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Saturday, June 6
 

7:15pm AEST

Havdallah
CLICK HERE TO ENTER ZOOM ROOM 1
Join us for a communal havdallah to mark the end of Shabbat and welcome a new week, and open the
Limmud Oz & NZ online with a shower of light and song

Saturday June 6, 2020 7:15pm - 8:00pm AEST
ROOM 1

8:00pm AEST

Coronavirus Comfort Reading: Books to Make You Feel Better During a Pandemic
CLICK HERE TO ENTER ZOOM ROOM 6
During times of upheaval and uncertainty, reading can provide solace, comfort, enlightenment and distraction. I'll be sharing some of my favourite reads of late – fiction, non-fiction, poetry, longform journalism and kids' books. Expect some fun, light reading and some more challenging, political texts; Jewish books and non-Jewish books (but if there's a Jewish angle to Northanger Abbey, I'll find it); a bit of high-brow and a bit of low-brow. Join the conversation and share what you've been reading too! (Here is a list of our recs.)

Speakers
avatar for Tali Lavi

Tali Lavi

Tali Lavi is a writer and reviewer (Australian Book Review, Magpies, Sydney Review of Books) and is Melbourne Jewish Book Week’s program manager. She has interviewed writers for Melbourne Writers Festival, Adelaide Writers’ Week, Melbourne Jewish Book Week and Sydney Jewish Writers... Read More →
avatar for Elissa Goldstein

Elissa Goldstein

Elissa Goldstein is a subeditor at Broadsheet in Melbourne. Previously she worked at Tablet in New York, where she co-produced the podcast Unorthodox. She has an MFA in creative writing from Brooklyn College.


Saturday June 6, 2020 8:00pm - 9:00pm AEST
ROOM 6

8:00pm AEST

5 things you should know about the Israeli economy and cheese
CLICK HERE TO ENTER ZOOM ROOM 4
The biggest single protest during the Arab Spring wasn’t about democracy. It was about cheese. And it took place in Tel Aviv, not Cairo, Damascus or Tripoli. On 6 August 2011, over 300,000 Israelis took to the streets to demand more affordable cottage cheese. Why was the biggest popular movement in the nation’s history sparked by the rising price of cheese and what can it tell us about structural flaws in the Israeli economy?

Speakers
avatar for Raph Managem

Raph Managem

Raphael is a policy analyst for a leading government relations firm. He was previously the director of a political fellowship program. Raphael has a BA, studying international law at Hebrew University and international relations at UQ, where his professors described him as 'informed... Read More →


Saturday June 6, 2020 8:00pm - 9:00pm AEST
ROOM 4

8:00pm AEST

Off the map: a Jewish basketball coach’s journey from the Holy Land to the Land of the Long White Cloud
CLICK HERE TO ENTER ZOOM ROOM 8
Dan Shamir has been coaching professional basketball at elite levels in Israel and Europe, winning the Israeli Cup and Coach of the year honours. In 2019 he answered the call from the New Zealand Breakers basketball team to come and revive the flagging fortunes of this championship club. The appointment of an Israeli coach was a bolt out of the blue for Breaker fans. This session will explore the personal and cultural challenges faced by coach Shamir and his family. Oh yes, and we might talk a little basketball too.

Speakers
avatar for Dan Shamir

Dan Shamir

Dan Shamir, a top Israeli basketball coach, is the new head coach of the New Zealand Breakers. Shamir has extensive experience having won back to back Euroleague titles as an assistant coach and been named Coach of the Year in 2018 after guiding Hapoel Holon to victory in the Israeli... Read More →
avatar for David Bigio

David Bigio

David was born and raised in Montreal, Canada. He attended the Faculty of Law at McGill University graduating in 1988. David emigrated to New Zealand in 1989. He has worked in law since that time and was made a QC in 2016. He is a lifelong basketball fan.


Saturday June 6, 2020 8:00pm - 9:00pm AEST
ROOM 8

8:00pm AEST

Wait......you are an ORTHODOX woman Rabbi? How does that work?
CLICK HERE TO ENTER ZOOM ROOM 2
In this session Judith will discuss developments in Orthodox women’s spiritual leadership. She will also recount her personal journey towards smicha (rabbinic ordination) and what she plans to do next.....

Speakers
avatar for Judith Levitan

Judith Levitan

Judith Levitan is a lawyer with over 15 years experience in the field of social justice. She is a member of the Jewish Alliance Against Family Violence, represents the Jewish community at interfaith events, runs women’s tefilah services and teaches batmitzvah. She was recently conferred... Read More →


Saturday June 6, 2020 8:00pm - 9:00pm AEST
ROOM 2

8:00pm AEST

The Pub
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Got things to say about a session you were in?
Come join us down at The Pub where you can meet up with other willing participants and presenters and further the discussion.

Saturday June 6, 2020 8:00pm - 10:00pm AEST
THE PUB

9:00pm AEST

CHUTNEY Unplugged
CLICK HERE TO JOIN SESSION!
Join Ben Adler (violin), Josh Druery (clarinet) and Paul Khodor (keyboard)—the three founding members of the hot new klezmer fusion band, CHUTNEY—as they take you on a journey through the rich Jewish anthology. Sacred, secular, and everything in between, they play their own soulful arrangements of their favourite music from Israel, from the shtetl, from shule, from the silver screen, from Broadway, and beyond. A must for any lover of Jewish music, the trio was a hit at Limmud Oz 2019 and is excited to return to the place where it all began!

Speakers
avatar for Joshua Druery

Joshua Druery

Joshua is a long-time Limmud fan and a lover of all things arts and culture. He is a gamer, a musician and a doctor. Joshua has been performing as clarinettist and vocalist in Chutney since 2019. He's a graduate of Moriah College and the Sydney Conservatorium of Music. Josh has been... Read More →

Artists
avatar for Ben Adler

Ben Adler

Ben is a violinist and Artist in Residence at St Andrew's College, within the University of Sydney. He has toured nationally with the Australian Chamber Orchestra, and internationally with the Hillel String Quartet. Ben is a founding member of CHUTNEY, and also plays with Monsieur... Read More →
avatar for Paul Khodor

Paul Khodor

For the past 15 years, Paul has been an integral part of the Sydney Jewish music community. He has been the accompanist of numerous Jewish ensembles, is the resident keyboardist of Emanuel Synagogue's Shabbat Live band and is a founding member of CHUTNEY.


Saturday June 6, 2020 9:00pm - 10:00pm AEST
Facebook LIVE

9:00pm AEST

Melekh Ravitsh: the eccentric outback quest of an urbane Yiddish poet from Poland
CLICK HERE TO ENTER ZOOM ROOM 5
Author Anna Epstein will discuss with Arnold Zable and Danielle Charak the issues in her exhilarating book: “Art and history, Jews, refugees, white and black Australians, the pre-war past and the troubling present”. The creative, wildly imaginative father and son, writer Melekh Ravitsh and artist Yosl Bergner, were linked in their conviction that they could change the world, and in their prescient recognition of the common fate of Indigenous Australians and persecuted European Jews. Though Bergner painted his father’s adventure as a fantasy, it showed a profound understanding of refugee reality, relevant across the world then as now.

Speakers
avatar for Anna Epstein

Anna Epstein

Anna Epstein is the author of “Melekh Ravitsh: The eccentric outback quest of an urbane Yiddish poet from Poland”. The book is about two remarkable men, a poet and a painter, and about dispossession, an abiding interest in Anna’s career working with artists from many cultures... Read More →
avatar for Danielle Charak

Danielle Charak

Danielle Charak is a doyenne of Yiddish language and literature in Melbourne. She has been a teacher, translator, speaker, broadcaster, and passionate activist for Yiddish in the Melbourne community.
avatar for Arnold Zable

Arnold Zable

Arnold Zable is an acclaimed writer, novelist, storyteller and human rights advocate based in Melbourne, Australia


Saturday June 6, 2020 9:00pm - 10:00pm AEST
ROOM 5

9:00pm AEST

Once upon a time In Yavneh
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History sometimes feels inevitable. But it did not have to turn out the way that it did. We will consider Jewish history through the prism of Once Upon A Time In Hollywood; from 69CE to 1969. In particular we will look at the origins of the Mishnah and the Talmud, their dissemination and dominance and their opponents and critics.

Speakers
avatar for Thomas Sterling

Thomas Sterling

Tommy is a long time Limmudnik who loves to ask questions and explore the origin of all things Jewish. His passions span the traditional to the academic, presented with a humorous and irreverent approach. He is also married to Sydney's first female Orthodox Rabbi. You can call him... Read More →


Saturday June 6, 2020 9:00pm - 10:00pm AEST
ROOM 7

9:00pm AEST

Shabbes in Mecca: teaching Judaism to Muslims
CLICK HERE TO ENTER ZOOM ROOM 3
The disappearance of Jewish communities from the Arab world has a left a great thirst for information on Jews and Judaism. Through "People of the Book", an online project launched in July 2017, Elhanan tries to use religion as peace-building tool. This session will follow the project from an idea, to implementation, to the reactions in the Arab world. What have viewers found most significant? Where did he misstep and offend?

Speakers
avatar for Elhanan Miller

Elhanan Miller

Elhanan Miller is the rabbi of the ACT Jewish community. Born and raised in Jerusalem, Elhanan completed a Master's degree in Islamic Studies and Middle East History at Hebrew University. His project "People of the Book", educating Muslims about Judaism, has garnered millions of views... Read More →


Saturday June 6, 2020 9:00pm - 10:00pm AEST
ROOM 3

9:00pm AEST

The Pub
CLICK HERE TO ENTER THE PUB
Got things to say about a session you were in?
Come join us down at The Pub where you can meet up with other willing participants and presenters and further the discussion.

Saturday June 6, 2020 9:00pm - 10:00pm AEST
THE PUB
 
Sunday, June 7
 

10:00am AEST

From Yuck to Yum
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Learn how to make magic with your food waste and turn your banana peel into worm food. Let's talk about waste.

Speakers
avatar for Mitch Burnie

Mitch Burnie

Mitch is the manager of Adamama, Sydney's first Jewish Urban Farm. He is an alum of the Adamah fellowship in the US.


Sunday June 7, 2020 10:00am - 10:45am AEST
Kids room

10:00am AEST

The novel that inspired JoJo Rabbit and the relevance of Holocaust literature today
CLICK HERE TO ENTER ZOOM ROOM 3
David Cohen was one of the first New Zealand writers to discover “Caging Skies”, having met and interviewed Christine Leunens for the NZ Listener magazine early in its New Zealand shelf life. For this session, he meets up again with the now internationally famous author to talk about her life, the success of the JoJo Rabbit film that was inspired by her book, and the relevance of Holocaust literature in the 21st century.

Speakers
avatar for Christine Leunens

Christine Leunens

Christine Leunens is the New Zealand-Belgian author of three novels: “Primordial Soup”, “Caging Skies”, and “A Can of Sunshine”. “Caging Skies”, the inspiration for the Academy Award-winning film, Jojo Rabbit, has been nominated in France for the Prix Médicis and... Read More →
avatar for David Cohen

David Cohen

David Cohen is the author of six books, and has co-authored or contributed essays to several others, including “Jewish Lives in New Zealand” and “Ima: An Israeli Mother’s Kitchen”. “Book of Cohen” was about the late Leonard Cohen and his book on New Zealand politics... Read More →


Sunday June 7, 2020 10:00am - 11:00am AEST
ROOM 3

10:00am AEST

Virtually a Jewish education
CLICK HERE TO ENTER ZOOM ROOM 1
What do Red Bull and Sefaria have in common? How can Otis get 13-year-olds to think deeply about Pesach and consumerism? When full time online learning was foisted upon us, we tried to use and fuse the resources, skills and knowledge we already had—and didn't have—to ensure that deep Jewish learning was still alive and well for our students in the virtual sphere. In this session, we will look at some of our more successful attempts (and perhaps even hear yours!) and contemplate what is worth continuing once we are all back in reality.

Speakers
avatar for Kobi Bloom

Kobi Bloom

Kobi Bloom is a Jewish Studies Teacher and Informal Jewish Educator at Emanuel School in Sydney. He is currently diving headfirst into the challenges of engaging students in Jewish learning and living by creating online peulot, shabbat services and lessons that place the students... Read More →
avatar for Daphna Levin-Kahn

Daphna Levin-Kahn

Head of High School Jewish Studies, Emanuel School
Walking a very narrow bridge between her love of ancient sacred texts, traditions and Tikkun Olam, and a love of teaching children brought up in the rapid-paced constantly changing online world, Daphna steps up to face the challenge head-on, whilst attempting not to fall off the bridge... Read More →


Sunday June 7, 2020 10:00am - 11:00am AEST
ROOM 1

10:00am AEST

Controversies in Judaism: how the face of Judaism changed in Second Temple Era
CLICK HERE TO ENTER ZOOM ROOM 13
Rabban Yochanan ben Zakkai’s decision to flee Jerusalem on the eve of Rome's destruction of the Second Temple and establish a Torah centre outside Jerusalem for the first time in history left Jerusalem vulnerable. Did R' Yochanan's decision influence the Yeshiva world of today? What effects are felt today since the establishment of Israel's Torah centre in Yavneh? Where is the Torah centre today? Why did R' Yochanan "jump ship" and leave his people to fight off the Romans? How did the Romans respond and was it controversial then?

Speakers
avatar for Ariel Tal

Ariel Tal

Ariel Tal is the rabbi of the Wellington Jewish Community Centre. He is an MBA graduate in marketing, and his mission is to market Judaism to New Zealand and beyond! He was formerly the marketing director of Livnot U'Lehibanot and Tower of David Museum in the education department... Read More →



Sunday June 7, 2020 10:00am - 11:00am AEST
ROOM 13

10:00am AEST

Jews from Islamic lands
CLICK HERE TO ENTER ZOOM ROOM 5
Up until the fifteenth century, the majority of Jews lived in Islamic lands. These communities developed rich cultural traditions influenced by their home countries. The political upheavals of the twentieth century led to the displacement of the vast majority of Jews from Islamic lands; only a tiny fraction remain. Many of them eventually found a new home in Australia. Life in Australia was a struggle, both in terms of navigating the wider community but also within the Jewish community that did not understand them. The new exhibition “Jews from Islamic Lands” tells this largely untold and unrecognised story.

Speakers
avatar for Shannon Biederman

Shannon Biederman

Curator Collections, Sydney Jewish Museum
Shannon Biederman is Curator Collections at the Sydney Jewish Museum where she has worked for the past 15 years. She has been part of the development of the SJM’s core exhibitions Culture and Continuity, Serving Australia and The Holocaust. Her most recent exhibition is Jews from... Read More →


Sunday June 7, 2020 10:00am - 11:00am AEST
ROOM 5

10:00am AEST

Immunity, miracles and the prospect of a coronavirus vaccination
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The human immune system is complex, intriguing and full of mystery and wonder. Join Dr Ricky Arenson as he reveals that medical science can be stranger than fiction. After that, he will attempt to untangle himself from this web of intrigue and will make his lecture relevant to Judaism. And most importantly, reveal what this means to our chances of surviving coronavirus and finding a vaccination?

Speakers
avatar for Ricky Arenson

Ricky Arenson

Ricky Arenson is a consultant endocrinologist and geriatrician at the Royal Perth Hospital and the head of the Murdoch Endocrinology and Diabetes centre. WA clinical educator of the year and the winner of an outstanding service award at the RPH, Ricky is the director of consultant... Read More →


Sunday June 7, 2020 10:00am - 11:00am AEST
ROOM 9

10:00am AEST

From the Mountain to the Sea: The Transmission of Oral Torah
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It is a commonplace, oft repeated, that the ancient rabbis believed their traditions to have originated with Moses at Sinai. But if that is so, how were those traditions transmitted, and by what means were they distilled into the Talmud?

In this session, we will explore the Talmud's understanding of that precise chain of transmission, from Moses in the first generation, down to Ravina and Rav Ashi in the fortieth. Along the way we will remark upon some of the contributions of those individuals credited with this transmission, and the other texts that they were believed to have composed.

Speakers
avatar for Simon Holloway

Simon Holloway

Simon Holloway is an Education Officer at the Sydney Jewish Museum, where he runs seminars on the Holocaust. He has a PhD in Classical Hebrew, but spends most of his time studying the rabbinic literature. He also has two children, whom he subjects to the Talmud on a daily basis.


Sunday June 7, 2020 10:00am - 11:00am AEST
ROOM 7

10:45am AEST

Story time
Join Justine and Wendy for Story time. A session for children aged up to 12 years.

Speakers
avatar for PJ Library

PJ Library

Shalom
PJ Library provides free Jewish books as a gift from generous funders, JCA and the Besen Family Foundation for all families raising Jewish children. We welcome you whether you grew up attending synagogue regularly or have married into a Jewish family.  Each month your child will... Read More →


Sunday June 7, 2020 10:45am - 11:00am AEST
Kids room

11:00am AEST

Blossom Tree Art for Tu Bishvat
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Using innovative techniques you will create a beautiful painting of a Blossom Tree.

Speakers
avatar for Karin Perez

Karin Perez

Karin has been teaching kids for a number of years. At the moment she is a youth coordinator for 6-12 at Central Synagogue as well the art and home tech teacher at Yeshiva College.



Sunday June 7, 2020 11:00am - 11:45am AEST
Kids room

11:00am AEST

Bagels and Nox
CLICK HERE TO ENTER ZOOM ROOM 14
When it comes to tasty vegan-friendly bagel toppings, hummus is great but it's just the tip of the iceberg. Join Shari in her kitchen and learn to make an array of plant-based options that will take your bagel brunch to the next level.

Speakers
avatar for Shari Cohen

Shari Cohen

Shari is a born and bred foodie whose love of cooking (and feeding other people) is ingrained in her DNA. When she’s not working, she enjoys baking (copiously), taking photos of her puppy (frequently), and championing the correct use of the apostrophe (religiously). Follow her foodie... Read More →


Sunday June 7, 2020 11:00am - 12:00pm AEST
ROOM 14

11:00am AEST

Belonging: an exploration of self and home
CLICK HERE TO ENTER ZOOM ROOM 16
Shoshana Jordan will discuss how her photography explores the Jewish imagination and her response to themes of memory, emotion, desire, loss and exile. Carmella Grynberg will explore how her previous art in which she explored her childhood migration experience led her to create work on the universal notion of "home" and how it might relate to the common Jewish experience of migration and exile.

Speakers
avatar for Carmella Grynberg

Carmella Grynberg

Carmella Grynberg is an art therapist and visual artist. In 2012, she completed an art-based PhD on the lived experience of being a child migrant.
SJ

Shoshanna Jordan

Shoshanna is a humanistic photographic artist. Jordan's academic training encompassed social work and fine art photography. She completed a M.A in Fine art photography from RMIT in 2008. Her work has been shown nationally and internationally and is represented in private and public... Read More →


Sunday June 7, 2020 11:00am - 12:00pm AEST
ROOM 16

11:00am AEST

4 dimensions of peace in Israel
CLICK HERE TO ENTER ZOOM ROOM 12
Ben-Zion will explore four peace initiatives: i) a one-week Eco-Peace Middle East/Unity Earth Tour focussing on making peace through saving the Jordan River; ii) interfaith harmony initiatives, including people from diverse faith traditions; iii) Dances of Universal Peace; iv) education of Israeli and Palestinian children together with Hebrew and Arabic teachers. Shalom, Salaam, Om Shanti.


Speakers
avatar for Ben-Zion Weiss

Ben-Zion Weiss

Ben-Zion Weiss is a community educator in social ecology, meditation, yoga, Sufism, drama, ESOL, cross-cultural conflict and non-violence training. He’s lectured at university and his PhD was on anti-racism drama education. Ben-Zion has written books/chapters/papers on creativity... Read More →



Sunday June 7, 2020 11:00am - 12:00pm AEST
ROOM 12

11:00am AEST

Israeli stem cells as a therapy for diabetes in Australia
CLICK HERE TO ENTER ZOOM ROOM 10
Type 1 diabetes affects 122,000 young Australians and 21 million worldwide. Daily insulin administration is needed to control sugar levels. Stem cell therapies introduced in bioengineered devices are a possible means of overcoming the need for insulin administration. This session will discuss the science and Halacha of using stem cells, and the arrangements between an Australian diabetes research institute and the Israeli company, Kadimastem Ltd, examining the suitability of a device for clinical use.

Speakers
avatar for Bernie Tuch

Bernie Tuch

Bernard Tuch is an observant Jew spearheading an Australian consortium to use Israeli insulin-producing stem cells as a therapy for type 1 diabetes. He is an endocrinologist, Professor of Medicine in Sydney and Melbourne, and director of both the NSW Stem Cell Network and the Australian... Read More →


Sunday June 7, 2020 11:00am - 12:00pm AEST
ROOM 10

11:00am AEST

Perspectives from two sides of the ditch: a conversation with two survivors
CLICK HERE TO ENTER ZOOM ROOM 6
Both Guta Goldstein and Bob Narev are survivors—Guta of Auschwitz and Bob of Theresienstadt. Both were refugees and found new homes on either side of the Ditch. They each now are dedicated to Holocaust education. These two inspirational figures have both shared and different experiences. Be prepared to be awed and inspired as Deborah Hart interviews Guta and Bob, who will explore their lives, their experiences as refugees, Holocaust education and their hopes for the future.

Speakers
avatar for Deborah Hart

Deborah Hart

Deborah Hart is a panel member of the Human Rights Review Tribunal and the director of ASH NZ. She has had extensive community involvement and is currently the chair of the Holocaust Centre of New Zealand. Mum to three adult boys, Deborah lives in Auckland with her partner.
avatar for Robert Narev

Robert Narev

Robert Narev ONZ was born in Eschwege, Germany. From 1942-1945 he was in Theresienstadt. He arrived in NZ in 1947, has been married for 61 years to Freda and has three children and eight grandchildren. Bob has served on numerous community organisations and speaks regularly to groups... Read More →
avatar for Guta Goldstein

Guta Goldstein

Guta Goldstein is a survivor of the Lodz Ghetto and concentration camps Auschwitz, Bergen-Belsen and Meltheuer. She is the sole survivor of her immediate family. She was a displaced person for 4½ years before migrating to Melbourne in 1949. She is a guide at the Melbourne Holocaust... Read More →


Sunday June 7, 2020 11:00am - 12:00pm AEST
ROOM 6

11:00am AEST

Rediscovering a forgotten chapter of Jewish history
CLICK HERE TO ENTER ZOOM ROOM 4
The period following the death of Maimonides (Egypt, 1204) is one of the most surprising and fascinating in Jewish history. Over roughly three centuries between Maimonides' death and the arrival of large numbers of Jews exiled from Spain, Jews in the Islamic world engaged deeply with Islamic philosophy and mysticism, and produced new forms of literature and practice. In this session we will explore this period, some of its central thinkers, and the reasons that it was until recently almost entirely forgotten.

Speakers
avatar for Raphael Dascalu

Raphael Dascalu

Raphael Dascalu is a native of Sydney. He studied in Israel and the US, completing a PhD in Jewish history and philosophy. His primary field of research is Judaeo-Arabic thought and literature, but he dabbles widely. Raphael lives in Melbourne with his partner and two small overl... Read More →


Sunday June 7, 2020 11:00am - 12:00pm AEST
ROOM 4

11:00am AEST

Jews and tattoos: our bodies ourselves
CLICK HERE TO ENTER ZOOM ROOM 8
Tattoos have a long relationship to Jews. That and everything else we decorate our bodies with. Come and talk about your tattoo or lack of one!

Speakers
avatar for Viva Hammer

Viva Hammer

Viva has been legislation counsel at the US Congress, a Rebbetzin, newspaper columnist, and homeschooling mother.


Sunday June 7, 2020 11:00am - 12:00pm AEST
ROOM 8

11:45am AEST

Story time
Story time with Wendy and Justine.

Speakers
avatar for PJ Library

PJ Library

Shalom
PJ Library provides free Jewish books as a gift from generous funders, JCA and the Besen Family Foundation for all families raising Jewish children. We welcome you whether you grew up attending synagogue regularly or have married into a Jewish family.  Each month your child will... Read More →


Sunday June 7, 2020 11:45am - 12:00pm AEST
Kids room

12:00pm AEST

Ruach
CLICK HERE TO ENTER LITTLE LIMMUD ROOM
Dance and movement session, featuring some old classics and exciting new songs!
Bonus points if you wear a costume!

Speakers
avatar for Sarah Winthrope

Sarah Winthrope

Bnei Akiva
Sarah holds the position of Rosh Chinuch at Bnei Akiva Australia respectively. She from Yavneh in 2016, and is passionate about Jewish education. She loves musicals, boardgames, and of course, Ruach!
avatar for Eitan Meyerowitz

Eitan Meyerowitz

Hineni
Eitan holds the position of Rosh Chinuch at Hineni Australia. He graduated from Yavneh in 2016, and is passionate about Jewish education. He loves musicals, boardgames, and of course, Ruach!


Sunday June 7, 2020 12:00pm - 12:45pm AEST
Kids room

12:00pm AEST

Israeli humour: the (funny) story of the country
CLICK HERE TO ENTER ZOOM ROOM 5
In a complex society such as Israel’s, humour is an important refuge. Three main themes have emerged for Israeli society: countries of origin, Jewish-Arab relations, and the army. Sefi will examine how black humour plays a vital role in both Israeli and Palestinian society. And of course - we'll share many jokes!

Speakers
avatar for Sefi Shalam

Sefi Shalam

Sefi has spent his career on two tracks: 1. youth engagement and international relations (including in the US Embassy to Israel); 2. media, through TV and website production and content roles. He admits he is a geek about Israeli politics and history. Since April 2019, he has been... Read More →


Sunday June 7, 2020 12:00pm - 1:00pm AEST
ROOM 5

12:00pm AEST

A flicker of light in a dark world: three remarkable stories of rescue during World War Two
CLICK HERE TO ENTER ZOOM ROOM 7
A lovely legend comes out of Jewish mystical writings. It tells us that somewhere in the world, 36 righteous people are always among us and, through their actions, keep humanity safe from destruction, from fire and from flood. In fact the world's very existence depends on them. They are not known to each other; even unaware of their purpose, but true to their nature, they create a wellspring of loving kindness for us all. The three stories in this session are example of acts of compassion and courage.

Speakers
avatar for Julie Meadows

Julie Meadows

Julie Meadows (OAM) has spent the last 22 years gathering, editing and facilitating the publication of autobiographical stories from members of the Melbourne Jewish community. As a result, a large archive exists for future generations.
avatar for Tony Weldon

Tony Weldon

Dr Tony Weldon OAM FRACP |  Chairman, Courage to Care (Vic) Inc.
avatar for Harry Better

Harry Better

Harry is a Holocaust survivor, who was born in Poland in the mid-1930s and migrated to Australia after the war in November 1946 with his oldest sister. He survived the Holocaust by being hidden by a Polish Catholic family by the name of Skowron. Harry is married to Pola and has two... Read More →


Sunday June 7, 2020 12:00pm - 1:00pm AEST
ROOM 7

12:00pm AEST

Urban farm tour: connecting roots
CLICK HERE TO ENTER ZOOM ROOM 9
See what's growing and why at Adamama. We will take a tour through the farm, stopping along the way to discuss all the different touch points of Jewish culture, history and tradition.

Speakers
avatar for Mitch Burnie

Mitch Burnie

Mitch is the manager of Adamama, Sydney's first Jewish Urban Farm. He is an alum of the Adamah fellowship in the US.


Sunday June 7, 2020 12:00pm - 1:00pm AEST
ROOM 9

12:00pm AEST

A Burundian African Jew could be coming to a shul near you soon
CLICK HERE TO ENTER ZOOM ROOM 13
Standing in a synagogue one Friday night, Philip heard his Burundian refugee friend singing Hebrew with the congregation. The current genocide in Burundi has forced half a million refugees to leave. Many residing here are subject to intimidation by Burundian spies, while refugees in Tanzania are being forced back to Burundi facing a very uncertain future. “Never again” someone once said ...

Speakers
avatar for Philip Feinstein

Philip Feinstein

Phil started Music for Refugees 12 years ago to help stressed refugees in detention. He gives free musical instruments and music lessons to refugees Australia-wide. He recently started helping African Burundian refugees because of the genocide there. Phil has travelled to east Africa... Read More →


Sunday June 7, 2020 12:00pm - 1:00pm AEST
ROOM 13

12:00pm AEST

Jewish contribution to climate science
CLICK HERE TO ENTER ZOOM ROOM 3
Climate science from contemporary Jewish climate scientists, from Prof Susan Solomon’s (MIT) discovery of the ozone hole, through Prof Lindzen’s (MIT) work on climate sensitivity to Prof Shaviv’s (Hebrew University) discovery of the effect of cosmic interactions on climate change. Some video clips will be shown, leading to a discussion on the possible implications and influence of Jewish culture and thinking on their work.

Speakers
avatar for Brian Levitan

Brian Levitan

Brian is experienced in Jewish adult education – Melton/ Mosaic Facilitator in Jewish Ethics, Philosophy, Literature. Has presented at six previous Limmud events. A past president of the NSS and then SZC, he is currently a volunteer chazan at Montefiore. He has qualifications in... Read More →


Sunday June 7, 2020 12:00pm - 1:00pm AEST
ROOM 3

12:00pm AEST

Pesach’s Over, Shavuot’s Over – Now What? How Torah can give us strength as we wait for Rosh Hashanna
CLICK HERE TO ENTER ZOOM ROOM 1
This session will look deeply at what it means to live in a broken world, and a broken time, and attempt to understand how Torah – both the content we are learning, and the practice of Torah study itself can bring comfort to us in these challenging times.
All are welcome, and all text will be provided in the original, with English translation.

Speakers
avatar for Rabba Yaffa Epstein

Rabba Yaffa Epstein

Director, Wexner Heritage Program, The Wexner Foundation
Rabba Yaffa Epstein serves as the Director of the Wexner Heritage Program. She formerly served as the Director of Education, North America for the Pardes Institute of Jewish Studies. She received Rabbinic Ordination from Yeshivat Maharat and holds a Law Degree from Bar-Ilan University... Read More →



Sunday June 7, 2020 12:00pm - 1:00pm AEST
ROOM 1

12:45pm AEST

Activities with Gemma
Varied activities for mind and body. "Beyond the Moon and Stars" - A meditation for kids.

Speakers
avatar for Gemma Ashley Kaplan

Gemma Ashley Kaplan

Gemma Ashley Studios
Gemma is a mother, wife and all round creative. From voicing children’s animations and playing leading roles in professional musical theatre, to renovating properties and designing exquisite home interiors, Gemma has a wealth of knowledge in all things ‘arts’. She is passionate... Read More →


Sunday June 7, 2020 12:45pm - 1:15pm AEST
Kids room

6:30pm AEST

Israel that you don't know
CLICK HERE TO ENTER ZOOM ROOM 3
Hen is an energetic activist and advocate for his people. As the son of Mizrahi Jewish refugees from Iraq and North Africa (Berber Jews from Tunisia), Hen has a unique and important voice in today’s discussions, sharing his family’s story as part of the 850,000 Jewish refugees from the Middle East and North Africa. As a young Israeli, Hen served in the IDF for almost five years as an openly gay commander. During his service as a lieutenant in the COGAT unit, he worked as an intermediary between the Israeli Defense Forces (the IDF), the Palestinian Authority, the UN, and many non-governmental organisations that operate in the West Bank.

Speakers
avatar for Hen Mazzig

Hen Mazzig

Hen Mazzig is the son of Mizrahi Jewish refugees from Iraq and North Africa. He has written for the LA Times, NBC News, Haaretz, The Forward, Jewish Chronicle and International Business Times. Since 2016, he has worked as a freelance consultant to help pro-Israel and social justice... Read More →


Sunday June 7, 2020 6:30pm - 7:30pm AEST
ROOM 3

6:30pm AEST

We're all doomed! The pessimistic predictions of the early Zionists
CLICK HERE TO ENTER ZOOM ROOM 9
The early Zionists were a pretty pessimistic lot. Whether it was catastrophic violence from without or creeping assimilation from within, they firmly believed that, without a Jewish state, the Jews were doomed. With the benefit of a century of hindsight, we’ll see if the prophecies of Herzl, Pinsker, Jabotinsky and others still feel relevant in 2020.

Speakers
avatar for Robin Moss

Robin Moss

Robin Moss is the Director of Strategy of UJIA, the UK’s largest Israel charity. One of the leading voices in the Israel educational conversation in Anglo-Jewry, he grew up in the young movement LJY-Netzer, sits on the Board of National Officers of Liberal Judaism and is the Co-Chair... Read More →



Sunday June 7, 2020 6:30pm - 7:30pm AEST
ROOM 9

6:30pm AEST

“All in the Family: New Zealand Roots & Israeli- Palestinian stories of Connection - A Conversation with Dina Kraft”
CLICK HERE TO ENTER ZOOM ROOM 11
In this conversation, Tanya will explore Dina's personal journey including her New Zealand family connections, her American childhood, her move to Israel and her current work on Israeli-Palestinian connections through her podcast, The Branch.

Speakers
avatar for Dina Kraft

Dina Kraft

Dina Kraft is a journalist, editor and educator. She is host of "The Branch", a podcast sponsored by Hadassah about Arab/Palestinian-Israeli coexistence in all its complexity. She is also a correspondent for both Haaretz and The Christian Science Monitor where she reports on Israeli... Read More →
avatar for Tanya Thomson

Tanya Thomson

Tanya Thomson discovered Limmud through Limmud Oz and went on to co-found Limmud NZ. She is delighted to see LImmud Oz + NZ combine this year. Tanya is also a lawyer, mother and an old school friend of Dina Kraft, her interview subject at Limmud Oz+NZ


Sunday June 7, 2020 6:30pm - 7:30pm AEST
ROOM 11

6:30pm AEST

How to convert the Pope: successful and failed attempts to bring the messiah
CLICK HERE TO ENTER ZOOM ROOM 5
Pseudo-messianic figures from Jewish history have often attempted to convert the pope as part of their mission. In this talk, David Solomon explores in detail the historical circumstances, motives and impact of various brilliant and tragic figures who were captivated by this idea. David also speculates on what it might actually take to convert the current pope to Judaism.

Speakers
avatar for David Solomon

David Solomon

David Solomon is an internationally acclaimed, globally-roaming scholar, teacher, writer and translator. He teaches Jewish History, Tanakh, Jewish Philosophy, Hebrew, and Kabbalah. Currently living in Melbourne, David is working on numerous academic and textual projects and is scholar-in-residence... Read More →


Sunday June 7, 2020 6:30pm - 7:30pm AEST
ROOM 5

6:30pm AEST

Bending spoons and autism: a spectrum guide to Jewish humour and the search for reality
CLICK HERE TO ENTER ZOOM ROOM 7
There is a place in time, and in relationship, where everyday reality is bent so far that it turns onto itself only to reveal a renewed distilled truth. Join storyteller Tal Spinrad as we do some reality bending, with an autistic twist, with a little help from the three “B”’s….Bruce, Brooks and Buber.

Speakers
avatar for Tal Spinrad

Tal Spinrad

Tal Spinrad is the KULANU Project Manager at UJEB. A career Jewish educator and inclusion advocate with close to four decades of service to Jewish communities worldwide, Tal is also a talented storyteller who blends the passion of Ezekiel with the humour of Mel Brooks.


Sunday June 7, 2020 6:30pm - 7:30pm AEST
ROOM 7

6:30pm AEST

Politics in Lockdown
CLICK HERE TO ENTER ZOOM ROOM 1
We will be diving into discussion and asking the key questions: How have they found the transition into lockdown? How are they keeping connected to constituents? Do they miss the 'Canberra bubble'? and more!

Moderators
Speakers
avatar for Josh Burns

Josh Burns

Josh Burns is Labor’s Member for Macnamara, previously the seat of Melbourne Ports.Born and raised in Caulfield, Josh is the grandson of Jewish migrants who left Europe and settled in Melbourne in search of a safe place to raise their families.From their experiences, Josh has learnt... Read More →
avatar for Dave Sharma

Dave Sharma

Dave was elected to the Australian Parliament for the seat of Wentworth, in eastern Sydney, in May 2019 as a candidate of the Liberal Party. Prior to politics, Dave enjoyed an extensive and distinguished career as an Australian diplomat.Driven by a sense of service, he became an Australian... Read More →


Sunday June 7, 2020 6:30pm - 7:30pm AEST
ROOM 1

6:30pm AEST

The politics of Israel-China medical cooperation in the light of Covid-19
CLICK HERE TO ENTER ZOOM ROOM 13
The recent shadow of Covid-19 and the rising tensions between US and China puts the growing ties between Israel and China under the spotlight. One aspect of this growing bilateral ties is the increased collaboration between the medical industries of both countries. What pushed these countries into partnership with in the field of medicine? What are its economic and geopolitical implications?

Speakers
avatar for Aston Kwok

Aston Kwok

Youth Education Manager, ACT Jewish Community Centre
Youth Education Manager at ACT Jewish Community Centre.Keen community chef; Researcher on Chinese foreign policies, particularly with regards to its relations with Israel and the Middle East region.


Sunday June 7, 2020 6:30pm - 7:30pm AEST
ROOM 13

6:30pm AEST

The Pub
CLICK HERE TO ENTER THE PUB
Got things to say about a session you were in?
Come join us down at The Pub where you can meet up with other willing participants and presenters and further the discussion.

Sunday June 7, 2020 6:30pm - 9:30pm AEST
THE PUB

7:30pm AEST

A vision for a new Zionism
CLICK HERE TO ENTER ZOOM ROOM 4
Given this year's recurring elections and the growing divide between religious and secular, Jew and Muslim, Israel and Diaspora, a new philosophy of Zionism that unites rather than segregates may be beneficial. While classical Zionism established a Jewish State, a greater spiritual vision is called for in our time. In 1955, the renowned Rabbi Mordecai Kaplan published "A New Zionism". In this prophetic work, Kaplan predicted many of the difficulties that plague the Jewish State today. What insights can we glean from this work and how can we implement them to ensure a brighter future for our people?

Speakers
avatar for Jonathan Sadoff

Jonathan Sadoff

Rabbi, Kehilat Nitzan
Yonatan Sadoff is spiritual leader of Kehilat Nitzan, Melbourne's only Masorti/Conservative congregation. Ordained by the Schechter Rabbinical Seminary in Jerusalem and formerly rabbi of Kehillat Magen Avraham in Omer, Israel, Rabbi Sadoff is interested in how Jewish texts, interpretation... Read More →



Sunday June 7, 2020 7:30pm - 8:30pm AEST
ROOM 4

7:30pm AEST

March of the Living: who said it's not for a nice Lebanese Christian boy?!
CLICK HERE TO ENTER ZOOM ROOM 16
As a Christian of Lebanese descent March of the Living has influenced and inspired me in many ways. It is a powerfully humbling learning experience. I participated in the Adult March of the Living in 2019. I was inspired to go on this incredible journey by the wife of a colleague at the company I run who kindly shared her experience with our staff, on her return from the program. There and then I vowed to join the program the following year. March of the Living has given new meaning to many aspects of my life, including the way I run my company. This is a story of a small act of Tzedakah that unintentionally has benefitted the giver far more than the recipient.

Speakers
avatar for Adam Geha

Adam Geha

As the co-founder and CEO of EG, Adam is the driving force behind the vision and strategic direction of the company. With a passion for team culture, he maintains an overall focus on guiding, leading and training the team. In addition to his role in EG, Adam is also the co-founder... Read More →


Sunday June 7, 2020 7:30pm - 8:30pm AEST
ROOM 16

7:30pm AEST

Murder and silence: Lithuania's hidden Holocaust
CLICK HERE TO ENTER ZOOM ROOM 2
Ruta's book "Our People" came out in Lithuania in 2016 and instantly became a bestseller in the country and created a national scandal. The book already came out in Israel, Poland, Sweden, Russia and USA and soon will be published in Japan and Ukraine. Ruta did not stop her research after all her books were removed from the bookshelves in her home country. Ruta teamed up with the world’s leading expert on the Holocaust in Lithuania, Dr. Christoph Dieckmann. Their new book "How Did It Happen?" will be self-published in Lithuania in June 2020.

Speakers
avatar for Ruta Vanagaite

Ruta Vanagaite

Ruta Vanagaite is a Lithuanian journalist and author. Her third best-selling book, “Our People”, deals with the complicity of Lithuanians in Holocaust crimes. The book was published in Lithuania in 2016 and created a national scandal. In 2017, all Ruta's books were removed from... Read More →


Sunday June 7, 2020 7:30pm - 8:30pm AEST
ROOM 2

7:30pm AEST

In the Rabbi's Kitchen
CLICK HERE TO ENTER ZOOM ROOM 8
Having been cooking for over 20 years professionally and as a hobby, Alon knows his way around the kitchen. This session will be part cooking demo, part cultural exploration, part history lesson, and part Jewish texts lesson. If only there was smell-o-vision!

Speakers
avatar for Alon Meltzer

Alon Meltzer

Alon is the Director of Programs at Shalom and Rabbi of Or Chadash Synagogue. He is studying a PhD in Law and has several degrees focusing on different passions. He loves to cook, paint, and learn. Father of 3 girls, he is a staunch Orthodox Feminist.


Sunday June 7, 2020 7:30pm - 8:30pm AEST
ROOM 8

7:30pm AEST

Confused identities: Sir Peter Gluckman in conversation with Professor Paul Moon
CLICK HERE TO ENTER ZOOM ROOM 14
Join Professor Paul Moon and Sir Peter Gluckman in conversation about confused identities, confused involvement and a confused trajectory. “Identity & Involvement” volume 111 is a community history, launched to mark the Auckland Hebrew Congregation’s 180th anniversary. Over 120 community members contributed. Sir Peter will discuss his own contribution and views on identity and involvement.

Speakers
avatar for Peter Gluckman

Peter Gluckman

Sir Peter Gluckman : Director, Koi Tū: Centre for Informed FuturesChair of the International Network of Government Science Advice, president-electof the International Science Council; global leader on science-policy, diplomacyand society interactions. Formerly a paediatric researcher... Read More →
avatar for Paul Moon

Paul Moon

Paul is the author of several books on New Zealand history, which have been published by some of the biggest international publishers, including Penguin Random House, HarperCollins, and Bloomsbury. He has researched Treaty claims, has appeared in local and international media.


Sunday June 7, 2020 7:30pm - 8:30pm AEST
ROOM 14

7:30pm AEST

What’s in store for Jews in South Africa?
CLICK HERE TO ENTER ZOOM ROOM 10
Join Adam Mendelsohn as he analyses data from a new national study, and considers the present and future of the South African Jewish community.

Speakers
avatar for Adam Mendelsohn

Adam Mendelsohn

Adam Mendelsohn is a historian of Jews in English-speaking lands and author of The Rag Race (an award-winning history of Jews and shmattes). Adam, who has a PhD from Brandeis University, directs the Kaplan Centre at the University of Cape Town, which studies South African Jewry... Read More →


Sunday June 7, 2020 7:30pm - 8:30pm AEST
ROOM 10

7:30pm AEST

Is everything unprecedented? Gauging antisemitism in an age of hyperbole
CLICK HERE TO ENTER ZOOM ROOM 6
When you hear pronouncements about how bad antisemitism is, or to the contrary why it is no great problem, have you ever wondered what the speaker is using as the basis for the claim? What data is available, how is it collected, who collates it and who uses it honestly? How did the European Union and later the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance develop guidelines and definitions to enable responses to antisemitism? What motivated the London Declaration by Parliamentarians condemning antisemitism? Perspectives based on more than thirty years studying the data, participating in conferences and formulating policies.

Speakers
avatar for Jeremy Jones

Jeremy Jones

Writer, public speaker, dialogian, researcher, photographer, traveller, Pentecost Islander initiate, Australian Human Rights Medal Winner, Australian representative at UN meetings and Asia/Pacific Dialogues, Multicultural Advisor, anti-racism activist, cartoon character on Japanese... Read More →


Sunday June 7, 2020 7:30pm - 8:30pm AEST
ROOM 6

7:30pm AEST

Koora Koora Nyitting: We Are Here
CLICK HERE TO ENTER ZOOM ROOM 12
In 2019, the presenters were involved in the WE ARE HERE! Foundation's Upstander's Project, founded by Eli Rabinowitz. The aim of the project is to promote Human Rights and Social Justice through the principle of the Upstander. It saw The Partisan Song translated into Noongar (indigenous language to Perth region) and arranged for the Ellenbrook Secondary College Choir. Originally a Jewish anthem of resistance during the Holocaust, it lyrics are timeless to those experiencing oppression. In this talk, the presenters will discuss their collaboration to create this new work and how it hopes to reach all people across cultural divides.

Speakers
avatar for Suzanne Kosowitz

Suzanne Kosowitz

Suzanne Kosowitz is an award-winning composer of concert, theatrical and film music. Born and raised in Perth, she completed her studies in Composition and Music Technology at Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts in 2011. Her works have been performed around Australia and... Read More →
avatar for Jesse Fleay

Jesse Fleay

Jesse J. Fleay is a Noongar-Irish Lecturer at Kurongkurl Katitjin, Edith Cowan University. As a delegate to Uluru, his PhD at Notre Dame is on the Statement from the Heart and a model for a new Australian State.
avatar for Stuart Rhine-Davis

Stuart Rhine-Davis

Stuart is the director of music at Ellenbrook Secondary College, a specialist music school in Perth. He has been recognised and acknowledged in both Federal and State Parliament as a Teacher of Excellence. His choir competed in the ASPIRE International Youth Music Festival in 2019... Read More →


Sunday June 7, 2020 7:30pm - 8:30pm AEST
ROOM 12

7:30pm AEST

The Pub
CLICK HERE TO ENTER THE PUB
Got things to say about a session you were in?
Come join us down at The Pub where you can meet up with other willing participants and presenters and further the discussion.

Sunday June 7, 2020 7:30pm - 8:30pm AEST
THE PUB

8:30pm AEST

A Comedy Evening
CLICK HERE TO ENTER ZOOM ROOM 1
Embrace your laugh-out-loud with 3 hysterical Jewish comics

Artists
avatar for Jacob Sacher

Jacob Sacher

Jacob Sacher is one of Melbourne's favourite Jewish comedians. He’s performed at countless festivals around the country, and 8 shuls.
avatar for Jude Perl

Jude Perl

Jude Perl is a Melbourne based singer, songwriter and comedian. She has won 4 Green Room Awards, Best Cabaret at Melbourne Fringe Festival and she recently completed a 1500 piece jigsaw puzzle of Van Gough's Starry Night, which is way harder than you think. Every piece looks like... Read More →
avatar for Michael Shafar

Michael Shafar

Michael Shafar is a comedian and writer for Channel 10's The Project. Over the last two months he's almost finished Netflix.


Sunday June 7, 2020 8:30pm - 9:30pm AEST
ROOM 1

8:30pm AEST

How to innovate like an Israeli
CLICK HERE TO ENTER ZOOM ROOM 13
Israel has a population of only nine million people, is surrounded by hostile neighbours, has limited natural resources and is the size of Tasmania. As a result, innovators know how to use constraints and generate possibilities and transform them into innovative solutions; entrepreneurs know how to execute these transformations into lean and agile companies that deliver commercial outcomes. Enabled by a unique and enviable innovative and entrepreneurial ecosystem. What are the unique cultural drivers, mindsets and behaviours, and how can you apply them to be innovative in your world?

Speakers
avatar for Janet Sernack

Janet Sernack

Janet enables people and organisations to be, think and act differently, co-creating a world where people matter and innovation is the norm. Janet has 30 years’ experience consulting with Australasia’s and Israel’s top 100 companies. In 2010 she relocated to Israel and joined... Read More →


Sunday June 7, 2020 8:30pm - 9:30pm AEST
ROOM 13

8:30pm AEST

Israel uncovered
CLICK HERE TO ENTER ZOOM ROOM 7
Travel the length and breadth of Israel, from today back to the days of Abraham. You will learn how the land's typography has shaped Israel's history, culture and political development throughout the ages. You will also learn why Israel stands at the forefront of world-changing scientific, technological, agricultural and medical innovations. Ideal for those who have travelled to Israel and yearn to know more, for those who are planning a trip to Israel, or for those who just want to learn more from an inspiring eighth generation Yerushalmi (Jerusalemite).

Speakers
avatar for Erez Feinberg

Erez Feinberg

Erez is the head of informal Jewish education at the primary school at Mount Scopus and is the chairperson for Zionism Victoria’s Department of “Hebrew Language and Israeli Culture”. Born in Jerusalem (8 generations "Yerushalmi"), Erez has a master’s in School Leadership... Read More →


Sunday June 7, 2020 8:30pm - 9:30pm AEST
ROOM 7

8:30pm AEST

Finding Relly: my family, the Holocaust and me
CLICK HERE TO ENTER ZOOM ROOM 9
Rosemary will elaborate on how she is using the book as an educational tool in raising awareness about the Holocaust and its contemporary relevance, both in schools and for adults. There will be time for questions and discussion.

Speakers
avatar for Rosemary Schonfeld

Rosemary Schonfeld

Musician Rosemary Schonfeld is 2nd Generation Holocaust survivor and grewup in Canada unaware that her father was Jewish. After his death, shetraced his former sister in-law who survived Auschwitz, her Aunt Relly,and has written a book about her journey, giving a contemporarynarrative... Read More →


Sunday June 7, 2020 8:30pm - 9:30pm AEST
ROOM 9

8:30pm AEST

Forgiving difficult people
CLICK HERE TO ENTER ZOOM ROOM 5
What should our attitude be towards people who hurt us? Should they be easily forgiven? What if it is emotionally difficult for us to do so? How do we know when others have sincerely regretted their wrongdoing? Does Judaism believe in second chances? This talk will address how one begins the work of forgiveness and how learning how to apologise and how to forgive are some of the central activities of life.


Speakers
avatar for Elliott Malamet

Elliott Malamet

Dr Elliott Malamet lectures in literature at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem and teaches Jewish thought in many institutions in Jerusalem and abroad. He is the co-director of Living Jewishly, an organisation that hosts conversations and events meant to explore the core existential... Read More →



Sunday June 7, 2020 8:30pm - 9:30pm AEST
ROOM 5

8:30pm AEST

The psychologist and the rabbi are In
CLICK HERE TO ENTER ZOOM ROOM 3
Is it ever OK to lie in a relationship? Can you ever speak about another person behind their back? Should you always admit wrongdoing and seek forgiveness, even when doing so would hurt the person you wronged? Should you tell someone a difficult medical diagnosis? And much more!

Speakers
avatar for Jacqueline Ninio

Jacqueline Ninio

Jacqueline Ninio was ordained as a rabbi in 1998 and has been at Emanuel Synagogue since then. She was the synagogue’s first female rabbi and the third Australian-born woman to receive rabbinic ordination. She has an interest in midrash and liturgy and has a passion for storyte... Read More →
avatar for Amanda Gordon

Amanda Gordon

Clinical Psychologist, Armchair Psychology
Amanda has been confronted with every question imaginable over decades of psychology practice and talkback radio. A past president of the Australian Psychological Society, an advocate for her profession for asylum seekers, a founder of the Bendi Lango Indigenous bursary for psychologists... Read More →


Sunday June 7, 2020 8:30pm - 9:30pm AEST
ROOM 3

8:30pm AEST

Haredi Society and the Future of World Jewry
CLICK HERE TO ENTER ZOOM ROOM 11
During the past four decades the Haredi community has grown exponentially in Israel and the Diaspora. They have become a powerful political and social force while at the same time sinking into a cycle of poverty. Some prefer to remain behind the walls of the self imposed ghetto, while others seek  to study and to integrate into the work force.  For many, modernity and technology constitutes a threat while for some it is seen as an opportunity. What are the challenges facing this community as they seek to maintain hard core traditions in the face of technology and modernity?

Speakers
avatar for David Newman

David Newman

David Newman is professor of Geopolitics at Ben-Gurion University in Israel, where he founded the Dept of Politics and Government and served as Dean from 2010-2016. He is currently researching the role of Lithuanian rabbis in twentieth century Britain. In 2013 he was awarded an OBE... Read More →


Sunday June 7, 2020 8:30pm - 9:30pm AEST
ROOM 11

8:30pm AEST

The Pub
CLICK HERE TO ENTER THE PUB
Got things to say about a session you were in?
Come join us down at The Pub where you can meet up with other willing participants and presenters and further the discussion.

Sunday June 7, 2020 8:30pm - 9:30pm AEST
THE PUB

9:30pm AEST

The Pub
CLICK HERE TO ENTER THE PUB
Got things to say about a session you were in?
Come join us down at The Pub where you can meet up with other willing participants and presenters and further the discussion.

Sunday June 7, 2020 9:30pm - 10:00pm AEST
THE PUB
 
Monday, June 8
 

10:00am AEST

Shavuot sing along and play
CLICK HERE TO ENTER LITTLE LIMMUD ROOM
Children will learn the story of the 3 mountains, the 10 commandments & Hashem's precious gift - the Torah through song and play. Focused on ages 3-6 years.

Speakers
avatar for Rivky Shuchat

Rivky Shuchat

JEMs
Rivky Shuchat was born in S. Monica, California and together with her husband Yossi have 5 children who were all born in Sydney. About 9 years ago Rivky co founded JEMs with Yossi, to brighten the lives of every precious gem. 



Monday June 8, 2020 10:00am - 10:30am AEST
Kids room

10:00am AEST

Antisemitism in France: a historical perspective
CLICK HERE TO ENTER ZOOM ROOM 5
The news coming of rising antisemitism in France in the past few years has sparked concern all over the world. In this lecture, we will discuss the multifaceted historical roots of the current crisis.

Speakers
avatar for Lisa Leff

Lisa Leff

Lisa Moses Leff is Professor of History at American University and Director of the Mandel Center for Advanced Holocaust Studies at the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. Her research focuses on the history of Jews in France since the Revolution. She is the author of Sacred Bonds... Read More →


Monday June 8, 2020 10:00am - 11:00am AEST
ROOM 5

10:00am AEST

Painted Memories: a Jewish childhood in Poland before the Holocaust
CLICK HERE TO ENTER ZOOM ROOM 11
Mayer Kirshenblatt (b. 1916, Opatów, 1916) left for Canada in 1934. He taught himself to paint at age 73. His daughter presents his paintings and stories, based on interviews she recorded over forty years. Together, they recover a lost world “lest future generations know more about how Jews died than how they lived”—the streets and courtyards, the town characters, the pregnant bride standing under the wedding canopy just before giving birth; the kheyder teacher caught in bed with the drummer's wife; the cobbler's son, and a "black wedding" in the cemetery to avert a cholera epidemic.

Speakers
avatar for Barbara Kirshenblatt-Gimblett

Barbara Kirshenblatt-Gimblett

Chief Curator, Core Exhibition, POLIN Museum of the History of Polish Jews; Professor Emerita, New York University; Image before My Eyes: A Photographic History of Jewish Life in Poland, 1864–1939 (with Lucjan Dobroszycki); and They Called Me Mayer July: Painted Memories of a Jewish... Read More →


Monday June 8, 2020 10:00am - 11:00am AEST
ROOM 11

10:00am AEST

Discovering opportunity in a time of crisis
CLICK HERE TO ENTER ZOOM ROOM 1
Eleven years ago Alison was diagnosed with multiple myeloma, an incurable cancer of the bone marrow. For the year following diagnosis every evening the women of her community made meals to feed her family of seven. “The Jones Family Food Roster” is a memoir about the power of community, parenting during a time of crisis, choosing empowerment during adversity, developing a growth mindset and hope, seen through the prism of her cancer diagnosis and treatment.

Speakers
avatar for Alison Jones

Alison Jones

Alison Jones has worked in a range of settings—health, business and education—but her most important role is mother to her five children. She teaches maths and science and is a part time non-fiction writer. Her first book, “The Jones Family Food Roster”, was published in... Read More →



Monday June 8, 2020 10:00am - 11:00am AEST
ROOM 1

10:00am AEST

2020 in the United States: how the Jewish vote is changing and why it matters
CLICK HERE TO ENTER ZOOM ROOM 3
Ron Kampeas, the JTA's Washington bureau chief, explains why the Jewish vote may matter in November: the swing states (Florida, again!), the Israel policy, and the rise of the far-right. What's happening on the Democratic left and what about Bernie Sanders? What does Donald Trump mean when he talks about "very fine people"? What's the buzz at American Shabbat dinners, and at the JCC (when the JCCs reopen!)

Speakers
avatar for Ron Kampeas

Ron Kampeas

Ron Kampeas is JTA's Washington Bureau Chief. He worked previously at The Associated Press, where he spent more than a decade in its bureaus in Jerusalem, New York, London and, most recently, Washington. He has reported from Northern Ireland, Afghanistan, Bosnia and West Africa. While... Read More →


Monday June 8, 2020 10:00am - 11:00am AEST
ROOM 3

10:00am AEST

Is that what I look like? Holding a mirror to the Jewish community
CLICK HERE TO ENTER ZOOM ROOM 7
Jewish communities are organised around the world in various ways. Poland was famous for the Council of Four Lands. America has Federations. Is there anything unique about Australia? Why aren't Sydney and Melbourne organised the same way? What does disruption and other recent social movements look like in the Jewish community?

Speakers
avatar for Marlo Newton

Marlo Newton

Marlo Newton has worked as a Jewish communal professional for most of her life. She has a Master’s in History and is the author of several publications. Her interests include women in Jewish life, Talmud study, history, and books. Marlo is married to Tal Spinrad and they have three... Read More →


Monday June 8, 2020 10:00am - 11:00am AEST
ROOM 7

10:00am AEST

CANCELLED - Modern Koranic interpretation: the surprising Talmudic basis
CLICK HERE TO ENTER ZOOM ROOM 13
Mohammed Asad was born a Jew and was the grandson of a rabbi. He used his Talmudic knowledge and his early flirtations with Zionism to construct an interpretation of the Koran which informed the initial Pakistani education system and the idea of a Muslim home in South Asia, a Muslim form of Zionism. A brief exposition of his life, time, methods and why this should bring Jews and Muslims closer together.

Speakers
avatar for Jon Yaakov Gorr

Jon Yaakov Gorr

Jon Yaakov first encountered Mohammed Asad when supervising one of his PhD students. Jon Yaakov presented a much shorter version of this talk, in Hebrew, when building bridges between Arab and other students at his ulpan in 2018. He’s 60, a retired lawyer, and he likes dangerous... Read More →


Monday June 8, 2020 10:00am - 11:00am AEST
ROOM 13

10:30am AEST

The joy of Shabbat
CLICK HERE TO ENTER LITTLE LIMMUD ROOM
Experience an interactive powerpoint game, Havdallah ceremony, exploring the joys of Shabbat.
Focused on 7-12 year olds.

Speakers
avatar for Rivky Shuchat

Rivky Shuchat

JEMs
Rivky Shuchat was born in S. Monica, California and together with her husband Yossi have 5 children who were all born in Sydney. About 9 years ago Rivky co founded JEMs with Yossi, to brighten the lives of every precious gem. 


Monday June 8, 2020 10:30am - 11:15am AEST
Kids room

11:00am AEST

European Orientalist arts and the Jews
CLICK HERE TO ENTER ZOOM ROOM 12
The Study of Oriental Muslims eventually became a “study of the cultural place of both Muslims and Jews as outsiders”. In 1978, Prof Edward Said defined Orientalism as a Western tradition that conceptualised and represented non-Western societies as The Other. The West was rational and civilised; the East was cruel and backward. In Paris’s Musée d’art et d’histoire du Judaïsme, an exhibition charted the European meeting with the Sephardic Jews of Northern Africa and the Mediterranean. They brought together works of art from 40+ museums in Europe, all showing how Jews were represented in the Orient.

Speakers
avatar for Helen Webberley

Helen Webberley

Helen Webberley worked in Israel, Britain and Australia, mostly as a historian and art historian. Despite retiring from the CAE in Melbourne in December 2018, she is still a very keen writer in the history blog called Art and Architecture, mainly (http://melbourneblogger.blogspot.com... Read More →


Monday June 8, 2020 11:00am - 12:00pm AEST
ROOM 12

11:00am AEST

Finding stability in the midst of instability: on what can we depend?
CLICK HERE TO ENTER ZOOM ROOM 8
This is an experiential session. In this time of vulnerability, unmoored from the so-called 'normal', how do we live in connection to something deeper than our shifting fears and hopes? Through chant, silent meditation, and Torah, we practise intimacy with what sustains our ability to respond to ever-changing conditions with compassionate action.

Speakers
avatar for Sheila Katz

Sheila Katz

Sheila H. Katz is co-founding teacher of Nishmat Hayyim Jewish Meditation Collective, Professor of Contemplative Studies at the Berklee College of Music, and of Middle East History, with a doctorate from Harvard University, author of “Connecting with the Enemy: a Century of Palestinian-Israeli... Read More →


Monday June 8, 2020 11:00am - 12:00pm AEST
ROOM 8

11:00am AEST

Jewish AND: multiple identities for a vibrant Jewish future
CLICK HERE TO ENTER ZOOM ROOM 2
The last generation has seen increasing examples of being Jewish AND … Intermarriage, adoption and conversion have all transformed what it means to "look Jewish". What would it mean for the Jewish community to be truly open to multiple ethnic, cultural, or religious identities in one family, or even one person?

Speakers
avatar for Adam Chalom

Adam Chalom

Adam Chalom (pronounced “shalom” à la française) is Dean for North America of the International Institute for Secular Humanistic Judaism and Rabbi of Kol Hadash Humanistic Congregation in suburban Chicago. He has led conferences on young adult children of intermarriage, Jews... Read More →


Monday June 8, 2020 11:00am - 12:00pm AEST
ROOM 2

11:00am AEST

From Moses to Greta: leadership lessons for facing up to climate change
CLICK HERE TO ENTER ZOOM ROOM 6
The current pandemic has heightened awareness that we are part of a global community and interconnected with all life on earth. Although climate change is a new problem, people have not changed much since ancient times, so there is plenty that Torah can teach us about how to respond. Each of us can apply lessons from the story of Moses to overcome fear, inspire hope, and explore how we can do our part to bring about lasting solutions.

Speakers
avatar for Mirele Goldsmith

Mirele Goldsmith

Co-chairperson, Jewish Earth Alliance
Mirele B Goldsmith is an environmental psychologist and activist and an expert in human behaviour change – the key to solving environmental problems and building a sustainable future. Mirele founded Jewish Earth Alliance, a coalition mobilizing Jews to raise a moral voice for action... Read More →


Monday June 8, 2020 11:00am - 12:00pm AEST
ROOM 6

11:00am AEST

Toward Inclusion
CLICK HERE TO ENTER ZOOM ROOM 10
Through the eyes of a parent with a child living with a disability and a rabbinical lens, Reuvi will delve into ways we can make our community more inclusive.

Speakers
avatar for Reuvi Cooper

Reuvi Cooper

Born and raised in Melbourne, Reuvi has been working with kids and teens at Chabad Malvern for the past 13 years. He is the father of 5 (including Mendy with Angelman Syndrome) and enjoys bringing out the spark of Judaism in the younger generation and loves helping others.



Monday June 8, 2020 11:00am - 12:00pm AEST
ROOM 10

11:00am AEST

Einstein's God
CLICK HERE TO ENTER ZOOM ROOM 4
Einstein said “science without religion is lame, religion without science is blind”. The “person of the century” was quizzed repeatedly about his views of God. In this talk, we will clarify your views of what science and religion are and whether they conflict. Then Einstein will buy into the argument in his own words. We will discover that his genius extended beyond the scientific to a deep understanding of man and God.

Speakers
avatar for Steven Prawer

Steven Prawer

Steven is Professor of Physics at the University of Melbourne and a member of the Shira Hadasha community. His research interests are in brain machine interfaces and quantum devices. He has long been an advocate for the synergy between religion and science



Monday June 8, 2020 11:00am - 12:00pm AEST
ROOM 4

11:00am AEST

Times Like These: Thinking about "relevant" texts in uncertain times
CLICK HERE TO ENTER ZOOM ROOM 14
What makes a biblical text "relevant" - especially in complicated circumstances? Are some passages more useful or important than others (or not)? Why should we study anything at all? In this session, we'll consider some classical and modern Jewish approaches to learning, especially in difficult times, and ask what makes a text "relevant" at all.

Speakers
avatar for Emily Filler

Emily Filler

Emily is Chair and Assistant Professor of Jewish Studies at Earlham College, where she teaches modern philosophy and ethics alongside the Jewish textual tradition. A PhD from the University of Virginia, she is particularly interested in the possibility that "troubling texts" - violent... Read More →


Monday June 8, 2020 11:00am - 12:00pm AEST
ROOM 14

11:15am AEST

Fitness Fun with Friendship Circle
CLICK HERE TO ENTER KIDS ROOM
Going to be a fun active fitness workout session run by friendship circle participants!
Wear bright clothes (if you want) and get ready to move!

Speakers
avatar for Michael Lazar

Michael Lazar

Friendship Circle
Friendship Circle is a non-profit organisation that offers tailor made programs for individuals with special needs. Our vision is to shape a world in which people with special needs and their families experience acceptance, inclusion and friendship as contributing members of soci... Read More →


Monday June 8, 2020 11:15am - 12:00pm AEST
Kids room

12:00pm AEST

Story time
Story time with Justine and Wendy.

Speakers
avatar for PJ Library

PJ Library

Shalom
PJ Library provides free Jewish books as a gift from generous funders, JCA and the Besen Family Foundation for all families raising Jewish children. We welcome you whether you grew up attending synagogue regularly or have married into a Jewish family.  Each month your child will... Read More →


Monday June 8, 2020 12:00pm - 12:15pm AEST
Kids room

12:00pm AEST

Were Chaucer, Marlowe and Shakespeare antisemitic?
CLICK HERE TO ENTER ZOOM ROOM 13
The Jew is depicted in fascinating ways by the great English writers, and the way in which Jews have been presented both reflects and shapes the attitudes and behaviour of the host culture towards Jews. This session will examine Chaucer, Marlowe and Shakespeare’s portrayal of Jews and consider whether the writers may be regarded as guilty of Judeophobia.


Speakers
avatar for Hilton Immerman

Hilton Immerman

Dr Hilton Immerman OAM is an Honorary Fellow of the University of NSW. He was head of Shalom for almost 30 years. Hilton has seven university degrees from four different continents. As a former teacher of English, Hilton’s research interests include the portrayal of the Jew in English... Read More →



Monday June 8, 2020 12:00pm - 1:00pm AEST
ROOM 13

12:00pm AEST

Treblinka - different perspectives: survivor, historian, the Jewish religion
CLICK HERE TO ENTER ZOOM ROOM 9
Chaim Sztajer worked carrying bodies in Treblinka for one year. Many survivors dispute his version of what happened. The book “Treblinka” is a major historical study, and highlights the German use of psychological techniques. It differs significantly from the picture presented by Sztajer. Treblinka and the holocaust are also viewed through the lens of the Jewish religion. Henry will discuss his story “Next Year in Jerusalem”, combining and comparing the three methodologies.

Speakers
avatar for Henry Erlich

Henry Erlich

Henry is the child of survivors with a lifelong involvement in the Katzetler Farband, an organisation of concentration camp survivors. He has recently completed a book, a study of Melbourne survivors looking back on philosophical questions.


Monday June 8, 2020 12:00pm - 1:00pm AEST
ROOM 9

12:00pm AEST

Hasidic Yiddish on the internet
CLICK HERE TO ENTER ZOOM ROOM 5
Social media and communication apps have become a ubiquitous part of our daily lives. The same trend can be seen in the Hasidic community, including the spread of Hasidic blogs and forums, WhatsApp groups, and Telegram channels. In this session, we will consider the role of Hasidic Yiddish on the internet today, as well as the impact of online communication on the language itself. Familiarity with Yiddish is a plus but is not required.

Speakers
avatar for Isaac Bleaman

Isaac Bleaman

Isaac L Bleaman is assistant professor of linguistics at the University of California, Berkeley. His research focuses on contemporary Yiddish-speaking communities in the United States. Isaac received his PhD in linguistics from New York University and his Master's in Yiddish studies... Read More →


Monday June 8, 2020 12:00pm - 1:00pm AEST
ROOM 5

12:00pm AEST

Being Green and Jewish
CLICK HERE TO ENTER ZOOM ROOM 3
A panel discussion of younger and older activists about why and how their Jewishness led them logically and inevitably to join The Greens. Why Jews must engage in issues of human rights, peace, justice and
sustainability for all of humanity, not just for Jews, and for all societies, not just Israel. Why and how it is incumbent upon Jewish Greens to find ways of moving beyond standard defensive, alienated and
trauma laden reactions to perceptions of antisemitism, to develop productive and effective ways of imparting their insights, understandings and points of view, thereby impacting significantly on the outcome

Speakers
avatar for Dan Coleman

Dan Coleman

Dan Coleman was a founder of the North Carolina Green Party in 1985. His book, Ecopolitics: Building a Green Society, was published in 1994 by Rutgers University Press. Before moving to Australia, he served on the Carrboro, North Carolina city council. Currently, Dan is a contributing... Read More →
avatar for Miriam Solomon

Miriam Solomon

Miriam is the co-convenor of Jewish-Greens, an official working group of the Victorian Greens. She has been a life-long activist for social justice, peace and sustainability.
avatar for Maddy Blay

Maddy Blay

Maddy Blay was the merakezet of the Zionist youth movement, Hashomer Hatzair Australia. She writes about social and political justice and is studying politics and international relations.
avatar for David Zyngier

David Zyngier

David is the co-convenor of Jewish-Greens, an official working group of the Victorian Greens. He has been a life long activist for social justice, peace and sustainability.


Monday June 8, 2020 12:00pm - 1:00pm AEST
ROOM 3

12:00pm AEST

Owning your curls
CLICK HERE TO ENTER ZOOM ROOM 7
Curly girls, guys, and allies all welcome for a light-hearted but passionate look at embracing our Jewish curls as part of our identity politics. Come share your tips, tricks, and products to tame your frizz—but no straightening irons allowed.

Speakers
avatar for Sharon Berger

Sharon Berger

Sharon is the program manager at NIF Australia. A Limmud junkie, she writes a column for Plus61J. She was educated in 5 continents, including a BA from UC Berkeley and an MPhil in Modern ME Studies from Oxford. She is still in the midst of her curly hair journey.


Monday June 8, 2020 12:00pm - 1:00pm AEST
ROOM 7

12:00pm AEST

Proud to be Jewish; proud to be gay
CLICK HERE TO ENTER ZOOM ROOM 11
Jarod has had a long journey with his gayness. A longer one with his Judaism. His life has its share of conflict. Inner turmoil. Some painful memories. But the focus will be on the inspiring moments he has had on his Jewish gay journey. Ultimately, his life is a tale of unwavering love, positivity and understanding. Because he has waded through the darkness, the light shines twice as bright. And I’m here.

Speakers
avatar for Jarod Rhine-Davis

Jarod Rhine-Davis

Jarod is a Jewish gay man living his best life in Melbourne, and has a keen interest in bringing the Jewish and LGBTIQA+ communities together. He actively volunteers and as a job is involved in helping disadvantaged people to find employment. He is looking forward to sharing his... Read More →
avatar for Adam Samuel

Adam Samuel

Adam Samuel is a Jewish/gay award-winning radio broadcaster and journalist, working with KIIS, GOLD, 3AW and JOY 94.9, and notably associate producing the Melbourne AIDS Conference. Adam is also a festival and event MC, and is often seen walking along Glenhuntly Rd with a really large... Read More →


Monday June 8, 2020 12:00pm - 1:00pm AEST
ROOM 11

12:00pm AEST

An arrow in the eye of Satan! Judaism, disgust and morality: Qiddushin 81a-b
CLICK HERE TO ENTER ZOOM ROOM 1
The emotion of disgust has received increasing attention in social, political, legal and moral discourse in recent years. This session focuses on the Talmudic story of Satan’s encounter with Rabbi Plimo (Babylonian Talmud, Qiddushin 81a-b) as an entry point to exploring the role of disgust in Jewish Ethics. Following a close reading and analysis of the story, we will study other rabbinic and medieval sources to understand how disgust functions both as a moral challenge and a moral asset in the quest for holiness.

Speakers
avatar for Jeffrey Rubenstein

Jeffrey Rubenstein

Jeffrey L. Rubenstein is the Skirball Professor of Talmud and Rabbinic Literature in the Department of Hebrew and Judaic Studies of New York University. He received his B.A. in Religion from Oberlin College, his M.A. in Talmud from the Jewish Theological Seminary, where he also received... Read More →



Monday June 8, 2020 12:00pm - 1:00pm AEST
ROOM 1

12:15pm AEST

Lag Ba' Omer Bonfire Art Sculpture
CLICK HERE TO ENTER LITTLE LIMMUD ROOM
Using everyday house hold items you will create a beautiful sculpture depicting a bonfire.

Speakers
avatar for Karin Perez

Karin Perez

Karin has been teaching kids for a number of years. At the moment she is a youth coordinator for 6-12 at Central Synagogue as well the art and home tech teacher at Yeshiva College.



Monday June 8, 2020 12:15pm - 1:00pm AEST
Kids room

1:00pm AEST

Limmud Music for kids: Yonina
A taste of some Limmud music for kids- Yonina. Clap along!

Monday June 8, 2020 1:00pm - 1:15pm AEST
Kids room

6:30pm AEST

Israel’s Inexplicably Robust Democracy: Its Strengths, Weaknesses and Surprising Origins
CLICK HERE TO ENTER ZOOM ROOM 13
Israel lacks many of the institutions usually seen as necessary elements of a democracy: meaningful separation of powers, rights enshrined in constitutional law, or even an explicit liberal ethos at its founding. Yet this fragile political system has weathered wars and crises, the anxieties of vulnerability and the temptations of power, internal ethnic strife and civil unrest, and still managed to deliver prosperity and freedom for Israelis. Is its strength assured, or is the anxiety about its future justified? And what happens when it fails to deliver those things?

Speakers
avatar for Haviv Rettig Gur

Haviv Rettig Gur

A veteran Israeli-American journalist and analyst, Haviv serves as The Times of Israel’s senior analyst.He has reported from over 20 countries and served as director of communications for the JewishAgency for Israel, Israel’s largest NGO. He lectures on Israeli politics, the US-Israel... Read More →


Monday June 8, 2020 6:30pm - 7:30pm AEST
ROOM 13

6:30pm AEST

The Jews of Melbourne: views from abroad
CLICK HERE TO ENTER ZOOM ROOM 9
Rivke Margolis and David Slucki have recently moved to Melbourne from North America. Rivke arrived from Canada and David returned after nearly seven years in the United States. Together, they are embarking on a major project investigating the history of Melbourne’s Jewish life and culture. Please join them as they discuss their initial impressions of Melbourne Jewish life in 2020, and their vision for a project documenting its unique and vibrant cultural scene.

Speakers
avatar for David Slucki

David Slucki

David Slucki is an author and historian based in Melbourne, Australia. He is the Loti Smorgon Associate Professor in Contemporary Jewish Life and Culture in the Australian Centre for Jewish Civilisation, Monash University From 2013-2019, he was an assistant professor in Jewish Studies... Read More →
avatar for Rebecca Margolis

Rebecca Margolis

Professor Rebecca Margolis is Director and Pratt Foundation Chair of Jewish Civilisation at Monash University. Her research deals with migrant Jewish culture, notably the ways in which Yiddish language and culture has evolved over the last century. She is currently working on a project... Read More →


Monday June 8, 2020 6:30pm - 7:30pm AEST
ROOM 9

6:30pm AEST

Anti-Zionism: the newest iteration of the oldest hatred
CLICK HERE TO ENTER ZOOM ROOM 1
Leftist critics of Zionism argue that their animus toward the Jewish state is untainted by ethnic bigotry. But is their anti-Israel agitation merely the newest iteration of the oldest form of ethnic bigotry. In this session Australian Jewish Association Executive Director Ted Lapkin will argue that, beneath its rhetoric, anti-Zionism is the pernicious product of naive purblindness or animus against the Jewish people.

Speakers
avatar for David Adler

David Adler

Dr David Adler, President of the Australian Jewish Association (AJA), is a medical graduate of the University of NSW, where he also received the medical faculty prize for general proficiency and leadership.He is formerly the Deputy Medical Secretary of the Australian Medical Association... Read More →
avatar for Ted Lapkin

Ted Lapkin

Ted Lapkin is a prolific commentator on politics and public affairs whose work has appeared on the opinion pages of leading newspapers in both Australia and the United States.He was born in the United States, and his family immigrated to Israel when he was 12. Ted grew up in Israel... Read More →



Monday June 8, 2020 6:30pm - 7:30pm AEST
ROOM 1

6:30pm AEST

Growing up Jewish in Australia
CLICK HERE TO ENTER ZOOM ROOM 7
What was it like growing up Jewish in Australia during world War ll? In this provocative lecture based on her newly published book of the same name, author Helen Wolfers describes the challenges she experienced growing up as the daughter of Jewish immigrants in the xenophobic, virulently anti-Semitic Australia of her childhood. She takes us on a journey which is sure to stir many different reactions amongst its listeners of all generations, especially the children and grandchildren who may never before have heard about this aspect of their parents’ and grandparents’ lives.

Speakers
avatar for Helen Wolfers

Helen Wolfers

Helen was born in Sydney in 1932 and graduated from Sydney Girls High School in 1949 and from Melbourne University in 1956. She worked for the United Nations population control programs in Singapore, London and New York from 1965 to 1974. She lived in Israel from 1977 to 1994 and... Read More →


Monday June 8, 2020 6:30pm - 7:30pm AEST
ROOM 7

6:30pm AEST

The Jewish Left, ASIO and the Move to the Right
CLICK HERE TO ENTER ZOOM ROOM 11
Rather than theology, it was a series of historical occurrences that attracted Jews to the Left. This attraction resulted in surveillance by security agencies. Why were ASIO and its organisational predecessors preoccupied with the Jewish Left? Recent events have resulted in Jews shifting their political allegiance to the Right. This is a global trend. In Israel the social democrats have been replaced by coalitions of right-wing religious parties. What drove this political apostasy?

Speakers
avatar for Michael Komesaroff

Michael Komesaroff

A graduate in engineering who has spent a large part of his life living and working in Asia, Michael is also a freelance journalist and frequent contributor to conferences and journals on Asia and its economies. He was previously a faculty member of the School of International Affairs... Read More →


Monday June 8, 2020 6:30pm - 7:30pm AEST
ROOM 11

6:30pm AEST

Is Artificial Intelligence Jewish?
CLICK HERE TO ENTER ZOOM ROOM 5
Artificial Intelligence is embedded in our everyday life and increasingly underpins the economic and social foundations of our way of living. What is the Jewish cultural and social response to AI? How Jewish is AI? And what are the religious issues that will require a Halachik response to AI?

Speakers
avatar for Adam Slonim

Adam Slonim

Adam Slonim works professionally with the Australian Institute for Machine Learning at Adelaide University - number 3 in the world in Artificial Intelligence research. Adam has authored a policy paper on “AI and the Future of Work” and is a director of VorAI Systems, an AI start... Read More →


Monday June 8, 2020 6:30pm - 7:30pm AEST
ROOM 5

6:30pm AEST

My teacher, Nehama
CLICK HERE TO ENTER ZOOM ROOM 3
My teacher, Nehama Leibowitz, was arguably the greatest Torah scholar of the 20th century. Hear about her special qualities as a person and a scholar. After sharing memories of her teaching, we will learn a passage of Torah together according to Nehama's methodology.


Speakers
avatar for Peta Pellach

Peta Pellach

Senior Fellow, Kiverstein Institute
Peta is a co-founder of Limmud-Oz in Sydney and is now a teacher and activist in Jerusalem. She is an orthodox feminist, committed to interfaith dialogue. Senior Fellow, Kiverstein Institute; Director of Education, Elijah Interfaith Institute; co-founder, Praying Together in Jerusalem... Read More →



Monday June 8, 2020 6:30pm - 7:30pm AEST
ROOM 3

6:30pm AEST

Solitude vs isolation: how time alone shaped Jewish leaders
CLICK HERE TO ENTER ZOOM ROOM 15
The formative experiences of Jewish leaders in Tanach were often solitary and personal. We will explore how these experiences related to their subsequent approach to leadership challenges.

Speakers
avatar for Adam Taub

Adam Taub

Adam Taub has lectured at the London School of Jewish Studies for over 20 years. He co-developed the college's year-long courses: "'Tanach in a Year" and "Midrash" and developed its course on "The Sages of Mishnah".



Monday June 8, 2020 6:30pm - 7:30pm AEST
ROOM 15

6:30pm AEST

The Pub
CLICK HERE TO ENTER THE PUB
Got things to say about a session you were in?
Come join us down at The Pub where you can meet up with other willing participants and presenters and further the discussion.

Monday June 8, 2020 6:30pm - 9:30pm AEST
THE PUB

7:30pm AEST

60 minutes - Iron Lion Zion - songs of Zion
CLICK HERE TO ENTER ZOOM ROOM 6
The longing to return to Zion is a powerful metaphor that has inspired songwriters since the days of King David. In this session we will look at the history and variety of Zionides (songs about Zion) sung by Jews and non-Jews: from biblical psalms to Zionist anthems, from Gospel hymns to Broadway tunes, from folk rock to reggae and beyond. Artists discussed will include Harold Arlen, Jerry Herman, The Weavers, Peter, Paul & Mary, Don McLean, Bob Dylan, Leonard Cohen, Boney M, Bob Marley and Matisyahu.

Speakers
avatar for Gary Holzman

Gary Holzman

Founder and director of Shir Madness (Sydney’s Jewish music festival), Gary is an intellectual property lawyer with an encyclopaedic knowledge of the history of Jewish songwriters and performers and has shared his passion by giving numerous talks on the subject at Shalom, Moriah... Read More →


Monday June 8, 2020 7:30pm - 8:30pm AEST
ROOM 6

7:30pm AEST

Jewish visual artists from Chagall to Agam to Rothko
CLICK HERE TO ENTER ZOOM ROOM 12
Learn to recognise—and analyse—the work of Jewish visual artists from painters Marc Chagall, Mark Rothko and Ben Shahn to sculptors Yaacov Agam and Judy Chicago to photographers Diane Arbus and Annie Leibovitz, cartoonist Al Jaffee, pop artist Roy Lichtenstein, etc. Participants will identify their own insights into seminal works by these creative geniuses.

Speakers
avatar for David Benkof

David Benkof

David Benkof teaches "Jewish Culture 101" twice a week online. His classes (tinyurl.com/BenkofClasses) help students find meaning in cultural products like literature, musicals, art, music, and TV/film. His Jewish culture videos are available at youtube.com/user/DavidBenkof. He lives... Read More →


Monday June 8, 2020 7:30pm - 8:30pm AEST
ROOM 12

7:30pm AEST

Making sense of Israeli politics: Tal Schneider in conversation
CLICK HERE TO ENTER ZOOM ROOM 4
Join the award-winning chief political correspondent of the Israeli daily “Globes”, in conversation with Plus61J editor Dr Shahar Burla as they discuss how Israeli politics works and why it matters to us.

Speakers
avatar for Shahar Burla

Shahar Burla

Shahar Burla is a Sydney-based researcher and lecturer and a contributing editor for Plus61JMedia. Shahar holds a Master’s degree in political science from the Hebrew University and a PhD from Bar-Ilan University. He is the co-editor of “Australia and Israel: A Diasporic, Cultural... Read More →
avatar for Tal Schneider

Tal Schneider

Tal Schneider is the diplomatic and political correspondent for Globes Business Newspaper. A former D.C. correspondent for Maariv Daily and political blogger running her own political blog “The Plog”, Tal is a frequent commentator on Israeli radio & tv. She was ranked 32nd on... Read More →


Monday June 8, 2020 7:30pm - 8:30pm AEST
ROOM 4

7:30pm AEST

Communal resilience and the ultimate pivot
CLICK HERE TO ENTER ZOOM ROOM 10
We have all been talking about what has happened over the past few months, but now is the time to begin a forward focus look at what our communal Jewish landscape could look like. Whether it is philanthropy, support for Israel, cultural activities, or education – the world as we knew it has changed, and now we have the opportunity to shape the world we would like to see.


Speakers
avatar for Yigal Nissel

Yigal Nissel

Yigal Nisell is JNF Australia's Education Shaliach.Arriving in Australia in 2015, Yigal’s vision is to infuse a love and understanding of Israel through JNF. Yigal uses education and outreach programs in Jewish day schools and holiday camps, to demonstrate the tangible contributions... Read More →
avatar for Sue Meltzer

Sue Meltzer

Sue has been an Educator for over 30 years, both in teaching and management roles.The last 5 have been as the Principal of Kadimah School in Auckland New Zealand.Kadimah is state integrated school, we are state funded but we are able to keep our special character. This is a unique... Read More →
avatar for Tracie Olcha

Tracie Olcha

Tracie Olcha is CEO at the Australian Jewish Funders (AJF), the network of Jewish donors inspiring effective philanthropy and strengthening community. Driven by Jewish values, the AJF aims to provide a space to enhance and nurture strategic philanthropy, explore philanthropic best... Read More →
avatar for Alon Meltzer

Alon Meltzer

Alon is the Director of Programs at Shalom and Rabbi of Or Chadash Synagogue. He is studying a PhD in Law and has several degrees focusing on different passions. He loves to cook, paint, and learn. Father of 3 girls, he is a staunch Orthodox Feminist.
avatar for Stephen Chipkin

Stephen Chipkin

Three countries (South Africa, England and Australia)Four universities (Wits, Cape Town, Cambridge and UNSW)Four careers:Law (Freehills)Investment Banking (Ord Minnett/JP Morgan)Banking (Investec Bank Australia)Community (NSTE, Masada College and JCA) Current Community roles:President... Read More →


Monday June 8, 2020 7:30pm - 8:30pm AEST
ROOM 10

7:30pm AEST

A homicidal troll and the riddle of God’s name: identity in the digital age
CLICK HERE TO ENTER ZOOM ROOM 8
In a 2015 case of stolen identity, a white supremacist published a post on The Times of Israel using a Melbourne lawyer’s identity in a failed attempt to cause harm. The shocking incident raises questions about the meaning of “true” identity. Viewed through a Jewish lens, we consider our history of name switching, and our duty to both be who we are and become someone different.

Speakers
avatar for Miriam Herschlag

Miriam Herschlag

Miriam is editor of The Times of Israel’s opinion and blogging platform, a global marketplace of ideas committed both to embracing diversity and fostering community. She began as a reporter and anchor for Israel’s English radio and TV news, founded a Hong Kong-based business webzine... Read More →


Monday June 8, 2020 7:30pm - 8:30pm AEST
ROOM 8

7:30pm AEST

The climate crisis and need for cooperation in the Middle East
CLICK HERE TO ENTER ZOOM ROOM 2
EcoPeace Middle East is a unique organisation that brings together Jordanian, Palestinian, and Israeli environmentalists. In this session, you will hear about how they work to promote cross-border cooperative efforts in order to protect their shared environmental heritage.

Speakers
avatar for Ittay Flescher

Ittay Flescher

Ittay Flescher is the Education Director at Kids4Peace Jerusalem, an interfaith movement for Israelis and Palestinians and Israel Correspondent for Plu61J Media. He also frequently teaches on gap year programs about the identity, narratives and cultures of the people who call Jerusalem... Read More →
avatar for Gidon Bromberg

Gidon Bromberg

Gidon Bromberg is the co-founder and 25 year Israeli Director of EcoPeace Middle East. Gidon has written extensively on the relationship between water issues and Middle East peace.
avatar for Nada Majdalani

Nada Majdalani

Nada Majdalani is the Palestinian Director of EcoPeace Middle East and has served in leading technical positions with several international agencies in the areas of infrastructure development, mainly water and sanitation, sustainable and clear production as well as various tasks on... Read More →
avatar for Yana Abu Taleb

Yana Abu Taleb

Yana Abu Taleb is the Jordanian Director of EcoPeace Middle East. Yana leads EcoPeace activities concerning the Jordan River, the Dead Sea, the Good Water Neighbors and the Water Energy Nexus Projects.


Monday June 8, 2020 7:30pm - 8:30pm AEST
ROOM 2

7:30pm AEST

Remember Amalek: hatred and genocide in the Bible
CLICK HERE TO ENTER ZOOM ROOM 14
Amalek is traditionally perceived as Israel’s archrival enemy. To this day, the name Amalek is often heard in religious discourse, used as a code name for entities of ultimate evil that should be totally annihilated. What is the basis for this uncompromising idea? What does the pursuit of it reveal about the national ethos as well as the realpolitik of the ancient peoples, the Israelites and Amalekites? With no evidence for the existence of Amalek outside the Hebrew Bible, we are left with the biblical references to track the background, circumstances and drives that formed the merciless tradition about Amalek.

Speakers
GK

Gili Kugler

Dr Gili Kugler is a senior lecturer of Biblical Studies and Classical Hebrew at the University of Sydney. She holds a Ph.D. from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. Her research focuses on biblical traditions and theology with the use of historical-literary analysis of text composition... Read More →


Monday June 8, 2020 7:30pm - 8:30pm AEST
ROOM 14

7:30pm AEST

The Pub
CLICK HERE TO ENTER THE PUB
Got things to say about a session you were in?
Come join us down at The Pub where you can meet up with other willing participants and presenters and further the discussion.

Monday June 8, 2020 7:30pm - 8:30pm AEST
THE PUB

8:30pm AEST

Daniel Cainer in virtual concert
CLICK HERE TO ENTER ZOOM ROOM 3
Daniel returns to Oz virtually, for the first time since 2010 with his unique style of musical storytelling. The Stage wrote that ‘An hour in Cainer’s company is a true pleasure’. And the Edinburgh Festivals Guide Magazine wrote that ‘An extraordinary performer. His songs are at times heartbreakingly poignant, at other times laugh-out-loud funny. Utterly charming, highly recommended’.

Artists
avatar for Daniel Cainer

Daniel Cainer

 Daniel is a multi-award winning songwriter, storyteller, broadcaster. A veteran of six off-Broadway runs, 15 years at Edinburgh Fringe and concerts all around the world with his ever- evolving, Jewish themed stories-in-song. He composes for TV, theatre, radio, and temples. His music... Read More →


Monday June 8, 2020 8:30pm - 9:30pm AEST
ROOM 3

8:30pm AEST

The leap from Jewish high school to Jewish preschool teaching
CLICK HERE TO ENTER ZOOM ROOM 9
Having taught Jewish Studies for over 40 years at many levels, I now see how kids from 18 months to 18 years learn. I also endorse the choice of a Jewish preschool and day school for both formal and informal Jewish education. I will share what I have learnt about what pre schoolers learn in a Jewish pre school, how they learn, and what they take home to teach their families.

Speakers
avatar for Dianne Kuchar

Dianne Kuchar

Dianne Kuchar has been a Jewish studies teacher to middle and high school students for 40 years. It started by accident and became her passion, and then, again by accident, she found herself agreeing to teach pre-schoolers, which is now her new passion. She now runs Gittel’s List... Read More →


Monday June 8, 2020 8:30pm - 9:30pm AEST
ROOM 9

8:30pm AEST

Why Bibi wins and why you don't get it
CLICK HERE TO ENTER ZOOM ROOM 11
Bibi Netanyahu's electoral success has often confused many diaspora Jews. Israel's ethnic divisions are not often discussed outside the country but dominate the way many Israelis see their political system and themselves. The history of how Mizrachi Jews were treated in the first few decades of the state is essential to understanding Israel today. This conversation will be honest, brutal and, hopefully, enlightening.

Speakers
avatar for Zachary Gomo

Zachary Gomo

Zach Gomo is the head of Jewish Studies at Bialik College.


Monday June 8, 2020 8:30pm - 9:30pm AEST
ROOM 11

8:30pm AEST

Why I wrote The Ratline (and East West Street)
CLICK HERE TO ENTER ZOOM ROOM 1
"The Ratline" (https://www.amazon.com.au/Death-Vatican-Philippe-Sands/dp/1474608124/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1589194800&sr=1-1) is about the life and loves of Nazi fugitive Otto von Wachter and his wife Charlotte, and his effort to escape justice after the war. Based on their private archive, it offers a fascinating insight into post-war life in Rome, and the connections between the Vatican, the US, Nazis and fascists in Cold War Italy.

Speakers
avatar for Philippe Sands

Philippe Sands

Philippe Sands QC is Professor of Law at UCL and a practising barrister at Matrix Chambers. He appears as counsel before international courts and tribunals, and sits as an international arbitrator. He is author of Lawless World (2005) and Torture Team (2008) and several academic books... Read More →


Monday June 8, 2020 8:30pm - 9:30pm AEST
ROOM 1

8:30pm AEST

Writing a burning book: the secret archive of the Warsaw Ghetto
CLICK HERE TO ENTER ZOOM ROOM 13
From the end of 1940 until early 1943, Jews in Warsaw were cut off from news of what was happening around them. Nonetheless, many were aware of the Final Solution as it was being implemented, and had the opportunity to hide. In this session, we will appreciate the work of the archivists who recorded and disseminated information, providing future generations with an historical resource that is without peer.

Speakers
avatar for Simon Holloway

Simon Holloway

Simon Holloway is an Education Officer at the Sydney Jewish Museum, where he runs seminars on the Holocaust. He has a PhD in Classical Hebrew, but spends most of his time studying the rabbinic literature. He also has two children, whom he subjects to the Talmud on a daily basis.


Monday June 8, 2020 8:30pm - 9:30pm AEST
ROOM 13

8:30pm AEST

Soloveitchik and the GP
CLICK HERE TO ENTER ZOOM ROOM 7
Sharon Schwartz has been running a pharmacotherapy program to help opiate addicts within the friendly environment of a GP practice for 25 years. She will discuss the causes of opiate addiction and the manifold difficulties her patients face. She will explain how she uses the wisdom of our sages as a guide in this work.

Speakers
avatar for Sharon Schwartz

Sharon Schwartz

Married in 1977, graduated in 1983 and migrated from South Africa in 1988, Sharon has two daughters and has practised as a GP in a family medical clinic in Reservoir since 1989. She has been a member of the North Eastern Jewish War Memorial Centre since 1989 and is a regular shul... Read More →


Monday June 8, 2020 8:30pm - 9:30pm AEST
ROOM 7

8:30pm AEST

Emergence of Rabbinic Judaism and Early Christianity from 70-200
CLICK HERE TO ENTER ZOOM ROOM 5
Leon will lead a discussion with Dr Geoff Jenkins about the documentary evidence of what was happening in the period of 70-200 that led to early Judaism and Christianity.

Speakers
avatar for Leon Sterling

Leon Sterling

A computer scientist with an amateur interest in Jewish studies.
GJ

Geoff Jenkins

Formerly a senior lecturer in Classics at the University of Melbourne, Geoff is an expert on early texts. He has given courses at Melton.


Monday June 8, 2020 8:30pm - 9:30pm AEST
ROOM 5

8:30pm AEST

Why can't I find God?
CLICK HERE TO ENTER ZOOM ROOM 15
The problem of divine hiddeness has received a lot of attention from philosophers of religion in the last two decades or so. It's related to the problem of evil, but not identical. The problem of evil asks why a good God allows bad things to happen. This problem asks why God makes it so hard for us to believe in him.
In this session, we'll explore the problem and a number of philosophical responses. We'll end the session with an exploration of possible Jewish responses; including the kabbalistic notion of a levush - a garment that both conceals and reveals.

Speakers
avatar for Samuel Lebens

Samuel Lebens

Samuel Lebens is a philosopher at the University of Haifa, and an Orthodox rabbi. He works on the philosophy of fiction, the writings of Bertrand Russell, and the philosophy of Judaism. He is the co-founder of the Association for the Philosophy of Judaism, and the author of the "Principles... Read More →


Monday June 8, 2020 8:30pm - 9:30pm AEST
ROOM 15

8:30pm AEST

The Pub
CLICK HERE TO ENTER THE PUB
Got things to say about a session you were in?
Come join us down at The Pub where you can meet up with other willing participants and presenters and further the discussion.

Monday June 8, 2020 8:30pm - 9:30pm AEST
THE PUB
 
Saturday, June 13
 

7:15pm AEST

Havdallah
CLICK HERE TO ENTER ZOOM ROOM 1
Join us for a communal havdallah to mark the end of Shabbat and welcome a new week, and celebrate the final weekend of Limmud Oz & NZ online with a shower of light and song

Saturday June 13, 2020 7:15pm - 8:00pm AEST
ROOM 1

8:00pm AEST

CHUTNEY
CLICK HERE TO JOIN SESSION!
A hot, spicy blend of flavours, CHUTNEY puts a modern twist on klezmer music. Drawing on our Eastern European and Middle Eastern heritage, we play a high-energy mix of original compositions plus our own arrangements of traditional dance melodies, with a dash of gypsy jazz, tango and Israeli folk music thrown in for good measure. We have performed extensively throughout Sydney since our debut at Limmud Oz last year, and are excited to return to the Limmud stage! Comprising well-known Sydney musicians Ben Adler (violin), Paul Khodor (keyboard), Ben Samuels (clarinet), Oscar Gross (bass) and Matt Druery (drums).

Artists
avatar for Ben Adler

Ben Adler

Ben is a violinist and Artist in Residence at St Andrew's College, within the University of Sydney. He has toured nationally with the Australian Chamber Orchestra, and internationally with the Hillel String Quartet. Ben is a founding member of CHUTNEY, and also plays with Monsieur... Read More →
avatar for Ben Samuels

Ben Samuels

Benjamin Samuels is a clarinettist and saxophonist who is deeply involved in Sydney’s music scene. Since his studies, he has been touring and playing worldwide with many different outfits and performing all over Australia, Europe, America, India and Israel at major festivals. Additionally... Read More →
avatar for Matt Druery

Matt Druery

A multi-instrumentalist, singer/songwriter and film composer, Matt Druery has studied at Berklee College of Music & Sydney Conservatorium of Music. Collaborating with countless musicians worldwide, as well as releasing music under his own name, Matt is quickly building his name in... Read More →
avatar for Oscar Gross

Oscar Gross

Multi-instrumentalist and singer-songwriter, Oscar Joe, is a busily gigging musician around the Sydney scene, and has recently returned from a Japanese tour with local band, Sal & the Mandas. He also composes for film and TV, and has won Best Original Song at the 2018 Screen Music... Read More →
avatar for Paul Khodor

Paul Khodor

For the past 15 years, Paul has been an integral part of the Sydney Jewish music community. He has been the accompanist of numerous Jewish ensembles, is the resident keyboardist of Emanuel Synagogue's Shabbat Live band and is a founding member of CHUTNEY.


Saturday June 13, 2020 8:00pm - 9:00pm AEST
Facebook LIVE

8:00pm AEST

Krakow. New York. Melbourne: new cultural organisations ruffling feathers and reconnecting communities
CLICK HERE TO ENTER ZOOM ROOM 10
Jewish disengagement is one of the great threats to Jewish culture and continuity today. But is the problem a lack of interest in Jewish culture or are we not adapting to the needs and values of our diverse communities? Join us for a conversation between three arts and culture organisations from New York (Alma), Krakow (FestivALT) and Melbourne (FOJAM) and how their work attempts to invite non-traditional entry points into Jewish cultural practice through arts programming, journalism and activism.

Speakers
avatar for Lior Albeck-Ripka

Lior Albeck-Ripka

Lior Albeck-Ripka is the Artistic Director of Melbourne's FOJAM (Festival of Jewish Arts and Music) and founder of Hear Them Holler, Melbourne based artist management and events agency.
avatar for Michael Rubenfeld

Michael Rubenfeld

Michael Rubenfeld is a performance maker, cultural producer, playwright and actor, originally from Winnipeg, Canada and now residing in Krakow, Poland. Much of his performance work revolves around exploring contemporary Polish-Jewry. He is the producer of a Canadian Edfringe venue... Read More →
avatar for Magda Rubenfeld Koralewska

Magda Rubenfeld Koralewska

Magda is a graphic designer, community builder, social entrepreneur and activist. She is particularly passionate about social change at the intersection of education and the arts. Co-director of FestivALT, she also serves as Limmud's Regional Coordinator for Central and Eastern E... Read More →
avatar for Molly Tolsky

Molly Tolsky

Molly Tolsky is the founder and editor of Alma (heyalma.com), a Jewish culture site from 70 Faces Media. Previously the editor of Kveller, Molly holds an MFA in Fiction Writing from Sarah Lawrence College and is also senior editor of the literary journal, No Tokens. She lives in Brooklyn, New York and online at @mollytolsky. You can read... Read More →


Saturday June 13, 2020 8:00pm - 9:00pm AEST
ROOM 10

8:00pm AEST

Who can guess the moment? Jewish poets from Sri Lanka, India and Congo
CLICK HERE TO ENTER ZOOM ROOM 8
Poets make singular observers of their lives and times. Meet three Jewish poets whose legacy (in the case of the late Ranasinghe and Ezekiel) and work (in the case of Habib) has been to capture their very different diaspora perspectives in stanza and verse. Spanning Germany and England during the Shoah, the heyday of the Indian advertising industry and ghosts of the Judiera of Rhodos, these poets and their writing each tell us essential truths about being Jewish.

Speakers
avatar for Issac Habib

Issac Habib

I was born in the Democratic Republic of Congo to Jewish parents who immigrated there from the Island of Rhodes, part of Greece since 1947.I am partly retired from teaching French, Spanish , history and geography in secondary school .For the last nine years, I have been going to Rhodes... Read More →
avatar for Andrew Harris

Andrew Harris

Andrew is a writer and photographer based in Melbourne with an interest in stories of Jewish communities off the beaten path.


Saturday June 13, 2020 8:00pm - 9:00pm AEST
ROOM 8

8:00pm AEST

Lessons from loss. Is there an ethical teaching moment in Holocaust experience?
CLICK HERE TO ENTER ZOOM ROOM 4
The history of the Holocaust provides both the historical and conceptual grounding for a variety of ethics-focussed education programmes internationally. In recent years, this ‘watershed event’ has also become a touchstone for educational initiatives that seek to teach civics and citizenship, highlight contemporary instances of discrimination and injustice, and advocate for human rights. While diverse in both approach and content, one question that all Holocaust and related education programmes must confront is how they will use this largely cruel and nihilistic history to cultivate citizens and societies embodying its very opposite. Such a stark contrast between content and goals highlights the difficulties inherent in bringing the complexities of the past to bear on the needs of the present. It also raises questions as to the efficacy and ethics of doing so. In this session, we will address these and related questions, asking what the future of Holocaust education might look like, a poignant and pressing question as we witness the passing of the survivor generation.

Speakers
avatar for Avril Alba

Avril Alba

Senior Lecturer in Holocaust Studies and Jewish Civilisation, University of Sydney
Avril Alba is Senior Lecturer in Holocaust Studies and Jewish Civilisation in the Department of Hebrew, Biblical and Jewish Studies at the University of Sydney. She teaches and researches in the areas of Holocaust and modern Jewish history with a focus on Jewish and Holocaust mus... Read More →



Saturday June 13, 2020 8:00pm - 9:00pm AEST
ROOM 4

8:00pm AEST

Trump’s peace plan: taking a closer look
CLICK HERE TO ENTER ZOOM ROOM 6
Trump's newly announced peace plan for Israel-Palestine is titled "Peace to Prosperity" but is better known as the "Deal of the Century". The plan had been both praised and criticised even before it came out. But a knee jerk reaction is not enough, and a thorough examination of the plan is required to understand its potential impact on the future of the conflict. On what principles is the plan based? How does it address the new developments in the region? What plausible outcomes could it lead to? How can it succeed where other plans failed?

Speakers
avatar for Oren Thaler

Oren Thaler

Moved to Sydney with my family from Jerusalem four years ago. I have a BA in Middle East studies and currently completing a Masters in Peace and Conflict studies in Sydney University. I teach a course on the History of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in Melton.


Saturday June 13, 2020 8:00pm - 9:00pm AEST
ROOM 6

8:00pm AEST

The Pub
CLICK HERE TO ENTER THE PUB
Got things to say about a session you were in?
Come join us down at The Pub where you can meet up with other willing participants and presenters and further the discussion.

Saturday June 13, 2020 8:00pm - 10:00pm AEST
THE PUB

9:00pm AEST

Jewish and Middle Eastern music fusion
CLICK HERE TO ENTER ZOOM ROOM 7
A look "under the hood" of productions by Keshet that involved fusion of Jewish and Middle Eastern music with contemporary western. A case in point will be the implantation of "Mikolot Mayim Rabim" into a new opera in a development that explores the lives of Jews during the holocaust.

Speakers
avatar for Keshet Kesh

Keshet Kesh

The creator of various concept projects, Keshet’s music covers Middle Eastern to Blues, Rock, Metal, Funk, Progressive and more. After creating Perth’s first original Rock Opera – The Diments, Keshet has worked in the official production of Jesus Christ Superstar, We Will Rock... Read More →


Saturday June 13, 2020 9:00pm - 10:00pm AEST
ROOM 7

9:00pm AEST

Jewish filmmakers: Jewish films
CLICK HERE TO ENTER ZOOM ROOM 1
A panel discussion with three Jewish filmmakers whose films contain Jewish themes and content. Filmmakers: Danny Ben Moshe ("Shalom Bollywood", "My Mother's Lost Children" and "Outback Rabbis"), Eve Ash ("Man on the Bus" and "Undercurrent") and Esther Takac ("We Don't Want You Here" (in development)); moderated by film lawyer Shaun Miller who has done "legal" work on all of these film projects. The panel discussion will explore what inspires their films, the practicalities of financing, producing and distributing their films, and advice for aspiring filmmakers.

Links to videos
Shalom Bollywood: The Untold Story of Indian Cinema
WDWYH TEASER 2020
Man On The Bus - Trailer

Speakers
avatar for Shaun Miller

Shaun Miller

Shaun Miller is a film and entertainment lawyer based in Melbourne. He predominantly represents production companies that produce film content, including feature films, documentaries and short films. Shaun has also been the Executive Producer on numerous films.
avatar for Danny Ben-Moshe

Danny Ben-Moshe

Danny grew up in London. After completing a law degree, Danny began a career as a documentary filmmaker. His award-winning films have been shown in film festivals around the world and been distributed far and wide theatrically, on television and other media platforms.
avatar for Eve Ash

Eve Ash

Eve is a trained psychologist who cut her teeth by making workplace training videos in the 1980s and beyond. She has been on the boards of Film Victoria and the Australian Film Institute. Eve has a strong sense of social justice which is reflected in her films.
avatar for Esther Takac

Esther Takac

Esther is a child and adult psychologist who delivers training on trauma. She’s also the author of “Genesis the Book with Seventy Faces” (National Jewish Book Award), a novella and a picture book. An experienced “genre crosser”, she's currently working on a documentary about... Read More →


Saturday June 13, 2020 9:00pm - 10:00pm AEST
ROOM 1

9:00pm AEST

The demise of liberal democracy as seen through “The West Wing”
CLICK HERE TO ENTER ZOOM ROOM 5
When Aaron Sorkin’s “The West Wing” first aired from 1999-2006, it was revolutionary, must-watch television. Throughout its run, the show confronted many of the same dilemmas we still face, including the left-right divide, impeachment of a president, creative solutions to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, racism and hate crimes. Join superfan Liam Getreu as we dive into the archives and pick up The West Wing’s lessons for our current political world.

Speakers
avatar for Liam Getreu

Liam Getreu

Liam is executive director of the New Israel Fund in Australia, a former national chair of the Australian Zionist Youth Council (AZYC) and the Australasian Union of Jewish Students (AUJS), and a graduate of Bialik College and Habonim Dror.


Saturday June 13, 2020 9:00pm - 10:00pm AEST
ROOM 5

9:00pm AEST

Love in the time of corona
CLICK HERE TO ENTER ZOOM ROOM 3
Gabriel Garcia Marquez gave me the title, but the world today is very different from anything that even he could have imagined. Managing relationships—established and longterm, just beginning, hooking up, or developing something that was in the pipeline and "getting somewhere" before the virus hit. Each stage of relationship has its own challenges in the new world. What can we learn from the past and how can we apply it to our lives now?

Speakers
avatar for Amanda Gordon

Amanda Gordon

Clinical Psychologist, Armchair Psychology
Amanda has been confronted with every question imaginable over decades of psychology practice and talkback radio. A past president of the Australian Psychological Society, an advocate for her profession for asylum seekers, a founder of the Bendi Lango Indigenous bursary for psychologists... Read More →


Saturday June 13, 2020 9:00pm - 10:00pm AEST
ROOM 3

9:00pm AEST

The Pub
CLICK HERE TO ENTER THE PUB
Got things to say about a session you were in?
Come join us down at The Pub where you can meet up with other willing participants and presenters and further the discussion.

Saturday June 13, 2020 9:00pm - 10:00pm AEST
THE PUB

10:10pm AEST

Trivia with Dane (Pub Quiz)
CLICK HERE TO ENTER THE PUB
Join our quiz master, Dane, for a 45 minute Jewish knowledge trivia extravaganza.

Speakers
avatar for Dane Stern

Dane Stern

Dane is a Limmud junkie who is passionate about local and global Jewish community affairs. He is a member of the Limmud Sydney Advisory Board and co-chaired Limmud Fest 2014. In his life outside Limmud, Dane is on the Executive Committee of the NSW Jewish Board of Deputies and works... Read More →


Saturday June 13, 2020 10:10pm - 11:00pm AEST
THE PUB
 
Sunday, June 14
 

10:00am AEST

“Mum why does he walk like that?”
CLICK HERE TO ENTER LITTLE LIMMUD ROOM
Interactive session to explore practical ways to be more inclusive of others in our daily lives and the importance of open dialogue, and how it’s ok to ask questions.  

Speakers
avatar for Menucha Cooper

Menucha Cooper

Inclusion
I’m a proud mum of 5 beautiful children and part of the Chabad Malvern team. Our 4th child Mendy has Angelman syndrome. I’m passionate about creating awareness about the importance of inclusion in our community and schools and making sure every person belongs and is included... Read More →



Sunday June 14, 2020 10:00am - 10:45am AEST
Kids room

10:00am AEST

Krakow to Krypton: Jews and the Marvel of comics
CLICK HERE TO ENTER ZOOM ROOM 13
Blockbuster success has brought significant attention to comics and graphic novels in recent years. While many critics dismiss the industry as simple stories of superheroes for teens—fantastic tales of super-strength, invisibility, or adamantium claws. We will delve into the underlying Jewish themes and concepts found throughout the world of the superhero. From Krakow to Krypton, Auschwitz to Haifa, Berlin to New York, go behind the mask and beneath the cape to reveal the marvellous Jewish history of comics and the superhero phenomenon.

Speakers
avatar for Daniel Rosenbaum

Daniel Rosenbaum

Daniel holds a BA in Film, Media Studies, Political Science and International Relations from Victoria University of Wellington and is currently studying towards a Master’s in e-Government. Daniel works for the NZ Department of Internal Affairs. In 2018 Daniel completed the Israeli... Read More →


Sunday June 14, 2020 10:00am - 11:00am AEST
ROOM 13

10:00am AEST

Australian Sephardi memoirs and histories
CLICK HERE TO ENTER ZOOM ROOM 7
Jews of Sephardi and Middle Eastern backgrounds were part of Australia’s post-war migrants. Most were expelled from traditional and ancient homelands in Arab and Islamic countries. Their experiences included well-integrated idyllic lives, brutal pogroms and the Holocaust. This session will describe the life’s journeys of several “Sephardi” Jews from Melbourne and Sydney. A further insight into Sephardi life will be highlighted through photographs of historic Jewish sites in Turkey, in the Greek cities of Iaonnina and Thessaloniki (Salonica) and the islands of Rhodes and Kos. The presentation will begin and end with a few minutes of traditional Sephardi music.

Speakers
avatar for Myer Bloom

Myer Bloom

Myer Bloom is a former teacher and tutor and interviewer of Holocaust survivors. He has published two books, occasional short articles and has delivered papers on Jewish themes at academic conferences. His Jewish research includes visits to Jewish historic sites in Eastern Europe... Read More →



Sunday June 14, 2020 10:00am - 11:00am AEST
ROOM 7

10:00am AEST

Physicians, Soviet Jewry and peace activism
CLICK HERE TO ENTER ZOOM ROOM 11
In 1985, International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War (IPPNW) won the Nobel Peace Prize. Soviet and American physicians came together for the cause of peace at a time when Cold War tensions flared. With decades of antinuclear and antiwar activism under his belt, American co-founder and Harvard cardiologist Bernard Lown led the way. But many thought he had a moral obligation to bully pulpit to press the cause of Soviet Jewry, particularly given his collaboration with prominent physicians on the other side of the Iron Curtain. Based on Lown's own archive, this talk explores these competing demands.

Speakers
avatar for Paula Michaels

Paula Michaels

Paula Michaels’ work bridges the histories of Eastern and Western Europe, integrating the USSR into a pan-European and global narrative through the study of social and cultural history. Michaels is especially interested in the ways that medicine is mobilised to further political... Read More →


Sunday June 14, 2020 10:00am - 11:00am AEST
ROOM 11

10:00am AEST

Tikkun Olam: be careful what you ask for
CLICK HERE TO ENTER ZOOM ROOM 9
Tikkun Olam has developed to mean almost anything to to anybody and thus to mean almost nothing at all. How can we remedy this?

Speakers
avatar for Mannie Gross

Mannie Gross

Attended Mount Scopus College & Melbourne Uni. Interested in biblical archaelogy, Dead Sea Scrolls & the historical development of different strands of Judaism


Sunday June 14, 2020 10:00am - 11:00am AEST
ROOM 9

10:00am AEST

Covid, the Holocaust and God
CLICK HERE TO ENTER ZOOM ROOM 3
When tragedy strikes, we commonly ask questions like "Where is God?" and "What does this mean?". Generally satisfying answers to our questions are not forthcoming, sometimes straining our relationship with God. In this session, we will examine a Midrashic text which will open up a novel perspective on how to grapple with the issue.

Speakers
avatar for Danny Eisenberg

Danny Eisenberg

Danny is an Orthodox rabbi who studied in Israel for a decade. After communal roles at JLC, Or Chadash and the Torah Mitzion Kollel, he is now a member of the Sydney Kollel and works as a software developer at the Climate Change Research Centre at UNSW.


Sunday June 14, 2020 10:00am - 11:00am AEST
ROOM 3

10:00am AEST

Four exiles and four spiritual revolutions
CLICK HERE TO ENTER ZOOM ROOM 5
A whirlwind tour of 3,000 years of Judaism, focusing on three spiritual revolutions and the exiles that led to each. Then the most recent revolution: modern Judaism. How are we, today, like the prophets and like the authors of the Talmud? How is 21st-century Australia like the Golden Age of Spain? And what will we build for future generations?


Speakers
avatar for Joel Hoffman

Joel Hoffman

Joel M Hoffman focuses on bringing the Bible to life and is known for his "fresh insights and interpretations about religious life in the 21st century". A popular speaker, he presents to churches, synagogues, community groups, and university audiences across the world. He holds a... Read More →


Sunday June 14, 2020 10:00am - 11:00am AEST
ROOM 5

10:00am AEST

The case for Jewish women: exploring where feminists went wrong
CLICK HERE TO ENTER ZOOM ROOM 1
This session looks at the place of Jewish women in Judaism historically and halachically. Topics include the mechitza, minyan, home vs. synagogue, sexuality, female spirituality and more. As a modern orthodox Rebbetzin, and a passionate feminist, Deb challenges the notion that Orthodox Judaism is sexist against women. This session provides an opportunity to look into our holy texts, consider historical contexts and challenge Post-modern criticisms of Judaism.

Speakers
avatar for Deb Levy Friedler

Deb Levy Friedler

Deb Levy Friedler is the Rebbetzin of the Auckland Hebrew Congregation. She's known for her warm and engaging style. Born in Auckland, the granddaughter of Holocaust survivors, she has been involved in Jewish and wider community leadership as a counsellor, educator, youth worker... Read More →


Sunday June 14, 2020 10:00am - 11:00am AEST
ROOM 1

10:45am AEST

Activities with Gemma
Varied activities for mind and body. Sing along with Gemma.

Speakers
avatar for Gemma Ashley Kaplan

Gemma Ashley Kaplan

Gemma Ashley Studios
Gemma is a mother, wife and all round creative. From voicing children’s animations and playing leading roles in professional musical theatre, to renovating properties and designing exquisite home interiors, Gemma has a wealth of knowledge in all things ‘arts’. She is passionate... Read More →


Sunday June 14, 2020 10:45am - 11:00am AEST
Kids room

11:00am AEST

Return to Jerusalem via Code
CLICK HERE TO ENTER THE LITTLE LIMMUD ROOM
Children will learn the basics of coding using block learning method.
Please download and print the worksheet (attached) in preparation for the session.
For ages 7-12.

Speakers
avatar for Ilan Perez

Ilan Perez

Cool Kids Code
Ilan has over 20 years of experience in the online space and has been programming since he was 12. He has a bachelor’s degree in Computer Science and Information Systems and Graduate Diploma of Data Science from Monash University.



Sunday June 14, 2020 11:00am - 11:45am AEST
Kids room

11:00am AEST

Writing the Holocaust for children: why the truth still matters
CLICK HERE TO ENTER ZOOM ROOM 4
Ten years ago, at the 'any questions' stage of a talk, a young man asked 'Who is Hitler?' Of 200 students about half had heard of him, but usually only as a cliche villain. History must be retold each generation, or we forget. Each generation, too, needs to find new parallels and relevance to their own lives, or the future they will help create. The Holocaust was so vast - and in many ways with us still - and no one or even a million stories can ecompass it. But mostly the books I can set with the Holocaust as a background, Hilter's daughter, Pennies for Hitler, and Goodbye Mr Hitler, were written because when times are at their hardest humans are also capable of the greatest kindness, compassion and innovation. The Holocaust shows the evil humanity is capable of. But as I talked to its survivors, I also saw its greatness.

Speakers
avatar for Jackie French

Jackie French

Jackie is an author, the 2015 Senior Australian of the Year, 2014-215 Australian Children's Laureate, patron of organisations for children's literature, theatre, ecology and literacy.


Sunday June 14, 2020 11:00am - 12:00pm AEST
ROOM 4

11:00am AEST

Israel and the Asia Pacific Region – New Frontiers
CLICK HERE TO ENTER ZOOM ROOM 2
The Asia-Pacific region is commonly identified as the most dynamic in the global arena in terms of economic, political, demographic, security/defense and other criteria. Israel’s relations with the region have grown exponentially in recent years and not only with India and China.
In light of recent global events, how is Israel managing the tensions between China and the US? Ho has this impacted the Middle East? Can the Asia-Pacific region replace the traditional focuses of Israel’s foreign policy? What have the two sides gained from this relationship?

Speakers
avatar for Mark Sofer

Mark Sofer

Mark Sofer is the Ambassador of Israel to Australia. Mark Sofer is a career diplomat with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. His distinguished career with the Ministry has seen him posted to Peru, Norway, and New York, before being appointed as Ambassador to Ireland, and later as Ambassador... Read More →


Sunday June 14, 2020 11:00am - 12:00pm AEST
ROOM 2

11:00am AEST

A tour of Jewish medieval Spain
CLICK HERE TO ENTER ZOOM ROOM 16
Paul Forgasz has conducted several highly successful tours of Jewish medieval Spain. Using the tour itinerary as a point of reference, in this illustrated lecture Paul will explore the trajectory of this most fascinating of episodes in the history of the Jewish people. Walking in the footsteps of the Jews of medieval Spain, we will explore the various dilemmas which confronted them and relive the momentous events which shaped their lives and destinies

Speakers
avatar for Paul Forgasz

Paul Forgasz

Paul Forgasz was headmaster of Mount Scopus College’s secondary school and taught Jewish history at Monash University’s ACJC. He contributes to the Jewish Museum of Australia's community education program and has led Jewish study tours to various European destinations. In 2022... Read More →



Sunday June 14, 2020 11:00am - 12:00pm AEST
ROOM 16

11:00am AEST

Bubka: from the shtetl to the world stage
CLICK HERE TO ENTER ZOOM ROOM 10
Baking is having a resurgence and so are bubka recipes. Bubka conjures up tradition, memories of childhood and that magical first bite of gooey chocolate and rich buttery dough. From humble beginnings to Seinfeld, and recipes by celebrated chefs like Martha Stewart and Ottolenghi, bubka has evolved and become famous. I love bubka and will share my nanna's bubka story and history along with the historical significance of bubka in the world. I will also share an online demonstration of the best bubka recipe I've discovered.

Speakers
avatar for Sarah Chowen

Sarah Chowen

Sarah is 3rd generation to food entrepreneurs. Her grandparents and parents were influential on the NZ palette. They introduced cottage cheese, bagels, hummus, fresh pasta and gelato. Both her siblings have bakeries. Sarah does cooking demonstrations and online video recipes. Ingrained... Read More →


Sunday June 14, 2020 11:00am - 12:00pm AEST
ROOM 10

11:00am AEST

Respectable and convicted? The story of middle-class Jewish convicts
CLICK HERE TO ENTER ZOOM ROOM 6
Jews were present in Australia at first European settlement. But Jews were disproportionately transported, at approximately five times their population average within Britain. Was this a consequence of prevailing social conditions, or the perception of Jews by the influential social commentators? We have all heard the stories of convicts who stole a pocket handkerchief, what about those who committed white collar crimes? This session will consider middle-class Jewish convicts, and reflect on the contribution their education brought to this new society

Speakers
avatar for Sue Silberberg

Sue Silberberg

University of Melbourne
Dr Sue Silberberg is an academic historian and heritage consultant with a doctorate from the University of Melbourne. She was also educated at Monash University, Deakin University and the International Centre for the Conservation of Cultural Material (ICCROM). Previously she worked... Read More →


Sunday June 14, 2020 11:00am - 12:00pm AEST
ROOM 6

11:00am AEST

Vegan for beginners (It's Kosher!)
CLICK HERE TO ENTER ZOOM ROOM 8
“I would love to go vegan, but what do I eat?" Once considered niche, veganism is now mainstream. This interactive workshop will keep you up-to-date, covering the basics of vegan cooking and answering all your questions. What is tofu and how do I make it taste good? Can I really bake without eggs? We'll also discuss why a plant-based diet is better for our health, animal welfare and the environment, and how perfectly it aligns with Jewish values

Speakers
avatar for Renee Dvir

Renee Dvir

Renee is from Israel and moved to Sydney after some time in New York. Originally vegan for the animals, Renee now teaches cooking classes to spread information about the benefits of veganism to health, the environment and animals. Besides her IT job, Renee is a vegan activist, photographer... Read More →


Sunday June 14, 2020 11:00am - 12:00pm AEST
ROOM 8

11:00am AEST

Varieties of Yiddishism for the 21st Century
CLICK HERE TO ENTER ZOOM ROOM 17
Rokhl Kafrissen came to Yiddish as a young adult in college in the late 1990s. In the intervening two decades, the Yiddish world has changed and grown in some surprising ways. Today, interest in Yiddish comes from many places, and with many kinds of politics. Join Rokhl as she reflects on her own journey to Yiddish and what she sees as the future for Yiddishism.

Speakers
avatar for Rokhl Kafrissen

Rokhl Kafrissen

Rokhl is a journalist and playwright in New York City. She spent many years as a supertitle operator for New York's lively Yiddish theater scene, an experience which planted the seed for her new play, Shtumer Shabes. Her ‘Rokhl’s Golden City’ column covers new Yiddish art and... Read More →


Sunday June 14, 2020 11:00am - 12:00pm AEST
ROOM 17

11:00am AEST

Welcoming a big-nosed supporter of evil whose people kill prophets
CLICK HERE TO ENTER ZOOM ROOM 14
Indonesia is the world's most populous Muslim-majority nation, an important neighbour of Australia and a vibrant multicultural and multi-religious society. With a miniscule Jewish population, a cultural awareness of Jews and proud of anti-Israel foreign policies. What do Indonesians know about Jews, Judaism and Israel? What do they ask a Jewish Australian when told everything is on the table? Spoiler:nose size, kippot, apes and pigs, tephillin and Shimon Peres' cooking may well be mentioned...

Speakers
avatar for Jeremy Jones

Jeremy Jones

Writer, public speaker, dialogian, researcher, photographer, traveller, Pentecost Islander initiate, Australian Human Rights Medal Winner, Australian representative at UN meetings and Asia/Pacific Dialogues, Multicultural Advisor, anti-racism activist, cartoon character on Japanese... Read More →


Sunday June 14, 2020 11:00am - 12:00pm AEST
ROOM 14

11:00am AEST

Kohanim and Contemporary Issues: Three Questions
CLICK HERE TO ENTER ZOOM ROOM 12
In this session, we will take a look at three fascinating contemporary issues having to do with the status of Kohanim. The commandment to avoid ritual impurity from the dead still applies to Kohanim in modernity. But what does this mean practically? Can a Kohen be a doctor? Is a Kohen who himself has killed allowed to bless the community during dukhaning? And would the wife of a Kohen pregnant with a baby boy need to herself avoid contact with the dead, and if so, are they obligated to find out the baby's gender, now that technology makes this easy?

Speakers
avatar for Philip Kaplan

Philip Kaplan

Phil Kaplan grew up in New York. He graduated from CUNY Queens College with a BA in Jewish Studies and received semicha from Yeshivat Chovevei Torah. Rabbi Phil moved to Sydney with his wife Abra in July of 2019 where he serves as Associate Rabbi at The Great Synagogue.



Sunday June 14, 2020 11:00am - 12:00pm AEST
ROOM 12

11:45am AEST

Story time
Story time with Wendy and Justine. Anyone feel like chicken soup?

Speakers
avatar for PJ Library

PJ Library

Shalom
PJ Library provides free Jewish books as a gift from generous funders, JCA and the Besen Family Foundation for all families raising Jewish children. We welcome you whether you grew up attending synagogue regularly or have married into a Jewish family.  Each month your child will... Read More →


Sunday June 14, 2020 11:45am - 12:00pm AEST
Kids room

12:00pm AEST

Ruach
CLICK HERE TO ENTER LITTLE LIMMUD ROOM
Dance and movement session, featuring some old classics and exciting new songs!
Bonus points if you wear a costume!

Speakers
avatar for Sarah Winthrope

Sarah Winthrope

Bnei Akiva
Sarah holds the position of Rosh Chinuch at Bnei Akiva Australia respectively. She from Yavneh in 2016, and is passionate about Jewish education. She loves musicals, boardgames, and of course, Ruach!
avatar for Eitan Meyerowitz

Eitan Meyerowitz

Hineni
Eitan holds the position of Rosh Chinuch at Hineni Australia. He graduated from Yavneh in 2016, and is passionate about Jewish education. He loves musicals, boardgames, and of course, Ruach!


Sunday June 14, 2020 12:00pm - 12:45pm AEST
Kids room

12:00pm AEST

All about Chava: the representation of queer Jewish women in film
CLICK HERE TO ENTER ZOOM ROOM 15
From the lounge-rooms of Sydney, we bring you a taste of HaSodot, our grassroots film club catering to queer Jewish women. Join us as we watch and discuss the portrayal of queer Jewish women in contemporary film and television. We will examine the ways in which television and film represent (or misrepresent) our experiences and how this may impact our lives and identities.

Speakers
avatar for Shoshana Gottlieb

Shoshana Gottlieb

Shoshana is a writer and playlist maker based in sydney. She spends her time watching, reading about, and discussing film and television. her mother thinks she would’ve made a great doctor.


Sunday June 14, 2020 12:00pm - 1:00pm AEST
ROOM 15

12:00pm AEST

March of the Living: unlocking my identity treasure chest
CLICK HERE TO ENTER ZOOM ROOM 7
Dean, Ben, Julia and Gary have all shared the phenomenal experience of going on March of the Living, as participants or leaders, and some as both! What they share is a fundamental appreciation and acknowledgement that the program played an integral part in defining / shaping / clarifying for each one of them who they are as individuals; how they wish to live their lives; what is important to them; where they want to focus their time and efforts and so much more. March of the Living was instrumental in opening up the treasure chest of their identities.

Speakers
avatar for Gary Samowitz

Gary Samowitz

Hakoah
Gary has a long history of working in the non-profit industry and across many realms of the Australian Jewish community. He worked for ten years as the CEO of Stand Up and prior to that was the Hillel Director in Sydney where he mentored and trained Jewish university students, and... Read More →
avatar for Julia Sussman

Julia Sussman

Julia Sussman is the Managing Director and Co-Founder of Youth HEAR, an organisation dedicated to mitigating hate in society by connecting young people emotionally with the memory of the Holocaust.  Julia’s role is driven by her motivation to stand up for those who cannot do so... Read More →
avatar for Ben De Winter

Ben De Winter

Ben returned from March of the Living with a clear passion and drive to become involved in giving back to the community. This came to the fore when he spent 3 years volunteering with Flying Fox, a youth led organisation that opens life changing opportunities for kids with special... Read More →
avatar for Dean Levitan

Dean Levitan

After returning from March of the Living, Dean Co-founded "YAGID" - Youth Against Genocide in Darfur. His ongoing involvement in social activism continued via engagement at Stand Up as Campaigns Coordinator and currently as a Director on the Board of Stand Up whilst practicing law... Read More →


Sunday June 14, 2020 12:00pm - 1:00pm AEST
ROOM 7

12:00pm AEST

Polish Jewish women on the eve of the Holocaust
CLICK HERE TO ENTER ZOOM ROOM 11
What was life like for young Jewish women coming of age in 1930s Poland? Drawing upon an incredible collection of autobiographies written by Polish Jews on the eve of the Holocaust, this session explores the lives of Jewish women in interwar Poland, and illuminates their struggle to determine who they were, where they belonged, and what their future held in store.

Speakers
avatar for Daniel Heller

Daniel Heller

Daniel Heller is the Kronhill Senior Lecturer in East European Jewish History at Monash University. In 2018, his first book, “Jabotinsky's Children: Polish Jews and the Rise of Right-Wing Zionism”, received the prize for best book in the field of modern Jewish history from the... Read More →


Sunday June 14, 2020 12:00pm - 1:00pm AEST
ROOM 11

12:00pm AEST

Schnorrers and parvenus: antisemitic caricatures in the Viennese Press during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries
CLICK HERE TO ENTER ZOOM ROOM 5
During the current COVID-19 crisis we have seen xenophobic abuse of people of Chinese descent, accused of having somehow contributed to the worldwide health crisis. Jews are no strangers to such bigotry that blames them for the society’s ills—one popular imagining as a “plague” descending on an unsuspecting Gentile society. This presentation will explore the stereotyping of Vienna’s Jewish population through antisemitic caricatures that appeared in popular Viennese press in the decades before WWII. Such imagery reveals the complex and often conflicting of imaginings of Jews within one of Europe’s most ‘Jewish’ cities before WWII.

Speakers
avatar for Jonathan Kaplan

Jonathan Kaplan

Jonathan Kaplan is a scholar of dress and cultural history. His research, including his PhD, examines the Jews of Vienna, clothing, identity and antisemitism during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. He teaches design history at the University of New South Wales Art... Read More →


Sunday June 14, 2020 12:00pm - 1:00pm AEST
ROOM 5

12:00pm AEST

The Sound of Breaking Glass
CLICK HERE TO ENTER ZOOM ROOM 13
In her award-winning novel “The Sound of Breaking Glass”, Kirsten Warner captures the inner world of the Second Generation. The legacy of the Holocaust continues to reverberate for children of survivors. The new field of epigenetics describes how transmission of trauma takes place, something children of survivors have always known. They talk about barbed wired behind the eyelids, the list, the shower, the sound of jackboots—memories which are not actually theirs. “The Sound of Breaking Glass” asks about the fate of a girl named after events of so long ago.

Speakers
avatar for Kirsten Warner

Kirsten Warner

Kirsten Warner, journalist and member of the Auckland Second Generation Group for many years, won best first book of fiction at the 2019 Ockham New Zealand Book Awards and the Hubert Church Prize for Fiction. Her Jewish father Gunter was a refugee from Berlin in 1939.
avatar for Diana Wichtel

Diana Wichtel

Diana Wichtel is a journalist, a member of the Auckland Second Generation Group and author of the prize-winning memoir, “Driving to Treblinka: A long search for a lost father”.


Sunday June 14, 2020 12:00pm - 1:00pm AEST
ROOM 13

12:00pm AEST

Text and the City: a Hebrew lesson through the walls of Tel Aviv
CLICK HERE TO ENTER ZOOM ROOM 9
A virtual walk through Tel Aviv, where we’ll decipher modern Hebrew texts. From textual graffiti, lost pet ads and stickers to manhole covers, we'll celebrate the different cultural and linguistic layers of Israeli society. We'll also talk about new words like haverimot, and inclusive language in Hebrew.

Speakers
avatar for Guy Sharett

Guy Sharett

Guy Sharett teaches Hebrew in the Shanghai International Studies University in Shanghai, China. He has a B.A in Linguistics of Hebrew Language from the Hebrew University in Jerusalem and an M.A from the University of London. Guy, who speaks seven languages, is the presenter of the... Read More →


Sunday June 14, 2020 12:00pm - 1:00pm AEST
ROOM 9

12:00pm AEST

Social inclusion: what does it look like in these times?
CLICK HERE TO ENTER ZOOM ROOM 3
Ilan Abrahams will facilitate this panel discussion, featuring Ruth Barson – Director of the Human Rights Law Centre, Rabbi Gersh Lazarow – Head Rabbi at Temple Beth Israel, and Gideon Reisner – Chief Executive Officer at Stand Up. They will address the challenges and opportunities these organisations face in working towards greater social inclusion during changing times, and in our Jewish context.

Speakers
avatar for Ilan Abrahams

Ilan Abrahams

Ilan is a lecturer and PhD candidate in the School of Public Health at La Trobe University. His research interests include the social determinants of health, and building compassionate communities.
avatar for Ruth Barson

Ruth Barson

Ruth is an Executive Director at the Human Rights Law Centre. She leads a team of lawyers working across Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples' rights, the rights of people behind bars, racial justice and economic justice. Ruth holds a Masters of Human Rights Law from the... Read More →
avatar for Gersh Lazarow

Gersh Lazarow

Gersh Lazarow is Senior Rabbi of Temple Beth Israel but prefers to be seen as TBI's CEO - Chief Engagement Officer. He is a passionate educator with a strong commitment to Progressive Jewish values, tradition and community.  Through his dynamic teaching and innovative programs, Gersh... Read More →
avatar for Gideon Reisner

Gideon Reisner

Gideon is a passionate social justice campaigner and an experienced media, policy and campaign professional. Before starting at Stand Up, Gideon worked on and managed four state and federal election campaigns. Gideon is also on the board of the Jewish Climate Network. In his spare... Read More →


Sunday June 14, 2020 12:00pm - 1:00pm AEST
ROOM 3

12:00pm AEST

When Halakha and Covid 19 met: what was gained and what was lost?
CLICK HERE TO ENTER ZOOM ROOM 1
When Halakha and Covid 19 met: what was gained and what was lost?

Speakers
avatar for Ysoscher Katz

Ysoscher Katz

Ysoscher Katz is the Chair of the Talmud department at Yeshivat Chovevei Torah and the past Senior Rabbi of the Prospect Heights Shul. He studied at the Satmar, Brisk, and Beit Yosef Navaradok yeshivot. Receiving his smicha shortly after high school, R. Katz has taught Talmud and... Read More →


Sunday June 14, 2020 12:00pm - 1:00pm AEST
ROOM 1

12:45pm AEST

Story time
Story time with Justine and Wendy. Clarence's topsy turvey shabbat.

Speakers
avatar for PJ Library

PJ Library

Shalom
PJ Library provides free Jewish books as a gift from generous funders, JCA and the Besen Family Foundation for all families raising Jewish children. We welcome you whether you grew up attending synagogue regularly or have married into a Jewish family.  Each month your child will... Read More →


Sunday June 14, 2020 12:45pm - 1:00pm AEST
Kids room

1:00pm AEST

Limmud Music for kids- Yonina
A taste of Israeli music duo Yonina for the kids! Adults will love them too!

Sunday June 14, 2020 1:00pm - 1:15pm AEST
Kids room

6:30pm AEST

60 minutes - We write the songs (Part 2) – Jewish pop that changed the world
CLICK HERE TO ENTER ZOOM ROOM 13
Of the millions of modern pop songs written, only very few have transcended their brief popularity to become true classics. A surprisingly high number of such songs have been composed by Jewish songwriters. After last year’s highly popular Limmud Sydney talk Gary Holzman returns with a brand-new top ten list of Jewish pop songs that literally changed the world. Not only will you see and hear some of the greatest songs of all time, in the process you will also discover the incredible Jewish stories behind these modern-day classics.

Speakers
avatar for Gary Holzman

Gary Holzman

Founder and director of Shir Madness (Sydney’s Jewish music festival), Gary is an intellectual property lawyer with an encyclopaedic knowledge of the history of Jewish songwriters and performers and has shared his passion by giving numerous talks on the subject at Shalom, Moriah... Read More →


Sunday June 14, 2020 6:30pm - 7:30pm AEST
ROOM 13

6:30pm AEST

The secret code found in a Jewish woman’s prayer book
CLICK HERE TO ENTER ZOOM ROOM 11
The prayers of generations of Jewish mothers and grandmothers, reflecting their longings and feelings, are being rediscovered. Men and women alike are adopting women’s prayers at moments of joy and in times of grief, in private devotion and in congregational services. We shall explore how and why Jewish women’s prayers are at the center of a cultural reawakening, being set to music, recited, and dramatised.


Speakers
avatar for Aliza Lavie

Aliza Lavie

Aliza Lavie is a senior lecturer and a leading author, publicist, and social activist. Currently, she is the chairperson of the Herzl Center. Lavie is a former member of the Knesset, promoting gender equality issues and topics of religion and State. Her PhD addressed Israel Radio... Read More →


Sunday June 14, 2020 6:30pm - 7:30pm AEST
ROOM 11

6:30pm AEST

How Jewish is the Jewish State? A look from the trenches
CLICK HERE TO ENTER ZOOM ROOM 15
Israel’s Declaration of Independence, signed 72 years ago, declared the establishment of a “Jewish State in Eretz Yisrael”. Within a few years, laws were passed that gave Israel’s rabbinate jurisdiction over marriage and divorce, and over the years, issues of religion and state have become highly charged in Israel, particularly during election seasons. This session will give a background to the religion and State debate, through the prism of actual cases that have be handled by ITIM, Rabbi Farber’s organisation.

Speakers
avatar for Seth Farber

Seth Farber

Seth is an American-Israeli Orthodox rabbi, historian, and social activist. In 2002, Seth founded ITIM. ITIM operates a free Assistance Center that helps 5,000 people each year navigate government bureaucracy on matters of Jewish life, particularly marriage and conversion, runs a... Read More →


Sunday June 14, 2020 6:30pm - 7:30pm AEST
ROOM 15

6:30pm AEST

What I learnt about Israelis and Palestinians from working at an interfaith youth movement in East Jerusalem
CLICK HERE TO ENTER ZOOM ROOM 5
In this session, Ittay Flescher will share his reflections about the complex identities of Jewish, Muslim and Christian residents of Jerusalem through his experience as the education director at Kids4peace. In the workshop, there will be opportunities to experience parts of programs run for the youth and ask questions about the benefits and challenges of cross-border contact between cultures and societies whose people are in conflict.

Speakers
avatar for Ittay Flescher

Ittay Flescher

Ittay Flescher is the Education Director at Kids4Peace Jerusalem, an interfaith movement for Israelis and Palestinians and Israel Correspondent for Plu61J Media. He also frequently teaches on gap year programs about the identity, narratives and cultures of the people who call Jerusalem... Read More →


Sunday June 14, 2020 6:30pm - 7:30pm AEST
ROOM 5

6:30pm AEST

Why the Jews abandoned the ancient Hebrew alphabet
CLICK HERE TO ENTER ZOOM ROOM 7
This class will explore the possible reasons behind the extraordinary Jewish rejection, during the Second Temple period, of the original ancient Hebrew alphabet, in favour of a derivative of the Aramaic alphabet used for the Hebrew language today. This change will be viewed both from the rabbinic perspective in the Talmud and from the perspective of current academic scholarship based on the most recent archaeological finds. Special attention will be given to the history and development of the type of scripts used for writing sacred texts such as Torah scrolls, from Sinai to the Dead Sea scrolls and beyond.

Speakers
avatar for Ari Lobel

Ari Lobel

Rabbi Dr. Ari Lobel is currently a lecturer in Classical Hebrew and Judaism Curriculum at the University of Sydney. He also teaches the HSC Classical Hebrew course at both Moriah College and Kesser Torah College. He formerly served as a writer/editor for the Artscroll Talmud, Mishnah... Read More →


Sunday June 14, 2020 6:30pm - 7:30pm AEST
ROOM 7

6:30pm AEST

Walking with your inner spirit: cultivating an "understanding heart"
CLICK HERE TO ENTER ZOOM ROOM 9
For many, the term "understanding heart"—lev mayveen—conveys an impossible reality, a contradiction and even nonsense. How can a heart understand? Isn't the domain of understanding and reason found in the mind? Actually, what may be a surprise to many, the Jewish tradition introduced this phenomenon within our Biblical and Talmudic texts. We shall explore a teaching of the Pieseczner Rebbe, Rabbi Kalonymos Kalmish, the Aish Kodesh from his book Bnei Machshava Tova on the spiritual practice of cultivating an understanding heart.

Speakers
avatar for Yiscah Smith

Yiscah Smith

Yiscah is a spiritual activist, educator and meditation guide, addressing the spiritual practice of encountering the Divine spark within, the foundation of authentic living. With Jewish spiritual teachings as her compass, she gently guides others to their inner selves. Yiscah teaches... Read More →



Sunday June 14, 2020 6:30pm - 7:30pm AEST
ROOM 9

6:30pm AEST

Living in the age of Covid-19
CLICK HERE TO ENTER ZOOM ROOM 3
Lisa Jackson Pulver will be sharing her perspective on living in the age of a global pandemic and how it relates to her roles in public health and education.


Sunday June 14, 2020 6:30pm - 7:30pm AEST
ROOM 3

6:30pm AEST

There may be lots of laws in Judaism – but what does Judaism really think of lawyers?
CLICK HERE TO ENTER ZOOM ROOM 1
An examination of how traditional Jewish texts regard the role of lawyers in the administration of justice.

Speakers
avatar for Marcus Solomon

Marcus Solomon

Rabbi Marcus Solomon is the founding Rabbi of the Beit Midrash of WA and is responsible for its overall direction. Rabbi Solomon received rabbinic ordination from Central Tomchei Tmimim Yeshivah Academy in Brooklyn, New York, and is also a graduate of the Rabbinical College of Australia... Read More →



Sunday June 14, 2020 6:30pm - 7:30pm AEST
ROOM 1

6:30pm AEST

The Pub
CLICK HERE TO ENTER THE PUB
Got things to say about a session you were in?
Come join us down at The Pub where you can meet up with other willing participants and presenters and further the discussion.

Sunday June 14, 2020 6:30pm - 9:30pm AEST
THE PUB

7:30pm AEST

Nebishe Nerds: Jewish culture in video games
CLICK HERE TO ENTER ZOOM ROOM 12
Video games in Australia are a big deal. Two-thirds of all Australians play video games, 47% of whom are women, and in 2016 the Australian video games industry generated $2.96 billion dollars in revenue. It’s a growing medium for storytelling and cultural expression and a space for puzzles, play and creativity. What are they choosing to explore? Whose stories are they choosing to tell? Are any of them Jewish?

The games discussed - Bioshock, Wolfenstein and The Shivah - wrangle with traditional Jewish culture and deep questions and build fantastical worlds emerging from the ghosts of Jewish history.

Speakers
avatar for Joshua Druery

Joshua Druery

Joshua is a long-time Limmud fan and a lover of all things arts and culture. He is a gamer, a musician and a doctor. Joshua has been performing as clarinettist and vocalist in Chutney since 2019. He's a graduate of Moriah College and the Sydney Conservatorium of Music. Josh has been... Read More →


Sunday June 14, 2020 7:30pm - 8:30pm AEST
ROOM 12

7:30pm AEST

Oy, how we laughed
CLICK HERE TO ENTER ZOOM ROOM 6
Join professional stand-up comedian Rachel Creeger as she explores how Jewish people have used comedy throughout the centuries to combat oppression. From shtetls to suburbs, from ghettos to clubs full of drunken, racist audience members, through stage shows, writing and TV, we've “turned it and turned it” to feel empowered. Rachel looks at how her peers on the circuit have responded to antisemitism and how it becomes material. Part performance, part lecture, part discussion.

Speakers
avatar for Rachel Creeger

Rachel Creeger

Rachel Creeger is an award-winning comedian, director, writer, BBC Radio regular and the only practising orthodox Jewish woman on the UK comedy circuit. She is currently meant to be on tour with her 5* reviewed show "Hinayni!" but, you know, the 'rona...


Sunday June 14, 2020 7:30pm - 8:30pm AEST
ROOM 6

7:30pm AEST

Mind Over Terror - 3 Weeks 2 Cities 1 Mission
CLICK HERE TO ENTER ZOOM ROOM 14
A true story of three significant traumatic events which affected two UK cities. Rabbi Dov, a combat veteran of an elite IDF paratrooper unit, embarked on one incredible mission, a mission to change the way we approach mental health in dealing with survivors of psychological shock and trauma. In today's world, it is imperative that society possesses the mental skills to be able to effectively manage the impact, and aftermath of terror. Rabbi Dov, originally from Scotland, founded Heads Up CIO, a UK charity and the world's first dedicated emergency cognitive psychological first aid rescue service for psychological shock.

Speakers
avatar for Dov Benyaacov-Kurtzman

Dov Benyaacov-Kurtzman

Dov Benyaacov-Kurtzman is an Israeli registered clinical social worker. At present he is living in Manchester, UK after having founded a 4th Emergency Service "Heads Up CIO" disseminating and practicing Israeli technology in Emergency Cognitive Psychological First Aid for psychological... Read More →


Sunday June 14, 2020 7:30pm - 8:30pm AEST
ROOM 14

7:30pm AEST

“Complicated Times”: How to talk (and think) about Israel through a pandemic, three elections, a prime minister on trial, and other quandaries
CLICK HERE TO ENTER ZOOM ROOM 4
The Promised podcast comes to Limmud
Join journalist Allison Kaplan Sommer and professor Noah Efron, hosts of the consistently high rating hyperlink on Israeli politics, culture and society for a discussion on how to talk and think about complicated times in Israel – a pandemic, three elections, a prime minster on trial and other quandaries. It will be informative, provocative and fun.

Speakers
avatar for Allison Kaplan Sommer

Allison Kaplan Sommer

Allison has been a journalist at Haaretz since 2012 and is a co-host of the Promised Podcast. She is the former Washington DC bureau chief for the Jerusalem Post, and has also written for the New Republic, Politico, and other publications. She won a 2016 B’nai B’rith World Center... Read More →
avatar for Noah Efron

Noah Efron

Noah Efron founded, and is a professor in, the program on science, technology & society at Bar Ilan University. He hosts “The Promised Podcast” on TLV1. He is a founder and leader of Israel’s Green Party and served on the Tel Aviv-Jaffa City Council. He’s written three books... Read More →


Sunday June 14, 2020 7:30pm - 8:30pm AEST
ROOM 4

7:30pm AEST

The religious thought of Israel Porush
CLICK HERE TO ENTER ZOOM ROOM 2
Rabbi Dr Israel Porush was the leading rabbi in Australia for over thirty years. He was the Chief Minister of The Great Synagogue, head of the Sydney Beth Din, President of the Australian rabbinical association, and enjoyed many other distinctions. He was born to a prominent rabbinical family in Jerusalem and was educated there and at the Berlin Rabbinical Seminary. He was the most accomplished scholar to lead The Great Synagogue and one of the most learned rabbis to work in Australia. We will explore his religious philosophy based on his writings and speeches over the course of his career.

Speakers
avatar for Benjamin Elton

Benjamin Elton

Benjamin Elton is the chief minister of The Great Synagogue. He was educated at Cambridge and London Universities and has a PhD in Jewish history. He received semicha from Yeshivat Chovevei Torah and rabbis in Israel and the UK. He is married to Hinda and they have a daughter, Li... Read More →


Sunday June 14, 2020 7:30pm - 8:30pm AEST
ROOM 2

7:30pm AEST

Rapid Transformation: The Digital Age, Social Media and the Jews
CLICK HERE TO ENTER ZOOM ROOM 16
We have always been known as the people of the book, now we are becoming the people of the Facebook. Drawing on preliminary work for his doctorate, Alon will share the rapid transformation that has occurred within the Jewish community due to social media. Go back in time to explore the changes the advent of the printing press brought to Judaism, and see the similarities to changes in the 21st century.

Speakers
avatar for Alon Meltzer

Alon Meltzer

Alon is the Director of Programs at Shalom and Rabbi of Or Chadash Synagogue. He is studying a PhD in Law and has several degrees focusing on different passions. He loves to cook, paint, and learn. Father of 3 girls, he is a staunch Orthodox Feminist.


Sunday June 14, 2020 7:30pm - 8:30pm AEST
ROOM 16

7:30pm AEST

Stories from the ground: implementing water, sanitation, and hygiene programming in Vanuatu
CLICK HERE TO ENTER ZOOM ROOM 10
This session will provide a first-hand account of IsraAID's humanitarian aid work around the globe. In the session, Mori will share his wealth of experience implementing water, sanitation, and hygiene programs, focusing on his most recent posting in Vanuatu.

Speakers
avatar for Mori Neumann

Mori Neumann

Mori Neumann is IsraAID's water, sanitation, and hygiene specialist, currently stationed in a remote Vanuatu village. Over the past five years, Mori has worked with IsraAID providing water solutions to vulnerable and post-disaster communities in Puerto Rico, Vanuatu, El Salvador and... Read More →


Sunday June 14, 2020 7:30pm - 8:30pm AEST
ROOM 10

7:30pm AEST

The Pub
CLICK HERE TO ENTER THE PUB
Got things to say about a session you were in?
Come join us down at The Pub where you can meet up with other willing participants and presenters and further the discussion.

Sunday June 14, 2020 7:30pm - 8:30pm AEST
THE PUB

7:30pm AEST

Limmud Art: What Lies In Between
 (PERMANENT ART EXHIBITION, NOT A SESSION)
CLICK HERE TO VIEW 'WHAT LIES IN BETWEEN' ON THE LIMMUD OZ WEBSITE

*Please note this is not a live session, it is an exhibition hosted on the Limmud website*


Limmud Art: What lies In Between
 is a collaborative, virtual project between 6 Australian artists. A project like never before, based on circumstance and chance. Tunni is currently based in Tel Aviv, Tal is from Perth, Yossi from Sydney, and Ike, Ariella and Tamar from Melbourne. Together we placed large emphasis on virtual process. Through online zoom meetings, emails, whatsapp messages, instagram messages, and phone calls, this process began the unfolding of the potential of what this project cold really mean. What lies in between the inception of the project and the final outcome, we think, is the most important part of this project. The artist's embarked on a month long journey, forwarding images of our work to each other, giving permission to hijack, chop, add, subtract, invert each others work, to allow the explosion of new work. We are trusting the process, and very interesting things are unfolding....

We began to ask questions of what is this space we are creating? what is the space which lies in between all of us? what is tying and holding us all together?

Curator & artist: Tamar Chaya Gordon
Contributing artists: Tunni Kraus, Ariella Blum, Tal Levin, Yossi Seban & Ike Curtis.

Artists
avatar for Ariella Blum

Ariella Blum

Ariella is an Australian artist based in Melbourne. She graduated in 2012 with a BFA in Painting from RMIT University and spent the past three years working in New York City. Ariella is a painter, illustrator and storyteller, strongly Influenced by her social work background and strong... Read More →
avatar for Ike Curtis

Ike Curtis

Ike Curtis is 25 and lives in Melbourne. He is studying a Masters of Teaching at Deakin University. Alongside studies, he devotes most of his time to drawing, painting and writing. His art can be viewed on Instagram @ike_curtis
avatar for Joseph Isaac Sebban

Joseph Isaac Sebban

Joseph Isaac Sebban is a Sydney-based, cross-disciplinary artist working across painting, sculpture, photography, installation, virtual reality and other various technologies. Joseph is particularly interested in the experience of a young Jew in the contemporary multicultural Australia... Read More →
avatar for Tal Levin

Tal Levin

Tal Levin is an aspiring artist, studying Fine Arts at Curtin University. She mainly works in oil paint or ink, and has recently discovered clay as a medium. Her practice shifts between exploring the mundanity of life, to the complexities of human psychology and social issues.
avatar for Tamar Chaya Gordon

Tamar Chaya Gordon

Tamar Chaya was born, grew up, and continues to work and practice in Melbourne/Naarm on the lands of the Boonn Wurrung people of the Kulin Nation. Currently studying a Bachelor of Fine Arts at RMIT University, Tamar explores the intersection of childhood, religion, language and material... Read More →
avatar for Tunni Kraus

Tunni Kraus

Tunni Kraus is an interdisciplinary artist who is currently experimenting with digital communication technologies, scribing and mark making practices.Since completing his Master’s degree in Public Art at RMIT he has been exploring the interplay between the digital, religious and... Read More →



Sunday June 14, 2020 7:30pm - 10:30pm AEST
www.limmudoz.com.au

8:30pm AEST

A musical experience with Yonina
CLICK HERE TO ENTER ZOOM ROOM 1
Join Yonina with songs, inspiration and stories from the heart, forming a blend between Jewish, Israeli and international music. Yoni and Nina have been singing together since they met, have been married for five years and have two sweet children who make guest appearances in their videos. Known for their positive music and soft harmonies, Yonina create a blend between Jewish, Israeli and International music. In additional to their musical career, the two are passionate about Jewish learning and previously served as educators in organisations such as Livnot Ulehibanot, Masa Israeli and City of David.

Sunday June 14, 2020 8:30pm - 9:30pm AEST
ROOM 1

8:30pm AEST

Poland's lucky Jew - Now at 8.30pm
CLICK HERE TO ENTER ZOOM ROOM 8
In 2012, Canadian Jewish theatre artist, Michael Rubenfeld proposed to his mother that they go to Poland together "for the first time" and see the country their family is from, and the places they had survived. This trip was to serve as research for a play they would make together. This "research" would ultimately turn into a much larger project, resulting in Michael now living in Krakow, and co-founding an alternative Jewish arts festival. In this session Michael will share this journey and why he believes Poland is such an important contemporary space for the Jewish people.

Speakers
avatar for Michael Rubenfeld

Michael Rubenfeld

Michael Rubenfeld is a performance maker, cultural producer, playwright and actor, originally from Winnipeg, Canada and now residing in Krakow, Poland. Much of his performance work revolves around exploring contemporary Polish-Jewry. He is the producer of a Canadian Edfringe venue... Read More →


Sunday June 14, 2020 8:30pm - 9:30pm AEST
ROOM 8

8:30pm AEST

Syrians and Israelis - but not at war: the refugee crisis
CLICK HERE TO ENTER ZOOM ROOM 5
Molly Bernstein, former IsraAID head of mission in Greece, will discuss her experiences working with her “enemies” toward education and integration, building hope in the shadow of the refugee crisis.

Speakers
avatar for Molly Bernstein

Molly Bernstein

Molly has lived in a smattering of strange places like 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 works on IsraAID's communications team and... Read More →


Sunday June 14, 2020 8:30pm - 9:30pm AEST
ROOM 5

8:30pm AEST

What we mean when we talk about annexation
CLICK HERE TO ENTER ZOOM ROOM 3
The Israeli government has set a date for beginning the process to "extend sovereignty" over parts of the West Bank. If it does, the move could be cataclysmic for Israelis, Palestinians and the region. But three weeks ahead of the date, hardly anyone knows just what annexation means, where it might happen, what impact it will have on Israel, Palestine and why it matters for the region and the world. The session will address these questions.

Speakers
avatar for Dahlia Scheindlin

Dahlia Scheindlin

A public opinion expert and international political and strategic consultant who has advised eight national campaigns in Israel and worked in over 15 other countries, Dahlia conducts extensive public opinion research and policy analysis on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, comparative... Read More →


Sunday June 14, 2020 8:30pm - 9:30pm AEST
ROOM 3

8:30pm AEST

Jewish diaspora media: mission (virtually) impossible?
CLICK HERE TO ENTER ZOOM ROOM 11
The coronavirus pandemic has forced the closure of two venerable diaspora newspapers and driven several other to put out their hands for emergency funding. The digital revolution, plunging ad revenue, plummeting sales and now the coronavirus have created a perfect storm.
Is this crucial part of the Jewish diaspora on life-support?
US-Israeli journalist Eetta Prince-Gibson, former Editor-In-Chief of The Jerusalem Report and now correspondent for a broad range of international Jewish publications, talks to Michael Visontay, Editor of Plus61JMedia, about the challenges facing Jewish diaspora media.

Speakers
avatar for Michael Visontay

Michael Visontay

Michael Visontay is Editor of Plus61JMedia. He has worked as a journalist and editor for more than 30 years, including as Assistant Editor of the Sydney Morning Herald and Deputy Editor of the Sun-Herald. Michael is the author of several books, including Who Gave You Permission... Read More →
avatar for Eetta Prince-Gibson

Eetta Prince-Gibson

Eetta Prince-Gibson, who lives in Jerusalem, previously Editor-in-Chief of The Jerusalem Report, is the Israel Editor for Moment Magazine and a regular contributor to Haaretz, The Forward, PRI, and other Israeli and international publications.


Sunday June 14, 2020 8:30pm - 9:30pm AEST
ROOM 11

8:30pm AEST

Putting our money where our mouth is: super Jewish superannuation
CLICK HERE TO ENTER ZOOM ROOM 15
It would take 7.7% of all the money in Australian superannuation funds to completely transition to renewable power. A practical session on how and why.

Speakers
avatar for Elinor Hasenfratz

Elinor Hasenfratz

Programs and communication coordinator, Jewish Climate Network
Elinor is the programs and communications coordinator for the Jewish Climate Network. Inspired by the Jewish value of pikuach nefesh, the saving of life, JCN was established with the aim of catalysing the Jewish community to support and strongly advocate for action on climate cha... Read More →
avatar for Shamir Caplan

Shamir Caplan

Rabbi Shamir was born in rural South Africa & raised in rural West Texas. He attended the University of Texas, Yeshivat Darche Noam, Yeshiva University, and the Gruss Kollel in Jerusalem. Rabbi Shamir has worked for Hillel in Washington and Philadelphia, and is currently chaplain... Read More →
avatar for Lillian Kline

Lillian Kline

Lillian is passionate about working with individual investors, family offices and organisations to help them align their personal values with their philanthropic, business and investment values. Lillian has Bachelor Degrees in law and business management as well as a Masters in Human... Read More →


Sunday June 14, 2020 8:30pm - 9:30pm AEST
ROOM 15

8:30pm AEST

Undateable or superhuman? Perceptions of disability in Jewish community
CLICK HERE TO ENTER ZOOM ROOM 7
Every day, we’re bombarded with imagery about disabled people in public media. But how is this affecting the Jewish community, and how are Jewish people with disabilities being impacted? Come along to find out about the tropes that enforce prejudice towards disabled people in society, and take part in this crucial conversation about inclusion and whether we're really as accessible as we'd like to think.

Speakers
avatar for Hannah Brady

Hannah Brady

Hannah chaired Limmud Festival 2019, and is a women's and disabled empowerment activist/educator. Outside Limmud, Hannah is Global Project Director at eyeforpharma by Reuters Events (pharma's world-leading events company). She recently ran the industry's first ever virtual conferences... Read More →
avatar for Sam Brady

Sam Brady

Sam Brady is a PhD student at the University of Glasgow, researching the social, political and technical history of the sports wheelchair. He has researched and published on varied themes around disability and Judaism, and has spoken at synagogues and Limmud events across the UK... Read More →


Sunday June 14, 2020 8:30pm - 9:30pm AEST
ROOM 7

8:30pm AEST

Is Happiness Possible?: Coveting, Capitalism and the Search for a Good Life
CLICK HERE TO ENTER ZOOM ROOM 9
In this session we will discuss how contemporary culture promotes the feeling that whatever one is, it is never enough. By examining both Jewish and other sources, we will examine the effects of advertising and social media on our sense of self-worth, and then explore wisdom from various traditions about how to promote a long-term vision of happiness in the midst of the Western loop of endless dissatisfaction.

Speakers
avatar for Elliott Malamet

Elliott Malamet

Dr Elliott Malamet lectures in literature at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem and teaches Jewish thought in many institutions in Jerusalem and abroad. He is the co-director of Living Jewishly, an organisation that hosts conversations and events meant to explore the core existential... Read More →



Sunday June 14, 2020 8:30pm - 9:30pm AEST
ROOM 9

8:30pm AEST

Moses: Muslim and Jewish Perspectives
Moses, Moshe, Musa. One story seen through two traditions.  From one Muslim perspective it is a story about faith and trusting in God, and the triumph over evil and oppression. His mother leaves her baby on a river, trusting that God had a plan. Moses Later, Moses found himself again at a body of water with the Egyptians behind him and must trust God despite being at a dead end. He goes from being predicted as a threat to Pharaoh, to living in the house Pharaoh’s own house, and ultimately fulfilling his pre-destined role.  Moses also features in a story with the prophet Mohammed.
That all sounds familiar to Jewish ears, but there are subtle differences in the story and how it influences the lives of various Muslims. In Jewish sources, Moses presents as a complex character. He becomes angry, hits deep points of despair to the point of asking God to “kill me” now. He is the foundation of much of the Jewish faith and yet, he seems to struggle to have faith in the people he is to lead and the fulfilment of the destiny to which he is called. In a final chapter Moses fails to ever reach the promised land. He is perhaps the most consequential human being who ever lived, as his influence carries on in the lives of Jews, Christians and Muslims and beyond.

CLICK HERE TO ENTER ROOM 13


Speakers
avatar for Calisha Bennett

Calisha Bennett

Calisha Bennett is an educator with Together for Humanity and within the Muslim community in Australia.  She is an international speaker who has spent over fourteen years educating communities about issues associated with identity, confidence, resilience and the Islamic faith. She... Read More →
avatar for Farhan Khalil

Farhan Khalil

Imam Farhan Khalil is the Imam and Chaplain at Australian International Academy, Kellyville. He is also a marriage celebrant and was the Religion Advisor for Muslim Issues at NSW Juvenile Justice Cobham Centre. Imam Khalil is a preacher at Hills District Muslim Society and is also... Read More →
avatar for Zalman Kastel

Zalman Kastel

Before his transformation, as a Chabadnik in Crown Height, Brooklyn, Zalman Kastel viewed people mainly as “us & them”. Encounters with Muslims changed him. He directs Together for Humanity, an organisation that fosters interfaith and intercultural understanding in school students... Read More →


Sunday June 14, 2020 8:30pm - 9:30pm AEST
ROOM 13

8:30pm AEST

The Pub
CLICK HERE TO ENTER THE PUB
Got things to say about a session you were in?
Come join us down at The Pub where you can meet up with other willing participants and presenters and further the discussion.

Sunday June 14, 2020 8:30pm - 9:30pm AEST
THE PUB
 
Sunday, June 21
 

10:00am AEST

RESCHEDULED - Jews and the Irish: Why was Leopold Bloom central to James Joyce's Ulysses?
CLICK HERE TO ENTER ZOOM ROOM 1
"Ulysses" is often described as the most important English-language novel of the twentieth century. Joyce described his novel as an “epic of two races (Israel-Ireland)”. It is set in Dublin on 16 June, 1904, as Bloom wanders through the city as his wife, Molly Bloom, is having an affair. Amid an increasing climate of Irish and Jewish nationalism, Joyce made a very deliberate choice to have a Jewish character as one of his two main protagonists. So central is Leopold Bloom, that the annual celebration of Joyce's novel is named Bloomsday. Why Joyce chose Bloom is itself a fascinating story.

Speakers
avatar for Bryan Cheyette

Bryan Cheyette

Bryan Cheyette is the editor or author of eleven books including "The Ghetto: A Very Short Introduction", "Diasporas of the Mind: Jewish and Postcolonial Writing and the Nightmare of History", and, as co-editor, the "Oxford History of the Novel in English".



Sunday June 21, 2020 10:00am - 11:00am AEST
ROOM 1

12:00pm AEST

RESCHEDULED - Joseph Buloff and Luba Kadison: on-stage, off-stage in the Yiddish art theatre
CLICK HERE TO ENTER ZOOM ROOM 1
Learn how to live to 100! How to buy a Chagall for $50! How to make poets and painters fall in love!
From Bucharest to Broadway, Luba Kadison and Joseph Buloff were one of the great power couples in the heyday of Yiddish theatre. They produced, translated, directed, and acted in dozens of classic plays the world over, appearing before the crowned heads of Europe and creating the watershed Yiddish version of Death of a Salesman. Shane Baker knew Luba as his friend and mentor over the last 10 years of her life, and will talk about Buloff and Kadison’s careers, sharing stories that Luba told him directly of her life in the Yiddish theatre and time with such great Jewish figures as Marc Chagall, Arthur Miller, and Itzik Manger. This English-language lecture is illustrated with slides as well as demonstrations of Yiddish poetry recitation with simultaneous English translation.

Speakers
avatar for Shane Baker

Shane Baker

Shane Baker serves as Director of the Congress for Jewish Culture a 70-year old organization that promotes new Yiddish culture throughout the world. The New York Times dubbed him “one of the most prominent proponents of Yiddish theater, language and culture in New York,” and he... Read More →


Sunday June 21, 2020 12:00pm - 1:00pm AEST
ROOM 1

8:00pm AEST

SEPARATE EVENT: Daniel Cainer's e-Jewish Chronicles - tickets £10 - click through to buy tickets
A SPECIAL EVENT - just £10 - get tickets here

More Jewish Chronicles. Following Dan's recent performance at Limmud, he's back again (virtually) by public demand! If you tuned in last time, expect a slightly different programme. If you didn't, then you won't know the difference. Smart, funny, timely and only slightly irreverent, Cainer’s deeply moving tales about his family and observational comedy are a joy. Brilliant rhyming and wordplay, great musicianship and haunting tunes you won’t forget. His songs and his music are for anyone who has ever wrestled with their home, their heritage and their heart and is partial to bagels.These stories in song from a master storyteller are not to be missed.


Sunday June 21, 2020 8:00pm - 9:00pm AEST
Special event
 
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