As we return to our routine schedules at our work-places, we approached the professional experts at the Moked Hayiutz Consultant Headquarters to hear of recent developments in the field and their many-branched activities to help install proper halachic computer screening for the many seekers thereof.
The outstanding feature characterizing the professional consultants whom we approached is the unwillingness to compromise and to settle for anything less than the best. Involved are specialists in the field who advise and guide the top men in the network and computer sciences in the country on how to screen computers in complicated cases. They prefer to maintain their privacy in order to continue to best provide their consultation services.
Their accumulated experience is tremendous, acquired over many years of heightened daily activity of service to the many who approach them from varied kinds of work places, businesses, institutions and organizations. Each instance which presents even a small complication is dealt with through their high grade expertise which enables these experts to find suitable solutions. This professionalism was expressed through a stimulating interview with them.
Q. Are there any recent innovations and developments in technological areas which provide solutions to the challenge of halachically accepted screening?
A. Indeed, there are many developments but most of them are in the technical plane which is not known to the main public so that there is no point in discussing them here. We can, however, say that where in the past there were no answers to many problems, today there are many satisfactory solutions.
This is why we suggest that those people who were unable to install full screening in the past and sufficed with only partial screening, should consult us once again, since there is a high chance that the problem can be fully solved now.
Q. Do you find that you need to deal with chareidi employers?
A. Within the chareidi public there are very few who do not have screening at all, but there is certainly a lack of awareness of inadequate screening of various types. Some employers mistakenly think that any screening is good enough and kosher, and shy away from better screening as superfluous. But the truth is that anything that provides only partially coverage, is tantamount to no coverage whatsoever. It is treif. It may screen out the worst but still leaves access to many severe Torah prohibitions. When a worker from such an office contacts us, we guide them regarding installing quality screening which provides an answer to all the needs of that office.
In these days, we received an urgent call from the election headquarters about a temporary office requisitioned by the workers, which lacked proper computer screening to the chareidi public.
"We came here to work," said the director of the team, "and upon discovering the nature of the computers, I made everyone get up and leave, and locked the door. Our headquarters will not operate until this problem is dealt with. Can you help us install the best and quickest screening?"
So we are happy to see that the public has acquired the basic understanding that one cannot work on a computer which is not completely protected according to the Halacha.
Letter about Computers in the Office
