FAQ & Help
Click here for the organizational manual to learn how to use JewishBoston.com for your organization.
General questions
What is JewishBoston.com?
JewishBoston.com is, well, a website for Jews in Greater Boston. Here find an immediate connection to all the amazing things that are happening in Boston for Jews right now. Discover links to cultural events (music, dance, film, lectures, cooking classes), Jewish education (courses, lectures, trips), organizations (synagogues, community centers, professional networking) and lots more.
Why did CJP create JewishBoston.com?
Combined Jewish Philanthropies (CJP) created JewishBoston.com to connect young adults (and everyone else) with the best that our community has to offer. A quick Google search reveals the void JewishBoston.com will fill. While there are hundreds of amazing Jewish organizations, schools, cultural events and synagogues, it’s hard to make sense of them all -- or connect with them -- online. CJP identified this void in its 2008 Strategic Plan and decided to create this very cool tool to help serve the community.
Do I have to log in to use JewishBoston.com?
No, you can use a lot of the features on JewishBoston.com without logging in. You can browse events, share event information with friends, express your “like” for events and Voice posts, read Voices and explore Resources. You do need to log in to add to the Voices conversation, to have a more personalized experience using My Jewish Boston, and to personalize your event e-mail.
I forgot my username and password, what do I do?
Just click on that Forgot Password? Link on every page – top right corner. If you’re an organization, click in the same place and follow the easy instructions.
Will you share my personal data with any other organizations?
No. The data collected by JewishBoston.com belongs to CJP. It's managed in a separate database than CJP records and your privacy in maintained. We don’t plan on using your personal data for fundraising by CJP. We won’t share your information with any other organization. When you register for an event, you’re obviously sharing your information with that organization yourself. We don’t control how they use your information, so check with a particular organization. Read the Privacy Policy for more of the details. (Nothing tricky.)
How do I report inappropriate content?
At the end of every Voice posting, there is a link that says Report Offensive Voice. Click it and the post will be flagged and reviewed by a site moderator. Use this when something is offensive – hate language, inappropriate sexual references, you know the obvious offensive stuff that gets passed around the web. Don’t use the link if you simply disagree. If you disagree, log in and add your comment. Get a lively conversation going.
Is there a charge for becoming a member of JewishBoston.com?
Nope. Absolutely free.
What is a Voice?
A Voice is any registered member of JewishBoston.com who wants to say something (hopefully something relevant or funny or intriguing or just plain great). On the Home Page and on every Voice landing page you can click on the Add Your Voice button and start a conversation. Or you can join a conversation from someone else’s Voice post by clicking on the post and adding your comment. The editors of JewishBoston.com curate the posts and identify Voices that are particularly timely or thought-provoking and Feature these on the Home Page.
Who can advertise on JewishBoston.com?
At the moment, there is no paid advertising on JewishBoston.com. Organizations offering events on the site are sometimes featured in the usual right column ad space. The JewishBoston.com editors decide which organizations to feature based on a variety of criteria. We're considering advertising for future releases.
How do I make suggestions about improving JewishBoston.com?
Click the Feedback link at the bottom of every page.
For individual community members
Why should I join JewishBoston.com?
If you want to get the most out of JewishBoston.com, join the community. By joining JewishBoston.com you can create your own space where you see just the events and conversations that most interest you. Identify your preferences when you sign up and your My JewishBoston is tailor made for you. Your own events email has the same flavor. By joining you can also have an identity by creating a profile and you can add your voice to any conversation. By belonging to the community you make the community richer, more people participate, more organizations post events, JewishBoston.com becomes the place to find out where to go, the community gets richer … you know how it works.
Who gets to post events?
Organizations offering activities that are of interest to Boston’s Jewish Community are encouraged to post events on JewishBoston.com. Most organizations have their own accounts on the site and post their events regularly. However, anyone can post an event by clicking on the Add Your Event button on the Home Page and the event landing pages. If you add an event, it’ll be reviewed by the JewishBoston.com editors and then published if they decide it’s of interest to the community.
How do I find events near me?
You can do this in a number of ways. On the home page, just click Near me and you’ll see the events closest to your zip code. Or go to the Events pages and click the proximity filter at the left top of the page. Or, better yet, join JewishBoston.com and set your Events Selection preferences with a proximity selector.
How does JewishBoston.com know where I’m located when I’m not logged on?
JewishBoston.com uses this great technology called GeoIP that allows the system to locate your computer so that we can show you events closest to your location without you having to log on. The system does nothing else with this information than present proximity-related events for you.
How can I get notices for just the events that interest me?
Sign up for personalized events e-mail. If you’ve joined JewishBoston.com, you’ve already set that up in your Events Selections preference. Just click on Yes, send me my personalized email weekly at the bottom of the page. If you haven’t joined JewishBoston.com, do it so you can get personalized e-mails.
Can I have a personalized view of JewishBoston.com?
Yes, you can. By joining JewishBoston.com and identifying your preferences. After you’ve joined and stated your preferences, your my Jewish Boston tab will give you a customized view to reflect the events you’re most interested in following.
How do I become a Voice?
You become a Voice every time you participate in a conversation. You can become a fresh voice by clicking on the Add Your Voice button on the Home Page and the various Voice pages. Or you can add a comment to an existing conversation. For obvious reason of authenticity and transparency (don’t you love those words?) you need to join JewishBoston.com to become a Voice. If you’re interested in becoming a regular Voice on the site, contact the JewishBoston.com team and maybe you can work something out.
Can I access JewishBoston.com from my phone?
Kind of. You can pull up the website, but we’ll be launching a mobile app soon to make it better. Stay tuned.
Is the information in my Profile public?
You decide. When you create a profile, your site nickname is the only thing that needs to be public. You can also add some information about yourself, create a Voice byline, add a picture and/or include your real name. It’s all up to you.
How do I subscribe or unsubscribe to the JewishBoston.com newsletter?
To subscribe to your own personalized weekly site digest click on the big red button that says Personalize your Events Email today! It’s on practically every page. When you join JewishBoston.com you can also set up your preferences. To unsubscribe, click on the link at the bottom of each newsletter or go into your Events Selection link in My JewishBoston and click No, I just want to set my preferences for My JewishBoston.
How do I deactivate my JewishBoston.com account?
Click on the My JewishBoston tab, click on Settings, click on the link at the bottom of the screen to Deactivate. Deactivating your account will remove your profile from the site.
How do I change my profile and my preferences?
Click on the My JewishBoston tab on any page. You’ll see links in the secondary menu where you can go to change your Profile, Settings and Event Selections.
How do I change my e-mail address or password?
Click on the My JewishBoston tab on any page. Click on the Settings link to change your email address and your password.
How do I remove my information from JewishBoston.com?
Click on the My JewishBoston tab on any page. Click on the Profile link and remove or change any information. If you want to remove your Profile completely, click on the link at the bottom of the screen to Deactivate
How do I tell friends about an event posted on JewishBoston.com?
Every event listing allows you to spread the word through Facebook, Twitter or by e-mail. Look for the icons in the lower right corner of each event description. You can also share on a number of other sites by clicking on the + icon.
What methods of payment do you accept for event registration?
The organizations holding the event determine the kinds of payments allowed for the event. JewishBoston.com offers non-profit organizations an e-commerce system through Amazon.com. This system integrates with Amazon Payments and you use your own Amazon account to pay.
If I already have an account on Amazon, will it just be automatically accessed?
Yes, if the organization holding the event are using Amazon Payments for registration payment. When you click the Finish and Pay button, you will be linked to the Amazon page where you can enter your Amazon username and password.
Can I share JewishBoston.com information using my social networks?
Every event listing allows you to spread the word through Facebook, Twitter or by e-mail. Look for the icons in the lower right corner of each event description. You can also Share on a number of other sites by clicking on the + icon.
For organizations
How do you define an organization that can post events?
Any organization that is serving the Jewish community in the greater Boston area qualifies for participation in JewishBoston.com. In general, greater Boston is defined by the area currently served by CJP. If you are an organization outside the greater Boston area, but you offer services for those living in Boston (such as summer camps) you probably qualify.
How do I get started?
Hopefully someone from your organization has attended one of the many trainings offered by CJP about how to get started on JewishBoston.com. If that hasn’t happened, contact our Community Manager Liz Polay-Wettengel at 617-457-8751 to get yourself started.
Where do I find a user’s guide for organizations?
The user guide is accessible here.
How do I post events?
When you get set up with an account, you will now have an Admin tab on your menu bar. By clicking on the Admin tab, you have access to a full array for functionality that includes event management, blog postings (Voices), directory listing management and photo management along with a plethora of site usage reports.
Can I edit my events once posted?
Absolutely. If you are logged in and you are an event administrator for your organization, all you have to do is click on the Admin tab, then the event tab and all of your events show up. You can edit your edit, take it off the calendar temporarly, or even cancel it. If you cancel it, you should have the ability to have it show up as cancel. You can close registration.
How do I set up a blog from my organization on JewishBoston.com?
When you get set up with an account, you will now have an Admin tab on your menu bar. You can add blog posts through the Our Voices link. Your post is published to your directory listing (under Resources tab) as well as on the Voices pages that you have identified when you created the post. If your organization already has a blog outside JewishBoston.com, you can link to it in your Directory Listing.
Can I solicit donations?
Yes. JewishBoston.org offers e-commerce functionality to all participating organizations that create accounts. The organization web pages are designed to include a donation box if you wish. Donation payments are processed through Amazon Payments.
Can all organizations use the e-commerce functionality on the site?
Any group that is a 501(c)(3) and has a directory listing on JewshBoston.com can use the e-commerce functionality provided on the site. Currently, organizations or businesses that are for-profit entities cannot make use of the JewishBoston.com e-commerce system.
Can I post pictures of the event so that people can see them post-event?
Absolutely. Using your admin access, you can post pictures of any event at any time. You can also post other pictures about your organization as well.
How do I set up a Google map for my organization page?
The system does it for you automatically when you enter the address into your directory listing. Once you hit Save Changes, the map is created on your directory listing page.
More questions?
Send us a note: Support@JewishBoston.com
