Bring your wisdom...
Limmud Fest is the time to come away and dream under the apple trees. To escape into the Pardes – the Orchard and discover a world of sensual, intellectual and spiritual pleasures. The Orchard is calling us to draw nearer to each other, to ourselves and delight in the intimacies of creation. We will dance to some of the finest creative Jewish music around, study with thought-provoking scholars, trek with guides who will expand our horizons. Let the gathered artists, writers, poets and dreamers show you their path in the Pardes.
The trees provide us with shelter, beauty and food. Tasting the fruits of the orchard should be sweet, without bitterness. Part of the programme at Limmud Fest this year we will explore our ethical relationship to food and food production.
Full programme now online
This year's presenters...
David Aaron
David is a rabbi who offers the life-changing teachings of the Kabbalah. He is the Founder/Dean of Isralight International and the author of several books. http://www.rabbidavidaaron.com/
Nicola Abery
Nic is the Creative Director of Look to Learn; a museum educational experience which fuses Torah with museum art and artefacts for schools and families.
Nathan Abrams
Nathan is a historian, writer and film studies lecturer at Bangor University.
Gilad Amit
Born and raised in Jerusalem; MA in Media Studies; used to work as a teacher and currently a shaliach for the Leeds Jewish Community.
Joel Berkowitz
Joel has played a key role at Fest this year, organising transport as part of the site and logistics team.
Sam Brandman
Sam started making up stuff and dancing as a child and never learned when to stop.
Danny Burkeman
Danny is a rabbi at West London Synagogue, having received semicha from Hebrew Union College in Los Angeles. His focus is adult education, young adults and social action.
Micol Burkeman
Micol received her Masters in Jewish Education from Hebrew Union College in Los Angeles. She is Senior Educator at West London Synagogue, focusing on teen and adult education.
Alexei Charkham
Alexei is a keen allotmenteer, and along with his wife Gaby and daughters Vita and Bea, tries to grow and make as much as possible.
Bernie Cohen
Active member of small community: North West Surrey Synagogue, retired Professor of Computing, founder of the ROOTL (Remote One-to-One Teaching and Learning) project.
DeLeon
Centuries-old Sephardic sounds de-time capsuled and revitalized.
Susan Gessler
Sue has taught on psychology and Judaism, is a consultant clinical psychologist at University College Hospital and collaborates in research on genetic cancer.
GhettoPlotz
GhettoPlotz is a dancefloor rousing electronic klezmer/balkan/eastern mash-up band. Think old time Russia twisted into sonic oblivion by Fatboy Slim and then start dancing.
Girls in Trouble
An original art-pop song cycle about women in Torah, focusing on complex moments of intimacy and betrayal, performed by a full New York-based band (Jdub Records).
http://www.girlsintroublemusic.com/
Paul Glantz
Paul teaches philosophy A-level. He uses ‘A Course in Miracles’ to help him meditate.
Jess Gold
Jess became a full-time eco musician a year ago. She still has food on her table, and clothes (and a guitar) on her back.
Micah Gold
Micah works as a consultant in the public sector, is supporting local government interpreting the Big Society agenda and is active in London Citizens.
Jeremy Gordon
Jeremy is rabbi at New London Synagogue (Masorti) who loves Limmud and will never figure in a 40 under 40 Jewish News list again.
http://www.rabbionanarrowbridge.blogspot.com/
Rivka Gottlieb
Harpist and music therapist, a graduate of the Juilliard School, New York and Guildhall, Rivka works with children with special needs and has performed internationally.
Steven Greenberg
Director, CLAL Diversity Project, author “Wrestling with God and Men”, scholar at Keshet, (training and education for GLBT inclusion) and Hazon (American Jewish environmental organisation).
Sam Greene
Sam is an intern at Tzedek. For the past year he has been the Mazkir of Habonim Dror UK, working from their Manchester office.
Joel Grishaver
Joel is the creative chair of Torah Aura Productions, has written many books that create cutting edge Jewish learning, tells stories, teaches texts, and creates transformative experiences.
Gil Hovav
Gil was born in Jerusalem and lives in Tel Aviv. He is a publisher, an author and a TV presenter.
Adam Julius
Adam started dancing at 16 and has been teaching and performing for the last three years. In his spare time he is a medical student.
Jill Jacobs
Jill is a rabbi and author of ‘There Shall be No Needy: Pursuing Social Justice through Jewish Law and Tradition’ (Jewish Lights 2009).
Ruth Gan Kagan
Ruth is a rabbi who teaches Kabbala and Hassidut, creates music for prayer and is the spiritual leader of Nava Tehila, Jerusalem’s Jewish Renewal community.
Ariel Kahn
Ariel is a Senior Lecturer in Creative Writing at Roehampton University, has won the Bloomsbury New Writing Prize, and is working on a novel.He is passionate about responding creatively to Jewish sources, and regularly teaches at LSJS
Avivit Katzil
Qualified Shiatsu Therapist, and currently Liberal Judaism’s Young Adults Worker. She runs UK-wide 'Tent' events, including Shabbat services, community programmes and social action.
www.liberaljudaism.org/tent.htm
Rafael Kilim
Rafael teaches how to survive DIY with the minimum of expletives.
Yusmin Kilim
Yusmin loves to sew, and is excited to be teaching quilting at Fest again.
Samuel Klein
A lecturer on theology and the arts, Samuel is a Five Rhythms dance practitioner with an interest in existential/gestalt psychotherapy and art of movement.
Kosha Dillz
Rami Even-Esh aka Kosha Dillz: an eclectic, captivating lyricist and rapper, proud of his Israeli roots, New Jersey perspective and fusion of freestyle rhymes over Sabra-spiced samples.
Clive Lawton
Clive is Limmud's senior Consultant, having been its co-founder. Clive is London Jewish Cultural Centre's scholar-in-residence, on the London School of Jewish Studies faculty, on the Metropolitan Police Authority and a magistrate.
Natan Levy
Natan is the rabbi of Shenley United Synagogue and Rabbinical Consultant for the London School of Jewish Studies Jewish Responsibility Unit.
Gabi Markham
Gabi’s been performing since she was three and has appeared in shows in Brighton and the West End. This summer she is dancing in Disney.
Dafna Michaelson
Dafna Michaelson travelled to all fifty states of the US in 2009 to prove her theory that the US is not an apathetic country. She was right.
Helena Miller
Helena is Director of Research and Evaluation at UJIA. She has a doctorate in Jewish Education, teaches and writes. She co-chairs Limmud International.
Steve Miller
Social entrepreneur, community activist and visionary. Founder of Tzedek, Restore Community Projects, and Faiths Forum for London. Always looking for a different angle.
Lea Muehlstein
Lea is a fourth year rabbinic student at Leo Baeck College, London. Previously, she worked as a research chemist at the University of Munich.
Maurice Olsberg
Maurice is a vocalist/MC in Manchester group The Organgrinder. A music obsessive, especially on modern Jewish music, he has also written for local music fanzines.
Jane Miriam Osborne
A member of the Jewish community who has recently joined the neuro-diverse community with a diagnosis of Asperger Syndrome.
Denise Phillips
Renowned chef, food columnist and author. Runs cookery classes plus ‘Date On A Plate’, classes for singles, an excellent way of networking, cooking and socialising.
Alicia Jo Rabins
Alicia is a Brooklyn-based musician, composer, poet and Jewish educator. She is the songwriter and bandleader of Girls in Trouble.
http://www.girlsintroublemusic.com/
Daniel Reisel
Daniel is baffled by the pull-and-tug of science and religion, and is keen to find others similarly baffled and searching for new Jewish answers.
Judith Rosen-Berry
Judith is the rabbi of the alternative Liberal community Beit Klal Yisrael in Notting Hill Gate.
Daphna Rosenberg
Singer, song writer and prayer leader in Nava Tehila - Jerusalem’s vibrant Jewish Renewal community.
Lionel Ross
Author, publisher, broadcaster and book distributor.
http://www.i2ipublishing.co.uk/
Benedict Roth
Benedict is a popular Talmud teacher who shows that the values and concerns of its authors are still relevant to us today.
Alex Schajer
Alex lives in Hendon with his family and 50,000 bees in his garden who supply him honey for Rosh Hashanah every year.
Shasy
Shasy has learnt that belief in oneself, support from people who really matter, and Judaism, have led her to a wonderful path of self-discovery.
Mark Sheinfield
Muswell Hill United Synagogue member, who would like to believe the world is a better place than he thinks it really is.
Danny Shine
Danny is realising that he doesn't really know much about anything so bear that in mind before choosing his sessions!
Marc Shoffren
Marc graduated from the Ashdown MBA and the Senior Educators, Jerusalem. He’s Jewish ethos leader at Clore Shalom, writes plays and created the Kivunim Curriculum.
The Shuk
The Shuk is an Israel-based ensemble of musicians and educators who use music as a means to discover and explore Israel and Jewish culture.
www.the-shuk.com
Paul Silk
Ache from sleeping rough? Need gentle hands and soothing? Mmm... yummy massage. See you at Makom Refuah.
http://www.acupuncturesilk.co.uk/
Nicholas Silver
Nick advises governments, corporations and multi-lateral institutions and has been widely quoted in the press on demographics, climate change and the financial crisis.
Raymond Simonson
Limmud’s Executive Director has qualifications in Jewish Studies, Anthropology, Community and Youth Work, twenty years’ experience in Jewish education and a mean record collection.
Dean Staker
Dean is an award-winning singer-songwriter, a member of Finchley Progressive Synagogue’s ‘Shabbat Resouled’, a Music Consultant for Liberal Judaism and composer of contemporary liturgical music.
Avra Stein
Avra is a primary school teacher in Hendon who loves knitting, volunteering for Limmud and finger painting.
Natasha Steinberg
Natasha Steinberg teaches Pilates and Gyrokinesis in studios in Snowdonia and London and has worked with and trained in various techniques within Europe and Brazil.
David Yehuda Stern
David is Officer for the United Jewish Israel Appeal's (UJIA) Small Communities Connectivity Project.
Lana Sussman
Lana has belly danced professionally for ten years. She is a qualified Social Worker and is currently studying her Masters in Drama and Movement Therapy.
Joanna Turner
Joanna is a volunteer for RenéCassin, the Jewish voice for human rights that educates and campaigns on universal human rights.
Jacqueline Waltz
Jacqueline is an American-born, UK-registered dance movement therapist, working with creative expressive dance movement to further physical, emotional and cognitive well-being.
http://www.movementforlife.vpweb.co.uk/
Gary and Sally Webber
Sally and Gary have been helping Limmud delegates to make kiddush cups and challah boards for years. Here they are at it again.
Raphael Zarum
Head of London School of Jewish Studies (LSJS). A Jerusalem Fellows graduate with degrees in physics and education. Text study is his passion.
A defining feature of Limmud Fest is that presenters are not paid to offer sessions. In keeping with Limmud's commitment to volunteerism, presenters – who are participants – offer their time and expertise to make the conference a success.