Mike, we can't turn on the computer or open web pages, we're shomer Shabbos."  Well, I would do the same thing you do for all your other electrical needs.  Turn your computer on and set everything up before Shabbat.  When the services start, everything will already be running. Because there is no time limit on how long you are allowed to stream, you can just "set it and forget it!" (I think that's how it goes).   Once you have an idea of how you are going to actually stream your services, you have to find a way to get it to that stream.  A lot of Synagogues will videotape their B'nai Mitzvahs and if you do, then you are already halfway there.  If you don't, then you need to find some sort of camera that will do this.  You could go all out and buy a Sony HXRNX3D1U but do you really need a camera that shoots in 3D and costs thousands of dollars?  Just go to Frys.com and look for web cams.  The technology is there, and you can get a 12 megapixel web cam that shoots in full 1080p HD for less than a hundred dollars.  Try and find something like this; it will do exactly what you need and won't cost you an arm and a leg. Next, you will need to plug your camera in so that you can stream video, and your mics so you can stream the sound.  The camera is a little more tricky than the mic, so we will cover that first.  One of the many reasons I recommend a web cam is that it is just plug and play; you plug the web cam directly into a usb port on your computer and you are ready to go.  If you decide to use a camera, you will need some sort of capture card (a special piece of equipment that goes into your computer to convert the analog video signal into a digital one).     The mics are the easy part.  All computers come with an input for mics, a mini plug (like the one you see on your head phones).  Just connect your mixing board to your computer using one of these cables, or just string a second small mic from the pulpit to the computer.  This will take all of five minuets to do.  Need help?  Just talk to the technician who set up your sound system in the first place and they will be able to take care of it.  Once you've done this, you need to find a way to stream to the internet.   A laptop would be your best bet to do the actual streaming (in fact, even an older laptop running Windows XP would work).  The laptop would connect to your internet and send the video and audio feed onto the site.  The reason I suggest a laptop is that they all come with Wifi, making connecting to the internet a lot easier.  If you want to go with a desktop, or you don't have Wifi, you can string a small Ethernet cable into the sanctuary (just string it with the other cables you use for mics and speakers) or like I said, use Wifi.  There are other options such as a device that plugs directly into the wall and into an Ethernet cable and runs the internet through your AC/DC circuit.   Once you have this all set up, just head over to Justin.TV and sign up.  After entering a few pieces of information (name, email, etc.)  you are eady to stream.  But you don't want to send your members to Justin.TV and have them search for you.  The best way to fix this is by embedding the stream into your website.  Justin.TV already provides the code for embedding.  This makes it really easy and simple.   This may seem like a lot of information or a lot of trouble, but it is actually easier than you think.  With just a few items you can be broadcasting to your members and others around the world in no time.  To give you an idea of what a high quality stream looks like, check out these synagogues who are already streaming: Temple Beth El (Spring Valley, NY)  Temple Beth Sholom (Santa Ana, CA)  Temple Israel (Memphis, TN)  So what are you waiting for?  Get online and start streaming your services; it's easy, fun, and a great way to spread some Tikkun Olam all over the globe without leaving your house!

Need Some Shabbat? Get It With Social Media!

Shabbat On The Go! Ever been out of town and not know anyone? We've all been there, searching for a place where we can go to feel welcome.  With Social Media the new norm, it only make sense that Judaism would come around to it sooner or later.  Today we take a quick at a great little website that combines both! Shabbat.com is a place where you can go to find a home for Shabbat.  Say you're out of town, on business, or maybe on vacation, but yet still want to have a nice Shabbat dinner.  You can go to Shabbat.com where they list fellow Jews who are willing to open up their home so that you can join them on Shabbat.   It's all very safe, as before you can go to someone's home, you must have two references.  If you open your homes to others, you can view pictures of the people who are looking to come to your shabbat dinner, along with seeing their history and whom else they've gone to.  I think this is a huge leap in how technology is affecting Judaism.  So head over to Shabbat.com and check it out for yourself!

PCI Compliance - Practicing Safe Computing.

There has been a lot of talk going on right now about hackers, and their ability to break into even the biggest of software companies' systems.  The question, though, is how well could your system stand up to these hackers?  In 2004 five large companies took it upon themselves to create the PCI (Payment Card Industry) Compliance. PCI Compliance was created by the major Credit Card companies in order to protect consumers from online credit card fraud. Developed by Visa, MasterCard, American Express, Discover, and the JCB Data Security Program; their intention was to create a standard for everyone to follow in order to protect the online merchant, the online costumer, and of course themselves. On December 15th, 2004, these 5 companies created the PCI Compliance.   The best way to understand the PCI Compliance is by reviewing their terms and making sure that you take the proper steps to protect yourself and your customers, or in this case, your members.    There are six different categories that regulate whether or not you are PCI Compliant.  First is that you maintain a secure network.  Is your network behind a firewall?  This is key to keep others out of your system.  A firewall keeps out all unwanted computers trying to connect to your network.  This way only people who are logged into your online marketplace can access and use their credit cards. The second is that you protect cardholder data.  This is easier said than done.  You need to make sure that your card holder data such as names, card numbers, and other personal information that is stored on your server is protected.  The best way to do this is by encrypting your data.  Encrypting your data means that a computer creates a random code that only it has the key for.  This way if your network is broken into, the data would be useless as the hacker would not be able to read the data without the secret code. Third is that you maintain a vulnerability management program.  Of all the items on this list, this is something you already do.  Just make sure your software is up to date such as your anti-virus and windows updates, along with running virus scans on a weekly basis (I recommend running it at least twice a week, and updating the virus definitions at least once a week).  This is something you should not just confine to your server, but your desktop and home computer as well.  Always good to practice safe computing.   The fourth piece of the compliance standard is all about implementing strong control measures.  This is your responsibility to limit who has access to these key pieces of information.  This is done by assigning a specific ID number to those key people.  This may be anyone from an IT manager to an Executive Director.  But each has to have a specific ID so that it is known who has access to the system, and who doesn't.  You might ask, what about those who log in?  When you assign them a username and password, you are already giving them this specific ID number.  You can trace the IP Address this person logged in from, and therefore know exactly who it is, and where they were when they logged in. Number five states that you must regularly test and monitor your networks.  This can be done by White Hat Hackers (hackers who are employed by security firms to test the strength and find holes in other networks, the good guys), or through some software that will monitor and test your network regularly for vulnerabilities.  It is important to make sure that your network is in tip top shape so that you can't be broken into. The final item on the list is that you have and maintain an information security policy.  This is the idea that your employees know what your security policies are and are able to explain them to the public if need be.  You are responsible for your network; make sure you have a plan and know how to implement it. The current version of PCI Compliance, 2.0, was released October 26th, 2010.  By January 1st, 2012 everyone must be on 2.0.  With all the hacking going on, especially to big companies like Sony, Google, and the CIA, it is your responsibility to protect yourself.  Some hackers do it for fun, and some do it for profit, but no matter what, unless you take the time to protect yourself, you can, and will be, hacked. To get more information about PCI Compliance visit PCI Security Standards Official Site.

Social Media Going Jewish!

G-DCast.com Every week we read one chapter in the greatest story ever told, the Torah.  I happened to come across a great website that compliments this very well.  G-DCast is a website that has the week's corresponding Parsha. They are short flash videos with the stories of the Torah broken into 4 minute videos.  What makes these great is that they are written in "prose, poetry, music and hip hop!"  They are a fun little way to start each Monday morning.  So grab a cup of coffee, your bagel, and get a little Torah for the week! You can check out G-DCast here, or just head over to http://www.G-Dcast.com

Israel, A Leader in Technology.

Israel is less than 65 years old, but yet it has become one of the world's leaders in technology.  This is due to many reasons, but the big factor is their location.  Israel is a giant desert with little water, yet it is known as 'The Land of Milk and Honey'.  This idea has been the driving force in their technology boom, and this boom has been all about going green. Over the past 20 years, the Israeli government has been working and encouraging emerging businesses to go green, creating such things as drip irrigation systems, computerized fertigation (where fertilizer is injected directly into the water of these drip systems), and even finding ways to recycle coal waste into fuel.  Israel has openly shared these technologies with the world and developing countries.  The goal of these countries is to become as efficient as Israel which recycles 70% of their waste water (the most in the world). Their big push now is for electric cars.  Israel's goal is that have 20% of their cars fully (or mostly) electric by 2020.  This is less than 8 years away.  That's approximately 371,000 cars that are going to be electrically powered.  In a country the size of New Jersey this is an acomplishment!   Electricity powered devices are the wave of the future and Israel knows this. The government has been working with Israeli based company Sovna to pioneer energy farms.  Energy Farms are just what they seem, a place where we can harness energy using the power of the sun, wind, water, or earth.  Sonva has been creating rooftop windmills to produce this energy.  But their real goal is to turn the Golan Heights into a giant wind farm.  This would become a prime place to create energy for the country and could show the world how we no longer need the oil from the Middle East.   Investors all over the world, including those from Silicon Valley and China, have been heading to Israel to get in on the action.  Not only do these new technologies help the planet, but they are also creating waves in the science world and showing everyone that Israel isn't such a small country after all!

Facebook, Why Should I Join?

Facebook is the best way to stay connected, not just to old friends (and new ones) but with companies you work with, and companies that work with you! That's why we at MM2000 want you to join our Facebook page.  It is updated on a daily basis and is the fastest place to get up to the date information about MM2000 & MMOnTheWeb.  

We have also started a few discussion groups.  This is a place for you to ask questions and help others.  We at MM2000 moderate these forums and it is an easy way to get a quick response.

Signing up for Facebook is easy.  Just head over to Facebook and right on the front page is the opportunity to sign up.  Next, just head over to the MM2000 Facebook Page, and hit the "Like" button on the top.  It's that easy!

Soon you will be up and participating in no time!  We want to make our Facebook page a place where everyone can interact and we can't do it without you!

Don't forget to check out http://www.mm2000.net for all your Synagogue computing needs!

Google Chrome & How It's Going To Effect The Landscape of Computing.

For over three decades we have really only had two choices when it came to computers, Apple or Microsoft. While Microsoft eventually bulldozed Apple almost causing it's collapse. With the re-emergence of Apple and the Ipod, Iphone, and Ipad the two are fighting head to head once again. But today marks a new day as a new major player has emerged. Google Chrome was announced three years ago as a Linux-based operating system that would eventually compete with the likes of Microsoft and Apple. Fast forward three years, and here we stand. With Google I/O (Google's Developer Conference) came the official release of Google Chrome. As of June 15th you will be able to purchase a Chrome Notebook by either Samsung or Acer.

The real question is whether or not this will have any effect on Microsoft and Apple sales? I would most diffidently say yes. Originally Chrome was going to be the main OS that Google put out, but since its conception, Google's other OS has taken off with tremoundous success. I'm of course talking about their Android mobile OS. In the past 2, years Android has risen to the top of the smart phone market, a position once held by RIM's Blackberry and Apples Iphone. Android exploded and so will Chrome.

Chrome is a web based OS, straight into the cloud, starting with your boot up. Turn on your computer, and eight seconds later you're online, surfing the web, browsing Youtube, or having a live web chat (yes they include a web cam). The battery life is what I think will really make the difference in this as you can get up to 8.5 hours on one charge (better than Apple's MacBook which only gets 6.5 hours).

What make the Chrome Notebook so appealing is that everything is in the cloud. All your information is stored online thus relieving you of the burden of a hard drive. The only problem, most programs won't run on Chrome, yet. What will run are browser-based programs, which include programs that run in JAVA. JAVA-based programs will run with no issue on Chrome Notebooks, and for those looking to the cloud, this is the way you should go!