Jewish Life in Second Life
There is an emerging Jewish presence in virtual environments. Second Life, for example, is home to a virtual Kotel and Torah learning center, Temple Beit Israel synagogue, a Jewish Historical Museum, a Holocaust Memorial Museum, an artistic representation of a mikveh, a Judaic gift shop, a cafe and Jewish art space, and Ir Shalom – a Jewish city. People regularly gather to learn and discuss Torah and gather inworld to acknowledge Jewish ritual in the real world. A recent genealogy exhibit featured resources from JewishGen, the online Jewish genealogy project. 2Lifemagazine: The Jewish Magazine in Second Life highlights activities and issues of identity related to being Jewish as expressed in the virtual world.
These projects are the work of individuals who have taken it upon themselves to create Jewish culture in Second Life. This in itself is noteworthy. Individuals design and create Jewish artifacts and activities with which they actively engage and invite others to join as well. They are creating a deeply personalized environment on their own, without impetus from traditional institutions, to explore their Jewish identities with others from around the world who happen to interact online. It is also noteworthy that these forms of expression reflect traditional metaphors of Jewish community.
The immersive Jewish community is growing, both in terms of Jews who are joining and in terms of Jewish activities. The medium is still young, and not without its challenges, but opportunities for Jewish learning and the exploration of one’s Jewish identity/ies abound.