I predict that my recklessness will either be the key to my success, or my downfall.

For the sake of full disclosure, six months ago, during the last Business Week, I asked one of the moderators of TeaneckShuls community e-mail list if I could tell the businesses on JobShuk about the special opportunity to advertise free to the Jewish population of greater Teaneck. He replied that he preferred not, that I should advertise JobShuk, and people can find the business listings there. And so I obliged.

But little came of that.

This time around, I choose not to oblige. My reasoning is that I wanted to get hundreds of businesses in Israel posting, letting everyone on the TS list know that Israel is a great option for outsourcing work - it's not just for shopping. Also, if someone is considering Aliya, they don't have to be so worried about a living, since they may be able to continue the same work in Israel, as many are already doing. I forgot to consider that the moderators would still be bombarded by join requests and posts that need to be approved.

I got a call from one such moderator who found out about my plug, and asked for me to remove the information. After I told her it was sent via e-mail, she sighed, and stressed how the focus was to help the local businesses primarily, but they allowed some Israel posts too. I said I understood, but had another agenda, and in the end, we agreed to disagree.

One post was rejected because the Business Week rules limit Israel listings to tourist services. Here's my response in defense of the post:

Why is the policy like that? Presumably, that's all there was at one point. The only way you could support Israel's economy was by visiting and buying stuff. But in the New World, people can go to their computer and visit <Israel retail site> or <outsource to Israel service> and support the real people of Israel, not the Armenians peddling their junk in the Old City.
I didn't intend to cause more work or anguish for the TS moderators. I did, however, want the members of the list to notice that there are a LOT of people living in Israel who would like to do business with them, and they shouldn't forget about Israel.

My initial post at the close of Business Week, coinciding with Yom Ha'atzmaut, was rejected because it sounded too much like a thank-you, and not enough like an ad. How silly of me!

Subject: Thank you for Business Week, from Israel

In a society overwhelmed by advertising, to the point that we've trained our minds to ignore commercial ads, small businesses still depend on it to generate new leads. TeaneckShuls, a closely moderated community list, recognized the need for local businesses to get the word out and prevent hard-working independent people from needing charity, which is in fact the highest form of charity.

We also have to thank TS for recognizing the next most important group that needs help from falling into poverty, and that's the people in Israel struggling for a decent parnassa. Although improving, Israeli charities and organizations cannot be supported with the money earned by families in Israel, most of whom live paycheck to paycheck.

We thank you for remembering the small businesses in Israel, with the hope that Israel will soon be completely independent, and all the Jews of the world will be united in Israel, flourishing financially, religiously, and spiritually.

I apologize to anyone else who may have had their post of join-request rejected. My sincere hope is that one day people will come willingly to JobShuk, recognizing the potential to improve the Israeli economy and unite the world Jewry.