Let’s get ready for an enjoyable and productive day!
To ensure you get the most out of JWWS 2016, here are a few details and instructions that are important for everyone to read and adhere to:
Coming by car. Here is the link for information on how to get to Shirat Yerushalayim Hall by car, and more importantly, where and how to park. The area is very, very congested; the earlier on you come if coming by car, the better your chances of getting some kind of parking.
Entering the hall. Please enter the hall from the front entrance on Kanfei Nesharim Street. If you parked at the back side, come into the hall and go to the registration desks before doing anything else.
Name tags. When you first join the seminar, please come and take your name tag from the name tag station.
Free stuff! When you come into the hall, there is an organized area of all the free brochures, magazines, coupons, raffles, and much much more for all to take from. There are also beautiful bags provided courtesy of The Jewish Press. Please take one bag per attendee and fill it with whatever you like from all the many publications, fliers and offers provided; then take it to your seat with you. This will keep everything neater and organized throughout the day.
More free stuff! There will be beautiful promo gifts and items at every seat in the hall when you come in. Please only take one set. The ones on the tables that look extra are not extra as many women come later in the day and will want them then. Anything leftover at the end of the day belongs to the companies that provided them.
Air conditioning. Every year we do our best to ensure your comfort. However, with so many people in one hall it is impossible to satisfy everyone. We must have the AC on for airflow. Please bring along a sweater if you think you may feel cold.
Reserved seating. The tables in the very front of the hall say RESERVED on them: These tables are for reserved seats, and are also for participants who are hard of hearing, disabled in any way, or are over the young age of 60! Everyone else should please take other seats throughout the hall. We have done our best to ensure that there are plenty of good seats available AND that all seats can see equally well. There is a microphone so that all can hear well too.
Publisher meeting tables. The meeting tables that have been set up in the meeting area adjacent to the hall are ONLY for the publisher/company that it was assigned to. Every single table is taken and has a sign on it of which company is meant to be sitting there. Even if no one is at that table, you may not sit down at those tables to conduct a different meeting, nor to shmooze with a friend.
Casual shmoozing. If you do need or want to talk, please go all the way out of the hall and upstairs near the entranceway. DO NOT stand in the meeting area to talk as the talking carries through the doors and disturbs the people inside the hall. Please, ladies, help us to make this an enjoyable day for all and keep to these simple rules. It is terribly disturbing to have to ask people to leave or move outside.
Cellphones. In the hall, keep your cellphone on silent. If you absolutely must speak on the phone, go upstairs to the first floor and do it there. Do not talk on the stairs nor in the stairwell nor in the glass meeting area/washroom area. The sound carries and disturbs others.
Raffle. We have a great raffle of many books! Winners will be called out for each book raffled off. However, we cannot hold onto books if you are not there. If you must leave before the raffle, please appoint a friend to take any prize you may receive home for you. If no one answers for a prize, we will re-raffle it to someone else.
Workshops. Workshops are clearly marked this year. Please note where they are stationed and don’t move them around. Please only go to the workshop you signed up for/are assigned to. No switching last minute.
Workshops and Recordings. VERY IMPORTANT note: Courtesy of TorahAnytime.com there is video coverage of selected sections of the seminar day for immediate access beginning several hours after the JWWS seminar is over Jerusalem time, called JWWS 2016 Digital Access. The workshops are not included in this digital access, nor are they videotaped. As a unique feature of JWWS, workshops are available only for in-person attendees who have paid for the full day or for the afternoon portion of the JWWS.
To keep this aspect of the JWWS unique and orderly, you may record workshops if you are at the JWWS yourself, in person, for your own private use. Please bring your own mp3 recording device to take care of this yourself. We ask that you not record for a friend who is not there. Thank you for understanding.
Handouts and other printed materials. Any handouts from session speakers or workshops presenters are only for in-house attendees.
The printed lists of newspaper, magazine, publishers and company reps is available for anyone who wants it – you can see it up on our website at any time!
Babies and babysitting. If you are attending with you baby, even if you have not booked for babysitting, please sit at the designated tables for mothers and babies. This keeps the clutter and normal busyness of this beautiful stage of life in one area and the natural disturbance it does cause at a minimum for other attendees. It also cuts down on disruptions for others as well as gives you room for your carriages and other items. If your baby cries or disrupts, please take him outside.
Babysitting services were only by prebooking. ALL mommies with babies please sit only at the designated tables for mothers and babies.
Coffee/tea station. Talking by the coffee and tea table disrupts those sitting at nearby tables. Please take your drinks and food to your place and enjoy it there. NEW! Special ‘spring garden’ outdoorsy corner courtesy of Shirat Yerushalayim will be open for your enjoyment and relaxation adjacent to the coffee/ cake relaxation corner that is sponsored by Menucha Publishers. Come see it for yourself – it’s beautiful!
Refreshments. Please help yourself to the coffee and cakes. Take what you would like but remember to leave some for the ladies coming after you as well. This especially includes the fruit and vegetable platters.
Selling and Buying Books:
As in past years, since this IS a writers’ seminar after all, we offer a table for our authors to sell their books.
Selling books: Selling books at our seminar is a feature offered only to those authors who attend the seminar in person. In order to give space and room to all our many talented authors, we ask that you only bring up to five books of any one title to place on the table. Make sure you put your books on the table of books for sale and not on the raffle table by accident. Book sales direct between the seller and the buyer – they are not handled through the registration desk.
If you are selling your book, we ask that you please donate one to the raffle as well. Just put it on the raffle table when you come in.
Buying books: When you want to purchase a book, find the author and pay her directly. Do not pay for a book at the registration desk. The money must go directly to the author herself. And ladies, come equipped! Bring cash and also change! Give parnossa to your fellow writers and if you are going to buy books, buy them at the seminar and help your friends! It helps every person when others buy from them directly.
