S. Petersburg, Russia – A new technological development has reached past the walls of a unique S. Petersburg landmark – the Great Choral Synagogue.
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Namely, now anybody coming to visit the Choral Synagogue will be able to take advantage of free access to the Internet via Wi-Fi to their mobile device. This opportunity was made possible through a gift presented to the Synagogue by the telecommunications company PIN-Telecom.
“We want to make people receptive to the Synagogue, not only as a building intended for worship, but also as a place where you can feel at home and have a good time,” remarked Moshe Treskunov, the Head of the Information Department for the Synagogue.
“Now, it will be possible for everyone coming here for a holiday or a lesson to check their email during the breaks or afterwards”.
But the presence of high technology equipment in Synagogues raises issues among those who tend to see the Internet as evil.
However, Chief Rabbi of S. Petersburg Menachem Mendel Pewzner said, “From the perspective of Jewish tradition, it is most important to look not only at something, but at the purpose for which it is used. The S. Petersburg Synagogue actively uses the Internet. We post materials on Judaism and use the web portal Vkontakte.ru (the Russian analog of Facebook) in order to invite people to participate in the Jewish holidays and to find volunteers to help the elderly.”
The Jewish community of S. Petersburg, headed by Rabbi Mendel Menachem Pewzner and Chairman Mark Grubarg, is a trailblazing leader among members of the Federation of Jewish Communities of Russia.
Will the WIFI be available in shul on Shabbos and Yom Tov?
Now I can attend shul via webcam. Do I still count in the minyan?
its a shul not a internet cafe’
Omygod what has this world come to wifi in a shul, oy vay we hve to get rid of this filth and now we are bringing it into shuld hashem yracheim
if people can answer thier cell phone in shul and browse on line from thier cell phone in shul while davening then why shouldnt they be allowed to have wifi?
It’s not only a Shul, it’s a community center as well, where people stop by thruout the day. This only attracts MORE jews to where they belong…
Do you All forget – it’s Russia, for heaven sakes! After 70 years of Communism, it’s a miracle – Boruch Hashem – they come to shul at all!
One step at a time. If wifi helps to bring Russians in a frume shul, with many learning opportunities – all the better.
This is questionable.
A sheila should be asked to gedolim and they should be asked to give teshuvos in writing.
According to this logic, there would be no problem with cellular phones in Shul. However, we see with our own eyes, that they are disruptive and a distraction. Same may be with regard to Wi-fi.
More elementary questions need to be asked though. For example, will the wi-fi be turned off or disabled during davening and on Shabbos and Yomtov?
The story doesn’t say, but I think it’s safe to assume that if the router is controlled by the shul it will be shut down on Shabbos and Yomtov. R Pevzner is at least as big a chochom as the commenters here, and perfectly capable of deciding what needs to be done.
would be better that the sanctuary be internet deaf soo that there and shiur rooms and torah places should be shut off for the mind to think!