Limmud Festival 2018

Limmud Festival 2018 – Tuesday 21:50

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Board game café

Social Programming 

Blue 32

Monopoly, Rummikub, Scrabble, cards and more! Come enjoy Limmud's huge library of board games in Millers Café each evening.

Goodbye Columbus

Linda Berkowitz  Irene Wise  Shoshi Ish-Horowicz  Aviva Dautch  UK Jewish Film Festival 

Orange 13

Introduced by Linda Berkowitz and including a pre-viewing discussion with Aviva Dautch, Shoshi Ish-Horowicz and Irene Wise, this sharp adaption of Philip Roth’s novella is a compelling drama-cum-social satire. (101 minutes)

How to curse a witch: a practical guide

Richard Verber 

Red 2

Protect yourself from the dangers of witchcraft with this handy session. We'll learn a special incantation from the Talmud to be said on encountering witches. We'll also look at why the Rabbis of the Talmud were worried about demons and witches. Broomsticks not provided.

 handout - how to curse a witch.pdf

Improv comedy jam!

Mia Ottman 

Blue 34

An improv comedy session where we will play some games, create some scenes, and generally have a good time! Come along if you've never done improv before, if you love improv more than life itself, or if your friend said it sounds like a laugh (they're right). 18+ only.

Jewish responsibility and tikkun olam

Tal Cohen 

Green 27

“If you believe that it is possible to break, believe that it is possible to repair.” (Rabbi Nachman of Breslov). In this session we will explore our Jewish responsibility not only towards our own communities but also to others. Understanding the interconnectivity we hold with the rest of the world, and what exactly is our role in all of this.

Jewish ‘untouchables’: the plight of the mamzer in the 21st century

Emma Rozenberg 

Red 4

Mamzer is an ancient stigma in Judaism, handed down at birth through generations. In an age of DNA analysis and big data, this ‘caste system’ presents an urgent challenge for the whole community. Yet it is poorly understood. We will examine what mamzer means, the impact of being labelled a mamzer, and possible solutions, both ancient and modern.

Limmud Festival, First Century CE style! The Mishnah’s view on teachers, learners, and the power of diversity

Rahel Berkovits 

Orange 12

Pirkei Avot opens with a chain of tradition; Torah passed down through pairs of rabbis. Only in Chapter 2 do we meet R. Yohanan b. Zakai, the first teacher to have students. Using literary analysis, we will examine their beit midrash and look for meta-themes, still relevant for today, about Torah study as it affects a group of diverse learners.

Meditating with Breslav nigunim

Alon Goshen-Gottstein 

Red 5

The presentation will share the meditative niguning that come out of the Breslav tradition. It is an invitation to listen, deepen, meditate and become more closely engaged with Shabbat, the meaning of prayer and our deepest quest for God, expressed through the power of Niggun.

Mystical nostrils: the long and short of Jewish noses from Tanakh to Zohar

Daniel Eisenberg 

Green 26

Through text study, meditation and chanting, we will explore the ways that the nose has been represented in Jewish mystical literature. We will travel through the Torah and Rabbinic sources in order to glimpse into the psychedelic world of the Zohar. All texts will be in Hebrew/Aramaic and English. No prior knowledge required, just an open nose!

Preserving the power of testimony

Helen Stone 

Orange 10

"Our speaker is unwell. Can you take her place?" As one of a handful of second generation Holocaust speakers, Helen was able to step in to replace the elderly survivor. The recently formed G2G organisation is supplementing the dwindling pool of first generation speakers with well-prepared, high quality 2G presenters to target today's teenagers.

Rachel speaks, God and men listen!

Haim Ovadia 

Red 1

In what could probably be dubbed the first feminist prayer, written in 19th C. Baghdad by Kabbalist Rabbi Yehuda Fetaya (my ancestor), a mythical Rachel, borrowing from Jeremiah and the Midrash, challenges God, and with him the patriarchs, to change their thought patterns. The poem sheds light on the importance of emotion and empathy in religion.

 Rachel Speaks Limmud Festival 2018 Haim Ovadia.pdf

RSY-Netzer Shira

Amy Decker  Louis Graham 

Purple 31

This will be a space for anyone to come to, as long as you bring your voice and a passion for music. We will be singing a variety of songs, both English and Hebrew, so come along to join us in song.

The Marriage of Hebrew Prayer & Persian Poetry

Chloe Pourmorady 

Yellow 24

Father and daughter, Chloe & Kourosh, will share a meaningful performance-presentation on the music they've written which combines text from the Jewish liturgy and the Persian poetry of Rumi and Hafez. They will speak about the connections in the text, translate the poetry, & offer listeners an opportunity to sing along.

Thresholds: Walking through the Hallways of our Lives

Sherre Hirsch 

Orange 15

We all have our favourite rooms but when do we ever think about the passages between them? How do we deal with times of transitions - the hallways in our lives- when we are moving from one way we were accustomed to living to a new way of thinking, feeling and being? Warning: You might leave empowered and excited about your unknown future.

 Thresholds: Hallways and Rooms.pdf

Volunteer drinks

David Hoffman 

Bar

Would *you* like to get more involved in Limmud? Interested in knowing more about what that could involve? Join us for a drink and a chat with members of the Limmud volunteer leadership and find out more about getting involved in this event, the organisation and Limmud around the world.

What does a village in Rwanda have to do with me?

Max Naar  Lauren Gross  Georgina Bye 

Yellow 22

What connects Rwanda, Israel and the Jewish people? Come and learn about the Agahazo Shalom Youth Village from recent visitors and year-long volunteers. ASYV is a special village in Rwanda that was established following the Rwandan genocide to support orphaned children, based on the model of Yemin Orde in Israel.

What I Discovered in Uganda: Judaism, Identity and Ethics

Eli Wimpfheimer 

Orange 11

During my work in Uganda, I met many well-meaning people and organizations that do wonderful work, but I also encountered terrible injustices and hardships. In my talk, I will explain how my Uganda experience enhanced my Judaism as an inclusive and progressive force in a world of hate and racism.

Social justice – the basis of Jewish ethics

Steve Miller 

Green 25

“Justice is not the only ethical quality in God or man, nor is it the highest quality; but it is the basis for all the others.” (Joseph Hertz) This session will be a whistle-stop tour through Jewish sources on social justice from its earliest origins to contemporary debates. See if you agree that social justice is the heart and soul of Judaism.

Sources of inspiration for Israeli teens

The Leo Baeck Education Center Haifa  Oded Mazor 

Yellow 21

Jewish writings, Hollywood movies, Israeli books and contemporary pop music - find out what inspires LBEC, Haifa's high School delegation, what they connect with in culture, and which texts help them better understand themselves and the world around them.

Volcanoes, hurricanes, and some unique Jewish experiences

Hannah Gaventa 

Orange 14

Spending Pesach in Puerto Rico, Shabbat in Guatemala and Rosh Hashana in Barbados, the past year has been an exciting one as Hannah travels the world for her work with IsraAID, responding to natural disasters. Hear about these small but very special Jewish communities and discuss what we can learn from them and bring back to our own unique communities.

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