Blue 33
Since the Enlightenment Gentiles and Jews have stocked an imaginary menagerie with pigs, dogs, apes, and rodents to promote or subvert the bestialisation of Jews. This session takes up Lichtenberg’s “Fragment on Tails” that parodied the “science” of physiognomy by invoking the grotesque Judensau (Jew-Sow) and leaving Jews as collateral damage.
Green 27
You probably have Google Analytics on your website – but are you using it to find useful ideas for improving your digital presence? In this session (with plenty of time for questions), we’ll learn how to set up your analytics for success, how to mine for those precious nuggets of insight, and how to translate all the numbers into effective action.
Red 3
Is there significance in the music in which the Torah is chanted? What role does it play in communicating the meaning of the text? How would Torah chanting sound if done in English? Would this work and would it have any value?
Keith Ackerman Mahbub Nazir Reuben Ackerman
Green 26
In a fractious world dialogue is key to bridging gaps between communities and building understanding of different world views and traditions. Our projects illustrate how dialogue brings communities together, encouraging exploration of difference and fears of ‘the other’. Habermas’s life-worlds can help understand how this powerful process works.
Orange 13
An overview of different positions regarding genetically modified food in Judaism, with focus on Kashrut.
Blue 34
This interactive session will explore the work conducted by Goods For Good, a charity that recycles UK industry overstocked goods to provide a lifeline to hundreds of thousands around the world.
Orange 10
Palestinian citizens in Israel and Jews in the UK – what do they have in common? How can such different perspectives connect? Is it even acceptable or legitimate to compare? We will explore the potential links between the communities, discuss case studies and examine the intersection between Jewish education and Israeli politics.
Purple 31
Latin American is a wide and diverse region where Jews arrived in different periods and consolidated very different communities. We will travel around some of the most representative communities in the region. Vibrant and not so exotic communities, with great challenges as well! In this session we will visit the communities in Argentina, Chile and Uruguay.
Green 25
At Limmud 2016 Malcolm gave a presentation on deep sea cruising. For 2017 he concentrates on river cruises in Europe and discusses some of the cities you will pass, and their Jewish heritage. He will talk about St Helena first hand, the South Atlantic Island, the last home of Napoleon, and its Jewish links.
Shoshi Ish-Horowicz Aviva Dautch
Yellow 22
This stand-alone session is a chance for book lovers to share insights. We will discuss our favourite extracts, characters and theories - for those who've already read the book and those who haven't but want to find out more. Today's choice is Dorit Rabinyan’s controversial, award winning story of a love affair between an Israeli and a Palestinian.
Red 2
One shul member resigned to join the other local shul. He was told, "now we can all appreciate having two shuls in the area: You can get upset with one and move to the other, or vice versa. With only one shul, you wouldn't have a place to return to!" Join for a discussion about innovative perspectives of Shul politics and possible ways to improve our experience in living in a Jewish community.
Orange 12
Using the prayers Adonai Sefatai Tiftach and Adon Olam as examples, we will see how traditional siddur prayers utilise short biblical quotations to create theological messages that resolve personal existential issues and place the praying person in the context of God's history for God's people.
Red 9
Fans of the Elisha ben Abuyah story cycle love it because its questions are foundational: why do evil and suffering exist in the world? Whether you've looked at this tragic-beautiful story before or this is your first encounter, come learn the original sources in depth, in the Tosefta and Yerushalmi, and make meaning of it together.
Red 6
Apocalyptic myths of the Second Temple period in anticipation of the destruction in the poetry of Tirsa Posklinsky Shehory, in her book "Transparent jellyfish goes". Mutual influence between poetry and myth.
Yellow 21
There are a number of stories in the Tanach which appear to be inconsistent with Jewish theology. Focusing on the Nephalim, we will examine such stories to see how they have been interpreted through the ages and what relevance they could have for us today.
Red 4
Communicating verbally is easier for some than others. Makaton - a signing system designed for people with learning disabilities & also used by many young children (thanks to CBeebie’s Mr Tumble!) is a great way to make communication easier & help build inclusive communities. Come for a fun & eye-opening taster session & learn how to start signing!
Red 5
Adam – the first human was actually a deeply rebellious creature – or was he? Come meet the Rabbinic version of the first human, and how the Rabbis utilise this narrative to understand the very essence of human authority. All levels of experience with text welcome; texts provided in the original with English translation.