FAQs

How do we sign up?

How long till our new site is ready?

We need this special feature…

What is the technology behind ShofarSites?

Who are the people at ShofarSites?

How do we sign up?

The first step is to fill out a short form. We will contact you to schedule a phone meeting about your site goals and objectives.

How long till our new site is ready?

For synagogues that choose one of the included package templates, a new site can be launched within one month. For synagogue that would like to create a new look or to recreate their current site design, a new site can be launched within one to two months.

We need this Special feature…

Let us know what you’re looking for. We create custom components.

What is the technology behind ShofarSites?

ShofarSites is dedicated to open source software and development. Behind the scenes, we run LAMP – the Linux operating system, the Apache web server, the MySQL database server, and the PHP web programming language. The ShofarSites synagogue package is based on the Joomla! framework.

Ok, what’s Joomla!?
Joomla! is a powerful, open source Content Management System that provides an excellent base for building sophisticated websites. In 2006, Joomla! won the Open Source Content Management System Award, due to its ease of installation and use.

Joomla! includes traditional CMS functions such as storing and sharing articles, images, news content, events, and schedules, but also goes far beyond traditional CMS, to provide easy management of e-commerce, data reporting, directories, online reservations, and catalogs. Joomla! has been used for millions of sites, including thousands of non-profit and religious organizations.

Joomla! was designed to provide an easy to use interface for non-technical users to update and manage content. Through the Joomla! Administrator application, authorized users can change content, without any html or programming skills required.

If Joomla! is open source, what are we paying for?

We provide a one-stop web site solution for synagogues. Our site packages include design, installation, hosting, upgrades, and maintenance. And, perhaps most importantly, we provide documentation and support. We unlock the power of the Joomla! open source content management system for you.

Who are the people at ShofarSites?

ShofarSites is part of TnR Global, a technology company located in Greenfield, MA, approximately 2 hours west of Boston / 4 hours north of NYC.

TnR Global was co-founded by Rich Roth and Natasha Goncharova in 2004, and has expanded over the years into a team of highly qualified professionals.  Our focus has always been on the ‘complex’ sites. Front end web design for static sites bores us. We are back end types. Content management systems, enterprise search, complex databases, the code that makes it all work together… that is our bread and butter. And we have a deep and abiding love of open source solutions. Joomla!, the best open source CMS, has won our hearts.

Rich Roth, CEO, has been in software development since there was software development.
Rich Roth founded TnR Global to capitalize on his 30 year record of achievements in the IT field. Under his direction, the company has grown into a leader in the field of enterprise level back end web services. Rich Roth is a well known expert in software product design and in cross-platform computer technology. He assisted Bob Young in early business plans for Redhat, and was Shepard in the Apache Foundation Gui-dev project. Rich Roth has spoken at conferences and published articles in Computerworld, Creative Computing, Dr. Dobbs Journal, Computer Language and a chapter of a book on AI in Business.
Masters of System Engineering, 1973 Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

Natasha Goncharova, Managing Director, Business Development
Natasha Goncharova has over a decade of experience in business development and finance, and was the co-founder of TnR Global. Prior to her work with TnR, she gained international experience in financial consulting and in corporate finance as a senior financial analyst. Her experience includes financial management, budgeting, sales forecasting, market research, and sensitivity analysis.
Masters of Business Administration, 2003  University of Massachusetts at Amherst

Michael Klatsky, VP, System Administration

Michael Klatsky has over a decade of experience in developing and deploying highly-available internet systems. His industry expertise includes administration of authentication, authorization, and accounting systems, client/server architecture, wireless internet access networks, ISP architecture, distributed computing, and single sign-on systems. Michael is proficient in deploying Databases (Oracle, MySQL, PostgreSQ, Berkeley DB, LDAP), Mail Servers (SMTP/POP/IMAP), Wireless Internet Systems, Clustering and HA Systems, VOIP technologies, messaging systems, and anti spam/anti virus systems.
Westfield State College, 1989

Tamar Schanfeld, Joomla! Project Manager
Tamar manages Joomla! projects at TnR Global, including ShofarSites. She is an experienced technical and marketing writer, and has written manuals, specifications, user guides, and articles for high tech and financial firms in the United States and Israel.  She specializes in making technical material interesting and accessible to both technical and non-technical users.
Bachelor of Arts, 2001, Marlboro College