Limmud Festival 2022

Limmud Festival 2022 – Sunday 18:20

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Almost three years in – reflections on the Daf Yomi journey

Luz Toff 

Red 5

On January 5th 2020, the 14th cycle of Daf Yomi began, learning one double-sided page of Babylonian Talmud daily for 7.5 years to complete it. As we near the three-year anniversary of this Daf Yomi cycle, come and hear from Luz and other learners about the journey so far as we share some reflections. If you too learn Daf Yomi, come and share too. All welcome.

Board games

Limmud Social Programming 

Main Bar

Play for fun, play for glory - find your favourite board games every day and challenge your friends (and enemies). Just no turning the table over when it doesn't go your way.

Can there be Judaism without mysticism?

Yehoshua Engelman 

Orange 10

'There can be no holding of religion without its mystical kernel.' These words of one of the most profound modern masters of Talmud and Jewish thought, my teacher Rav Shagar z"l, reflect what for many is obvious and for many seems foreign to their Judaism. Psychoanalytical understanding of mysticism shows a path open for ordinary mortals to access.

Flexitarianism: a Jewish way of eating meat?

Harris Lorie 

Red 4

Shawarma or shakshuka? Top rib or tofu? Or both? We'll examine biblical sources, rabbinic texts and contemporary thinkers, in conversation with the ideas of Peter Singer, a secular utilitarian philosopher. We'll see how the Jewish approach to vegetarianism is ambiguous and allows for flexible decisions of halakhically observant Jews.

 Flexitarianism handout.pdf

Haredim – contending with the Jewish future

Ben Crowne  Shoshanna Keats Jaskoll  Asher Lovy  Pearl Gluck 

Red 1

Haredim will, within the next few decades, represent a sizeable percentage of the Jewish community around the world. Although they are not a monolithic entity, their demographic prominence will challenge mainstream establishments in Israel and the Diaspora. How do we address discrepancies in our respective value systems? What could our shared future be as a people?

Jews on social media

Isaac Reuben 

Yellow 21

What has social media done for Jews? What impact has it had on faith, Zionism and community life? Isaac Reuben is a social-media addict. He’s seen the joy and progress online platforms can give to communities, as well as the prejudices and antisemitism they enable through their echo chambers. How can we make sure we don’t lose control?

Maureen's Torah

Helena Miller  Raphael Zarum  Lindsey Taylor-Guthartz  Adam Taub 

Orange 15

It is coming up to five years since the loss of the great Anglo-Jewish educator, Maureen Kendler zt”l. Her regular classes at the London School of Jewish Studies, and her presentations at Limmud, inspired thousands and remain unforgettable. Four of her colleagues will share some of Maureen's teachings and what she meant to them.

 Pass it on boys - Maureen five years on 2022c.pdf

Merchants, minimalism and media: the visual codification of online antisemitism hiding in plain sight

David Hochhauser 

Red 2

An exploration of the ways antisemitism has been codified, obscured and converted into a visual language that can be spoken openly by the initiated, evading regulatory obstacles entirely and escaping recognition. A deep dive into memes, usernames, codes and caricatures that will help expose the antisemitism hiding in plain sight on the internet.

Passover, the holiday of freedom - and other such poppycock

Ze'ev Maghen 

Orange 11

From Philo, Sa'adia and Maimonides to Hirsch, Cohen, Heschel and Levinas, the underlying universal-moral purpose of Jewish law and ritual has been affirmed so consistently and insistently as to border on the catechitical (ka-te-ki-ti-kal - fun word). Let's debunk...

Putting a spin on It: Hanukah storytelling workshop

Olga Lempert 

Yellow 22

Storytelling is a powerful tool which can come in handy in our personal, professional, creative and communal lives. We will discuss what makes a story good, how to tell old stories in new ways, and how to use stories in education or any other communication. In the spirit of the season, we will base parts of the workshop on Hanukah!

Rabbinic interpretation of women's roles from ancient to modern times: the good, bad and ugly

Maggie Anton 

Blue 34

In Anton's new novel, 'The Choice', journalist Hannah Eisin persuades controversial Talmud professor Nathan Mandel to teach her the text forbidden to women. Lively debates on what Talmud says about women’s disadvantages and inequality bring the two to the edge of a line neither dares to cross, testing their relationships with Judaism and each other.

Scribal calligraphy (sofrut) (2 of 2)

Nava B. Meiersdorf 

Red 8

In this hands-on session, we will get a tangible sense of sofrut itself, in its wholesome simplicity. All levels are welcome - no previous experience necessary. We will begin with the basics and explore together.

The First Zionist Congress (2 of 4)

Mordechai (Motti) Friedman 

Blue 33

The First Zionist Congress was attended by delegates including observant and secular Jews. Not everything was easy; the question of whether the Congress should deal with culture was a land mine that threatened to split the Congress. How did Theodore Herzl deal with this issue? And what part did Ahad HaAm play in the story?

The multifaceted history and culture of Bukharian Jews (1 of 2)

Ruben Shimonov 

Orange 12

The eclectic story of Central Asia's ancient Jewish community - Bukharian Jews - is situated at the unique intersection of Sephardic, Mizrahi and Russian-speaking Jewish identities. Discover how this multi-layered story developed against the backdrop of changing empires, the crossroads of diverse cultures and engagement with the broader Jewish world.

The oys and joys of Jewish journalism

Gary Rosenblatt 

Purple 31

Pulitzer Prize-finalist and long-time editor of 'The NY Jewish Week' and 'Baltimore Jewish Times' on his own struggles to be both a loyal member of the community and an independent and sometimes critical voice. This session will deal with issues like 'lashon hara' (harmful speech) versus honest reporting, and the criticism of 'airing dirty laundry'.

When 'ghost soldiers' threaten Israeli security

Jordan Siegel 

Orange 14

'Ghost soldiers' is the term used for deceased soldiers who are left on personnel rosters by corrupt officials and military personnel in order to steal billions of dollars from international military funds. In the session, I will be discussing how the abuse of ‘ghost soldiers’ threatens Israel’s security, as well as the rise of violent extremists throughout the Middle East and North Africa.

Women and the mourner's kaddish

Chana Luntz 

Red 3

An exploration of the positions taken by various rabbinic authorities within the orthodox world when asked as to the permissibility of a woman saying the mourner's kaddish (mourner's prayer).

 Women and the Mourner's Kaddish (Limmud Source Sheet).pdf

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