OUTSIDE THE BOX

With Limmud, a one-day festival of Jewish education, the AJE is showing us a new way to learn.
By Zach Reff



For many Jews, Jewish education ends after their bar or bat mitzvah. Once they step off of the bima on that fateful day they turn their backs on Jewish learning and never look back. So long Jewish education, hello secular schooling. The Agency for Jewish Education in San Diego (AJE) is looking to change that and to get all members of the community excited anew about Jewish learning.

So, what exactly is their plan for accomplishing this tall task? It’s called Limmud, and it will be a daylong festival celebrating Jewish education at the end of this month with events and presentations for all ages and all levels of Jewish involvement.

“Our Agency feels strongly that Jewish education makes a difference, and a community of learners that puts Jewish education at the top of their agenda will lead to a stronger community,” said Alan Rusonik, the Executive Director for the AJE in San Diego. “The Jewish community of San Diego needs a day to come together to celebrate Jewish education.”

For the past 16 or so years, the AJE in San Diego has held a weeklong festival each spring to highlight Jewish learning and education. This year the agency decided to pack the event into an action packed single day. While in the past the event focused primarily on local talent, this year it will feature a number of national figures that have been improving and revitalizing Jewish education. “We wanted to bring in outside talent to raise the standard of learning and education,” said Rusonik.

Limmud, which means “learning” in Hebrew, will feature 12 nationally recognized speakers presenting subjects ranging from celebrating Jewish holidays with young children to medicine in the Third Reich to the different perceptions Jews and Palestinians have about Israel. The keynote speaker for the event will be Limor Livnat, a Minister of Education, Culture and Sports for the Likud party in Israel as well as a member of the Knesset.
There are so many events scheduled for Limmud that, at many times during the day, there will be multiple presentations going on at once. Oh, and don’t forget the catered kosher box lunch that will be available to attendees. After all, how can one be expected to learn if they aren’t well fed?

The AJE hopes that the incredible breadth of topics and presenters will serve to draw adults and children, educators and students, old and the young—members from every aspect of the Jewish community in San Diego. The ultimate goal of Limmud is to connect people with Jewish education in the community and to enrich their lives through doing so. Rusonik said he expects more than 500 people to attend the event, which will be held in the Lawrence Family JCC Jacobs Family Campus on January 22. He is hopeful that more than 800 will show up.

“We hope that participants will see that Jewish education can be fun and that it can make a difference in the quality of person’s life and in the quality of the community,” said Rusonik. “We also want participants to recognize that Limmud is only the beginning of a process to become a life-long Jewish learner, and we want to open the eyes of the community to the types of Jewish educational opportunities that are available in our community and elsewhere.”

Even given the interesting subjects to be presented at Limmud, Rusonik admits that making education exciting, Jewish learning included, can be a unique challenge.
“Jewish learning isn’t only done through lectures,” said Rusonik. In fact, lectures will only be a small portion of the presentations at Limmud. The festival will also include a musical workshop and a closing musical finale with the acclaimed Jewish gospel singer Josh Nelson, an exhibit exploring the life of Zionism founder Theodor Herzl, an Israeli dance class and art projects for children, and storytelling for both young and old.

“There certainly is a tremendous national need for programs like Limmud, both for those not yet engaged in continuing Jewish education, and those deeply involved in Jewish Life and learning,” said Rabbi Nathan Laufer, President Emeritus of the Wexner Heritage Foundation, who will come all the way from Israel to participate in Limmud. Laufer will be presenting two different topics at Limmud, one about the meaning and purpose of Passover and another on his book "The Genesis of Leadership: What the Bible teaches us about Vision, Values and Leading Change”.

“Limmud provides a safe space for those who have previously not embraced the exciting and challenging opportunities of adult Jewish learning to tentatively taste what adult Jewish learning is like without having to make long term commitments; for those already on the journey of Jewish learning, Limmud provides an opportunity to enrich and reinforce that learning with gifted scholars and teachers from across the Jewish spectrum,” said Laufer.

One of those gifted teachers is Israeli storyteller Noa Baum, who will present her powerful and highly praised tale, “A Land Twice Promised: A One Woman Show”. The story she tells is a personal tale about the conflicting narratives she and a Palestinian friend each have about the land of Israel and the Six Days War. With empathy and respect they are able to remain friends and discuss their feelings. “My storytelling style is very dramatic, very theatrical,” said Baum, although she notes her presentation is not a piece of theatre. “I think storytelling in general is an extraordinary tool that has both educational powers and healing powers.”

In addition to the 12 speakers and the various events taking place at Limmud, the AJE will also be handing out a comprehensive guide to adult education in San Diego. The guide is just one more way to ensure that people who attend the festival are able to connect with all the Jewish education options available to them in the community. “One day is not going to be the end all,” said Rusonik. “Our goal is to entice them [attendees] that there is more of this available in our community.” A
Limmud is an all day festival happening on January 22 at the JCC. The event will last from 8:15 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Registration begins at 8:00 a.m. and is ongoing throughout the day. Walk-in tickets may be available. Prices for tickets are as follows: Adult $45, adult half-day $30 (a.m. or p.m.), teens $12.50, children $7.50. Tickets for students, teens, children and childcare are full day only and include kosher lunch. All adult tickets include lunch. Please call the Agency for Jewish Education at (858) 268-9200, or visit their website at www.ajesd.org for more information on Limmud.

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