The chareidi public joyfully received the news of the opening of the Shemesh Network, the new Agency for Practical Office Services, which will provide office services to the public in a kosher manner, accessible to the entire public, established with the assistance of the Center for Protection Against Technological Threats, under the guidance of HaRav Sariel Rosenberg.
The first branch just now established in Jerusalem on Rechov Sonnenfeld, in the Beis Yisroel neighborhood, contains fifteen computer stations providing especially supervised screening services with blockage of entry to new websites. Thus, it is necessarily open only to those necessary and useful websites which undergo filtering exclusively developed for this purpose in addition to the regular filtering. This aims at preventing any access to undesirable places. Aside from this, there is a `kashrus supervisor' on the premises to see that all is under control.
The administrators of this office have consulted rabbonim before opening its doors. The latter endorsed the need for such a service since it enables the public to altogether eliminate the Internet from the home, and whoever does require that service can avail himself of it through ongoing supervision of the strictest degree.
This new office helps people preserve the sanctity of their home by eliminating the need to access even carefully filtered Internet and the possibility of circumventing or disabling the filtering. The public atmosphere of this office also constitutes the watchdog lest one stumble. The administration has seen to it that even avreichim who may require occasional use of this computer service but don't have time during the day, can avail themselves of hours of their convenience, from 8:30 a.m. till midnight, Fridays and motzei Shabbos. Separate hours have been instituted for use by women.
