On 20 Aug 2008, I represented Tzipiyah at the first-ever international Jewish Bloggers’ Conference, organized by Nefesh B’Nefesh. NBN flew in some prominent Jewish bloggers from USA, and provided a light deli buffet, drinks and snacks (free!), and an altogether entertaining and informative evening. In truth, I expected about 20 people to show up. Over 200 people attended the conference in Yerushalayim — Israelis and visitors with NBN — and I’m told over 1000 people watched the live webcast over the internet. Wow!

Although I’m not a ‘big macher’ in the Jewish blogosphere, I did recognize some names, and it was great to see the people behind the blogs in many cases, and to meet people involved in similar or common concerns: Torah, blogging, Israel, Aliyah, computer geekery, etc.

I was proud to represent Tzipiyah at the conference, and to rub shoulders with bloggers from better known and lesser known blogs than ours. I heard about some other interesting blogs, such as Treppenwitz, Jewlicious, and WhatWarZone.

Thank you to Nefesh B’nefesh for all their effort and money spent on this wonderful event, and to the event’s other sponsors, Sun Microsystems, Office Depot, IsraelMall, and WebAds.

I hope that more of our contributors will be able to participate in future events, and that blogs with positive Torah and Israel related content and messages will continue to flourish and to shine light into the face of the darkness.

Friends, as always, we need to spread as much light as possible. Today, the fight for Jewish identity is urgent; the cause is crucial. On Monday, 25 Aug (yesterday), Israel released from its jails 198 Arab terrorists, for no reason whatsoever (besides currying favour with Rice). The madness continues; in the face of it all, we need to do what we can to strengthen Jewish pride, Jewish knowledge, Jewish identity. Proud Jews stand tall, stand firm, and know without a doubt that the only One to trust, the only One to ask for support from, is the Creator Himself. Not America, not Britain, not anybody else. Only G-d.