Saturday 1:00 PM–2:15 PM
Lunch
Saturday 12:00 PM–2:00 PM
Dining Room
Sit with someone new! Lunch is a great time to meet participants at Limmud NY.
47% and Rising
Limmud NY Open Forum Series on Intermarriage
Jeffrey Schwarz
Saturday 1:00 PM–2:15 PM
Empire Room 3
You’ve been listening, learning, and asking questions - now it’s time to hear what YOU have to say! Don’t miss Limmud NY's new Open Forum Series. It’s your chance to speak out and hear what your fellow Limmudnyks are thinking and saying about hot topics in a facilitated discussion. This Open Forum is entitled “47% and Rising: How should we respond to a growing intermarriage rate?” and will be facilitated by Jeffrey Schwarz. Join us for this all-new Limmud NY program!
Can Israel Be Both a Jewish and a Democratic State When One Of Five Israelis Is Not Jewish?
Zvi Gitelman
Saturday 1:00 PM–2:15 PM
Tower VIP Room
Israel
How can Israel be a “Jewish state” when one of five Israelis is an Arab, most of them Muslims, who are supposed to enjoy equal rights since Israel also claims to be a democracy? Although the political status of Israeli Arabs has improved, it was only in 2006 that an Arab Muslim was made a government minister. No Arab party has ever been included in the governing coalition. Yet, the position of Israeli Arabs compares favorably with that of minorities in other countries. Can an “ethnic democracy” arrangement preserve Israel’s democratic and Jewish characters simultaneously?
Gender Trouble
Queering Genesis and Thinking Beyond Binaries
Gregg Drinkwater,
David Shneer
Saturday 1:00 PM–2:15 PM
Festival Room
Text and Thought
Was the first human a male? A female? Neither? Both? Were Abraham and Sarah challenged by more than just infertility? Together, we’ll explore the complexity of gender in the Book of Genesis and discuss the implications of looking at the Torah from a “queer” perspective. Can we use our sacred texts to expand our understanding of sexual and gender diversity? Come study with the editors of the forthcoming book “Torah Queeries” (NYU Press), inspired by the Web project: www.jewishmosaic.org/torah.
Jewish Memo–Drama
Naomi Ackerman
Saturday 1:00 PM–2:15 PM
Empire Room 2
Arts and Performance,
Identity and Responsibility
Using drama and story telling techniques, participants will share important incidents from their lives. They will discuss the people and moments that influenced them and their Jewish identity, and will act out and develop a dramatic story from these memories.
Judaism and Islam
Some Halakhic (Jewish Legal) and Historical Perspectives
Marc Shapiro
Saturday 1:00 PM–2:15 PM
Embassy Room 2
Text and Thought,
University Student Recommended
Discussion of how Jews and Judaism have viewed Islam from medieval times to the present. The focus is on Jewish law and theology.
Musical Instruments on Shabbat
How to Think About Halakhah (Jewish Law)
Ethan Tucker
Saturday 1:00 PM–2:15 PM
Congressional Room 2
Ritual and Prayer,
Text and Thought,
University Student Recommended
In this session, we will look at the question of using musical instruments on Shabbat as a window into halakhic discourse. We will explore both the substance of the specific issue as well as the ways different sources use “halakhic language” to get at their divergent conclusions.
Someone to Run With
for High School Students
Caryn Green
Saturday 1:00 PM–2:15 PM
Ski Chalet
High School Only
What does the underbelly of Jerusalem look like? We will explore David Grossman’s novel “Someone to Run With” and its depiction of homeless/substance abusing teens on the streets of Jerusalem. Who are these kids and how do they fall down so far? What does it mean to be a teen, like you, and to deal with life -- especially compared to how these teens dealt with theirs. Caryn Green will bring to light the truth about how teens at risk reach rock bottom, what this entails, and the challenges they face in society while attempting to find their way back.
Terrorism: Origin, Religion, and Culture
Does the violence signal a clash of civilization?
Asher Naim
Saturday 1:00 PM–2:15 PM
Tower Board Room
Global History and Culture,
Israel
What is the definition of terrorism? Is one man’s terrorist another man’s freedom fighter? How does terrorism differ from war and what does its presence say about current civilization?
The Jew in the Lotus
Where We Were Then, Where We Are Today
Joy Levitt,
Alan Morinis,
Heather Altman,
Goldie Milgram
Saturday 1:00 PM–2:15 PM
Empire Room 1
The 1990 travelogue about the Dalai Lama's request to learn the secrets of Jewish survival in exile appeared while many Jews were on alternative spiritual paths. So it came as news that the Buddhist leader wanted to learn about our people's ways. Today, Jews returning from studies in other faith traditions, as well as those recovering traditional Jewish spiritual practices, are bringing methods that restore and advance the vitality and meaning of being Jewish. Our panelists will discuss the personal and professional impact of the diverse spiritual tools they have uncovered, live, and teach.
UN Measures for Genocide Prevention
The Case of Darfur and Beyond
Sybil Kessler
Saturday 1:00 PM–2:15 PM
Embassy Room 1
Identity and Responsibility
Is the UN doing all it can to prevent genocide? What are the mechanisms that exist and how are they effecting change? This discussion will consider the situation in Darfur, including why it is sometimes called “slow motion genocide,” and consider the phrase ‘genocide’ itself in terms of its relevancy to preventing human rights violations. The discussion will also touch upon the new international concept of “responsibility to protect” and what that means to contemporary nation states and the UN.
What's Jewish about Social Justice?
Avodah Corps Members Reflect
AVODAH Corps
Saturday 1:00 PM–2:15 PM
Coffee Shop
Identity and Responsibility,
University Student Recommended
Come hear about AVODAH: The Jewish Service Corps, a program that integrates work for social change, Jewish learning and community building through a year of work in low-income communities nationwide. It provides an opportunity for young Jews to live out and deepen their commitments to Jewish life and social change. Corps Members' are ready to share their experiences. Understand their motivation, hear about their commitments and be inspired by their visions for the future of social justice work.
