Limmud Festival 2018

Limmud Festival 2018 – Wednesday 21:50

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All Spanish and Portuguese aboard! Brainstorm for international event

David Cassuto 

Red 5

Should we have an international multiple-day conference for people who are interested in the Western Sephardi tradition, maybe in Jerusalem? What kind of sessions should be part of such a conference? What kind of social activities? What kind of topics would you like to see discussed there? What do you think is needed first? When would you come?

Ally-Ship as Spiritual Practice

Mike Moskowitz 

Orange 13

This text-based discussion will explore the Torah's perspective on providing for the well-being of one as the spiritual expectation of another by contrasting the natural law, before the Torah was given.

Baba Batra and the Communist Manifesto

Samuel Lebens 

Blue 34

Karl Marx opposed private property. He was mocked: "can people not own their own toothbrushes?" But Marx actually had no problem with personal belongings. He only opposed the private ownership of "the means of production". You can own a toothbrush, but not a plot of land. To what extent did the rabbis agree with Marx?

A Kaddish for Bernie Madoff and Chavruta: A Drummer's Bat Mitzvah

Alicia Jo Rabins 

Orange 14

A screening of two short films made in collaboration with poet/musician Alicia Jo Rabins. A Kaddish for Bernie Madoff is a short concept trailer for a feature film currently in production, based on Rabins' stage show. Chavruta: A Drummer's Bat Mitzvah is a documentary short about rock drummer Lisa Schonberg's adult bat mitzvah in Portland. Alicia's participation was made possible with generous support from The Covenant Foundation.

Birkat Haminim

Elliott Karstadt 

Red 2

At the centre of the Amidah is a curse against heretics. Many have found Birkat Haminim problematic, and have tried to remove or rewrite it. In this session we will examine the origins of this curse and various versions that have appeared in prayer books throughout the ages.

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.

“But you’d be such a great mum…”: understanding the views of childfree women

Sarah Bronzite 

Red 4

Sadly, Jewish women who dare to say they don't want children often find others don't respect their choices. This interactive session is a space for childfree women to share their experiences. We’ll look at negative responses (from friends as well as strangers), the damaging impact these can have, and strategies to resist negativity. All welcome.

Hidden identities in popular comics

Miriam Libicki 

Orange 10

Superman symbolises The American Way, but he also manifested the insecurities of two sons of immigrants who witnessed hate crimes as kids. The influential early newspaper strip, Krazy Kat, was made by a Creole man who hid his roots his entire life. In this session, Miriam examines comic-culture touchstones and the marginalised identities coded within.

How Akiva could have changed 40 years of his life

Sara Bucciarelli Zanardo 

Green 27

Rabbi Akiva was not able to learn until he was 40. Could his learning journey teach something about specific learning difficulties, such as dyslexia? Starting from the midrash, we will learn about dyslexia and try out techniques to support dyslexic students in learning Hebrew from aleph bet to bar/bat mitzvah portion.

Images of Jewish women

Eva Frojmovic 

Green 25

Jewish women have always had to work extra hard to create and maintain their image. In this illustrated talk, we will look at some of these (historic) images together, from medieval Hebrew copyist Pola min ha-Anavim of Rome, to Glikl bas Judah Leib of Hameln (d. 1724). Along the way, we will discover women to be proud of.

Late Night Laughs at Limmud!

Rachel Creeger  Daphna Baram  Benji Lovitt  Aaron Simmonds 

Red 6

Join award winning comedian Rachel Creeger (“Very, very funny” The JC, “A beautifully zany imagination" The Brighton Source) for an hour of comedy as she hosts special guests including Daphna Baram ("Superbly refreshing" Bunbury Magazine), Aaron Simmonds (“A class act” Chortle), Benji Lovitt (as featured in USA Today and Time Magazine), and more!

My great (and short) great grandfather, Eliezer Ben Yehuda, and the revival of the Hebrew language

Gil Hovav 

Orange 15

The real story of the revival of the Hebrew language, from a personal point of view. The man who revived Hebrew almost single-handedly was Eliezer Ben Yehuda. Gil Hovav, his great grandson, tells the story of this unprecedented miracle through the little secrets that were kept by his family for more than a hundred years.

Reconciliation with Canada’s Indigenous peoples: Jewish engagement and response

Adam Moscoe 

Orange 11

Canadian Jews were not major protagonists in the traumatic abuse inflicted on Indigenous peoples, primarily through the residential schools, yet Canadian Jews have shown a commitment to advancing reconciliation. This session will explore, from the perspective of a young lay leader, the next frontiers in Jewish-Indigenous relations in Canada.

Strictly Limmud Dancing

Celia Clyne  Daniel Sugarman  Jonathan Robinson  Rachel Rose  Sheila Gewolb  Ivor Jacobs  Hannah Rose  Maurice Stone 

Yellow 24

Experience the glitter, glamour and excitement of the return of Strictly Limmud Dancing where 6 “celebrities” will be put through their paces by professionals to compete for the Nikki Millan trophy, and YOU decide who wins – guided by 4 “experienced” judges. Strictly Choreography by Ilai Szpiezak supported by the Oranim Dance Troupe.

Tragedy and inspiration: Miklos Radnoti, a Hungarian Jewish poet in the 20th Century

Rachel Lazar 

Blue 33

"Miklós Radnóti" - Was one of the most outstanding Hungarian poets of the 20th century. Because he was Jewish, he was persecuted and eventually killed. When his body was discovered, so was a booklet with his last poems, reflecting on human existence and longing for the homeland. His life and a selection of his poems will be shared and discussed.

Universalism in Jewish thought?

Barry Kleinberg 

Red 3

We will define models of religious interactions (inclusivism, exclusivism, pluralism and universalism) and explore Jewish thought to find out which might be consistent with Jewish thought.

"All existence whispers to me is secret": the poetry of Rav Kook

Itzchak Marmorstein (Even-Shayis) 

Orange 12

“It’s the good that I desire, It’s broad expanses entrance me”. Rav Kook expressed his greatest illuminations in poetry. Itzchak will perform a selection of these in Hebrew/English with musical accompaniment. Itzchak has presented these creatively in Israel and N. America. “A generation will awaken, And sing to beauty and to life.”

 Beit HaRav illuminated.jpeg  BEIT HARAV-HARAV TZ'L DORESH.jpg  rav-kook-israeli-flag.jpg  rav-kook-beit-hamikdash.jpg  Rav Kook USA.jpg  Rav Kook young man...jpg  RAV KOOK-SAN REMO ANNCT.jpg  Rav Kook Portrait Orot email size.jpg

Hot off the press! New elections in Israel- what does it mean? Who are the players? What will the result be?

Robin Moss  Annika Hernroth-Rothstein  Fleur Hassan Nahoum  David Newman  Kenneth Bob 

Red 1

This week the Israeli ruling coalition announced new elections will take place before passover 2019. Election experts and political commentators here at limmud will offer their insights into a rapidly evolving political process. This session is a primer for following the campaign as it unfolds and considering what it might mean for Israel and the wider region.

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