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Presenters at Fest

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Nathan Abrams

Organisation: Bangor University

Website: www.bangor.ac.uk/creative_industries/nathan_abrams.php.en

Nathan is a senior lecturer in film studies at Bangor University. He has presented at Limmud many times and written widely on Jewish history and culture, including 'Jews and Sex' (2008). This is his first Fest.

Sessions:

Sharon Alexander

Website: www.ShirEcstasy.com/

Sharon is an American living in Basel who is fascinated by gospel's ecstasy-inducing techniques. Granted smicha by Jewish Renewal leader Reb Zalman as a Leader of Sacred Chorales, she presents ecstatic jospel choir workshops in the US, Israel and Europe and is preparing a manual to help Jewish communities integrate jospel music into services.

Sessions:

Abate Berihun

Abate is an Ethiopian Israeli composer, sax player and vocalist who immigrated to Israel in 1999. His music preserves the spirit of his Ethiopian origins and yet travels far- to free modern jazz with surprising touches of blues and gospel.

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Joel Berkowitz

Website: www.thestandmusic.co.uk/

Joel is our youngest Fest team member (at 14) and an Airfix model afficionado.

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Sam Brandman

Sam saw his first comedy improv show in chicago 2005, and thought it was so good he'd bring it back here. He now does occasional classes, and is an associate member of the  comedy improvisational group 'Laugh or Die', which are the only options for his sessions.

Sessions:

Josephine Burton

Organisation: YaD Arts

Website: www.yadarts.com

Josephine is the founder and director of arts consultancy YaD Arts whose recent clients include the British Library, Barbican and Jewish Community Centre. She was until recently Commissioning Arts Editor at the Jewish Chronicle and a freelance visual arts curator.

Sessions:

Adam Cohen

Coming from the back streets of Stamford Hill, the Stamford Hill Jukebox DJ set plays the best Yiddish and orthodox party music in town.

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Mike Comins

Organisation: TorahTrek

Website: www.TorahTrek.com/

Mike is a rabbi and Israeli desert guide, the founder of TorahTrek Spiritual Wilderness Adventures and author of 'A Wild Faith: Jewish Ways into Wilderness'; 'Wilderness Ways into Judaism' and the forthcoming 'Making Prayer Real: Leading Jewish Spiritual Voices on the Difficulty of Prayer and What To Do About It'.

Sessions:

Orlando de Lange

Over the last two year, Orlando has been studying sciences at Cambridge, specialising in plant sciences. His alter ego has been Liberal Judaism's part-time Social Action Assistant. This has included work with the burgeoning"Greening of British Jewry".

Sessions:

Alan Freeman

Organisation: The Jerusalem Foundation

Website: www.jerusalemfoundation.org/

Alan is former Union of Jewish Students chairman, now vice president of the Jerusalem Foundation, has been an active partner in the development of Jerusalem for 30 years. Long-time colleague of the late Teddy Kollek, legendary mayor of Jerusalem, he will give an insider's perspective on building a new Eden in Jerusalem.

Sessions:

Funk'n'stein

Website: www.myspace.com/funknstein

Funk'n'stein is an eight-piece Israeli funk group who use their uncompromising groove to get their message through. With songs about love, making a change, the need for peace, and funky beats they sweep you into the twirling soul and groove hurricane they bring to the stage.

Sessions:

Paul Glantz

Paul is a teacher of religious studies and philosophy at Mill Hill County High School. He has also worked as a rabbi in St Albans and Brighton.

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Jeremy Gordon

Organisation: New London Synagogue

Jeremy is a Limmud veteran, delighted to be back at Fest with one more kid than last time. He was ordained at the Jewish Theological Seminary and now serves New London Synagogue.

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Vanessa Hidary

Website: www.hebrewmamita.com/

Vanessa, AKA The Hebrew Mamita, is a spoken word artist/solo performer living in her native NYC. She has aired three times on Def Poetry Jam on HBO, and her solo show 'Culture Bandit' has traveled throughout the country.

Sessions:

Katie Hill

Organisation: Tzedek

Website: www.tzedek.org.uk/

Katie is the Volunteer Coordinator for Tzedek. She works with a wide range of volunteers interested in promoting social action. Previous to her role with Tzedek, she was the UK coordinator for a development education NGO, Development in Action.

Sessions:

Avraham Infeld

Avraham is Senior Consultant to the Nadav Fund and Roving Ambassador for Limmud International. He has founded various innovative educational institutions including Melitz, and served as Director of birthright Israel; former President of the Chais Family Foundation; Chairman of the Board of Israel Experience and President Emeritus of Hillel International.

Sessions:

Jerusalem Cinematheque

The Jerusalem Cinematheque houses the Israel Film Archive, the pre-eminent collection of films that document the history of the Jewish people and the State of Israel over the last 120 years. As well as restoring and preserving films, the Cinematheque is currently recovering material from Russian film archives depicting the lives of Jewish communities in Russia and Ukraine, and undertaking a digitization programme supported by the Kennedy Leigh Trust and the Jerusalem Foundation.

Sessions:

Jewdyssee

Website: www.myspace.com/jewdysseemusic

Jewdyssee is a German Jewish music project, which fuses club culture and yiddishkeit. Founder and singer Maya Saban, beatmaker and producer Walera Goodman and band manager Elina present their ways of Jewish life in Berlin.

Sessions:

Michael Kagan

Organisation: Jewish Climate Initiative

Michael, originally of London, since living 32 years in Jerusalem, is a high-tech entrepreneur and author of the 'Holistic Haggadah'. He will be raising questions about Judaism/Jews and climate change (the only debate is whether we will actually do something or not) and presenting a Jewish/Sufi approach to the Divine.

Sessions:

Ariel Kahn

Lecturer in Literature and Creative Writing at Roehampton University (currently involves reading lots of comics), watches films for his job at Ealing studios, and generally suffers for his art when he is not working on his first novel working on his first novel.

Sessions:

Sarah Kaiser

Organisation: RenéCassin

Website: www.renecassin.org/

Sarah is the Director of RenéCassin, a human rights NGO that uses the historical experiences and religious values of Jewish people to promote universal human rights through education and advocacy.

Sessions:

Avivit Katzil

Organisation: Liberal Judaism

Website: www.liberaljudaism.org/tent

Avivit trained at Reidman International College for Complementary Medicine and worked as a shiatsu therapist for seven years in Israel, America and London, offering individual treatments and group workshops. As Liberal Judaism’s Young Adult Worker she coordinates and runs UK-wide 'Tent' events, including Shabbat services, residential programmes and cultural outings.

Sessions:

Maureen Kendler

Organisation: London School of Jewish Studies

Website: www.lsjs.ac.uk/

Maureen is Head of Educational Programming at the London School of Jewish Studies, where she loves to teach texts. She is a UJIA Ashdown Fellow and is proud to have been involved with Limmud from the beginning.

Sessions:

Jasmine Kilim

Addicted to her sewing machine, Jasmine loves to make patchwork quilts. In her spare time she is a junior doctor. Jasmine is also on the Fest team.

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Shira Kline

Website: www.ShirLaLa.com/

Shira (a.k.a. ShirLaLa) travels throughout the United States and the world, bringing a dynamic interactive programme of joy and spirit, story and song. She is a founding company member of Storahtelling. Shira has released three popular albums of Jewish Kiddie Rock. Look out for her newest release of Eco-music, 'Earth Worm Disco.'

Sessions:

Sandra Kviat

Organisation: Liberal Judaism

Sandra is Scandinavian, twice transplanted to the UK. An eternal student, she is now studying at Leo Baeck College and is well on the way towards holding the illustrious title of Rabbi. Sandra is currently grappling with the ethical dilemmas of indoor gardening.

Sessions:

Josh Lake

Josh has spent the last fourteen years leading Jewish nature programming for Jewish communities throughout the United States, Canada and Israel. He’s a graduate of the Jewish Theological Seminary and has continued his education by trekking and meditating through our amazing world, bringing Jewish traditions alive as a hike becomes a walk through creation.

Sessions:

Fran Landesman

Website: www.franlandesman.com

Lyricist, poet and beat generation survivor, Fran lives in London where she regularly performs with her son Miles Davis Landesman and writes songs with composer Simon Wallace. Her songs have become jazz standards, recorded by the likes of Ella Fitzgerald, Miles Davis, Georgie Fame and Barbra Streisand.

Sessions:

Clive Lawton

Clive was co-founder of Limmud and is now its Senior Consultant. Scholar-in-residence at London's Jewish Cultural Centre, Member of Metropolitan Police Authority, magistrate, chair of Tzedek and the Shap Working Party on World Religions Education, Clive has been a secondary school head, a hospital chair and Deputy Director of Liverpool LEA.

Sessions:

Jemma Lerner

Website: www.practicalspirituality.co.uk

Jemma gets a buzz out of crystals. As well as their many technological uses, she believes they are a big asset for meditation and for healing. Jemma is a qualified reiki healer and runs workshops on chakras and meditation in addition to her day job in the voluntary sector.

Sessions:

Natan Levy

Organisation: London School of Jewish Studies

Natan is the rabbi of Shenley United Synagogue and head of the Jewish Responsibility Unit at the London School for Jewish Studies. He received ordination at Yeshivat Hamivtar. Because he once asked Rabbi Jonathan Sacks about recycling, he has been appointed environmental liaison to his Cabinet.

Sessions:

Jeremiah Lockwood

Organisation: The Sway Machinery

Website: www.swaymachinery.com/

Jeremiah is the leader of the band The Sway Machinery, a project that focuses on imaginative speculation about the mythological past and how to bring atavisms into the future. Jeremiah has two sons, a wife, and his first album with The Sway Machinery was just released on JDub records.

Sessions:

Susan Marco

Susan is a long-time Limmudnik, attending every Conference since 1995, except for 2007 when she was in labour! She has been dancing for many years and helped teach Strictly Limmud Dancing at Conferences 2005 and 2006 and Limmudfest 2006. She also teaches regular simcha dancing classes at Bushey United Synagogue.

Sessions:

Miriam Margles

Miriam is a rabbi and co-founder of Encounter, fostering understanding between diverse American Jewish leaders and Palestinians. She facilitates workshops integrating Jewish text learning, social justice and creative exploration. She spent this past year as a fellow of the Mandel Institute in Jerusalem. She is also a dancer, composer and poet.

Sessions:

Noomi Melchior

Website: www.powerladies.net/

Noomi is a goal and motivation consultant. She coaches private individuals as well as employees from companies such as Mars, Tesco and Lloyds. She is also the founder of Power Ladies, which runs events and courses for a community of inspiring women who want to live their best lives.

Sessions:

Helena Miller

Organisation: UJIA

Website: www.ujia.org/

Helena is the Director of Research and Evaluation at UJIA. She has a doctorate in Jewish education from London University and has taught and written widely on many aspects of Jewish education over the years. One of Helena's specialisms and enthusiasms is Jewish art and art education.

Sessions:

Richard Muswell

Richard is by day a Medical Student; but when the sun goes down musical mayhem ensues! - Having played various musical instruments since the age of 7, and gained a keen interest in Jewish music early on in his musical career, there isn't a situation that doesn't have a song!

Sessions:

Shlomit Naor

Organisation: Melitz

Shlomit Naor is many things: she is the deputy director of Melitz, she is completing her masters degree in creative writing, she is a published poet, she is assisting the establishment of two new Limmud communities in Israel and she should do more to save the world.

Sessions:

Charlette Ottolenghi

Website: www.shulamitvoice.com/

Charlette Shulamit Ottolenghi is an Italian- Israeli singer who touches the soul with her unique interpretations drawn from the magnificent Jewish Italian Tradition. Her continuous search for new musical surroundings has led her to diverse collaborations with both Italian and Israeli prominent Jazz and Electronic composers.

Sessions:

Sue Richardson

Sue Richardson has worked for Christian Aid for over 20 years. She is the Christian Aid Regional Represemtative for Leicestershire and an expert on global poverty and ecology. Christian Aid provides urgent, practical and effective assistance where need is great, tackling the effects of poverty as well as its root causes.

Sessions:

Lionel Ross

Organisation: i2i Publishing

Website: www.i2ipublishing.co.uk/

Lionel Ross is a writer, broadcaster & publisher. His books are: 'Fine Feathers', 'Hidden Heritage','The Baghdad Declaration' and ‘Men of Conviction'(2009). Contributor to the Sunday Breakfast Show on BBC Radio Manchester.Also appeared on Channel ‘M’ TV and other radio stations. Books are available from Borders, Waterstones etc or from www.i2ipublishing.co.uk

Sessions:

Sammy Rubin

Sammy has co-founded several businesses including the first life insurance company in the UK to reward healthy living. He is the founder of The Beit Midrash, a trustee of the London School of Jewish Studies and teaches in the Florence Melton Adult Mini-School.

Sessions:

Eve Sacks

Eve lives in London with her husband Josh, and her two wonderful children. She enjoys crochet!

Sessions:

Howard Schwartz

Website: www.howardschwartz.com/

Howard is three-times winner of the National Jewish Book Award, has edited four important collections of Jewish folklore: 'Elijah’s Violin', 'Miriam’s Tambourine', 'Lilith’s Cave' and 'Gabriel’s Palace', and the author of 'Tree of Souls: The Mythology of Judaism', and 'Leaves from the Garden of Eden: One Hundred Classic Jewish Tales'.

Sessions:

Tsila Schwartz

Website: www.ketubahlady.com/

Tsila  is a native of Jerusalem. She is a Jewish folk artist who specializes in ketubot (Jewish wedding contracts), anniversary texts, citations, and amulets. She recently did the calligraphy for 'Leaves from the Garden of Eden'. She lives in St Louis with her husband Howard Schwartz.

Sessions:

Kevin Sefton

Every year at Fest, Kevin leads a session baking challa and we get better each time. He has an interest in food - from shopping to shechita - and has supported ethical approaches to Limmud catering since getting involved as a volunteer six years ago.

Sessions:

Hagai Segal

Organisation: New York University in London

Website: www.hagaisegal.com/

Hagai is an academic, consultant and analyst specialising in Middle-East affairs and terrorism. Lecturer in Near and Middle-Eastern politics at New York University in London he advises numerous banks, companies and security agencies, and regularly appears on TV. He’s presented for Limmud in the UK, US, and Australia.

Sessions:

Yoav Segal

Filmmaker whose work focuses on the Jewish activism of the 1930's. Ubby Cowan, Yoav's grandfather, helped orchestrate the battle of Cable Street and this story became Yoav's first award-winning short film. With the rise of the BNP, he believes British Jews need to look to their proud anti-fascist heritage for inspiration.

Sessions:

James Sevitt

 

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Zahavit Shalev

Organisation: Jeneration / New North London Synagogue

Website: Jeneration.org/

Zahavit works for Jeneration, an initiative that seeks out and supports creative Jewish innovators. She is also the conversion co-ordinator at New North London (Masorti) Synagogue. She feels happiest embroiled in passionate discussions (even when they're taking place inside her head) and dancing like a wild thing.

Sessions:

Miki Shaw

Miki is a visual artist and freelance graphic designer. She enjoys utilising both traditional and digital techniques in her work – from drawing and papercutting, to computer animation and vjing (mixing live visuals). She is currently studying fine art at Middlesex University.

Sessions:

Colin Shindler

Organisation: SOAS

Professor of Israeli Studies, SOAS, University of London. His 'History of Modern Israel' was published last year.

Sessions:

Marc Shoffren

Organisation: Clore Shalom School

Marc is the leader for Jewish Ethos at Clore Shalom School, Hertfordshire. He is a graduate of the Melton Senior Educators Programme, and owns lot of certificates that proclaim his ability to collect qualifications. Marc is married to Shelley Marsh, and together they are the parents of Jordan and Eden.

Sessions:

Judith Silver

Website: www.judithsilver.com/

Judith is a freelance musician, working in a wonderfully diverse range of contexts. Her work in the Jewish community includes leading music for services and teaching songs all around the UK. She has just completed a cd of her own Jewish harmony songs for release in the autumn.

Sessions:

Raymond Simonson

Organisation: Limmud

Website: www.limmud.org/

Raymond has been involved with the Limmud community for over a decade, currently proudly serving as Executive Director. Raymond has qualifications in Jewish Studies, Applied Anthropology and Community and Youth Work. He has twenty years experience in informal Jewish education, training, mentoring and educational consultancy (including for UJIA and JAFI) and a gorgeous little son, Mossy.

Sessions:

Daniel Sinclair

Daniel is a rabbi and a professor and was the minister of the Edinburgh Hebrew Congregation and was former Principal of Jews’ College, London. Currently, he is Wolff Professor of Jewish Law and Jurisprudence at Fordham University Law School, New York, and Professor of Jewish Law and Comparative Biomedical Law at the CMAS Law School.

Sessions:

Natasha Steinberg

Natasha trained at the International School of Corporeal Mime and performed in three shows directed by Theatre de'Ange Fou. In 2006 she qualified as a Pilates instructor then worked with a Brazilian circus company. In 2008 she became a Gyrokinesis apprentice instructor and teaches corporeal mime at Bangor University as part of her MA in drama.

Sessions:

Hamayoon Sultan

Hamayoon is Development Education Coordinator at Islamic Relief, a job which has taken him across the country to talk to children and adults alike about the work of Islamic Relief and the motivations behind it. Islamic Relief is an independent NGO which promotes sustainable development by working with local communities - regardless of race, religion or gender.

Sessions:

Beverlie Summers-Kurzer

Beverlie Summers-Kurzer is a graduate of the Susi Bradfield Women’s Educational Leadership Programme, Girls’ Youth Coordinator at Woodside Park Synagogue and creator of the SUGAR Rosh Chodesh programme for girls. She is a massage therapist, reiki Practitioner, mother of 4 and has even been known to skydive to show by example ‘girl power’.

Sessions:

Sue Surkes

Organisation: Jerusalem and University Botanical Garden

Sue, a former journalist turned botany buff, is creating a new kind of environment for children at the Jerusalem Botanical Garden. She will be unveiling her plans, seeking Eden in the garden, and sharing some of the plant world's extraordinary secrets in interactive outings for families.

Sessions:

Adam Taylor

Website: www.adamtaylorpoetry.com/

Adam Taylor has performed his poetry at the Edinburgh Fringe, Jewish Book Week, South Bank, arts and poetry festivals, comedy clubs, schools, on TV and radio. He's published poems and features in The Times, Sunday Times, The Independent and The Poetry Review. His poetry book 'God’s Face In Your Gazpacho' is published by Troubador.

Sessions:

Lindsey Taylor-Guthartz

Organisation: London School of Jewish Studies

Lindsey studied archaeology at Cambridge and the Hebrew University and lived in Israel for 17 years. A graduate of the Susi Bradfield Women Educators Fellowships, she is a teaching fellow of London School of Jewish Studies and also edits and translates books on Jewish subjects.

Sessions:

Keren Tuch

Keren was born and raised in the Sydney Jewish community, was active with many organisations including youth movements, the AUJS and Maccabi and was more recently a volunteer overseas in Nepal and India with international Jewish organisations Tevel B'Tzedek and Tibetan Jewish Youth Exchange. She is a physiotherapist in between travel stints.

Sessions:

UK Jewish Film Festival

Website: www.ukjewishfilmfestival.org.uk

The UK Jewish Film Festival is delighted to be providing films for viewing at Limmud Fest 2009.

Sessions:

Daniel Vulkan

Daniel first discovered Israeli dancing 20 years ago, and hasn't stopped dancing since! He has led dance sessions at both national and regional Limmud events. During the day, he works for the Board of Deputies of British Jews, and in his spare time, he is a Limmud volunteer.

Sessions:

Abraham Wahnon

Abraham is a leader of his local community and is currently working on his ninth eruv, including those at Limmud.

Sessions:

Michelene Wandor

Website: mwandor.co.uk

Michelene Wandor is a playwright, poet, short story writer, critic, theatre historian, musician and creative writing teacher. Her poetry includes Gardens of Eden Revisited - a conversation between Eve and Lilith; and Music of the Prophets - about the resettlement of the Jews in England.

Sessions:

Sally and Gary Webber

Sally and Gary have been helping Limmud delegates to make kiddush cups and challah boards for generations.  This time, challah boards.

Sessions:

Raphael Zarum

Organisation: London School of Jewish Studies

Website: www.lsjs.ac.uk/

Raphael is Chief Executive and Head of Faculty at the London School of Jewish Studies, the UK centre of modern-orthodox Jewish learning. He created the Torah L’Am Crash Course, is a Jerusalem Fellows graduate, and holds a PhD in physics and an MA in education. Torah study is his passion.

Sessions:

 
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