By COLlive reporter
Lubavitch has always been quick to adopt modern technology in service of ‘the cause.’ Satellite television broadcasted the Rebbe’s talks and Menorah lightings around the world, Tanya is on the radio and there is a vast cyberspace presence (many Shluchim are on twitter).
In one area Chabad seems to fall behind: Amazon’s self-proclaimed revolutionary Kindle device.
The e-book reader in paperback size, featuring a 6 inch (diagonal) display, was sold out in five and a half hours at its first offering and has remained out of stock until late April 2008.
It promises to provide an exceptional reading experience of books, magazines, newspapers and blogs, through a screen which is as sharp and natural as reading ink on paper—and nothing like the strain and glare of a computer screen.
Searching for titles available for purchase and download, COLlive found 1,529 Jewish related books.
Among them we found “How to Raise a Jewish Dog” and “The Genius of Jewish Cooking” but hardly any from the vast Chassidic variety available in print.
Amazon carries 243 new and used books from Kehot Publication Society, Chabad-Lubavitch’s official publisher. A compact size Siddur and the Shulchan Aruch were among the books sold by private individuals.
While available on paperback, Simon Jacobson‘s “Toward a Meaningful Life” and Tzvi Freeman‘s “Bringing Heaven Down to Earth” were not available for Kindle.
COLlive did find the following books by Lubavitch authors:
Jewish Wisdom for Business Success: Lessons from the Torah and Other Ancient Texts by Levi Brackman and Sam Jaffe (Kindle Edition – Sep 10, 2008) – Kindle Book $9.99
Going Kosher In 30 Days! — Everything You Need to Know about Kosher by Rabbi Zalman Goldstein (Kindle Edition – Sep 1, 2007) – Kindle Book $7.95
Shtick Shift: Jewish Humor in the 21st Century by Simcha Weinstein (Kindle Edition – Nov 25, 2008) – Kindle Book $7.99
The Rebbe’s Army: Inside the World of Chabad-Lubavitch by Sue Fishkoff (Kindle Edition – April 15, 2009) – Kindle Book $9.99
We also found a book by Lionel Rolfe about the Menuhin family of great musicians.
“For centuries, the Menuhin line had been producing geniuses.. Schneur Zalman, the founder of Chabad Hassidism and the composer of powerful religious songs; and all the great Schneersohns, the hereditary first family of the Lubavitch Hassids,” it said.
This is a followup to my noting you had mentioned my book, “The Menuhins: A Family Odyssey,” which is also about the Lubavitchers. Just to let you know, I also was the editor of the Bnai B’rith Messenger in Los Angeles for 10 years. The paper was the pioneer Jewish paper since 1893. It’s now defunct.
I noticed you mentioned my name, Lionel Rolfe, and that I had written a book about the Lubavitchers and Menuhins. The book, The Menuhins: A Family Odyssey, is mentioned in the news release. Long Out-Of-Print Books By Los Angeles Author Lionel Rolfe Can Now Be Read On Your iPhone & Kindle Lionel Rolfe’s work is featured on an important new web site. The site, http://www.Boryanabooks.com, will do more than revive important books, music and video. It will also introduce important new works. CONTACT: calclass@earthlink.net Four of Los Angeles author Lionel Rolfe’s out-of-print classic volumes will soon all be available on… Read more »
You can also download kindle books on to your iPhone or iPod touch in the kindle app. That would give a lot more people jewish books to read
the kindle does not have color screen…but it’s still nice 🙂
The Rebbeh said Bayis Molaih Seforim not Kindle . we are waiting for a kindle that folds into our jacket pocket and then watch where Chabad will be in tech the kindle is very clumsy for our life on the move
read more here:
http://comments.deasil.com/2007/11/28/on-kindle-critiques/
Just heard simcha Weinstein on the radio he is amazing
thanks for the article
you guys have the most original content around
waste of time
frum jews will not be able to use it on shabbos and yomtov – what is the point?
Always with the latest technology!!!
I use it on my way to work, pls pls pls put jewish stuff on there so i don’t need to shlep my dvar malchus and read other stuff