Presenters: B

Charley Baginsky

Charley Baginsky is the Chief Executive Officer of Liberal Judaism and is responsible for setting the direction and priorities for the movement, fundraising, communities and communications. Charley was a congregational rabbi for many years and is the mother to Joshua, Eliana and Cassia.

Andrew Baker

Andrew Baker is AJC Director of International Jewish Affairs. Since 2009, he has been the Personal Representative on Combating Anti-Semitism of the Chair-in-Office of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE). In recognition of his work he was decorated by the Presidents of Germany, Lithuania, Latvia, and Romania.

Leanne Baker

Leanne is the Director of Programmes at Tzedek. Her work centres around two core aspects: supporting local non-governmental organisations in Ghana and India through partner-led, sustainable development to help people lift themselves and their communities out of extreme poverty, and harnessing the UK Jewish community's commitment to social justice.

Joanna Bakoń

Joanna is a Hebrew Studies graduate of the University of Warsaw and Center for Jewish Studies Heidelberg scholarship fellow of Paideia - The European Institute for Jewish Studies. She is a Hebrew language teacher and associate of the Warsaw Ghetto Museum, who is interested in the Bais Yakov schools and contemporary Jewish literature and thought from a feminist perspective.

David Balsamo

David is the dean and professor of sociology at the University of Chester, specialising in the sociology of work and deviance. He has interests in Jewish life in London, drawing on his experiences of a predominantly working-class Jewish experience. Before entering academia, he worked as a painter and decorator and operating theatre technician.

Shira Baram

I am a counsellor and mindfulness therapist and work with adults and young people. I am interested in improving the mental health and well-being of those in the Jewish community. I feel it is important to encourage and increase access to counselling services within the community and reduce the stigma associated with mental health.

Julie Barnes

Julie Barnes is a facilitator, counsellor and soul midwife, supporting people in living their best lives, including facing their mortality and talking freely about their choices at the end of life. The poem ‘What would love do now?’ arose from this passion.

Aviva Ben-Ur

Aviva Ben-Ur is a historian specializing 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, 2020).

David Benkof

David (TheBroadwayMaven.com) is a Jerusalem-based teacher whose classes and videos help students find meaning in cultural products like Broadway shows, music, art, literature, and more. Favourite classes are: If you could see 'Cabaret' through my eyes, Mel Brooks' musicals, Debbie Friedman 101, Revisiting 'Fiddler', Saturday Night Live’s Jews and Philip Roth novels.

Jonathan Bergwerk

Having graduated in economics, Jonathan’s career has been in occupational psychology, now on a voluntary basis. Jonathan has given many presentations on Jewish history, which have been published in a series called ‘Audacious Jewish Lives’. The sessions outline an individual’s life, their contribution to society and their impact on Jewish life.

Sally Berkovic

Sally is the author of 'Under My Hat', a memoir outlining the challenges of raising daughters within Orthodoxy. In 2021, she published 'Death Duties' about her experiences as a member of the Chevra Kadisha that also reflects on loss, legacy and the impact of Covid-19 on mourning rites. By day, she is the CEO of the Rothschild Foundation Hanadiv Europe.

Misha Beshkin

Misha Beshkin was born in Daugavpils, Latvia and lives in Tallinn, Estonia. He is a father of three, husband of a wife, has education in the humanities and works in IT. Serial Limmudnik. Passionate in development of various Jewish-related software.

Israel Bitton

Israel is the executive director of Americans Against Antisemitism, a non-profit that counters social hatred through data, media and education. He is the author of 'Who Will Remember You? A philosophical study and theory of memory and will' (Oct 2021) and the forthcoming book, 'A Brief and Visual History of Antisemitism' (2022).

Michael Black

Michael Black: born - Belfast 1949; educated - Belfast Royal Academy and Trinity College Dublin, graduated with Batchelor of Business Studies degree. Was MD of the family business until retiring in 2008. Michael was Treasurer and is now the Chair of Belfast Jewish Community. Michael was awarded the BEM in 2021 for services to the Jewish community.

Rebecca Blady

Rebecca Blady is the director of Hillel Deutschland, a pluralistic organization for Jewish students and young adults focusing on education, empowerment and community building. She received rabbinic ordination from Yeshivat Maharat in 2019 and has a degree in Politics and Journalism from Brandeis University. She lives in Berlin, Germany.

Yitzchak Blau

Yitzchak Blau is a rabbi and the rosh yeshiva (seminary head) at Yeshivat Orayta and also teaches at Midreshet Lindenbaum in Israel. He is an associate editor of the journal, 'Tradition', and the author of 'Fresh Fruit and Vintage Wine: The Ethics and Wisdom of the Aggada'.

Kira Blumer

Kira is the chief executive of Tzedek. Her work centres around two core aspects: supporting local non-governmental organisations in Ghana and India through partner-led, sustainable development to help people lift themselves and their communities out of extreme poverty, and harnessing the UK Jewish community's commitment to equity and social justice.

Carolyn Bogush

Carolyn Bogush is Chair of the Limmud Trustee Board, having volunteered in various roles for Limmud for more than 25 years. In addition she is Vice-Chair of UJS, and volunteers in a number of other capacities. In her 'day job' she is an Organisational Psychologist

Menachem Bombach

Menachem Bombach was born and raised in Jerusalem's ultra-Orthodox community of Mea Shearim. He is a rabbi and founder and CEO of Netzach Yisrael, a network of Charedi schools that provides a Charedi and secular education, empowering its graduates to create financially viable futures, while remaining strongly connected to their Torah observance.

Harris Bor

Harris Bor is a fellow and lecturer at the London School of Jewish Studies and a barrister specializing in international arbitration and commercial litigation. He holds a PhD in Theology from Cambridge University, is a rabbinic scholar with the Montefiore Endowment, and has been a visiting scholar at Harvard University and University College London.

Jeremy Borovitz

Jeremy is from New Jersey. He served for two and a half years in the Peace Corps in Boyarka, Ukraine, and for the Joint Distribution Committee in Kiev. Jeremy later studied at Pardes and was European director of Jewish education for Moishe House. He received semichah (rabbinic ordination) from Daniel Landes. Jeremy is the director of Jewish learning of Hillel Deutschland.

Barbara Borts

Barbara is a rabbi, musician, cantor, singer of Yiddish songs and lecturer. She has published ‎on topics such as Jewish ‎culture, feminism and music, and is co-editor of a book of ‎sermons by UK women rabbis. She studied Yiddish at McGill University, is a graduate of the ‎YIVO Summer Institute, and now studies with the Workers Circle and Medem in Paris. She ‎chairs the YOMC committee.‎

Giovanna Bossi

Giovanna Bossi Rosenfeld is a Florentine historian and licensed Tour Guide specialising in tours of Jewish Florence and founder of “Jewish Florence Walking Tours“. Since 2020 she has given webinars on history of Jewish Florence (at Limmud MED, Maccabi GB and others). She is the co-author of the book Jewish Florence. Illustrated itinerary, ASKA ed. 2019.

Amanda Bowman

Amanda is the Deputy for Hampstead Synagogue and Vice President and Chair of the Defence and Interfaith Division at the Board of Deputies. Amanda's professional work centres around designing and delivering learning and volunteering programmes for companies that solve challenges faced by a charity or social purpose organisations.

Cliff Braverman

Cliff is a United States-based media producer and has held various positions at television stations, film companies, and U.S. government agencies. His work has been seen and heard across the U.S. and in numerous countries around the world. Cliff also produces videos as a volunteer for various organizations, including Kolot HaLev, Shalshelet and others.

Nardo Bonomi Braverman

Nardo studied and graduated in Florence. For years he researched local history and dealt with the applications of information-technology to social sciences. He was contract lecturer for the Universities of Venezia and Torino to research in archives for resources for Jewish demography: censuses, tax declarations, lists of names.

Esty Bruck

Esty is the Programme Director of the Friendship Circle and has worked for the charity since its inception in 2008. Building and running the programmes and initiatives and directing the team to ensure that each member is impacted and supported through whatever is needed.

Edith Bruder

Edith Bruder is the author of The Black Jews of Africa, History, Identity, Religion (Oxford University Press, 2008 and 2012) and of various books and scientific articles. She is the founding President of the International Society for the Study of African Jewry (www.issaj.com).

Lydia Burman

A long-term Limmudnik, my affiliations span the community from Ruach Chavurah to Muswell Hill United. I am committed to expanding women's involvement in Judaism.

Stephen Bush

Stephen Bush is the political editor of the New Statesman and is soon to be a staff columnist and Associate Editor of the Financial Times. As well as being a journalist, political commentator and podcaster, he Chaired the Board of Deputies' Commission on Racial Inclusivity in the Jewish Community.