As I prepare to co-host a study session on Zoom at the virtual Tikkun Leyl Shavuot next week, I remember back to when getting ready for a Zoom festival was not part of the routine. Here’s a taste from my post on the Rabbis Without Borders blog from last Sukkot, October 1, 2020:
The 3 ½ weeks leading up to Rosh Hashanah are lost in a haze of last-minute purchases: a new modem, spare headphones, a wifi extender, and, finally, a 50-foot ethernet cable. Forget about connecting to the congregation, or God, without an enduring internet connection. The 5 weekdays between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur are spent in meetings and tech rehearsals; what can we learn from the feedback we received following our virtual services, study sessions, and workshops? What back-up plans do we need in case ShulCloud crashes again and no one can access the Zoom links through our website? We know we’ll need all equipment and personnel functioning at maximum capacity… Read more