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LIMMUD INTERNATIONAL NEWSLETTER 1
ISSUE 12 T ISHRI 5772 / OCTOBER 2011
Unique opportunity
As we enter the new Jewish year
and Limmud groups make separate
plans for their local events, Limmud
Conference in the UK is the one
annual opportunity for over 100
Limmud volunteers across the
globe to all come together in one
place.
Learning, sharing, challenging,
innovating...and just maybe
playing the bongos
All this and more is possible and
probable at Limmud Conference
this December in the UK. With
2,500 participants from diverse
backgrounds and countries, and
over 1,000 sessions and
performances, delegates from
Limmud groups will be able to
engage with many new people and
ideas, at or in between sessions,
over meals, coffee or at the bar!
From the four corners of the earth: Gathering together at Limmud Conference in the UK
By popular demand we are
bringing back themed Surgeries.
These are more informal smaller
post-lunch discussions to raise
questions from your own Limmud
group on a specific topic with an
experienced volunteer in that field.
Discover whether other
Limmudniks have had a similar
experience and how they have
dealt with it and offer your own
suggestions.
We are also happy to arrange One
to One Meetings and
Introductions for any international
delegates who would like them.
L‟Chaim & Welcome Reception!
Whether you arrive on Friday or
Sunday, come meet other
international Limmud group
volunteers to put some names to
face and find out who else is here.
(Yes, there will be snacks!)
SEE YOU THERE!
More choice than ever before
Diversity and choice are key values
of Limmud. This year‘s Limmud
International training programme
at Conference is no exception.
We‘re covering some core topics
and adding in some new ones.
Whether you‘re a first timer or are
coming back for more, have
worked on one event or five, we
are aiming to provide something
(or many things!) for everyone.
There will be two Taking Limmud
Back Home (TLBH) workshop
sessions a day (Sunday—
Wednesday) at the same time to
increase the range of topics
covered. We recommend each
group sends at least 2 delegates so
that you can cover them both and
take the learning back home to
your teams!
newsletter
By Amy Philip,
Limmud International
Steering Group,
Training &
Dani Serlin, Limmud
Project Co-ordinator
Limmud volunteers:
A limited number of
subsidies are
available for
participation at
Limmud Conference.
Speak to your local
Limmud group Chair
now if you would
like to be
considered!
Provisional TLBH programme:
Budgeting
Grassroots fundraising
Social media marketing
Understanding and
explaining Limmud values
Creative programming,
performance + evenings
Team building +
volunteer development
Creating Chavruta texts
+learning sessions
Reflection to action - how
will you translate your
experience into change?
Provisional Surgery themes:
Young Limmud
Family provision
Shabbat planning
Organizational
development
2 L IMMUD INTERNATIONAL NEWSLETTER
As a people, our story has been about Journeys. It is
about physical journeys –from Canaan to the land of
Israel in ancient times, and from Central and Eastern
Europe to the UK, North America, South Africa and
beyond more than one hundred years ago. These days,
our journeys include making Aliyah from all parts of the
world to Israel, but also moving from Canada to the
Netherlands, Hungary to Germany, the UK to Australia.
No wonder we Jews are called the wandering people!
It is also about Jewish journeys, as we travel through
our lives. Again, as our story unfolds in Torah we go
from being a disparate group of ancient people, to a
nation with codes and rules to govern our day to day,
moral and religious lives. Through modern history, the
spiritual journey of the Jewish people has reflected
changing times, both political and environmental. From
the period of enlightenment, when Jews began to
explore their relationship with the modern world in
previously untried ways, to the present day, when
alternative minyanim (prayer groups) and multiple
expressions of Jewish religious and cultural practice
expand the possibilities for Jewish life, we are on a
journey.
The experiences we have within Limmud International
are about both our physical journeys and our Jewish
journeys. As we co-chairs have travelled to a variety of
Limmud events and training in Berlin, Budapest,
Toronto, Israel and more this year, in every place we
have met Limmudniks who have physically moved from
Message from the Chairs: Jewish Journeys
one part of the world, to live either permanently or
temporarily in another. Limmud Germany for example,
operates their conference in three languages – German,
Russian and English, to accommodate the participants‘
needs.
Limmud‘s most enduring strap line ―take one step
further on your Jewish journey‖ is very appropriate to
Limmud International events. In each Limmud event
around the world we can see people experiencing
Jewish learning and Jewish life in new and thought-
provoking ways.
At Limmud International we are trying to measure the
outcomes and impact of our Jewish journeys. Highly
respected and experienced researchers, Steven M.
Cohen and Ezra Kopelowitz are working with us to
produce an Impact Study for Limmud International.
Please fill in the survey that will have been sent to you if
you haven‘t already done so! The results of the survey
will be launched at Limmud Conference in the UK in
December and will then be available to all Limmud
groups world-wide.
During Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur we reflect on
the journey of our year. For Limmud International it has
been a very busy year as we have tried to provide an
infrastructure to enable Limmuds to grow and flourish
world-wide. For each of us involved in Limmud
International, whether we are participating or
volunteering (or both!) on a team somewhere around
the world, our Jewish journey has been, to some extent,
bound up with Limmud.
Shana tova and we look forward to continuing the
journey with you.
Helena Miller ([email protected]) and
Uri Berkowitz ([email protected])
Out now or coming soon...
International Limmud Impact Study: If you have received a survey link please
complete the survey by 24 October. Your contribution is vital to making this a
meaningful study and the outcome will benefit all Limmud groups.
Member of Limmud International logo: If you are a Limmud group and you don‟t
currently have the Member of Limmud International logo on your website and
publications please contact [email protected] for details on how to obtain this.
The Limmud International VIDEO COMPETITION will be launched soon, giving each
Limmud group the chance to show off, win a prize and be part of a Limmud
International promotional video.
Access to the Limmud International Resources Directory currently in development
will be coming soon...but feel free to send any templates (e.g. pledge cards) or
innovations (e.g. volunteer recruitment tips) to [email protected] if you think they
would be useful to other Limmud volunteers.
LIMMUD INTERNATIONAL NEWSLETTER 3
AN INTERVIEW WITH
Emma Sevitt, President, Limmud Netherlands
www.limmoed.nl
In a series of interviews with
Limmud activists around the world,
here we celebrate a key activist
involved in prioritising the grassroots
volunteerism of Limmud Netherlands
What did you want to achieve when you started
Limmud Netherlands?
I didn't start Limmud
Netherlands, or Limmoed as
we call it over here. The
concept had been brought to
the Netherlands years before
we began it as a volunteer
organization, run through a
long standing Jewish
organization. What we did
was transform it into a
volunteer based event.
However, when the small
group of us "started"
Limmud, our goal was to
create an event that was
attractive to all types of
Jewish communities in
Holland. The community has
a history of being very
disparate, and our hope was that Limmud would be an
opportunity for mutual engagement and learning.
Why is Limmud a good model for engagement?
Limmud is a good model for engagement as it enables
people to come together without a title and without
affiliation. Limmud is a community of learners and
teachers who are there to embrace the essence of
education and opportunity, no matter with whom. It is
exciting to learn from people of different ages, Jewish
backgrounds, genders, experts and beginners together.
It is also an excellent model for engagement as it
provides choice. Throughout each moment in the day
there are opportunities for a variety of learning - so that
there is a place for everyone. Limmud does shmooze
very well - and Limmud Netherlands is no different. It is
a place to connect and re-connect and hence it is an
excellent model.
What challenges have you faced?
We have faced considerable challenges over the years. It
is not always easy to convince local presenters to come
and present just for the sake of learning. Many
presenters are bound to their community and to step
out of that community is challenging for them and
therefore for us. We want to ensure that we attract a
range of people from the Jewish community and
Limmud took some time to become a part of the Dutch
Jewish calendar.
What are your proudest
achievements at Limmud
Netherlands?
Linked to what I have said
previously, our proudest
achievement is that in some
way we have been able to
overcome our challenge - and that all sorts of Jews
from Holland and local environs volunteer and
participate in Limmud. From the extremely Orthodox to
the completely unaffiliated, young and old as well as
Amsterdamers and those from more remote parts of
the country. Limmud has engaged them in questions
about the past, present and future.
What is the most important advice you would give
to other Limmud groups?
The most important advice was given to me from other
Limmud volunteers. Often people complain - it is easy
to complain. They complain about the food, they
complain about the lack of presenters coming to speak
about a particular theme. They complain about the
music, they complain about the programme book. It is
essential to put the complaints into the hands of the
participants. If they want to see something different,
then bring them on board. Use them as a springboard
for positive change. Don't always feel that you have to
change because of their complaints. Get them to ensure
that your future Limmud is to their liking by enabling
them. It makes all the difference!
It is essential
to put the
complaints
[back] into the
hands of the
participants. If
they want to
see something
different, then
bring them on
board.
4 L IMMUD INTERNATIONAL NEWSLETTER
Training on Tour Programme 2011
SHARED CHALLENGES AND INNOVATIONS FROM ACROSS THE GLOBE
On the very last day of August, 30 Limmudniks started a
new beginning by participating in the first Limmud
International Training on Tour programme. Bringing
delegates from multiple Limmud groups together for
training for the first time outside of the UK, Limmud
Atlanta+SE and Camp Ramah Dorom were our
wonderful hosts. The programme was led by trainers
from Limmud International in the UK and in the US and
benefited from the excellent resource of North
American volunteer Limmud leaders who led skills
workshops and clinics.
The training programme was part of an expansion of
Limmud International‘s training and support activities
to around 60 communities around the world. It was
also a response to the need for Limmud volunteers to
meet face to face with their peers more often, to share
experiences and learn from each others‘ challenges and
innovations.
PARTICIPANTS
Volunteer team members, including first timers,
seasoned event chairs and board members took part
from the following Limmud groups:
Limmud Atlanta+SE; LimmudBoston; Limmud Chicago;
Limmud Colorado; Limmud FSU Hamptons;
Limmud NOLA; Limmud NY; Limmud Philly &
Limmud Winnipeg
PROGRAMME CONTENT
The first part of the programme, before LimmudFest,
focused on core training sessions, steeped in
discussion about how to effectively implement
Limmud‘s values and create teachable moments.
Participants challenged themselves by debating against
their adopted and sometimes comfortable views, for
example, on the type of events they hold, whether one
day or many, and whether to have a paid staff member.
Skills workshops were a key part of the training
programme, practically addressing the challenges of
volunteer recruitment and retention, the practicalities
of fundraising effectively and using free technology for
effective and efficient marketing.
Optional clinics were held over three days of Limmud-
Fest, providing a space for smaller groups to focus
intensely on one particular topic at a time. These
included a how to on using facebook as a marketing
tool, creating an inclusive Shabbat environment at
Limmud events and how to develop sustainable
organizational leadership structures.
The programme as a whole was enriched by the trainers
and participants drawing on their own Limmud group
experiences to provide examples and suggestions for
moving forward.
And of course, some volunticipation! What Limmudnik
could go to another Limmud group event and not
volunteer?! On the night before LimmudFest, the
Training on Tour participants gathered to help put
together the participant welcome packs and name
badges and could be seen amongst the rocking chairs
at the helpdesk throughout the LimmudFest weekend.
“Limmud Atlanta + SE has existed for 5 years and
we have seen a tremendous momentum of growth
and enthusiasm and community involvement. This
was our largest conference yet and being able to
use it as a chance for our volunteers to learn and
share with other North American Limmud and
Limmud International was incredible. It was
transforming to us to be able to be immersed in
what‟s core to Limmud both right before and while
implementing our conference at the same time. The
relationships our volunteers formed with other
Limmud volunteers and Limmud International
has already helped strengthen what we have here.
This needs to be an annual event!”
Eric Robbins, Limmud Atlanta+SE, Board Chair
"I was relieved to learn other Limmuds face many of
the same challenges as we do in Colorado. Training
on Tour provided the motivation and support for a
group of dedicated Limmudniks to work through
our challenges as a group, and to come up with real
solutions that are truly „Limmud‟.”
Ed Sitver, Limmud Colorado, Board member
LIMMUD INTERNATIONAL NEWSLETTER 5
Pair experienced volunteers on teams with less
experienced ones, different generations and
backgrounds etc.
Think about performance programming and
social spaces for making connections and
learning from one another outside of timetabled
sessions at events
Use social media (facebook, twitter etc) for
marketing and public relations to reach a wider
audience, but don‘t forget the importance of
personal face-to-face contact and building
relationships
Invest in volunteer development and leadership
potential, make this a focus all year round —
build a community not just an event
WHAT NEXT?
With a successful first Training on Tour programme
behind us and a strengthened network of volunteers
sharing resources and advice, we now aim to bring this
programme to other regions across the world. Watch
this space for information about Training on Tour in
Europe in 2012.
SHARED CHALLENGES AND INNOVATIONS FROM ACROSS THE GLOBE
LIMMUD INTERNATIONAL TRAINING ON TOUR 2011
10 SHARED LEARNING TIPS
During the concluding session of the Training on Tour
programme, participants shared their reflections with
each other as a whole and also in teams of their local
Limmud group to consider how they could change their
experiences at the programme into action. Here are 10
learning tips we would like to share with all Limmud
volunteers.
Start every team meeting thinking about a
dilemma (this can be from experience or why not
be creative?). Draw on the Limmud values to
think about how you would resolve the problem
whilst reminding ourselves about the kind of
community we are trying to develop.
As part of volunteer training and development,
encourage people to take the opposite view in a
debate when deciding a significant issue or
policy. It can be helpful to stand in different
shoes and think through the pros and cons.
Limmud groups should be more confident in
their fundraising ‗ask‘. Don‘t forget that we are
not asking for ourselves but for a cross-
communal learning community.
In appealing for funds to participants at a
Limmud group event be direct and honest about
the costs involved and where their money goes
Ask volunteers at other Limmud groups if they
have experienced similar challenges and how
they have approached them. This is a resource
we should use more often.
Be aware of different people‘s styles when
creating a team to find a good working balance
“By meeting people from all over the world
and listening to their knowledge and
experiences about Limmud, I feel part of
something that can really make a difference
in the lives of Jews in New Orleans. Limmud
is unlike any other group or organization
that I have ever been in involved with, and I
am glad it found me!”
Marisa Kahn, Limmud NOLA, Marketing
“Limmud's Training on Tour programme was
a wonderful opportunity to connect with
participants from Limmudim around the
world. I learned so much from their
experiences that I want to be able to bring
back home!”
Sara Levy, Limmud Philly, Co-chair
By Dani Serlin,
Limmud
Project Co-ordinator
6 L IMMUD INTERNATIONAL NEWSLETTER
Charles and Lynn Schusterman Family Foundation
How is it that Rosh Hashanah, which is observed on the
first two days of Tishrei, actually occurs during the
seventh month of the Hebrew calendar?
It turns out that the holiday we refer to as the Jewish
New Year is actually one of four new years in the
Hebrew calendar. They are all described in the Mishnah,
as we learn in this extract from The Limmud 2010
Chavruta Project (‗Time‘):
There are four New Years. [1] The first of Nissan is the
New Year for kings and for festivals. [2] The first of Elul
is the New Year for the [tithing] of animals…[3] The
first of Tishri is the New Year for the [counting of the]
years, for sabbatical years, for jubilee years, for planting
and for vegetables. [4] The first of Shevat is the New
Year for trees (according to the School of Shammai; the
School of Hillel says: [the New Year for trees] is on the
fifteenth).
Mishnah Rosh Hashanah 1:1
We invite you to share this reading at your holiday
table, reflecting with family and friends on the
following questions:
Why does Mishnah Rosh Hashanah name multiple
new years? How do they affect our relationship to
the calendar?
Our non-Jewish world also has multiple new years
(e.g., the fiscal year, the academic year, the
agricultural year). Are there any parallels between
these dates and the ones listed in the Mishnah
above?
Does having four new years add to your experience
of the Jewish calendar?
Wishing you and yours a shana tova, a
healthy, happy and peaceful new year!
For several years, the Charles and Lynn Schusterman Family
Foundation has been a proud ally of Limmud International
and the many individuals who plan and participate in
Limmud events throughout the world. The Foundation‘s
mission and the vision of Lynn Schusterman align closely
with both the values of Limmud and its focus on engaging
and empowering a diverse array of Jews to embrace the
joy of Jewish living and learning.
In addition to the relationship between the Foundation
and Limmud, there is an important relationship
between Limmud and the ROI Community, a part of the
constellation of global initiatives started by the
Schusterman family to advance its vision of vibrant
Jewish life. The ROI Community is a worldwide network
of individuals engaged in creative and inspiring
endeavors designed to strengthen our global Jewish
community. Dozens of members of the ROI Community
are involved in planning and participating in Limmuds,
and we are particularly proud that many of the key
leadership roles in some of the biggest Limmud festivals
around the world (including Limmud in the UK) are held
by ROIers. The overlap of our two networks is no
accident; Limmud and the ROI Community both engage
the type of dynamic individuals that not only
participate as consumers of Jewish life but also those
that serve as some if its most inspired creators.
Over the past few months, in my new role of Director of
Network Initiatives for the Foundation, I have had the
privilege of spending time with many members of the
Limmud International community in places ranging
from Johannesburg, South Africa, to my hometown of
Atlanta, Georgia, in the Southeastern United States.
Each encounter has reinforced my belief that Limmud is
developing one of the most vital networks of Jewish life
and learning in existence today and that it holds a
unique position as one of the emerging ―universal
languages‖ of the global Jewish community. From New
York to New Zealand, from LimmudBoston to Limmud
FSU, the work of the Limmud International community
is connecting more individuals to Jewish life and to one
another in ways that serve as a model for other
networks and institutions.
But even while the Limmud International community
has set a high standard of success for others, so too has
it set a high standard for its own community to
transcend as it looks to the future. We can all agree
that the key values of Limmud—including diversity,
cross-communalism, participation, empowerment and
expanding the Jewish horizon—are essential for a
strong and enduring Jewish future. When we each
embrace these values personally, we become stronger
community members. When we embrace them
collectively and in a deeply connected way, we become
a stronger community. The ways the Limmud
International community deepens and expands that
global embrace will be an important journey in the
years ahead and, as our Foundation and the entire
Schusterman philanthropic network embarks on a new
agenda to support the development of a more
networked and interconnected global Jewish
community, it is a journey we look forward to sharing
with you as partners and as friends.
Which New Year is it?
Chavruta study for Rosh Hashanah
CHAVRUTA
By Karen Radkowsky,
Limmud NY,
Chavruta Team Leader
MEET THE PARTNERS
By Seth Cohen,
Director of Network Initiatives,
Charles and Lynn Schusterman
Family Foundation
Follow us on Facebook and Twitter
LIMMUD INTERNATIONAL NEWSLETTER 7
This summer Limmudniks from
Limmud communities across the
world including France, the
Netherlands, Hungary, Ukraine,
Montreal, Vienna, New York and
the UK were able to connect in
person when they took part in the
ROI Summit (Jerusalem) and the
Summer of Change (Sweden,
including JPropel - ROI Community,
JHub and Paideia partners).
David Brown
Co-Chair Participant Care,
Limmud Conference 2011 and
Social Action Coordinator, JHub
Meeting fellow Limmudniks at ROI
in June was great. It was really
interesting to hear how Limmud
develops in countries such
as Hungary and Ukraine, and meet
people involved in reinvigorating
Judaism in places where it is
relatively new to be able to express
Judaism openly. It was also clear
that Limmud is a platform for
generating new Jewish ideas, and
the ROI Community, which is about
fostering Jewish innovation, has a
strong contingent of Limmudniks,
and those whose innovations have
been supported by Limmud events
and people.
I was particularly lucky to connect
with Malki Rose from Limmud Oz
Fest Melbourne, and will be joining
her at Fest later this year. I‘ll be
presenting on social action, creative
campaigns, and exploring why
queering Judaism is good for all
Jews. I‘m very excited to experience
Limmud in a different country, and
get a second chance at summer!
Shoshana Bloom
Co-Chair Limmud Conference 2011,
Head—Jewish Culture Department,
Norwood
There was an amazing sense of
connection with other Limmudniks
at both the ROI Summit and
JPropel and a shared sense of pride
at being a part of something
amazing and transformative. It was
so great to meet old friends again
and to also meet some incredible
people from other Limmuds whom
I‘d only heard great things about
but never met in in person until
this summer!
Limmudniks connected by innovation
LIMMUD GROUP NETWORKING
Limmud France 11 - 13 March www.limoud.org
It has been said in a previous issue
of the newsletter, that the French
Jewish Community, although being
the largest Diaspora community in
the world after the US, was kind of
... asleep. Nothing better than the
5th edition of Limmud France,
known here as
Limoud, can show
this is not true
anymore.
Limoud is actually
THE place to find
and meet the new
Jewish French
innovators.
Creativity and
innovation in Education, Arts,
Music, Torah as well as Politics and
Interfaith. Well, if you are willing to
discover the new French Jewish
World, Limmud France is "the place
to be!" (according to the very terms
of a famous ‗acticipant‘)!
[volunticipant]
For a whole weekend 500
acticipants took part in what is
described in France as the biggest
"Forum de la Vie Juive". From 0 to
over 100 years old, from different
backgrounds, orientations and
tendencies, all of them came to
discover and explore
the innumerable
facets of the rich
Jewish life in the
famous city of
Fontainebleau.
This year, the
emphasis was put on
three original
themes: Jews and
Rock music; Jews and cinema; and
the renewal of the German Jewish
community. Beyond that Limoud
hosted more than 150 sessions
dealing with an incredibly broad
selection of topics. From the most
unexpected ones like Next year in
... Bombay to the most pioneering
ones like Jews of France in 2030,
Melodies of the Spanish and
Portuguese Jews, and How to be a
Jewish, French and European
citizen in the 21st century.
Inspired by their English
neighbours always proposing to
share their very valuable knowledge
and experience, the French team of
volunteers, growing bigger and
bigger, is excited to make the best
of Limmud.
The next French edition of Limmud
already promises to be even
greater: most of the acticipants left
Limoud saying that next year they
will come back with families and
friends of them!
So, let's be clear: the French Jewish
Community has tremendous
potential and, thank G-d, Limmud
By Ilana Amalzag,
Torah Theme
Manager
(Programming) &
Sarah Simha
Benkemoun,
Fundraising, &
Scheduling,
Limmud France
LIMMUD EVENTS AROUND THE WORLD
ROI Community has arranged a
special deal for its ROIers to
attend Limmud Conference 2011.
To receive a £300 discount off
your registration fee, apply now
for a Speakers‘ Bureau Micro Grant.
**This offer is only available to ROI
Community members who have
not yet exceeded their ROI Micro
Grant allotment for 2011. For more
information about eligibility, see
the ROI Community website.
Limmud Conference will take place
December 23-29, 2011 at the
University of Warwick, UK. For
more information see the Limmud
website.
8 L IMMUD INTERNATIONAL NEWSLETTER
Limmud Buenos Aires 26 June 2011 www.limudkeshet.com.ar
for Russian speakers in New York
will take place at the end of March
2012 and for the first time will be a
three-day conference. Location and
exact dates to be confirmed soon.
Chaim Chesler and Sandra Cahn,
the co-founders of Limmud FSU,
motivated and showed their
appreciation to the volunteers for
giving their time and effort to the
project. ―We were very much
impressed by the calibre of the
people in our team and the
qualities that we found there.‖
LIMMUD EVENTS AROUND THE WORLD
―I really enjoyed – once again -
being part of Limmud Buenos
Aires. The diversity of topics
allowed each person to find
activities related to their personal
taste. The effort and the dedication
of all the organizers was evident.
They achieved something very
important: a simultaneously serious
and enjoyable event.
Congratulations and we are
looking forward to our next
Limmud!‖ Delly Beller
On Sunday 26 June we hosted our
4th annual ―Limud Keshet Buenos
Aires‖. 650 participants of all ages
and affiliations enjoyed a multi-
disciplinary and cross-communal
study day with simultaneous
sessions, including workshops, art
spaces and debates for all tastes.
Some of the sessions that took
place were: Noah, who does he
think he is? Universal flood as seen
from literature / We were so fond
of each other: Israel, Zionism and
the Left. From love to militant hate
/ Judaism in women‘s prisons /
Isaac‘s sacrifice as seen from three
sacred texts: Torah, New
Testament and the Koran / and
more….
extensive program of presenta-
tions, artistic performances, work-
shops and study sessions for 2012.
Among topics discussed were, Why
be a volunteer?, Making the ideal
Limmud, Recruitment and
public relations, Next Limmud FSU
NY: step by step, etc.
There was an equally important
focus on team-
building and
after the
seminar the
team felt
energized and
inspired to
start preparing for the next
conference. The next Limmud FSU
Limmud FSU Hamptons, NY 22-24 July 2011 www.limmudfsu.org
One of Limmud‘s characteristics is
that it is led by volunteers who
coordinate and sustain the project
in its entirety. In Buenos Aires a
team of over 50 volunteers of all
ages carries the project ahead.
Year after year more people join:
kids, elderly adults, youth, families;
a colourful and diverse rainbow of
people who wish to take part in
this festival of Judaism in a
framework of respect and diversity.
―In my workshop there were more
people than I expected and I really
enjoyed their participation and
interest. Kol Hakavod to all the
organizers and participants.‖
Jana Jeifetz
A team of 35 Limmud FSU
volunteers - veterans and
newcomers - spent an intensive
three-day
retreat, led
by Yigal
Kotler, chair
of Limmud
FSU
Hamptons
NY, Karina Polonskaya, project
manager, and Roman Kogan, the
chief operating officer of Limmud FSU.
Bearing in mind the experiences
and lessons learned from the last
two Limmud FSU conferences in
West Hampton Beach, NY, the
team drew up plans for an
Limmud SA Cape Town 26-28 August 2011 www.limmud.org.za
By Roman Kogan,
Limmud FSU,
Chief Operating
Officer
By Fernando Rubin,
Chairman, &
Nestor Markowicz
Leading Team,
Limud Keshet
Buenos Aires
We had 550 participants at
Limmud South Africa (SA) Cape
Town, 80 of whom joined us on
Sunday, with the rest staying for
the full weekend as residential par-
ticipants. International
presenters flew in from Israel,
Stockholm and London whilst team
members from Limmud SA
Johannesburg also came to support
us.
This year saw a whole host of
innovations, including Café
Conversations (small group text
learning); dance/dream/art/writing
workshops; a number of young
adult related sessions; Limmud‘s
Got Talent; use of a teen friendly
icon in the programming book;
and an author‘s forum where they
presented their own works.
Looking forward we now need to
focus our marketing attention on
including social media to sustain a
young participant base and to
target our marketing effectively to
ensure we get a good mix.
We are proud to be able to say that
a number of new faces and voices
of Jews involved in the broader
society but who have not
previously been involved Jewishly
came, spent the weekend and
presented!
By Viv Anstey, National Chair,
Limmud SA Cape Town
LIMMUD INTERNATIONAL NEWSLETTER 9
LIMMUD EVENTS AROUND THE WORLD
Limmud NZ (New Zealand) has just
celebrated its second annual
conference in Auckland – making it
a firm fixture on the Jewish
calendar for our small but
dedicated community.
We had over 300 participants from
around the country. With an active
Jewish population of around 3,000
people nationwide, this is a great
participation rate, making Limmud
NZ the biggest community event of
the year.
A special feature of Limmud NZ is
that we involve all segments of the
population. As well as six streams
of learning for adults and teens, we
provide special programmes for
children, the local Jewish day
school Kadimah, and educators.
Our youth groups Habonim and
Bnei Akiva also linked in their
national seminars with Limmud NZ,
giving the event a youthful and
energetic vibe.
As all Limmudniks know it‘s hard to
pick highlights because it‘s ―each
to their own‖ and all that…but as
I‘m writing this article I can give
you mine! We were extremely
privileged to have Maureen
Limmud South Africa (SA)
Johannesburg held its first
residential conference this
August. As we mentioned in the
previous Limmud International
newsletter in the volunteer
engagement section, there was
great deal of tension as to how
Limmud SA Johannesburg would
pull off Shabbat at its first
residential conference.
Limmud Johannesburg has tradi-
tionally attracted many Jews who
would see themselves as secular
and cultural and we had concerns
about their civil liberties being af-
fected and that they would feel
they were at a "Shabbaton". At the
same time, we had an increased
amount of people who came to
Limmud SA Johannesburg for the
first time who define themselves as
"Shabbat observant". The first two
sessions started well, the services
went off well, but Shabbat dinner
would be when everyone would
come together.
There was an underlying tension. I
was apprehensive and anxious. All
of a sudden, I saw a group of
volunteers wearing black with
black sunglasses standing on their
chairs with their right finger raised.
Daniel Herman, a volunteer and
now Co-Chair of our 2012
Conference, shouted ―Shalom!‖
and all of a sudden the Limmud SA
Joburg Shabbat Flash Mob sprung
into action and started clapping
and singing Shalom Aleichem at
their table. They formed a train and
moved to the middle where they
got the entire audience to join in
and kids rushed forward to dance
in the middle.
Limmud Joburg's residential had
begun with a bang!
Limmud NZ 27-29 August 2011 www.limmud.org.nz
Kendler, Joel Grishaver and Anat
Hoffman with us - three
longstanding and incredibly
popular presenters over many years
at the UK‘s Limmud Conference
and elsewhere. As well as being
fabulous speakers, they were also
all lovely people who really wanted
to share their knowledge to make
the conference a great experience
for everyone – a real bonus for us
newbies!
Other highlights were our first
Limmud NZ Shabbat programme –
a wonderful shared experience;
having four Rabbis under the same
roof (and giving a joint session in
one case); a fire eater to celebrate
Havdallah and finding the hidden
gems in our own local community
(who knew?) and (after a slight
panic the previous week) having so
many people pitch in to volunteer
over the weekend.
As well as Shabbat Limmud, other
innovations this year were
interspersing cultural sessions
including films and an art
exhibition into our programme.
This and our ―Limmud Lounge‖
hang-out space were really well
received. Although there was a
real eagerness for some serious
learning, sometimes we all needed
something a bit lighter to get
through the long days.
The main challenge is the one a
small community always faces – the
huge task of planning and running
Limmud NZ falls on very few (and
quite narrow) shoulders. Our key
challenge is to spread the load so
the Steering Group doesn‘t burn
out and go up in flames – at least
not before Limmud NZ 2012.
I leave the last words to our
participants:
―Thank you so much for an exciting
opportunity to listen, learn and talk
about the huge spectrum of things
Jewish. I appreciate it is a huge
task to organize and run such an
event. I am very grateful that this
wealth of riches was made
available to us.‖
―It is truly humbling to see the
quality and depth of our local
speakers. It is too easy to take our
friends and neighbours for granted
and Limmud seemed to bring out
the best in people to give their all.
Thank you to all the local
speakers.―
Limmud SA Johannesburg 19-21 August 2011 www.limmud.org.za
By Tanya Thomson,
Limmud NZ 2011
Steering Group
By Wayne Sussman,
National Chair,
Limmud SA Johannesburg
10 L IMMUD INTERNATIONAL NEWSLETTER
"Mommy, I love Camp Limmud
more than anything in the WHOLE
world (except for you)"
-- Joey Rabkin
Nearly 300 Limmudniks gathered in
the north Georgia Mountains for
the third Atlanta+SE LimmudFest
weekend. Attendance was up by
38% and 8 different southeastern
US states were well represented.
We are very
proud of our
musical talent –
both
homegrown
and imported.
Limmud
Atlanta+SE‘s
sponsorship of
the Atlanta Jewish Music Festival
has led us to discover new artists
like Sun Moon Pie and singer-
songwriter Ariel Root Wolpe. A
partnership with the Israeli
Consulate of the Southeast brought
us Israeli hip-hop artist Onili and
Limmud Atlanta+SE 2-5 September 2011 www.limmudse.org.
About 400 people gathered in a
modest hotel nestled in a verdant
forest on the outskirts of
St. Petersburg. The festival started
in Pushkin, a small town on the
outskirts of St. Petersburg, at a
memorial service commemorating
the start of the 900-day siege of St.
Petersburg (then called Leningrad)
by the Nazis 70 years ago.
Registration
for
Limmud FSU
in St
Petersburg
(the first of
its kind held
in the city
which has the
second biggest Jewish community
in Russia) was closed two weeks
after the opening – and the
organisers had to turn 150 people
away.
LIMMUD EVENTS AROUND THE WORLD
Limmud FSU St Petersburg 9-11 September 2011 www.limmudfsu.org
―Russian Jews often know a lot
more about Israel than their
American counterparts,‖ said Steve
Schwager, Executive Vice-President
of the American Jewish Joint
Distribution Committee. ―Limmud
is precisely what the Jewish adults
in the Former Soviet Union need—a
supportive framework that will
take them wherever they wish to
go on their new Jewish journey and
help them explore the rich world of
their heritage.‖
Fifty sessions, lectures, workshops,
master-classes, film screenings,
theatre shows and round-table
discussions on various topics were
held during the festival - from
issues of Judaism and Jewish
history to secrets of Israeli cuisine;
an overview of the Middle East
conflict; reading poems of the
Nobel laureate for literature,
Joseph Brodsky; a discussion on
the current socio-economic situa-
the Atlanta Jewish Music Festival
and the Atlanta Jewish Gene Screen
collaborated on a "Jam and Juice"
cocktail and music session.
Twelve
Limmudniks
took advantage
of our first
camping option
and pitched
their tents on
the grounds of
Camp Ramah Darom. Taking
advantage of our wonderful
natural resources, we added
boating, fishing, a bike trip, and
expanded access to the climbing
wall to our program. Moonlight
hikes to the waterfall and a
huge havdallah bonfire and drum
circle are now firmly established
Limmud Atlanta+SE traditions.
Camp Limmud enrolled more kids
than ever, expanding its
programming to include a PJ
Library party, Tot Shabbat services
high up in a tree house, Camp
Limmud Kids Chorus and an early
Family Shabbat dinner option.
Representatives from 9 North
American Limmuds shared best
practices and common challenges
under the leadership of Limmud
International. Staying on for
LimmudFest training sessions
continued, connecting theory and
practice as the weekend unfolded.
Southern hospitality oozed like
honey. There were many sessions
on Southern Jewish life and lore,
including a screening of the
film Shalom Y‘all. Southern food
ways were celebrated at mealtimes
with fried chicken, black eyed peas
and sweet tea on the menu.
Participation from the observant
community was way up and
mealtimes rocked with
rousing z‘mirot and lots
of l‘chaims.
Israel; musical master-classes and
study groups (Batei Midrash).
Matthew Bronfman, Chairman of
the Limmud FSU International
Steering Committee said, "For me,
Limmud is the most important ex-
pression of the desire to deepen
and strengthen a sense of belong-
ing and solidarity among Jews
around the world. It is the ultimate
exchange of knowledge and ex-
perience in an atmosphere of Jew-
ish wisdom, respect, humor and
tolerance."
―Our excellent team of volunteers,
together with Jenya Nemirovsky –
the Project Manager and Roman
Kogan – the Limmud FSU COO,
managed to mount a great Limmud
this year. We will have an even
bigger festival here next year,‖ said
Chaim Chesler and Sandra Cahn,
co-chairs of Limmud FSU.
By Nina Rubin,
Limmud Atlanta+SE,
Board member
By Roman Kogan,
Limmud FSU,
Chief Operating
Officer
LIMMUD INTERNATIONAL NEWSLETTER 11
Selected edited extracts of news articles and blogs about Limmud
Full articles can be found at Limmud International‘s ‗In the Media‘ page and at the links below
LIMMUD IN THE MEDIA
LIMMUD IS A MITZVAH
By Punktorah, punktorah.org, 6 September 2011 -
http://jewi.sh/zsf4
―Last weekend, I had the pleasure of filming The G-d
Project and hosting two learning sessions
as Limmudfest Atlanta + Southeast, a weekend-long
retreat that brings together Jewish folks from around
the country (primarily the South) at Camp Ramah
Darom for learning, celebration, friendship and
outdoor fun. Diverse types of people including LGBT
activists, comics, young families, seniors, filmmakers
and musicians, Jewish non-profit executives and
business people, hippies and non-Jewish family are
included in this camp havurah. It was this sense of
diversity that really impacted me the most. From the
Chabad rabbi kashering the camp kitchen to the tai chi
teacher, everyone had their place at Limmud. Including me.‖
...―Torah gives us the opportunity, no matter where we
are in life, to come home to the heart of the Jewish
experience. And the staff and volunteers of Limmud are
doing that exact same thing. Limmudfest therefore, is a
living Torah value. Yasher koach to those who have
brought this experience to the world and may it be
God‘s will that there be a Limmudfest in every town, on
every weekend, forever and all time. Y‘hi ratzon.‖
COMMUNITY RALLIES TO HELP
By Jessica Elgot, The JC.com, 11 August 2011 -
http://jewi.sh/zsf3
―The Chief Rabbi and community leaders have spoken
of their shock after the three days of rioting this week
but praised community efforts to help rebuild the
cities.‖...
―Raymond Simonson, executive director of Limmud,
said: "People live in flats above shops that have been
set on fire, so their homes have been badly or
permanently damaged. We found out Haringey Council
needed bedding, clothes and toys. We asked people to
give donations to the Limmud office and we drove a
couple of car loads over."
RSY-Netzer have donated spare t-shirts and sweatshirts
to the Limmud campaign.
―Mr Simonson added: "We want to show people that
London is not made up just of those who break things,
but those who try and repair a damaged world – tikkun
olam in a pure sense."
PEOPLE POWER NEEDS PEOPLE
By Keith Kahn Harris, The JC.com, 4 July 2011 -
http://jewi.sh/zsf5
―Organisations that aspire to create a grassroots
movement should, at the very least, be clear to themselves
and others what it is they really want. Largely, it is a kind
of "managed" movement that leaders desire - and this is
not an illegitimate aim - but in such cases unwarranted
claims about people power should not be made.
In any event, the most far-reaching grassroots
movements tend to be those that develop slowly,
without shrill, public campaigning. Limmud is the
prime example of this. For over 30 years, the
organisation has built up a radical challenge to the
anti-intellectualism and communal divisions that have
bedevilled the UK Jewish community.
Limmud has done this by developing a substantial,
constantly self-renewing community of volunteers -
people who are prepared to work hard in the background
to create a welcoming and dynamic Jewish space.
Limmud is now big enough, and its roots deep enough,
that not only is its future existence guaranteed, it has
created change across the community. Can we say the
same about those grassroots protests and movements
that are so much in the news today?
Ultimately, people power can only be truly established
through hard work, time and a refusal to go for easy
headlines.‖
LIMMUD BRINGS YOUNG FSU JEWS
CLOSER TO ISRAEL
By Gil Shefler, jpost.com, 11 September 2011 -
http://jewi.sh/zshw
ST. PETERSBURG – ―The combination of the words
―Jewish‖ and ―education‖ is likely to send more than
one young Jew running for the hills.
But over the past decade or so the global Limmud
network has managed to bring many thousands of
young participants around the world to its conferences
touching on Jewish themes and issues.
...―I met my girlfriend at a Limmud conference in
Moscow,‖ said Michael Kapitsky, a 24-year-old who works
as an interpreter at a think tank in St. Petersburg. ―Now I
came here to this Limmud with her as a volunteer.‖
At a panel on the subject of the Israeli-Palestinian
conflict, gatherers displayed an impressive knowledge
of the region.‖
LIMMUD BRINGS UNIQUE LEADERSHIP
TRAINING OPPORTUNITY TO ACTIVISTS
ACROSS THE USA By Dani Serlin, ejewishphilanthropy.com,
18 September 2011 http://jewi.sh/zshy
―Demonstrating the depth and geographical spread of
the grass-roots cross-communal concept of Limmud
transported from the UK, Limmudniks involved in this
volunteer development seminar came from North
American Limmud communities from far and wide,
including Boston, Chicago, New Orleans, Limmud FSU
Hamptons, and Winnipeg amongst others.‖
12 L IMMUD INTERNATIONAL NEWSLETTER
Limmud International acknowledges the generous support of individuals and
Jewish foundations and organisations, including: Rothschild Foundation (Hanadiv)
Europe, the L.A. Pincus Fund for Jewish Education for the Diaspora, Pears Founda-
tion, the Charles and Lynn Schusterman Family Foundation and the JDC
Limmud International
1A Hall Street,
London N12 8DB, UK
+44 (0)20 3115 1620
skype limmud.international
As the voice of our Limmud International community, we would like to spread the news of significant life
events for people in our group. If a Limmud activist in your local community experiences a special life event
you‟d like to share, please send your news to the Limmud Office by emailing: [email protected]
Calendar of upcoming events—
OCTOBER 2011
30 Oct -1 Nov Limmud Hungary – www.limmud.hu
31Oct - 2 Nov Limmud FSU Odessa – www.limmudfsu.org
NOVEMBER 2011
4 - 6 Limmud Keshet Poland – www.limud.pl
6 Cambridge Day Limmud - www.limmud.org/day/cambridge
19 - 20 Limmud Stockholm – www.limmud.se
20 Limmud Turkey – www.limmudtr.org
25 - 27 Limmud Oz Fest Melbourne – www.limmudozfest.com
27 Limmud Day Berlin - www.limmud.de
DECEMBER 2011
4 LimmudBoston – www.limmudboston.org
5 Limmud Day Hamburg - www.limmud.de
21/22 Limmud Galil - www.limmudgalil.com
23/25 - 29 Limmud Conference (in the UK) – www.limmud.org
JANUARY 2012
13 - 16 Limmud NY – www.limmundny.org
21/22 Limmud Colorado - www.limmudcolorado.org
FEBRUARY 2012
17– 19 LimmudLA– www.limmudla.org
19/20 Limmud Bay Area – www.limmudba.org
19 Limmud Chicago – www.limmudchicago.org
23/24 Limmud Arava - http://limmud.arava.gonegev.co.il
MARCH 2012
10/11 Limmud NOLA – www.limmudfestnola.org
18 Liverpool Day Limmud – www.limmud.org/day/liverpool
18 Limmud Winnipeg –
www.jewishwinnipeg.org/page.aspx?id=225687
TO SEE THE MOST UPDATED CALENDAR OF LIMMUD EVENTS AROUND
THE GLOBE VISIT http://tinyurl.com/6eqfehf
Limmud International News:
The Limmud International family wishes long life to Noa Hundert, former Limmud International Project Coordinator,
on the sudden passing of her father on Kol Nidre.
