Orange 11
We have 75 minutes to look at the Torah portion and write an awesome song. Bring your instruments of choice: pens; guitars; keyboards; computers; your inspiration; your critical thinking; and most importantly, your hearts.
Green 26
When "Jews For..." and "Jews Against..." groups speak, who do they speak for? What happens when some who claim to speak "as a Jew" are held up as examples of "good Jews" and contrasted with other members of our community? Delve into the philosophical underpinnings of these questions and explore what they mean for Jews in the public sphere.
Red 1
What are the roots and branches of Jewish jokes, and how do they grow? Start by asking: is the Bible funny? How - and why - does the comedy in the Bible and the Talmud develop into Jewish humour? A few laughs likely in this session, but none guaranteed, as it's a very serious matter...
Red 3
Jewish scholars sat at the storyboarding tables of the 1998 animated movie "The Prince of Egypt". But how closely does the box office hit stick to the Biblical tale? Through studying texts and watching film clips, we’ll take a forensic look at where screenplay is faithful to the Torah, and where the scriptwriters thought they could go one better.
Yellow 21
Thousands of teens serve on Jewish Teen Foundations each year, granting real money to real organizations. Explore this model of teen engagement with the director of the Jewish Teen Funders Network. Consider how Jewish values influence giving, the teen program cycle, best practices from our network, and steps for getting started in your community.
Orange 10
We wade through the blood spilt at Shechem to avenge the rape of Dinah and discuss if there could have been a better solution.
Blue 34
In 1979, an Israeli poet named Dan Pagis published an anthology of medieval Hebrew love poems and was immediately accused of 'propaganda of pornography'. The reason for the controversy was the fact that most of the erotic poems were attributed to venerated rabbis. How did their hedonistic praise of "fawns" and "gazelles" fit with their religious views?
Red 6
The Hallel service is a treasure trove of musical gems from various Psalms of praise. Typically sung on holidays and Rosh Chodesh, its songs can be extracted and used in many other settings. If you are interested in learning great Hebrew songs that may be unfamiliar, then this session is for you. Please bring a recording device.
Blue 32 (Millers)
This is both a sampler of the world of Limmud in the Woods and a stand-alone session exploring how we find balance for ourselves and the world we live in.
Marquee 3
Have fun and meet new feet with Israeli mixer and partner dances. No prior experience of Israeli dance is necessary. You don’t even have to bring a partner but it might help!
Naomi Charatan Rosalyn Miller Jessica Gold
Red 7
Jess Gold, Rosalyn Miller and Naomi Charatan are performing together for the first time as Miriam’s Sisters. As well as all being singers, between them they play 10 instruments! Their unique voices intimately blend forming an exquisite, contemporary soundtrack for Jewish life. Enjoy traditional and original texts interspersed with Chanukah joy!
Yellow 23
The session takes stock of the legal predicament of Eritreans and Sudanese asylum-seekers in Israel through the the lens of an academic advising NGO. It explores the paradox of a country that played a role in drafting the refugee convention but never enacted asylum legislation, reflecting on how Israel treats (uninvited) non-Jewish arrivals.
Green 25
Rebecca will talk about the Jews of Venice, who over the past year have marked 500 years of the founding of the world’s first ghetto in the city. Rebecca recently visited the community and she will talk about the history, literature and art that emerged from the Renaissance ghetto, as well as the community who live and work there today.
Red 4
What happens when one rabbi asks another rabbi a question, then goes for a second opinion? This story features three rabbis, an ageing mother, unresolved Oedipal complexes, awkward dithering and - of course - guilt.
Patrick Morrow Saleem Seedat Lindsey Taylor-Guthartz
Red 5
Scriptural reasoning or SR, is an exciting practice in which members of different faiths read their scriptures together, to find out about each other's traditions and enrich our own. We'll explore what the Tanach, the Qur’an and the New Testament have to say about refugees, with your help!
Red 8 (Boulevard Back)
Jews love cities and very quickly after settling in them, writers absorb their environment and begin incorporating and creating the cultural vibes into their prose and poetry. These two sessions will explore the literature of London, New York, Jerusalem and Tel Aviv.
Red 2
The Israeli judiciary, and the Supreme Court in particular, is very unpopular among certain portions of Israeli society. At the same time, other Israelis consider it the last bastion of decency and democracy. Come hear from a seasoned political journalist and a legal scholar about why this critical institution has become so controversial.
Yellow 22
Also called Solica or Soulica, the 19th century Moroccan Jewish belle Suleika was executed at the age of 17 for refusing to convert to Islam. Her story is reminiscent of Esther with a tragic ending. Yet her grave has been venerated by Jews, Muslims and Christians, and she is even woven into a moral story among Haredi girls schools.
Yellow 24
We will discuss Moses’ speech inhibition as a pivotal issue in the Exodus narrative. What is the nature of this ‘impediment’? We will look at midrashic and Chasidic sources, as well as philosophical and psychoanalytic thinking on the role of voice in communication.
Mia Hasenson-Gross Maurice Wren
Orange 12
As part of Limmud's Refugee Day, come and hear from Maurice Wren, CEO of the Refugee Council, the leading UK organisation working directly with refugees and asylum seekers. What progress has been made, what's still to do and how can people like you get involved?
UK Jewish Film Rachel Kolsky Nathan Abrams
Orange 13
The Small World of Sammy Lee is the dark, funny, 1963 British-Jewish crime thriller directed by Ken Hughes and starring Anthony Newley, Julia Foster, Robert Stephens and Warren Mitchell. A Jewish peep-show compere races to escape the vicious debt collectors who chase him across the seedy underworld of London and the Jewish East End. Dir Ken Hughes, UK, 1963
Orange 14
Two philosophically minded friends will think together about why Judaism today doesn't want to talk about God. In the process they will share some of their own ideas about God, and also some of the practical and intellectual challenges they have experienced. We will also invite questions and ideas from the audience, so come prepared!
Blue 33
A personal spiritual biography. From intense yeshiva study, a rabbinic calling and teaching Talmud to realising he no longer believed the tenets of Orthodox Judaism. Jason will discuss the Halachic and theological challenges he found difficult to reconcile, changes in Jewish identity and how he have been received in various denominations of Anglo Jewry.
Barnaby Raine Jon Lansman Anna Lawton Daniel Randall Andrew Gilbert
Orange 15
Some Jewish Labour Party members do support Jeremy Corbyn. On this panel four major figures give a perspective. Anna Lawton is a life-long Limmudnik and is chairing next year's Limmud Conference; Jon Lansman set up Momentum and ran Tony Benn's 1988 campaign; Barnaby Raine is a Bundist non-Zionist; Daniel Randall is active in the RMT and the Alliance for Workers' Liberty.
Marquee 2
More and more British Jews are choosing to send their children to Jewish schools, and anxiety about getting a place seems to be rising year on year. But will demand continue to grow, do we need to build more Jewish schools, and what impact do they really have anyway?
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