About AskMoses

What Is AskMoses.com?

AskMoses.com is a vibrant, innovative online resource offering anonymous users instant advice from the qualified men and women on our team of expert scholars.  These scholars are available 24 hours a day, 6 days a week, and stand ready to address topics ranging from simple questions about Jewish holidays to complex inquiries on personal issues. 

AskMoses provides a unique, non-intrusive environment where we share the depth, love and spirituality of Judaism.  Our services are available at no charge, and we answer questions from Jew and non-Jew alike.

The site has been operational since 1999, and since then our scholars have conducted more than a million live chats, answered hundreds of thousands of e-mails, and written thousands of essays.  Along the way, they have helped people deal with everything from troubled marriages and suicide attempts to finding Shabbat dinners and references for school reports.
How the Site Works
When visiting AskMoses.com, you will be prompted to enter a temporary “chat name” before connecting to a Java-based chat engine allowing live interaction between visitor and scholar.   You may chat anonymously or you may give your name.  Our live AskMoses scholars are available worldwide, managed by an Internet-based software control system.  Each scholar is available during specified, scheduled hours, and the number of scholars online at any time is sufficient to cover user demand with a minimal wait.

A user may request the next available scholar, or ask for a particular scholar with whom they’ve had a previous interaction.  The user is then connected for a live, private chat with a scholar (identified via a picture and short bio) to ask questions, seek advice, or obtain references for additional research.  After the conversation, the user can request that same scholar for future follow-up or other conversations.

The AskMoses software retains conversations so that questions and answers of general interest can be posted anonymously on our online library for other users’ benefit.  The system stores all conversations in text format for future use in our database – after a designated editor has revised the text and removed any private information.  Our software also retains statistics on system access by country, time of day, user wait time, and other traffic factors for feedback and system resource management.  And it permits management review of past conversations to allow oversight for scholars and quality assurance for users.
Addressing an Unmet Need

With statistics showing more than half of Jewish children in America  not being raised with a Jewish education, AskMoses.com provides a vital outlet for all Jews, regardless (or perhaps especially) if they may feel alienated, indifferent or distraught.  We are the only Jewish website offering live, one-on-one access to rabbis and scholars.  In an online environment full of static spiritual text sources, we provide a human connection.

Recognizing that people are more apt to broach sensitive issues online with the safety net of anonymity, AskMoses lets visitors benefit from one-on-one, personal attention without fear or embarrassment.  Jews who feel alienated from the community due to distrust or indifference may lack a comfortable forum where they can talk candidly about sex, drugs or abuse -- but AskMoses provides values-oriented advice and thoughtful discussion of sensitive issues.
Based in countries including the United States, Israel, China, Thailand and Uruguay, our scholars represent a wellspring of collective wisdom.  They are diverse individuals with a broad range of life experiences and learning.
Access to qualified Jewish scholars remains geographically limited -- but AskMoses.com utilizes the Internet to provide global access.  No matter where a user may be, as long as they can go online, they can get information and advice.
The Technology Behind the Site

AskMoses.com runs on a highly efficient and advanced server array system that is custom-made and configured for our unique uses. It includes high-speed data enhancement, with complete, real-rime redundancy so that if a server fails another can take up the load.  Our servers are globally load balanced, and power is assured through a multiple redundant power backup facility.

AskMoses.com uses a custom-built, powerful Java based chat engine.  A custom database is used for the question-and-answer process and for other data backend purposes.  The website itself is custom-made, and uses proprietary web applications.

AskMoses.com.  Live.  One-on-one.  24/6.