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Instead of yanking out the strand, Rose Falanga and Cy Silver have woven it into the theme of an extensive, personal Web site.

"Bluethread" — found at http://www.exo.net/bluethread — is devoted to interactive Torah study for "amateur scholars," the reformation of Reform Judaism and the elimination of barriers that divide Jews.

Far from a typical personal World Wide Web site, "Bluethread" includes historical essays, biblical commentaries, a 41-word glossary and a 96-item bibliography.

The site is named for the colored cord once found in all tzitzit, a ritual item heavy with symbolism for this Reform couple.

Tzitzit, the fringes that the Torah commands Jews to wear, were once standard Jewish garb. The blue thread within the otherwise white tzitzit disappeared about 1,700 years ago when the dye from sea snails became difficult to obtain. Early Reform Judaism, which began in the 1800s, discarded the commandment to wear tzitzit altogether. Today, few non-Orthodox Jews wear tzitzit on a daily basis.

Falanga and Silver now see the fringes, which appear on four-cornered garments worn under shirts and on prayer shawls, as representing the divisions among Jews.

"It is ironic and sad that one of the main functions of tzitzit today is to distinguish one type of Jew from another!" the Web site commentary states.

For Falanga and Silver, the tzitzit also symbolize Reform Judaism's struggle with the commandments.

"For various reasons," the Web site states, "Reform Jews have come to so avoid the idea and practice of the fringes, that we are willing to Bowdlerize the ritual, weaken it, and make it meaningless."

The site, which took about one year of the couple's free time to create, officially opened in the spring. It already offers numerous topics as "Tzitzit and Early Reform Judaism," "Torah Study," "Resources for the Amateur Torah Scholar" and "What Is Work?"

For example, "What is Work?" describes how the work prohibited on Shabbat is defined in the Torah, by the biblical prophets and by modern commentators. It then asks readers to e-mail comments and commentary on work, which will get posted on the site.

In the future, Silver and Falanga hope to explore topics such as kosher observance and conversion practices because they believe Reform Jews should choose their actions from a foundation of knowledge — not ignorance or simple rejection.

"To speak of an observant Reform Jew is not an oxymoron," said Silver, who is 65 and a semi-retired library facility planner.

"We think there's a way to be observant that doesn't require being Orthodox…These Web pages are about our search."

The site brings together several aspects of this couple's life: their computer expertise, dedication to Torah study, desire to grapple with Jewish tradition and pursuit of common interests.

Falanga, who is 47, heads the Exploratorium's information resources department and specializes in creating online community. She learned to build Web sites on the job.

The Exploratorium, a San Francisco museum that offers hands-on science and technology exhibits, aided the couple's project by encouraging employees and volunteers to dabble with the Internet and offering free space on its Internet server.

The Web site also reflects the married couple's Jewish path and their progressing relationship, which began 20 years ago.

Silver, a Berkeley native, was raised the "extreme of Reform non-observant" and now describes himself as a Jewish atheist.

Falanga was born to a Catholic family in New York. Because she grew up in a Jewish neighborhood in Queens, however, she became steeped in Jewish culture. Her Girl Scout troop met in a synagogue and she recalls fasting on Yom Kippur with Jewish girlfriends.

Before she even met Silver, Falanga had begun developing a Jewish identity.

"People talk about interfaith marriage. We didn't have an interfaith marriage. We were both attracted to Judaism but didn't know what to do with it," Falanga said.

Then about five years ago they were visiting relatives in Florida. They attended a Shabbat service and met a rabbi who "was dealing with a lot of people like us," she said.

Addressing Jews who didn't observe Shabbat, Falanga recalled, the rabbi said to "light a candle at the beginning and light a candle at the end and learn one new thing in between."

The couple, who don't have children together, were inspired. They returned to Berkeley and found Congregation Beth El.

Rabbi Avi Levine, who was then Beth El's spiritual leader, accepted Falanga as a conversion candidate. And like Scheherazade, Falanga teased, Levine tricked them into learning more and more.

Falanga, who formally converted to Judaism about three years ago, describes herself as "sincerely Reform" — someone interested in the continual process of reforming Judaism.

The couple has since become devoted members of Beth El's weekly Torah study group and Lehrhaus Judaica's biblical Hebrew classes. They consider the Web site an extension of these experiences.

"No matter what sect," Falanga said, "we have the responsibility to reconnect to the Torah as much as possible."