Presenters: B

Michele B

Michele has interacted with clients of all ages in the public sector. She volunteers for tenants and a Jewish school, and organises events for middle-aged singles at Limmud and for the modern Orthodox "50+" branch of North West Jewish Singles (www.nwjs.org.uk).

Raghad Bahar

Raghad is a Palestinian from the Hebron area in the West Bank, the Palestinian Occupied Territories. She graduated from Windows' media youth program and is a facilitator for the new generation. 19 years old and the oldest of her siblings, Raghad is a Biology major and 2nd year college student.

Ruth Barnett

Ruth Barnett came to England on the Kindertransport. Her daughter, Tania, gives joint talks in Holocaust education. Tania's daughter, Adele, and son, Raphael, are also interested in this piece of history.

David Bash

David is a co-founder of the Ruach Chavurah (a London Jewish Renewal community), co founder of COJAM (Community of Jews and Muslims) and a Jewish storyteller. He works as a teacher and assessor for dyslexia and dyspraxia. In his spare time David makes ceramic sculptures on spiritual themes.

Eddie Bass

Eddie has had an eclectic education in drama, gardening, poetry, and making up Chelm stories. He recently graduated as an octogenarian and admits to learning more in the last 12 years then in the previous 70. He thanks his Rabbi and his Talmud tutor for encouragement on his second Limmud session.

Shaul Bassi

Shaul Bassi teaches English literature at Ca'Foscari University of Venice. He is the founder of international literary festival Incroci di civiltà. He is the director of Beit Venezia: A Home for Jewish Culture and has coordinated the Committee for the 500 years of the Ghetto of Venice (1516-2016).

Amnon Be'eri-Sulitzeanu

Since 2004, Amnon has shaped TAFI into a leading organisation with deep impact on Jewish-Arab relations at the grassroots and policy levels. Prior, he worked for the Jerusalem Foundation and the Ministry of Absorption; he holds a masters degree in Public Policy from Hebrew University.

Samuel Behrens

Samuel Behrens recently graduated from the University of Nottingham in History, and over the past two years has become heavily involved in Jewish community development projects in Belarus.

Andrew Belinfante

Andrew Belinfante is the director of programs at Mechon Hadar. He has worked in Jewish education for over ten years. He graduated from California State University Northridge and holds a Master's Degree in Education from Bankstreet College in Manhattan.

Abraham Bell

Avi Bell is a Professor of Law at the University of San Diego and at Bar Ilan University. An expert on international law and the Arab-Israeli conflict, he has advised officials on four continents, and has been published in leading law journals around the world.

Sara Jo Ben Zvi

Sara Jo Ben Zvi (Morris) is the editor of Segula Jewish history magazine and teaches Jewish history and sources at Efrat's Women's Beit Midrash, which she co-founded.

Mishka (Moshe) Ben-David

Mishka has written seventeen books including novels, short stories, spy novels, philosophy and a children's tale. He has a PhD in Hebrew Literature, was a lecturer of Hebrew Literature and the principal of an Israeli high school. Mishka served in Israel's intelligence services.

David Benkof

David Benkof has taught and published widely about Jewish history, Hebrew grammar, homosexuality, US politics, and contemporary Jewish life. A crossword constructor, polyglot, entrepreneurial philanthropist, theatre enthusiast and trivia buff, this is the St. Louisan’s second Limmud UK conference.

Jonathan Bensusan Bash

Jonathan Bensusan Bash is a playwright, and his first play is about Janusz Korczak, the famous Jewish writer and children's activist. Jonathan is also a madrich with RSY-Netzer and is studying physics at Sussex University.

Janet Berenson

Janet Berenson is author of Kabbalah Decoder, and an experienced teacher and student of meditation and Jewish mysticism. She has published poetry, educational books and short stories and learns from everyone she meets. Students say she's an inspirational teacher and she tries to prove them right.

Jeff Berger

Jeff Berger helped found the Rambam Sephardi Synagogue in Elstree and Borehamwood in 2011. A 2009 semicha graduate from the Montefiore College, he's been an active participant in Limmud Conference and inter-faith fellowships. He believes in the power of human beings to create a better world.

Luciana Berger

Luciana Berger was elected MP for Liverpool Wavertree in 2010, aged 28. She shadowed Energy and Climate Change, Public Health, and until recently was the first Shadow Cabinet Minister for Mental Health. She is president of the Labour Campaign for Mental Health. Before her election, Luciana was director of Labour Friends of Israel, worked for the NHS Confederation and management consultancy Accenture.

Claire Berliner

Claire Berliner is head of Arts and Culture at JW3. She has a background in literature programming and spent many years running a writing centre in rural Devon for Arvon, the creative writing charity. She is also a writer and puppet-maker.

Danny Bermant

Danny Bermant grew up in London where he attended Hasmonean and Carmel College. He is married to Miriam and has three children, Eliana, 10, Dalia eight, and Eitan, five. They are based in Borehamwood and are active members of the Kehillat Nashira Partnership Minyan.

Avner Bernheimer

Well-known screenwriter ("Yossi & Jagger"), journalist and publicist. Avner is also the creator of popular successful TV drama series such as "Blue Natalie", "Until The Wedding" and "Mom and Dads". Avner lives in Tel Aviv with Eran, his life partner for 27 years, and their 8-year-old son Yoel.

Shyam Bhatia

Shyam Bhatia is a foreign correspondent, who has worked in Cairo, Beirut, Jerusalem and Washington, DC, where he was Middle East correspondent and diplomatic editor of the Observer. In 1994 he was awarded Foreign Journalist of the Year in the British Press Awards.

David Bilchitz

David Bilchitz is a professor of Fundamental Rights Law at the University of Johannesburg. He is chair of Limmud International and a co-founder of Limmud South Africa. He also founded Jewish Outlook: SA Jewish LGBTI Alliance, and teaches in the Melton adult education programme.

Talia Blank

Talia has worked with young people for over 10 years; she holds a BA in Linguistics from UCL and an MA in Anthropology, specialising in youth and community work. Talia works at Streetwise with young people in Jewish and non-Jewish schools, youth groups and leadership programmes.

Etan Blass

Etan Blass attended Chareidi yeshivas in Cleveland, New York, and B'nei B'rak, Israel, and then earned an M.A. in Jewish Studies from Towson University.

Deborah Blausten

Deborah is a student rabbi at Leo Baeck College. She holds a BSc in Medical Sciences and an MA in Education and Technology from UCL and is a former Limmud conference programming co-chair. When not "doing Jewish" she enjoys running, hiking and anything by Aaron Sorkin.

Adam Blitz

Adam Blitz is a Fellow of the Royal Anthropological Institute, London and a former Fulbright scholar. He writes on archaeology, anthropology and cultural heritage with a focus on Syria. He is a member of PEN International. adam.blitz@columnist.com

Shoshana Bloom

Shoshana challenges concepts of disability in the Jewish community, empowering people with additional needs to become active, contributing members of their communities. A passionate Limmudnik, ROI-er and Makaton tutor, she’s also a Limmud trustee and founder of the international Limmud L’Am programme.

Rex Bloomstein

Rex Bloomstein has made films on the Holocaust, human rights and the criminal justice system in the UK.

Tony Bogod

Tony Bogod is treasurer of New North London Synagogue. He has sung for many years, strictly for fun, with a variety of groups including cabaret act Vamp Til Ready (“The Boys with the Obedient Feet”). In June, he shared the role of the narrator in NNLS’s production of "Joseph".

Shana Boltin

Shana moved to London from Melbourne and works as a paediatric OT. A coffee, Ottolenghi and Yiddish loving Limmudnik, she was co-chair of Limmud Conference in 2014 and is on the Limmud UK Committee. If you would like to volunteer for Limmud Conference 2017 or learn how to make pickles, be in touch.

Yon Borthwick

Yon Borthwick is the senior youth development manager at Reform Judaism. An informal educator, meditation facilitator, community builder and food explorer, Yon is currently doing research in Psychology at Goldsmith's College.

Gabriel Botnick

Gabriel Botnick is the “Rabbi of Venice Beach” (Mishkon Tephilo), a mohel, and the only non-Orthodox shochet in America certified by the Israeli Rabbinate. He is also the founder of Tekumah, which teaches the holy trades to any and all Jews interested in learning.

Jonathan Boyd

Jonathan Boyd is Executive Director of the Institute for Jewish Policy Research, and a specialist in modern Jewish history and contemporary British and European Jewish life. A former Mandel Jerusalem Fellow with a doctorate in education, his work spans sociology, demography and Jewish education.

Shoshana Boyd Gelfand

Shoshana Boyd Gelfand, Director of JHub and founder of JDOV, first discovered her passion for all things British at Limmud Conference 2001. She received rabbinic ordination in 1993 from JTS. She presents regularly on BBC Radio 2 “Pause for Thought” and is author of The Barefoot Book of Jewish Tales.

Hannah Brady

One half of this year's Shabbat and Chanukah team, Hannah is always thoroughly excited about food, feminism and deaf inclusion! Having served as the first openly disabled and consecutive female president of UJS in 2015-16, she is proud to be visible and vocal as a deaf Jewish woman in the community.

Amy Braier

Amy Braier is director of Pears Foundation. Since 2007, her role has involved building the Foundation as an institution, advising on strategy, directing operations and overseeing programmes and grants. She is a former trustee of both Limmud and the Holocaust Memorial Day Trust.

Emma Brand

A graduate of Oxford and RSY-Netzer, Emma is now working out how to have a career in theatre. She recently directed her play "In The Pink" at The Courtyard, and has also worked for the Soho and Finborough theatres, and Theatre 503. In her spare time, she tutors English and History at very reasonable rates.

Dina Brawer

Dina Brawer founded JOFA UK and is currently pursuing Orthodox rabbinic ordination at Yeshivat Maharat. She was listed in the Jewish Chronicle’s Power 100 List of individuals most influential in shaping the UK Jewish community. Dina has recently co-launched Mishkan, a community beyond borders.

Naftali Brawer

Rabbi Dr Naftali Brawer is a thought leader, author and broadcaster. In September, together with his wife Dina he launched Mishkan, a Jewish community beyond borders.

Anna Braybrooke

Anna uses her background in drama and facilitation to design and deliver creative events for young people. She is currently the Youth Programmer at JW3 and an advocate for the importance of play.

Robert Brody

Robert Brody has conducted shul services and sung in concerts throughout the UK and at worldwide venues. He has recorded with the Zemel choir, Shabbaton Choir, BBC Singers, London Jewish Male Choir and BBC radio and television.

Sarah Bronzite

Sarah has been pondering childfree women and reluctant motherhood for decades. Currently a primary school teacher, she worked for many years in social market research. She is planning research focusing on Jewish women who don’t want children. Judaism is her second religion after choral singing.

Dan Brown

Dan is founder of eJewishPhilanthropy, a past chair of American Friends of WUJS Arad and a member of the international steering committee of Limmud FSU. Dan holds graduate certificates in Nonprofit Program Administration and in Fundraising from the University of Pennsylvania.

Alex Brummer

Alex Brummer is the city editor of the Daily Mail and was previously financial editor of The Guardian. He contributes regularly to The Jewish Chronicle. He is a member of the editorial advisory board of Jewish Renaissance magazine and a former vice-president of the Board of Deputies.

Debra Brunner

Founder and director of The Together Plan, a charity in action working together with communities in the former Soviet Union and Eastern Europe for a self-sustainable future. Debra is dedicated to working with communities, helping them better understand how they can develop from within.

Isaac Brynjegard-Bialik

Isaac Brynjegard-Bialik cuts up comic books and reassembles them into papercuts that explore the stories of the Jewish people, connecting popular culture with sacred texts. He has shown his work in galleries across the United States, and his work is in the hands of collectors around the world.

Shawna Brynjegard-Bialik

Shawna Brynjegard-Bialik adapts traditional Jewish concepts to a modern Reform context, and brings that synergy to students of all ages. A rabbi and feminist devotee of midrash and Jewish history, Shawna is an engaging teacher of Torah — bringing text to life with her unique, modern perspective.

Tamas Buchler

Tamas is now working for the Jewish Agency’s Global Leadership Insitute, as the director of Minyanim, a network of young Jewish community activists from Central/Eastern Europe. He passionately believes in the potential and future of European Jewry. He lives in Budapest with his son and cat.

Bonnie Buckner

Bonnie Buckner has a PhD and is the author of "Dream Your Self Into Being". Bonnie teaches a 13th century Kabbalistic method using dreams as a means of personal and spiritual development. She works with creative and business professionals worldwide, and with organisations in the social change field.

Libby Burkeman

Libby Burkeman is informal education director at the Movement for Reform Judaism, working with RSY-Netzer, youth and Jeneration (students). Libby has carved out a career in informal education, including working at the Science Museum and Tzedek, all originally inspired by growing up in RSY-Netzer!

Leah Burman

Leah is a member of a second generation group and an experienced educational and child psychologist. She has participated in presentations, workshops nationally and chaired a number of Holocaust-related panel discussions at Limmud Conference last year.

Georgina Bye

Georgina has been heavily involved in building inclusive, cross-communal Jewish communities and is a seasoned Jewish educator. She works for JDC Entwine and OLAM, organisations involved in International Development. She's also a passionate foodie, feminist and traveller.