Kosher phone users sue phone companies

Three haredi ( (ultra orthodox) plaintiffs are suing cell phone operators Cellcom, Partner, and MIRS for charging them for text messages that are supposed to be blocked under their user contracts for kosher phones. Globes reports. "These Motorola handsets, launched in 2005, come with a special prefix, which blocks SMS messages and can not be used to surf the Internet. The plaintiffs claim that the defendants charged their subscribers for SMS messages sent by them to subscribers who chose to disable receipt of SMS messages and/or mislead the senders by an indication on their cellular phones that such messages were sent." permalink (September 24th, 2007)

New York City Kosher Restaurant Alert by SMS

kosher-ny.com has launched a new service in New York city that helps users to find a Kosher restaurant by simply sending a text message. [via Mocoblog] Search for Kosher restaurant information by text message straight to your cellular phone. Simply send a text message to eat@kosher-ny.com. Put a partial restaurant name in the message body. You will receive a response with the restaurant address, cross street, phone number, type of establishment, and Kashrut certifier. Put a Manhattan address or intersection in the message body You will receive a response with the name, address, phone number, and type of establishment of the four closest Kosher establishments. Kosher and cell phone related: -- The Kosher Phone, by Motorola - carrying the seal of approval from Israel's rabbinical authorities -- are stripped down to its original function: making and receiving calls. -- Kosher voice navigation - MIRS, the maker of kosher phones* approved by the Haredi community, will offer a yiddish verbal navigation system. -- Chicken Soup for your Cell Phone - MazelMobile aims to make your cell phone “more Jewish” -- Yentatones - They're hilarious. Check them out! A personal favorite "You Dont Call, You Dont Write..." - for anyone who relates to a Jewish mother. permalink (January 16th, 2007)

Kosher voice navigation

Ynetnews reports that MIRS, the maker of kosher phones* approved by the Haredi community, will offer a yiddish verbal navigation system. "Verbal directions will be given in a male voice as well as visual location according to the address alone". *The Kosher Phone, by Motorola - carrying the seal of approval from Israel's rabbinical authorities -- are stripped down to its original function: making and receiving calls. There's no text messaging, no Internet access, no video options, no camera. These are simple devices, capable essentially of carrying out walkie-talkie functions. They can make calls on the Sabbath, but only for the purpose of saving lives". Related: - Cell phones for the Orthodox permalink (August 21st, 2006)

'Kosher' Phone to be sold outside of Israel

The developers of the "kosher phone" are now looking beyond the religious enclaves of Israel, reports The Washingtom Post (via IFTF's FUture Now.) The phones -- carrying the seal of approval from Israel's rabbinical authorities -- are stripped down to its original function: making and receiving calls. There's no text messaging, no Internet access, no video options, no camera. More than 10,000 numbers for phone sex, dating services and other offerings are blocked. A team of rabbinical overseers makes sure the list is up to date. Talks are under way to introduce a kosher phone to Jewish communities in the United States and other nations possibly later this year. Israeli Arabs -- about 20 percent of the population -- have also taken notice of the phones as a possible option for those trying to protect conservative Islamic sensibilities. Mirs -- Israel's smallest cell phone in terms of market share -- was the first to take the challenge. But instead of simply blocking the non-call services, the new phones were specially engineered with hardware to prevent upgrades or sharing chips with other handsets. The kosher phone was ready last March, backed by 80 men and 10 women from Israel's ultra-Orthodox neighborhoods who went through a crash course in cell phones and door-to-door pitches. They started spreading the word in synagogues and wedding halls. By summer, more than 20,000 kosher phones were sold. But it was just a foothold in an estimated market of at least 180,000 cell phone users among Israel's 500,000 ultra-Orthodox. Two of Israel's other three cell phone players have developed their own kosher phones. The options now come in a range of styles and colors -- from staid black to enamel red. permalink (April 3rd, 2006)

Israel phone company launches porn-free service

Bezeq Israel Telecom, the country's dominant phone company, on Sunday launched a service that would block calls to porn and other "improper" destinations in a bid to attract ultra-Orthodox customers, News.com reports. "Avi Gabbay, Bezeq's chief executive officer, said at a news conference the company had invested $500,000 on the new "Kosher phone line" service, which initially will be free and has been approved by Israel's leading rabbis. He noted that although the main market will be the ultra-Orthodox--who typically live in their own communities and refrain from many secular activities--the service will be open to all. Israel's mobile phone operators already offer similar services." More on Kosher phones. permalink (February 4th, 2008)

SMS service For traveling Jews

Juedische reports on a new SMS service for traditional Jews; launched by Linguistic Agents called Info Jew "The SMS service to launch in March will allow Jews to use their cell phones to find synagogues, kosher restaurants, Chabad houses, mikvehs (ritual purification baths) as well as the exact times for prayers, Shabbatot and holidays anywhere in the world. ... The times of services, Shabbatot and holidays, as well as information such as data on local rabbis, Jewish tourist sites and Chabad houses will be added at a later stage, and will have coverage in Israel as well as in the rest of the world." Related: -- The Shabbat phone for isreali soldiers, minimizes Shabbat desecration - The Shabbatphone “minimizes Shabbat desecration” for military soldiers in the israelian army. -- The Kosher Phone, by Motorola - carrying the seal of approval from Israel's rabbinical authorities -- are stripped down to its original function: making and receiving calls. -- Kosher voice navigation - MIRS, the maker of kosher phones* approved by the Haredi community, will offer a yiddish verbal navigation system. -- Cell phones for the Orthodox - An Israeli cellular phone company came out with a line catering to the fervently Orthodox community. permalink (February 26th, 2007)

The Shabbat phone for isreali soldiers, minimizes Shabbat desecration

The Shabbatphone “minimizes Shabbat desecration” for military soldiers in the israelian army. “Until now, every telephone call [on Shabbat] that was not a matter of life and death or close to it raised questions and deliberations among religious soldiers regarding halachic permissibility. Now the calls can be made without any qualms. Dialing and other electronic operations on the “Shabbat phone” are performed in an indirect way so that the person using the phone is not directly closing electrical circuits. [via pasta and vinegar] Related: -- The Kosher Phone, by Motorola - carrying the seal of approval from Israel's rabbinical authorities -- are stripped down to its original function: making and receiving calls. -- Kosher voice navigation - MIRS, the maker of kosher phones* approved by the Haredi community, will offer a yiddish verbal navigation system. -- Cell phones for the Orthodox - An Israeli cellular phone company came out with a line catering to the fervently Orthodox community. Photo from Center permalink (February 15th, 2007)

Chicken Soup for your Cell Phone

MazelMobile aims to make your cell phone “more Jewish”. Jewswire.com via YetNews reported that MazelMobile sends subscribers a daily text message containing important Jewish dates, Jewish humor, wisdom and information directly to their cell phones. The service also gives users access to a range of Jewish background wallpapers, logos and ringtones. ... In line with its commitment to community building, the company gives $1 per subscriber back to Jewish organizations that resell its services via their affiliate program." Not nearly as funny as YentaTones - by my books - or as serious as The Kosher Phone. permalink (October 25th, 2006)

Cell phones services that are good for the soul

At a time when consumers are being inundated with offers to receive wireless sports updates, interactive games and more, entrepreneurs are catering to customers looking for cellphones and related services that satisfy spiritual, rather than entertainment needs. The WSJ rounds up some of the religious services available for cell phones. Many more examples in Textually's SMS and Religion category. permalink (March 27th, 2006)

Text messages from the Great Synagogue

Sydney's Great Synagogue has become the first Jewish community in the world to send Sabbath greetings via SMS, reports The Sydney Morning Herald. "The historic synagogue's new-generation leader - 39-year-old British-born and Oxford-educated Rabbi Jeremy Lawrence - said hundreds of mobile phone text messages were sent last week with the traditional Sabbath greeting "Shabbat Shalom". More than 700 messages were sent to members of the 1000-strong congregation, using direct marketing technology and containing details of services and events. Rabbi Lawrence said he believed the Great Synagogue was the first in the world to embrace SMS technology." Related: -- Cell phones for the Orthodox - An Israeli cellular phone company came out with a line catering to the fervently Orthodox community. "The “kosher” phone carries a stamp signifying its approval by rabbinical authorities, who will recommend haredi community members to take out contracts with MIRS Communication. permalink (April 17th, 2005)

Cell phones for the Orthodox

An Israeli cellular phone company came out with a line catering to the fervently Orthodox community, reports The Times Online via JTA. "The “kosher” phone carries a stamp signifying its approval by rabbinical authorities, who will recommend haredi community members to take out contracts with MIRS Communication. The Motorola handsets have been modified to disable internet access, SMS text services and video and voice-mail applications. Growing concern that new-generation mobile phones could threaten the conservative, ultra-Orthodox values and way of life, particularly among the young, led to a rabbinical committee being formed to examine the issue. Rabbis say that they are not against technology as a matter of course. But they fear that the latest feature-packed telephones coming to the market will provide the opportunity to access corrupting influences". Sabbath rules prohibit writing, playing musical instruments, music, and using money or telephone. Some ultra-Orthodox rabbis forbid television and the internet as corrupting influences. permalink (March 6th, 2005)