Nic Abery

Nic Abery has worked in Jewish Education for the past 25 years. She is the director of LooktoLearn, Primary school project advisor for PaJeS and an education consultant for Educating for Impact (EFI.) She lives in London with her husband (whom she met at Limmud in 1995) and two sons.

Vanessa Abraham

Vanessa holds an undergraduate degree in pharmacology, a postgraduate diploma in psychotherapy and a certificate in clinical supervision. She facilitates support groups in London and works online with those further afield. Her passion is to promote wellbeing and healing.

Uriel Aiskovich

Uriel is 35 years old from Buenos Aires, social entrepreneur, educator, community leader and professor of political science. He is the founder of several Jewish and non-Jewish initiatives in Latin America related to diversity, identity, and innovation.

Akin Ajayi

Akin was born in England and educated there and in Nigeria, before emigrating to Israel in 2007. At various times a lawyer and a social worker, Akin is an editor and writer, and has contributed to publications including Haaretz, the Jerusalem Post, the TLS and The Forward. He is presently the co-editor of the Tel Aviv Review of Books.

Luke Akehurst

Luke Akehurst has been director of We Believe in Israel since 2011. We Believe in Israel is a BICOM initiative and is a broad coalition of over 21,000 supporters of Israel. Luke is not Jewish but has been a committed Zionist all his life.

Simon Albert

Simon Albert is a lawyer working in London, specialising in European competition law. Originally born in Frankfurt, Germany, he speaks French and German. He holds an undergraduate degree in History and German from Jesus College, Oxford and a master's degree in International Relations from the LSE.

Anoushka Alexander-Rose

Anoushka Alexander-Rose is currently studying for her MA in Russian Literature, and hopes to continue into a PhD. Her research is on Vladimir Nabokov, and Jewishness in his life and work. She also spends her time tutoring, going to the theatre and complaining about fast fashion.

Daniel Allen

Danny Allen is a consultant psychiatrist working both privately and in the NHS. He has a special interest in Jewish medical ethics.

Manuela Alper

Manuela is a Chartered Architect. She is the co-founder of Tzofim UK, Israeli Scouts In Britain. Manuela has also been a dedicated Zikaron BaSalon global ambassador and community leader in London for the past 5 years.

Daniel Anderson

Daniel presents and facilitates thought-provoking lectures, discussions and workshops. He aims to leave attendees with far more questions than answers and can be found at Cockfosters and New Southgate Synagogue. Daniel is an elected member/councilor for Enfield Council, former deputy council leader and charity trustee.

Jane Ansell

Founder and CEO of Sleep Scotland and TEENS+ special needs education programme, with 25 years of experience in cognitive-behavioural work. Jane also co-founded the Edinburgh Jewish Cultural Centre, teaches Jewish Ethics programmes, and has worked as a social worker and adult-education lecturer.

Arik Ascherman

Arik, a rabbi, is recognised as a leading advocate for human rights and social justice as Jewish and Zionist obligations. He puts himself at physical risk, and stood trial for civil disobedience. He led "Rabbis For Human Rights" for 21 years, and founded "Torat Tzedek-Torah of Justice," in 2017.

Robin Ashleigh

Robin is head of Impact Evaluation at UJIA, where he collects and interprets evidence to prove and improve the organisation's impact. Robin also volunteers on Poland trips with March of the Living, and has represented GB as a table tennis player and coach at the Maccabiah and European Maccabi Games.

Natalie Assa

Natalie is 24, Bulgarian and lives in Vienna. Her Jewish leadership journey began at BBYO Bulgaria and she later co-founded Moishe House Vienna as a student. In her 6 years in Vienna, she's been teaching and inspiring adults, children and teens to feel life through movement based on Israeli culture.

Iakovos Atoun

Iakovos was born and raised in Athens, Greece, where he is a project manager working with Greek start-ups. Since 2018, he has been the Jewish Educational Programs Director for the Athens Jewish community where he has volunteered for several years.

Sivan Atzmon

Sivan comes from Jerusalem. She led groups in crosscultural programs supported by Erasmus and US Department of State. Same as her great grandfather, Mossensohn, she is also passionate about leading social change through education and was lately leading a youth program supporting the periphery in Israel.

Ethan Axelrod

Ethan Axelrod is a trainee solicitor with experience of medical negligence and serious injury. He will start a Masters in Medical Law and Ethics next year, focusing on LGBT experiences of healthcare. He aspires to complete a PhD, so he can make his mother proud by being both a doctor and a lawyer.

Liora Baram

April Baskin

April N. Baskin is the joyful creator of the YouTube series Torah in Color and host of Wholly Jewish podcast. She is a global DEI strategic advisor and trainer. The Racial Justice Director of JSJR and founder of Joyous Justice, April has been honoured to receive several awards and lives in Senegal.

Eddie Bass

Eddie has an eclectic education, but now very interested in drama, poetry, comedy and the humorous stories, which writes himself, and digs deep from the legends of Chelm - the ancient 'Village of Idiots'. In modern chelm, there's plenty of shaggy dog tales to get you laughing (or weeping)!

_ Beit Midrash

The Limmud Beit Midrash is a space for intensive, community-minded text study. A typical Beit Midrash learning experience will include a centrally-facilitated opening and ending, with time spent learning the chosen texts more deepling in pairs (chavruta) in between. Come and learn with us!

Edward Ben-Nathan

Edward is a retired computer man who has been an avid reader of history and politics for some decades and has been delivering talks on History at the School of Economic Science in London and elsewhere.

Geoffrey Ben-Nathan

Geoffrey Ben-Nathan was born London 1944 and graduated from SOAS in 1968 in Anthropology and Ethiopian studies. His specialist interests are Ethiopia; the Israelite Samaritans; and the Middle East conflict. His 2019 booklet, ‘Palestinians or Jews: Whose Land Is It?’ argues both peoples are equally indigenous.

Shira Ben-Sasson Furstenberg

Shira is associate director of the New Israel Fund (NIF) in Israel. Her quest for greater religious pluralism led her to direct Jewish Pluralism Watch. Shira has over a decade’s experience focusing on religious freedom at NIF, which promotes democracy and equality. She is an enthusiastic anglophile.

Aviva Ben-Ur

Aviva Ben-Ur is a historian specialising in Atlantic Jewish history, slavery studies, and the Ottoman diaspora. She is the author of Jewish Autonomy in a Slave Society: Suriname in the Atlantic World, 1651-1825 (University of Pennsylvania Press, May 2020).

Miri Benchetrit

Miri is UK consultant for Genesis Philanthropy Group and director of the Westbury Group. She was chief executive of the Rothschild Foundation Europe and executive director of the Minerva Center for Human Rights at Hebrew University. Miri has an MSc in Politics of Africa and Asia from SOAS.

Hana Bendcowsky

The Council of Christians and Jews (CCJ) is working in partnership with Hana Bendcowsky from the Jerusalem Center for Jewish-Christian Relations (JCJCR) as their special guest at Limmud. Hana is the programme director of the JCJCR at the Rossing Center for Education and Dialogue. She is a lecturer, consultant, and researcher and writes educational material for the centre's programmes.

Aaron Benderski

Aaron is originally from Belarus and has a BA in Politics and IR from Hebrew U. He served in the IDF as a combat soldier and educator, worked as a tour guide in the Knesset and attended and interned in the U.S. Congress. Currently Aaron works as an Israel Fellow (Shaliach) of the Jewish Agency to UJS.

Ofra Bengio

Ofra Bengio is Senior Research Fellow at the Moshe Dayan Center for Middle Eastern Studies, Tel Aviv University and Head of Kurdish Studies Program at the Moshe Dayan Center. She is the author of eight books and over 150 articles and essays in leading journals and collective volumes.

David Benkof

David Benkof is a Jerusalem-based teacher whose sessions at Limmuds worldwide analyze Jewish cultural products – fiction, poetry, musicals, films, lyrics, paintings. His other hats include Jewish historian, political analyst, seven-language polyglot, essayist, theatre enthusiast, and trivia buff.

Janet Berenson

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

Jonathan Berezovsky

Jonathan is the founder of Migraflix, a startup based in Sao Paulo that empowers refugees and immigrants by promoting their cultures while building bridges with the locals. He is also the co-founder of Mazeej, a music band of Muslim and Christian Palestinians, Syrians, Lebanese and Brazilian Jews.

Emma Bergen

Emma Bergen is the development director for PJ Library in the UK. PJ Library sends out books to families raising Jewish children aged between six months and eight years old every month. The award wining books celebrate Jewish culture, values, and traditions. Sign up at www.pjlibrary.org.uk.

Jeff Berger

Jeff Berger is a rabbi who moved to the UK in 2000. Ordained at Montefiore College, he founded Rambam Sephardi Synagogue in 2011. In 2016 he became a KAICIID Fellow and is now interfaith advisor to Mitzvah Day. He likes giving talks on the Spanish & Portuguese Jews' Congregation and inter-religious dialogue.

Miriam Berger

This was Miriam’s bat mitzvah year as rabbi of Finchley Reform Synagogue. Seeing how hard life’s transitions can be for people led her to spearhead the Mikveh Project UK. A centre of wellbeing with a mikveh at its heart will support people, using this ancient ritual to heal and celebrate.

Sally Berkovic

An epistolary romance brought Sally to London in 1993 and since 2009, she has been the CEO of the Rothschild Foundation Hanadiv Europe, supporting Jewish heritage and culture across Europe. She is the author of Under My Hat, focused on Orthodoxy and feminism.

Adena Berkowitz

Adena Berkowitz is scholar in residence at Kol HaNeshamah NYC and senior scholar, MJE. She is the author of the best selling Jewish Journey Haggadah and mini siddur, Shaarei Simcha: Gates of Joy. A practising therapist, she lives in NY with her husband Zev Brenner and children.

Lisa Berman

Lisa has been with Mayyim Hayyim since it opened. From 2005-14, she directed the education centre, developing curricula and teaching. Since 2014 she's managed the Mikveh Center, responsible for guests’ immersion experiences and volunteers. Lisa is Mayyim Hayyim’s longest tenured staff member.

Robby Berman

Robert graduated Harvard University (MPA), Baruch College (MBA), Yeshiva University (BA), Gruss Kollel and Yeshivat Hakotel. He has published in Harvard Review, Los Angeles Times, Tablet, Ha’aretz, Jerusalem Post, Times of Israel, and the Jerusalem Report. He is founder and director of HODS.

Molly Bernstein

Molly has lived in some strange places - including Morocco, Tajikistan and Philadelphia - picking up Arabic and Persian on the way. She led IsraAID’s work in Greece’s refugee camps and recently returned home to Tel Aviv, where she is an aggressive runner, a mediocre potter and a graduate student.

Anna Leah Bernstein Simpson

Anna Leah is currently living in Israel as a Dorot Fellow. Anna Leah has lived in Belgium, Italy, and France and most recently worked as the Digital Content Manager for the Hadar Institute. She is also an alumna of the Kevah Teaching Fellowship and UJA-Federation YESH Institute.

Daniel Bernstein Vulkan

Daniel is a statistician, currently working in cancer awareness, screening and early diagnosis at Queen Mary University. He was previously senior researcher at the Board of Deputies of British Jews, and has an MSc in Social Research Methods from the London School of Economics & Political Science.

Yoni Berrous

Yoni Berrous was born in France and made Aliyah with his family in 1992. He is the head of the European Jewish programming in the International School for Holocaust Studies at Yad Vashem. He is responsible for Holocaust educational training for educators from Jewish communities in Europe.

Sharyn Bistre Dabbah

Sharyn Bistre is a veterinarian from Mexico, currently doing a PhD on medical detection dogs' behaviour at the University of Bristol. She is also involved on several other subjects such as history, arts, literature and theatre. She has been a Limmud volunteer in Mexico and the UK.

Joshua Black

Joshua Black has travelled and lived in several countries, which has contributed greatly to his world view. He is a landscape architect working in Hamilton, Canada. He has a passion for Jewish causes and tries to interpret personal experiences and questions through the lens of Jewish texts.

Ian Bloom

As a publisher, Ian bounced on a sex shop waterbed with Toni Morrison, drank whisky galore with Arthur Koestler and Lionel Davidson and swopped stories with Nick Tomalin at the Spare Rib launch party. Now he discusses Lord George Gordon – after Disraeli, English history's most famous Jewish convert.

Shoshana Bloom

Shoshana is a passionate Limmudnik, Schusterman Fellow and ROIer. She’s thrilled to be the new Limmud Global Chair volunteering alongside so many inspirational people around the Limmud world. Professionally, Shoshana founded and runs a disability inclusion and community facilitation consultancy.

Rebecca Blumenfeld

Rebecca Blumenfeld (aka. Bex) is a freelance chazzan, a spiritual and liturgical leader, and a Jewish educator affiliated with the Masorti movement. She has semicha from Hebrew College in Boston and she works for a variety of Masorti communities around the UK.

Yael Boim-Fein

Yael is the founding director of the Israeli Institute for Gender Equality in Education. Yael is also an executive member of the international Gender and Education Association (GEA), a graduate of the Mandel School for Educational Leadership, and served as a volunteer and chairman of the board for Jerusalem Rape Crisis Center.

Shana Boltin

Originally from Melbourne, Shana works as a children's occupational therapist. A coffee, Ottolenghi and Yiddish enthusiast, she previously chaired Limmud Conference and is currently a Limmud Board member with a volunteer training support role. But most excitingly, she is DJing again this year!

John Bowers

John is the principal of Brasenose College, Oxford, a barrister specialising in employment law and human rights, a deputy High Court judge and formerly a member of the Standards Board for England and the Home Office Task Force on Human Rights.

Amanda Bowman

Amanda Bowman is vice president of the Board of Deputies of British Jews. Amanda’s work focuses on the defence of Jewish freedoms, security, anti-racism and anti-Israel extremism. She has been at the forefront of the Board’s work in tacking antisemitism in politics, sports, the media and online.

Hannah Brady

Hannah is a Festival 2019 Co-Chair and hopes you’re enjoying it! Passionate about women's and disabled empowerment, she sparks hard conversations with humour. A former civil servant, Hannah’s just moved into organising pharma conferences in the US. When she gets a chance, she also likes to bake!

Peter Brady

Peter is a history enthusiast who lectures and writes articles for local synagogues. A retired solicitor, he enjoys researching the role of Jewish figures in military and political history, and discussing them with his grandchildren (including this year’s Limmud Festival Chair Hannah)!

Sam Brady

Sam is a first year PhD student at the University of Glasgow. He recently completed his Masters thesis at the University of Leeds which explores historic instances of disability within the Jewish community, for which he received a grant from the Jewish Historical Society of England.

Gabriel Noah Brahm

Gabriel Noah Brahm is director of Michigan's Center for Academic and Intellectual Freedom and a Senior Research Fellow at University of Haifa. He coedited (with Cary Nelson) The Case Against Academic Boycotts of Israel, and has dual (not divided) loyalty, splitting his time between Israel and the U.S.

Amy Braier

As director of Pears Foundation, one of the UK's largest family foundations, Amy oversees the Foundation's grant-making and operations. She is a former trustee of Limmud and the Holocaust Memorial Day Trust and is currently a trustee of the Miscarriage Association.

Jason Braier

A barrister specialising in employment and discrimination law, Jason has a particular interest in religious discrimination. He has acted for a Jew refused a job for being shomer Shabbat, a Sikh sacked for wearing a kirpan and a Muslim sacked for breaking for prayers. He tweets avidly at @jasonbraier.

Emma Brand

Emma is a theatre-maker and performer who has just completed an MA in Performance Making. Her work uses playful, innovative means to explore complex social issues - it’s basically like still being in RSY-Netzer! She is also one of the programming chairs for this year’s Festival.

Zev Brenner

Zev J. Brenner is president of Talkline Communications Network, America’s leading Jewish broadcast network, and is host of the network's flagship programme, Talkline With Zev Brenner. His guests include: Bill and Hillary Clinton, Bibi Netanyahu, Shimon Peres, Yitzhak Shamir and Yitzhak Rabin.

Shira Britannia

Shira Britannia is a collective of British Jewish composers, with Judith Silver, Dean Staker and David Hoffman as its driving force. We showcase different styles of Jewish song and liturgical music, dealing with Jewish texts and themes. Join us for the here and now of British Jewish music!

Robert Brody

Robert has been a tenor soloist for over 50 years presenting both secular and cantorial music with many Jewish choirs as well as recording with the BBC Singers for Radio 3. He has acted as chazzan in many countries and recently was soloist in an international cantorial conference in Prague.

Gidon Bromberg

Gidon Bromberg, attorney, is the Israeli Director of EcoPeace Middle East, a regional organization bringing together Jordanian, Palestinian and Israeli environmentalists. He recently presented at the UN Security Council and UN Climate Summit on the relationship between water and Middle East peace.

Sarah Bronzite

Previously a social researcher, now a primary school teacher. Sarah's current academic research aims to change the UK sex education curriculum so that it meets young people's needs. She also writes about childfree women and gender-based violence. Judaism is her second religion, after choral singing.

Mekella Broomberg

Mekella Broomberg is a creative producer. She has a background in comparative literature and festival making and has written, performed and produced in the worlds of puppetry, circus and film. She is head of arts and culture at JW3, London’s Jewish Arts and community centre.

Dan Brown

Dan Brown is founder of the web-based publication eJewishPhilanthropy.com. Dan holds graduate certificates in Nonprofit Program Management and in Fundraising from the University of Pennsylvania and is an alumnus of the 2017 Cohort of UPenn's Executive Programme in Social Impact Strategy.

Debra Brunner

Co-founder and CEO of The Together Plan, Debra has worked with Jewish communities in Belarus for over 10 years. She is passionate about the revival of Jewish life in Eastern Europe and believes the route to success is through capacity building, empowerment and the development of self-sufficiency.

Libby Burkeman

Libby is head of grants for a trust supporting charities in the UK & India. She was director of education at Reform Judaism & Tzedek. Libby has a long history with Limmud including co-chairing Conference and, since 2013, DJing! Libby likes lunch for £4, follow her on Insta & join the hunt!

Georgina Bye

Georgina is the chief executive of Mitzvah Day, an organisation that seeks to bring people of all faiths and backgrounds together through Jewish-led social action. A dedicated community builder and educator, her interests include social justice, interfaith, inclusivity, food, travelling and feminism.

Daniel Cainer

Multi-award-winning songwriter, storyteller, performer, broadcaster. Currently touring his ever-evolving, Jewish-themed, one-person show around the world. Daniel has also written scores for TV and radio and his music has launched at least one car and a range of washing machines.

Miriam Camerini

Miriam was born in Jerusalem on Purim of 1983 and lives in Milan. A theatre director, actress, singer and writer, she studied at Pardes and is a rabbinical student at Har'El. Miriam is founder and director of Benhashmashot - Jewish Theatre and published a book on food and religion: Ricette e Precetti.

Michael Capek

Michael was, until recently, a practicing GP for 34 years. He currently advises the local clinical commissioning group and primary care mental health teams on matters of mental health. He is a practicing hypnotherapist and has degrees in Medicine, Health Psychology and mathematical subjects.

Ben Caplan

Ben Caplan is a songwriter and perfomer. His most recent project, Old Stock, is a music / theatre hybrid telling the story of Jewish refugees arriving in Canada in 1908. As an artist, Caplan is interested in exploring Jewish sounds and themes and blending them with contemporary influences.

Graham Carpenter

Graham is the UK Community Manager for OLAM & JDC Entwine, focusing on engagement in global Jewish responsibility. He has previously worked for Tzedek and the New Israel Fund, and he is a board member for Liberal Judaism and the World Union of Progressive Judaism.

Paul Cartledge

Paul Cartledge is emeritus A.G. Leventis Professor of Greek Culture, Cambridge University, and currently A.G. Leventis Senior Research Fellow, Clare College, Cambridge. He is the author, co-author, editor or co-editor of over 25 books, the most recent being the monograph Democracy: A Life.

Liz Cashdan

Liz Cashdan: poet, writing tutor, poetry editor of Jewish Renaissance. Liz's poems give voices to Jews in the past. She has published widely - most recently, Things of Substance: New and Selected Poems (Five Leaves 2013). She will lead a writing workshop and read her poems.

Laura Cazes

Laura Cazés is the advisor on organisational development for the Central Welfare Board of Jews in Germany. She began her career as coordinator of the German-Israeli Volunteer Service. In 2017-2019, she served as vice-president of the European Union of Jewish Students.

Linda Cesana Benguigui

Linda is a 90's kid raised in Barcelona by a traditional Jewish family. She has been involved in Jewish activities from an early age, being a madricha, youth team lead and board member of her local community. Now in London, she is continuing her journey by launching a new website, The Jewish Guest.

Lauren Chaplin

After writing her master's thesis on Palestinian modes of resistance to Israeli Occupation, Lauren felt compelled to take action, and so joined Na'amod: British Jews Against the Occupation. She has enthusiastically taken p\art in meetings, protests, and educational events since.

Chaim Chesler

Chaim Chesler co-founded Limmud FSU in 2006. He chairs its Executive Committee. As executive director of the Israel Public Council for Soviet Jewry, he worked in Israel and around the globe to raise awareness of the struggle of Soviet Jews.

Rachael Chomer

Born and bred in North London she graduated from PPA drama school in Guildford in 2018. Previous roles include: Lady Montashoe (Timpson: The Musical) The Other Palace, London, Edinburgh Fringe Festival 2018, she WON the award for Acting from 'The Stage'.

Ivan Ciment

Ivan has presented at four Limmuds and travelled to over sixty-five countries. He has been the host of globalthoughts.com for twenty years where the wide range of political, social and travel commentary tends to be more pragmatic than ideological. Ivan lives with his wife and two children in NYC.

Anne Clark

Anne was the founding director of the Jewish Resource Centre at the University of Roehampton, London. She has worked as a Jewish educator in the UK with Jews and non-Jews of all ages and is a UJIA Ashdown Fellow. Now semi-retired, Anne divides her time between Jerusalem and London.

Sam Clifford

Professionally, Sam is the Director of Fundraising at the Jewish Museum London and has worked in a variety of roles in the Jewish community. Sam is honoured to be the Chair of the Mikveh Project UK working with a hugely talented and inspiring team to run this idea into a reality.

Alina Cohen

As a passionate creative, Alina has been involved in art and theatre for most of her life. She has a degree in performance design, is a member of a theatre group and loves to sew. She has been inspired by incredible presenters and is very excited to share her passions with all of you this year.

Barbara Cohen

Barbara lives in Weymouth, and trained as a yoga teacher, with the British Wheel of Yoga. She has been teaching yoga for 20 years and practicing meditation for 49 years. She identifies as a JuBu, a Jewish Buddhist, and is very interested in the intersection between Buddhism and Jewish mysticism.

Bernard Cohen

Bernie Cohen is Emeritus Professor of Computing at London City University. He has an abiding interest in the history of computing and maintains a small computing museum at home in Guildford. He is a congregant of North West Surrey Synagogue, widowed with two children and four grandchildren.

Evan Gary Cohen

Evan is 51 years old and married to Omri Rosenkrantz. He is international media advisor to the Prime Minister of Israel and linguistics lecturer at Tel Aviv University (phonetics). Evan founded and, until 2019 was the head of, Likud Pride, the LGBT caucus within the Likud Party in Israel.

Hayden Cohen

Hayden is a UK based writer, performer amd educator. He produces and hosts 'The Bagel – A Jewish Magazine Podcast' and has taken three one man shows to the Edinburgh Fringe. He is currently putting the finishing touches to his first novel and next show – ‘Camp Mazel: Where Everyday you get Lucky.’

Lawrence Cohen

Having reached three score and ten, Lawrence has acquired much knowledge but little wisdom. Regretfully, there isn't a lot anyone could usefully learn. Nevertheless, there are one or two enthusiasms which he would like to share. This year it's how to teach Hebrew reading.

Lucy Cohen

Lucy is the youth director of Noam Masorti. She has previously worked in education, community development and international development the UK, India and Ghana with Tzedek and JDC Entwine. It was whilst living in Mumbai, India that Lucy took up bellydancing, which she now teaches in the UK.

Naomi Cohen

Naomi recently graduated from the Susi Bradfield course. As an engineer she is interested in the interplay between halacha and technology. Naomi is community liaison co-ordinator for Camp Simcha, a charity which supports families struggling with serious childhood illness across the Jewish community.

Richard Cohen

Richard has been a barrister, solicitor, part time historian and a non commercial actor. He gives talks on his great-uncle Jack Cohen, founder of Tesco, and Churchill and the Jews. Richard is a member of the Board of Deputies and Chair of the Jewish Historical Society of England, Essex Branch.

Henry Cohn

Currently a historian and lecturer, Henry formerly taught for 43 years at Glasgow, Leicester and Warwick universities. A member of Alyth Reform and Birmingham Progressive synagogue communities, he made Aliyah in 2014 to the North London ghetto.

_ Community Security Trust

CST is Community Security Trust, a charity that protects British Jews from terrorism, antisemitism and anti-Jewish extremism. CST received charitable status in 1994 and is recognised by the police and government as a unique model of best practice.

Ann Conway-Jones

Ann is a scholar and popular writer and speaker on early and contemporary Jewish–Christian relations. She is an honorary research fellow at Birmingham University, associate tutor at The Queen’s Foundation for Ecumenical Theological Education, and Chair of Birmingham CCJ.

Zaki Cooper

Zaki is a consultant who helps leaders with philanthropy and communications. He has worked for the Chief Rabbi, Buckingham Palace and a range of business and civic leaders. He is a trustee of the Council of Christians and Jews and Co-Chair of the Indian Jewish Association.

_ Council of Christians and Jews

The Council of Christians and Jews (CCJ) is the leading nationwide forum for Christian-Jewish engagement. With 29 UK branches, CCJ works in Education, Dialogue and Social Action through programmes addressing: Holocaust education, antisemitism, student interfaith, Israel-Palestine and social justice.

Esther Craven

Esther is the Youth & Student Worker at Yachad, the pro-Israel pro-peace movement in the UK. Esther is a University of Manchester graduate, where she helped form progressive Jewish spaces. Back in London, she is a member of NSN Synagogue and is involved with the community organisation, Laviot.

Mark Creeger

Currently working in Corporate Ethics and Compliance software, Mark has taught Jewish education and IT at multiple levels. A regular speaker and davener at Barnet Synagogue, teaching Barmitzvah for 33 years, he is married to fabulous comedian Rachel Creeger, with whom he shares two wonderful boys.

Rachel Creeger

An award winning stand up comedian, director and writer, Rachel’s show “It’s No Job For A Nice Jewish Girl” won Best Comedy at Greater Manchester Fringe 2017, was an Edinburgh Festival sell out, toured the UK and Israel. New show “Hinayni!” achieved 4* and 5* reviews at the Fringe and is now on tour.

Michael Crook

Michael graduated from Cambridge University in 1969, and qualified as a chartered surveyor. He retired in 2016, and since then he has become actively involved in the Sussex branch of the JHSE. He has recently researched the Brighton & Hove Jewish Community around the time of the Great War.

Ben Crowne

Ben lives, teaches and serially volunteers in London’s Jewish community. He is a trustee or senior advisor at a number of organisations, including JW3, the Nashira partnership minyan, and the counter-extremism charity Nahamu. Ben chaired Limmud Conference 2016, and represents Limmud at the Board of Deputies.

Natalia Czarkowska

Natalia Czarkowska is a cultural activist and freelance journalist from Warsaw, Poland. She creates heritage programs for the Taube Center for the Renewal of Jewish Life in Poland Foundation and was an educator for March of the Living UK. Natalia is one of the co-directors of the FestivALT 2019.

Jeremy Dable

Jeremy Dable is a myopic lawyer but the Climate Emergency has given him new ‘polycarbonate’ lenses. “Wilding” is easy. Things grow better if we avoid trying to help. Let the idea of “In-Activism” grown on you through Wilding together with its well-hidden and stubborn Jewish tap-roots.

Kfir Damari

Kfir is the co-founder of SpaceIL, a mentor, a cyber-security and a computer-networking expert. SpaceIL’s accomplishment of reaching the moon with the first privately funded spacecraft in the world has inspired children all around Israel to find interest in Space, Science, and realise their dreams

Daniel Daniel

Daniel is a director/writer/ producer for both theatre and film. His work includes award-winning short films, The Face of Chance (2015) & Web (2018). His theatre work includes a stage-adaptation of Gogol’s Nevsky Prospekt (2017) and recently, The Knot (2019), which played at The Old Red Lion Theatre.

Aviva Dautch

Aviva Dautch teaches English Literature and Creative Writing at the British Library, Jewish Culture at Roehampton University and Modern Jewish Literature at JW3 and the London School of Jewish Studies. She has a PhD in poetry and her poems, reviews, and literary essays are widely published.

Rivka David

Mum of 3 and Adopted Aunty to many, has a Masters in Psychology, is a Specialist Educator, Hypnotherapist & Life Coach. She’s on Rambam Sephardi Synagogue’s Board (Youth & Events). She founded Camp Rambam for children & teens across the Jewish community and is Director of Camp Unity.

Erielle Davidson

Erielle Davidson is a staff writer at The Federalist and a fellow at the Center for International Law in the Middle East (CILME) at the Antonin Scalia Law School at George Mason University. Prior, she was an economic research assistant at the Hoover Institution and a fellow at the Claremont Institute.

Oli Davidson

Oli is co-founder/ co-director of Laviot, a social group for queer, Jewish women and non-binary folk that hosts events and fosters an ever-growing online community. She works in data analytics and is a huge fan of data visualisations and infographics. Also, Harry Potter, animals and puns.

Lior Diklshpan

Lior Asher Diklshpan recently moved to London. He has two degrees in psychology and nutrition from Queens College New York, and a Masters in education and Jewish cultural arts from The George Washington University. Today, Lior works at the Jewish Agency as director of campus activity in the UK.

Emma Dorman

Emma is the Senior Education Coordinator at Jami. She provides interactive mental health workshops to young people and adults across the community. She is a qualified Youth and Adult Mental Health First Aid Instructor. Emma advocates for mental health on social media and via her own blog.

Marshall Duke

Marshall is professor of Psychology at Emory University. His 100+ research articles and nine books deal with relationship deficits in kids, locus of control and how family stories build resilience. His recent focus is on family narratives among grandchildren of Holocaust survivors.

Elizabeth Dunoff

Elizabeth grew up in Philadelphia, USA and currently lives in Jerusalem. She studies in the Pardes Kollel, and has previously learned Torah at Drisha in New York City and Midreshet Nishmat in Jerusalem. In her free time, she likes to spin yarn and design knitting patterns.

John Dunston

After appearing on Top of the Pops and with the Hamburg State Opera, John was Head of two Quaker schools and led the live broadcast of Sunday Worship on Radio 4. He directed OxfordShir, the Oxford Jewish Community choir, for 24 years and once even conducted a choir in the orchestra pit at Bayreuth.

Joseph Dweck

Joseph Dweck is the Senior Rabbi of the S&P Sephardi Community of the UK. He is American born and studied under, and received Semikha from, former Sephardi Chief Rabbi Ovadia Yosef z”l. He has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Liberal Studies and a Master of Arts Degree in Jewish Education.

Leigh Dworkin

Leigh is the current chairman of the Jewish Genealogical Society of Great Britain (JGSGB). He has been researching his mainly Polish family for the last thirty years, but also tries to research into Lithuania and Belarus, from where his surname originates. He regularly presents at JGSGB regional groups, special interest groups and conferences.

John Dyson

John Dyson has written a compelling memoir entitled "A Judge's Journey" describing his journey from his immigrant roots to the Supreme Court and Master of the Rolls. He studied the piano with Dame Fanny Waterman, who regarded him as one of her less brilliant pupils.

Nathan Eddy

Nathan is deputy director of the Council of Christians and Jews. He has worked as a university chaplain and as a Christian minister, and recently earned a PhD in Hebrew Bible. He and his wife Clare, an Anglican vicar, live in London with two kids, two apple trees, and eight chickens.

Miriam Edelman

Miriam is an organisational psychologist. She has taught tikkun olam to rabbinic students at Leo Baeck College, and Judaism and ethics to teens at Wimbledon Synagogue. Miriam has been a Limmudnik since 1995; she’s currently your Treasurer. She is returning to Kansas after 25 years in London.

Deborah Eliezer

Debórah Eliezer, writer/performer of (dis)Place[d], co-artistic director of foolsFURY in San Francisco. An Arab Jew, her work disrupts assumptions about art, human values and society. She holds a BA from SFSU and a certificate in Sound, Voice, and Music Healing from CIIS.

Chloe Elton

Chloe is part of the Jewish start-up Jcal and will be working on events and organisational/customer support. She works on events and digital design in her spare time.

Karen Engel

Karen is a seasoned radio journalist and educator who has been active in Jewish affairs in Austria and Europe. She is now pursuing rabbinical studies at the Zacharias Frankel College in Potsdam/Berlin, Germany.

Marc Epstein

Marc Michael Epstein, professor on the Mattie M. Paschall (1899) & Norman Davis Chair in Religion and Visual Culture at Vassar College was Vassar’s first Director of Jewish Studies. He has written on various topics in visual and material culture produced by, for, and about Jews. Marc's participation has been partly funded by Eli and Muriel Abt.

Estelle Eugene

Estelle gave yoga sessions at Limmud for many years and co-founded The Jewish Yoga Network with Marcus Freed. She teaches Chair Yoga for a medical practice, a stroke group and U3A. Estelle worked for many years as administrator for the wonderful Yakar Educational Foundation when it was based in the UK.

_ European Union of Jewish Students

The European Union of Jewish Students is the umbrella organisation representing 165.000 young Jews across 35 countries. EUJS seeks to strengthen Jewish communities and European society through Jewish student activism and advocacy. The president is Bini Guttmann, from Vienna, Austria.

_ Families Programming

The Families Team are here to make Limmud Festival as meaningful and memorable as possible for our youngest participants and their adults!

Gal Farhi

Gal is into music which comes from places that have/had Sephardi Jewish communities - the Middle East, North Africa and a few of the Balkans. EasternBeats is the name of the collective Gal’s a part of. They do weddings and Bar/Bat/Butt Mitzvahs too. No joke.

Elias Fasja-Cohen

A drama aficionado, in 1985, Elias created, with Mónica Unikel, the Sefarad Group, an ensemble of Mexican Jewish artists, which performs moving and successful shows with Judeo- Spanish melodies and poetry. Elias is a professional in the licensing business through his company Tycoon Enterprises.

Kayla Feldman

Kayla is an Anglo-American writer, director, producer, cultural Masorti Jew and lifelong Limmudnik, based in London. She is the co-artistic director and co-founder of Snapper Theatre, associate producer for Maiden Speech Festival, and a script-reader for Nouveau Riche and Hampstead Theatre.

Daniel Fenster Simons

Dan does not like writing about himself but is very happy to refer to himself in the third person. Dan has spent far too long planning his session and hopes you will enjoy it as much as he does. Dan worked for Noam and was a teacher at JCoSS before moving to focus on his latest venture.

Laurence Field

Laurence is JW3 Head of Gateways, Gateways founder and JW3 safeguarding lead, Laurence was the former Youth and Community director at the London Jewish Cultural Centre and representative on the Children Youth Involvement & Participation Strategy Group for Barnet Children’s Services.

Nathan Finkel

Nathan Finkel is a multi-instrumentalist and producer who has performed at many Limmud events as part of the Limmud house band, supporting visiting artists. When performing his own music, he’s largely given up on humans, and instead prefers to rely on machines. At least they can count to four.

David Finlay

David Finlay is a writer and performer of songs and performance pieces which bring to life aspects of modern Jewish history. He is particularly well known for telling the life story of Israeli poet Yehuda Amichai through the words of Amichai's poems.

Deborah Fishman Shelby

Deborah Fishman Shelby founded FED, a platform for ideas in an inclusive Jewish community. An Advisor of Hakhel: Jewish Intentional Communities Incubator and NYC Igniter of ROI Community, she weaves local and global networks of community-builders using creativity for Jewish engagement.

Ellen Flax

Ellen Flax is a philanthropy consultant based in New York City, and was a long-time member of the International Chavruta team. She received her rabbinical ordination from the Hebrew Union College--Jewish Institute of Religion.

Dalia Fleming

Dalia is KeshetUK’s first executive director, working to ensure no one has to choose between their LGBT+ (lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans) and Jewish identity. Responsible for the strategic direction of KeshetUK, Dalia has been involved in the UK Jewish and LGBT+ community for over 10yrs.

Ittay Flescher

Ittay Flescher is the Education Director at Kids4Peace Jerusalem, an interfaith movement for Israelis and Palestinians. He is also the Israel correspondent for the Jewish Australian publication Plus61J Media, and frequently teaches diaspora youth on gap year programmes.

Yehudis Fletcher

Yehudis grew up in the charedi community and is intent on staying within it, working to make it a safer and more sustainable home for her and her family. She is the founder of Nahamu, a thinktank examining extremism in the Jewish community. She is a student of social policy at Salford University.

David Fligg

David Fligg has a PhD and is a lecturer at the Royal Northern College of Music, Manchester, and Visiting Professor at Chester University. His research area is music during the Holocaust, specifically the music of Gideon Klein.

Doret Florentin

Native of Thessaloniki, Greece, Doret has studied at the University of Tel-Aviv and the Royal Conservatory of The Hague. She performs in major venues all over the world and teaches Recorder, methodics on the recorder and baroque ensembles in the Levinsky college and in various schools in Israel.

Nizza Fluss

Nizza Fluss is a Conservative Councillor, representing the Hendon ward on Barnet Council. She was elected in May 2018. She sits on varies commitees, such as Hendon Residents and the planning committee. She grew up in North West London.

Lance Forman

Lance Forman is the London MEP for the Brexit Party and owner of H. Forman & Son (smoked salmon) and restaurant. He is the author of ‘Forman’s Games – The Dark Underside of the London Olympics’ and was formerly a special adviser to the Secretary of State for Trade & Industry.

Mark Fox

Mark is taking a Masters degree in Religion at Kings College London. He is appearing at Limmud in a personal capacity but is also president of West London Synagogue, a member of the Board of Reform Judaism, a former deputy of the Board of Deputies and former vice chair of the Leo Baeck College.

Marc Frank

Gestalt Counsellor, Mental Health Worker and interfaith youth leader based in Totnes, Devon. Jewish community facilitator, seeker, poet and maverick mystic, Marc loves to tussle with transcendent truths and is passionate about possibilities for peace in opening to awareness as the essence of everything...

David Frankel

David Frankel is a classical guitarist from Belgium trained at the Royal Conservatory of Antwerp and the Jerusalem Academy of music.

Noah Frankel

Noah is a 13 year old boy from London, who attends the Archer Academy school, he is in year 8. He is passionate about saving the planet. He enjoys ice hockey and Formula 1.

Shai Fredo

Shai was born in the village of Matcha, in the mountains of northern Ethiopia. In 1983 his whole family made aliya to Israel via a long journey through Sudan. Shai is a writer and actor. He is producer & artistic director of "Sigdiyada"- the largest Ethiopian culture festival in Israel.

Jon Freedman

Jon Freedman is Deputy Director of Limmud and a member of Finchley Reform Synagogue. He lives with his wife and daughter in Enfield, North London.

Paul Freedman

Paul studied Physics @ Bristol, Education @ Cambridge and for the rabbinate @ Leo Baeck College, where he has also taught Biblical Hebrew. He is Senior Rabbi @ Radlett Reform Synagogue, final editor of the Reform Haggadah and coeditor of the forthcoming High Holyday Machzor. This is his 24th Limmud!

Rebecca Freedman

Rebecca Freedman lives in Enfield, North London with her husband and daughter and is a member of Finchley Reform Synagogue. She is Deputy Headteacher at a primary school for children with autism.

Andre Fremd

André Fremd was born in Uruguay. He currently works as the general coordinator of Helpers, an NGO that seeks to save lives. In two years they trained more than 5000 people and acted in 140 emergency cases. He has a BA in Social Work and in 2015 he finished a Master's degree in Social Policies.

Madeleine Fresko-Brown

When she is not on maternity leave, Madeleine is an assistant head teacher at Northwood School, and teaches English and psychology. This year, in case having a toddler and baby to look after wasn't enough to do, she is co-chairing families at Festival.

Mordechai (Motti) Friedman

Mordechai Friedman is the academic director at the Institute of Research of Zionism at the JNF. He is the author of the books "The Bush is Burning and Consumed: Herzl's Zionist Journey" and "Moshe Sachs: a Yeke, a Haredi and a Zionist".

Georgie Friend

Georgie is currently a Noam Masorti Youth movement worker and a Marom fieldworker. She recently graduated from Warwick with a degree in Politics & Sociology, where she spent time teaching communication and public speaking skills to primary school aged children.

Eva Frojmovic

Born in Bohemia, since 1995 Eva has taught History of Art and Jewish Studies at the University of Leeds. Passionate about Jewish heritage in all its forms, especially material and artistic, she researches medieval Jewish-Christian relations and modern Jewish museums/collecting. She has also published about Giotto.

Hadassah Fromson

Hadassah is a psychologist (DPsch) and a rebbetzin (GGS). For her thesis she researched religion and sexuality. She has a clinical practice in Golders Green and works with parents, couples and teenagers. Hadassah was born in Israel, raised in Gibraltar and studied in UCL, Michlalah and Matan.

Sam Fromson

Sam is a rabbi, husband, dad and entrepreneur. Sam went to CLS and learnt in yeshiva in Jerusalem before studying Natural Sciences in Cambridge and then completing semicha. Sam is assistant rabbi in Golders Green Shul, whilst running an insurtech startup, yulife.

Ian Gamse

Many years ago, Ian was the first professional education worker at UJS, and author of the original "Kosher on Campus". His learning and teaching draw from both yeshivish and academic roots, with a dash of Yakar spirituality, and are known for close, insightful reading of biblical and rabbinic texts.

Philippa Gamse

Philippa is usually known as a digital marketing expert. However in her other life she has studied “Soul Memory Discovery” with her teacher Ellen Kaufman Dosick and others since 2005, and has recently been researching the topic of reincarnation from a Jewish perspective. Come and hear her gleanings!

Mark Gardner

Mark Gardner is director of communications and deputy chief executive of CST. Mark has represented CST and British Jews to media, politicians and police on contemporary antisemitism. He received a Met Police commendation for advising all Londoners during the Nazi terror campaign of 1999.

Yosef Garfinkel

Yosef Garfinkel is the Yigael Yadin Professor of Archaeology of the Land of Israel at the Institute of Archaeology, the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, as well the Director of the Institute. From 2007 he excavated exciting data relating to the historical King David.

Josh Gaventa

Josh Gaventa is a youth worker, educator and boxing enthusiast. He has worked in informal and formal Jewish education. He studied Religion & Philosophy at Kings College London. He is passionate about youth work, youth empowerment and bringing the sport of boxing back to the Jewish community.

Jan Gebert

Jan is a journalist and has initiated or supported many initiatives including Limmud Poland, organising protests against “the Holocaust law”, humanitarian aid for the Jews of Ukraine and re-establishing of the Maccabi club. He researches figurines of Lucky Jews and has one of the world's largest collections.

Noa Gendler

Noa is a radio producer who divides most of her time between yearning for a past life in which she was a full-time yeshiva bocher and awaiting the arrival of Moshiach.

Sheila Gewolb

Sheila Gewolb DL is the Senior Vice President of the Board of Deputies of British Jews. Sheila currently chairs the Board's International Division. In this capacity, she plays a key role in building strong relationships with diplomatic missions in the UK and abroad.

Andrew Gilbert

Andrew is a trustee of London Jewish Forum, has chaired Jewish Labour Movement conferences and chaired Limmud 1990-1997 and Limmud International 2006-2009. He has been active in the Jewish Community and the political arena for many years.

Esther Gilbert

Esther Gilbert is the widow of the late Martin Gilbert. She is the creator and editor of 3 volumes of Holocaust Memoir Digest of published survivor memoirs. She travelled with Martin to Holocaust sites throughout Europe and has managed Martin's literary legacy since his passing.

Shirli Gilbert

Shirli is Professor of Modern Jewish History at UCL. She teaches and publishes widely on subjects including the Holocaust and its legacies, Jewish migration, and Jews in South Africa. In addition to her academic work, she presents courses at the Sir Martin Gilbert Learning Centre in Highgate.

Malcolm Ginsberg

Editor of BTN and Jewish Weekly travel writer, Malcolm’s first “cruise” was to Australia aged 8 in 1950. His talk “Cruising is a Complicated Business” covers ships large and small, offering tips and ideas. Malcolm’s career has included spells as publicist and publisher in aviation, motoring and travel.

Jessica Gold

Jess Gold is a songwriter & prayer leader in progressive communities. Jess’ first band Red Sea Blue, performed to UK and USA Jewish communities. Her album Project Earth Rock is the basis of a climate change education resource in use in over 200 primary schools. Jess is a member of 'Miriam's Sister'.

Jake Goldman

Jake is the Engagement Coordinator at the New Israel Fund UK, where he focusses on expanding the discourse around Israel, human rights and progressive civil society for Young Professionals and activists in the Jewish community and beyond.

Nicky Goldman

Nicky is the Chief Executive of the Jewish Volunteering Network. She has worked in the Jewish community for 35 years and has always volunteered, currently at Bushey Synagogue and Anita Dorfman House. Nicky has an MA in Jewish Communal Service from Brandeis University and is a Fellow of the CIPD.

Nechama Goldman Barash

Nechama Goldman Barash has spent the last 30 years navigating the space between feminism and Orthodoxy by studying and teaching rabbinic texts previously barred to women. She lives in Israel where she participates in interfaith work. She is writing a book dealing with matters of gender and halakha.

Aviva Goldschmidt Kaufmann

Aviva set up one of the first women's megilla readings in the UK and works hard to increase women's engagement in Orthodox Judaism within the bounds of Jewish law. She teaches maths to young adults at the JW3 Gateways programme. She and her husband, Andy, began dating at Limmud and have four children.

Mark Goldsmith

Mark is a rabbi at Edgware and Hendon Reform Synagogue. He teaches Jewish Life Cycle and Homiletics at Leo Baeck College and has written and taught extensively on Judaism and business ethics. He is fascinated by new ways of discovering Jewish spirituality and loves teaching and studying Talmud.

Mirele Goldsmith

Mirele B. Goldsmith, PhD, is an environmental psychologist, educator, and activist. She is an expert in how to change human behaviour – the key to solving environmental problems and building a sustainable future – and a leader in mobilising Jews to take action on climate change.

Susy Goldstone

Susy is currently studying a History Masters degree at the University of Leeds. Her dissertation this year wildly diverges from her undergraduate interests in 18th-century political cartoons in favour of a more Jewish approach, this time studying the post-readmission Jews of 17th-century London.

Jenny Goodman

Jenny Goodman qualified as a doctor in 1982. She practises Ecological Medicine, looking at how our nutrition and environment affect our physical and mental health. Her book "Staying Alive in Toxic Times: A Seasonal Guide to Lifelong Health" will be published by Hodder & Stoughton in January 2020.

Simon Gordon

Simon currently works for the Home Secretary's Policy Unit. He previously served as speechwriter to both Douglas Carswell and Daniel Taub, and as assistant editor of Mosaic Magazine. He chaired the History & Politics programming track for Limmud Festival 2019.

Jordan B Gorfinkel

Born, barmitzvah, Batman! That’s Gorf: Batman creator in comics, film and TV. Producer of #1 bestseller “Passover Haggadah Graphic Novel”. Creative content producer and consultant. Pioneer of Jewish A Cappella (Kol Zimra). Avid swimmer. Lousy dancer. Lifelong devotee of inspiring Jewish harmony!

Hamutal Gouri

Hamutal is the founder of Consult4good and senior fellow at the Kiverstein Institute. A scholar, trainer, consultant and social change activist, Hamutal is a passionate storyteller for social change and blogger, believing that positive change happens when we have courageous conversations and celebrate diversity.

Mia Gray

Mia is currently in her final year of a Philosophy degree at the University of Birmingham. She specialises in global bioethics, and is passionate about social action both on a local and international scale, spending her spare time traveling the world in search of new ethical initiatives.

Joanne Greenaway

Jo is CEO of the London School of Jewish Studies (LSJS). She loves languages & halacha and is passionate about training and developing the best teachers for Jewish schools and communities. A former international lawyer and Get case director at the London Beth Din, she is a graduate of the Ma’ayan, Bradfield and Gamechangers programmes

Yvonne Greene

Yvonne is a business studies teacher in Oxford. For the last three summers Yvonne has been a volunteer with Sar-el in Israel, living and working on an Israeli army base with other volunteers from around the world.

Carol Greenwald

Carol Greenwald is the founder of JewsChooseTrump.org and the treasurer of the Committee for Accuracy for Middle East Reporting in America (CAMERA). A professional financial adviser, Carol obtained her doctorate in economics from Columbia University.

Ben Gundersheimer

Ben Gundersheimer, M.Ed (Mister G) is a Latin Grammy Award winning artist, author, activist, and educator whose spirited bilingual performances aim to foster cross cultural connections. An international touring artist, his Hebrew/English book, Lilah Tov Good Night, is forthcoming in February from Penguin.

Oded Gvaram

Oded Gvaram is the Jewish Agency shlicha for the community of Redbridge (JCC). Oded was a community organiser in Jaffa and Jerusalem, a board member at "15 minutes": the public transport consumers association of Israel, a social entrepreneur. Odded served as an Israel Fellow at Hillel at Davis CA.

Michael Göcken

Michael has 10 years of experience working for various NGOs on journalism, freedom of speech and digital security. He founded Project Phoenix, a non-profit working with refugees and asylum seekers in Europe. He is active in Limmud Spain and a global Limmud team on Human Rights and Social Justice.

Joel Haber

Joel is a licensed Israeli tour guide, specialising in culinary tours and tours focused on archaeology and religion. A dedicated Limmudnik, he has helped organise many Limmuds, and has presented at many more. He’s currently writing a book that uses Jewish food as a window onto our cultural history.

Caroline Hagard

Caroline has been teaching for many years in religion schools. A story teller, song-writer and creator of children's services for the High Holy Days/chagim, she is passionate about Judaism and her sessions are great fun. In her spare time she is a full-time medical secretary.

Guy Hall

Guy is a rabbi and psychoanalyst, living in London and working throughout Europe.

Shabbat and Hanukah Programming

Welcome from the Shabbat Chanukah team 2019

Hanan Harchol

Hanan Harchol is the creator of Jewish Food For Thought, a free animated series teaching Jewish ethics through conversations between Hanan and his Israeli parents. Featured on Channel 13, Jewish Life TV, Shalom TV, NY & SF Jewish Film Festivals, his work and participation at Limmud Festival is generously funded by The Covenant Foundation.

Elizabeth Harris-Sawczenko

Elizabeth is the director of the Council of Christians and Jews. She is a former director at New Israel Fund in Jerusalem and a trustee of the Abraham Initiatives. Elizabeth holds a BA in English and Philosophy, an MA in Contemporary Jewry and an MSc in Charity Management.

Samson Hart

Samson Hart is a researcher, writer, activist, community gardener, and earth-based Jewish diasporist. He has an MA in Economics for Transition from Schumacher College, and has spent time at Adamah, a Jewish diasporist farm in Connecticut, and the Arava Institute in Israel-Palestine.

Kelly Hartog

Kelly Hartog is managing editor of the Los Angeles Jewish Journal. Born in the UK, she made aliyah from Australia in 1993. An editor with the Jerusalem Post, she survived a suicide bombing in Kenya in 2002 and moved to LA in 2004. She specialises in covering war zones and the aftermath of trauma.

Yszi Hawkings

Yszi first attended Festival in 2010 and was on the team almost every year. She joined the Limmud Global Board in Jan 2018 with the technology, logistics & knowledge management portfolio. She is passionate about public health, in which she has a Masters degree. This is her first time presenting.

Holly Blue Hawkins

Natural Death Care advocate, speaker, author, musician and poet, rosha of The Santa Cruz Community Chevrah Kadisha in California, and faculty with Gamliel Institute, Holly Blue provides training in a wide variety of end-of-life subjects in both Jewish and secular settings.

Roni Hazon Weiss

Roni is the principle of Dror High School in Jerusalem and a Jerusalem activist, religious feminist and a mother. Roni partakes in the struggle for change in the public sphere and fight against the exclusion of women and the return of women's pictures to billboards, the struggle for kashrut and mikvahs, and more.

The Hearth

From Friday night to Tuesday night, room G26 will become The Hearth. Rachel Rose Reid (Yelala) curates this space hosting sessions that focus on reflection, connection, meditation & experiential learning. During 'Open Hearth' sessions you can use the space for quiet contemplation.

Louise Heilbron

Louise is an ex-teacher who now works in museums. She is a Holocaust educator and an amateur embroiderer, who creates Judaica and new traditions, and likes to encourage others to do the same.

Michael Heilbron

Michael is a rabbi and dentist. He was at the Bradford Synagogue and North West Reform synagogues before heading Centre for Jewish Education. Retired from dentistry, still seen from time to time as a rabbi.

Rachel Heilbron

Rachel is Mikveh Project Director as well as Operations Director of Centre for London. She worked at the Three Faiths Forum, the British Library, Save the Children, the Science Museum, JCORE. Her passion for education and social justice came from her involvement with RSY and strong family influence.

Karen Heilig

Karen Heilig, Asst. Executive Vice President, Claims Conference, has participated in all negotiations on Holocaust era restitution & compensation with the German and Austrian Governments since 1999. She is on the front lines of billion dollar agreements that attempt to deliver a measure of justice.

Dan Heller

Dan is one of the co-chairs of this year’s fantastic Festival team. For work, Dan‘s focus is on improving access to urgent community response services for the NHS in London. His interests are sport, community, history and music, as well as Jewish influences on popular culture.

Naomi Henkel-Guembel

Naomi Henkel-Guembel grew up in Germany and made Aliyah. She is engaged in community development in Tel Aviv and Berlin. Naomi has an MA in Counter-Terrorism and Homeland Security from the Lauder School and is a trained therapist. She is a rabbinical student at Zacharias Frankel College.

Charlotte Henry

Charlotte has worked freelance and on the staff for a variety of major publications. She is currently the UK Associate Editor of the Macobserver and a contributor to The Article, Reaction, Times Red Box, amongst others. Her first book 'Not Buying It - the facts behind fake news' came out in June.

Jake Herman

Jake is the marketing manager for UK Jewish Film. He has a degree in Middle Eastern Studies and Hebrew from the University of Manchester, spending a year at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. He previously worked in marketing for the New Israel Fund and Totora Hospice (Auckland).

Stephen Herman

Steve Herman is on the advisory board of Shema, the Jewish environmental network. Shema’s mission is to motivate and enable Jewish people and organisations to play their full part in adapting to and preventing further ecological breakdown and climate change.

Marion Hersh

Senior lecturer/associate professor, Biomedical Engineering, Glasgow University. Strong commitment to equality, diversity & human rights. Shomer shabbat. Member of Jews for Justice for Palestinians Executive. Speak 8 languages reasonably fluently and use language knowledge in research abroad.

Isaac Herzog

Isaac was elected chairman of the executive of The Jewish Agency in June 2018. He previously served as a member of Knesset (Israeli parliament) for over fifteen years, including as chairman of the Israel Labor Party, opposition leader and leading candidate for prime minister in the 2015 election.

Claire Hilton

Claire Hilton, psychiatrist, historian, mother of three, rabbi's wife, is learning Arabic and wants to teach you the letters, starting from a knowledge of the Hebrew alphabet.

Michael Hilton

Michael Hilton is scholar in residence at Liberal Jewish Synagogue, London, lectures at Leo Baeck College, and is an Hon research fellow at Manchester University. He is author of “The Christian Effect on Jewish Life” and “Bar Mitzvah: A History.” He has recently rediscovered how interesting grammar is.

David Hochhauser

I split my time between being an artist and research assistant at the KCL Conflict & Health department. My art draws alot from R B Kitaj's Second Diaspora Manifesto, around the idea of 'Jewish art' as its own genre.

David Hoffman

David is a Jewish rock musician and songwriter from Manchester where he leads ‘Shir Chadash’ musical services. He has several albums out as ‘the Magic If’. David is also a longstanding Limmud volunteer, and has just finished his three year term as chair of Limmud.

Happie Hoffman

Happie lives in Tulsa, Oklahoma and spends her time singing with and building musical communities around the world. Happie is an award-winning indie-folk artist whose 2016 album, It's Yours by Eric & Happie, debuted at #11 on the iTunes singer-songwriter chart.

Noëmi Holtz

Noëmi Holtz is a Gestalt psychotherapist, educator and passionate reader.

Jonathan Hunter

When not at Limmud events, Jonathan spends a large amount of his leisure time at various Modern Jive dance events around the country, and is very much looking forward to sharing the joy of dancing with all at Limmud Festival this year!

Ilana Hutchinson

Ilana is the Education Manager at Jewish Women’s Aid. Her work in schools engages young people to discuss healthy relationships and consent. As her first time back at Limmud since her youth movement days, she is excited to spark discussions and raise awareness of JWA amongst the Limmud community.

Joe Hyman

Joe Hyman recently returned from a year at Yeshivat Hadar, a halachic egalitarian Yeshiva in New York, where he explored the intersection between art and Torah. Joe is a proud religious gay Jew and has spent time working over the past few years to create space for LGBT+ Jews in the Jewish community.

Tash Hyman

Natasha is a theatre director and dramaturg. She is a 2019 finalist for the JMK Award and an associate of The National Youth Theatre. She was Resident Director with The European Theatre Convention in 2018, Trainee Director at Leeds Playhouse 2016/7 and a graduate of the MFA Theatre Directing at Birkbeck.

Maya Ilany

Maya is the deputy director of Yachad. She has previously worked in parliament for senior Labour MP Ian Austin. Growing up in Israel, Maya served in the IDF for three years as a journalist and presenter in the official forces radio station, broadcast across the country.

Judith Ish-Horowicz

A passionate advocate of uniting the generations, Judith is co-founder and director of Apples and Honey Nightingale, a social enterprise and the UK's first co-located nursery within a care home, Nightingale Hammerson. She now supports others to develop a variety of intergenerational models.

Michal Ish-Horowicz

Michal is an actor and longtime Limmudnik. She recently performed in ‘Amsterdam’ by Maya Arad Yasur at the Orange Tree Theatre, and will be touring the UK with the show this spring. She co-founded The Ceiling Project, which provides a platform for women's stories in new musical theatre.

Shoshi Ish-Horowicz

Shoshi is an educator, book blogger and long-term Limmudnik. She performs freelance educational technology consultancy, is on the editorial board of Jewish Renaissance magazine and fits in as much reading as she can between these commitments and her job as a learning technologist at the LSE.

Ilana Jackman

Ilana Jackman-Overlander is a fundraising coach and consultant. She works across the charity sector to support organisations to do more good, more effectively.

Thea Jacob

Thea Jacob is a singer and facilitator, with 25 years experience. Through a chance conversation at Donisthorpe, the Leeds Jewish care home, she began visiting their advanced dementia units, beginning her journey discovering the profound benefits that shared singing can bring in later life.