One of the most common claims made against the State of Israel is that it is a European colonial enterprise. In this presentation, participants will learn how the Jewish people meet all of the internationally-accepted criteria for being indigenous to the land of Israel. They will then beable to use this information in order to effectively respond to this false claim of colonization.

Judaism offers us a set of beliefs which we as people can structure our lives. However, Jewish tradition has always been aware that each person and each community must be engaged in a continual struggle to find meaning. Judaism permits each of us to create and repair our worlds but within a communal set of core principles. Along with traditional Jewish teachings as well as modern psychology, we will learn how to apply these principles that might enable us to bring some order to us after experiencing trauma. In the words of Drs Kent Harber, Ph.D. and Razel Solow, PhD we find in Judaism a “structure in which we learn where we are, when we are, who we are”.

In 1840, there were NO Jewish newspapers or members of Parliament in either the UK or the USA!

There has also never been a Jewish cabinet minister in the UK or the USA.

The blood libel was a minor tragedy in terms of loss-of-life yet it catalyzed world Jewry to start thinking like a nation.

The swift mobilization of world Jewry on behalf of the Jews of Damascus saved them from massacre.

The infrastructure left behind by the mobilization (Jewish Press, lobbying groups, etc) gave rise to the Political Action Committees and other structures we have today.

This atmosphere also gave rise to the first Zionists (40 years before Hertzl).

Step into the world of Israeli dance with Winnipeg's Kadima Dance Company, a group that blends tradition and innovation. Founded in 2019 by Hadera Short, Kadima invites you to a dynamic workshop where you will experience the beauty of both classic and contemporary Israeli dance styles.

This session is a celebration of artistic expression and community. Join us for an active workshop exploring the rich tapestry of Israeli dance traditions.

Witness a moving clip of a Holocaust survivor's testimony at Auschwitz and hear students share the profound impact of their visits to Poland and the camps. Discover a session that goes beyond the past, cultivating empathy and understanding, empowering students for a future anchored in the strength of remembrance.

One of the secrets to the survival of the Jewish people through the millennia has been our ability to embrace change.

In this session, ancient Jewish wisdom encounters modern social science to provide insight on how to move forward in a world where we have lost our bearings.

Come explore the traditional strategies to help us grapple with this unchartered territory where the familiar mechanisms no longer provide the social justice we took for granted.

What does caring about other Jews mean? What are the extremes we must go to, to help a fellow Jew? How do Biblical stories shed light on the subject? Let's study together the importance of being responsible for one another. 

Discover the real experiences of Jewish students on university campuses in the aftermath of October 7. Join our session as students share personal stories of encountering anti-Israel and anti-Semitic incidents, both online and offline. Learn about their actions, from reporting incidents to engaging with university officials.

 Get insights into their participation in the "Face it Fight it" Antisemitism Conference in Ottawa and how it empowered them to address and combat anti-Semitism. This session aims to shed light on the realities faced by Jewish students and inspire collective efforts to foster a more inclusive and understanding campus environment. Join us for a concise yet impactful conversation on being Jewish on campus.

What can the atheist computer scientist Richard Stallman teach us about how Torah learning can thrive in the world today? Join us as we explore the interplay between Hacker Culture, the Free Software Movement and the teachings of great Jewish thinkers like Rabbi Akiva, Rabbi Moshe Feinstein and Rebbe Nachman of Breslov.

Russel Neiss’ participation at Limmud Winnipeg Fest was made possible thanks to a partnership between Limmud North America and The Covenant Foundation.

I took the time to wander, to walk through new neighbourhoods, to get to know the streets where we lived for 5 months. What I discovered was more than the beauty and the geography, I found out about life and values and culture. I found the sounds and scents and sights. I found new colours and old souls, modern thinking and old stone. Come with me on a walk through some of my Jerusalem stories.

USY at Limmud offers programming for tweens 10-13

Adult registration to Limmud is requiered

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The session is focused on my late father Alex Berkowits and his personal journey and fortunate survival of several concentration/labour camps. He eluded numerous death marches and stood alongside of his brothers and father as they were relocated and ultimately separated from each other. My father arrived in Birkenau sometime in April of 1944. This is where he avoided his first death march. He was at Birkenau for no more than two days before walking 3.5 kms to Auschwitz. After eluding a second death march, my father was transferred to the Janina Coal Mines, followed by Monowitz-Buna and then to Gliwice, avoiding yet another death camp march. My father’s last stop was Buchenwald where he was liberated on April 11, 1945, along with 21,000 other prisoners of war. Tragically, both of his parents along with his sister were murdered. He was ultimately reunited with his three brothers and went on to marry a beautiful Canadian girl (Sandra Goffman) from Saskatoon.

Benyamin Cohen manages the official social media accounts for Albert Einstein, where the world’s favourite genius has more than 20 million fans (more than most living celebrities). In his new book, “The Einstein Effect," Benyamin embarked on a funny and fascinating global quest to unearth Einstein's ongoing relevance today (including interviewing two Rabbi Einsteins). Einstein was named Time Magazine’s Person of the Century, and his legacy as a humanitarian far surpasses his scientific achievements – namely his role in rescuing fellow German Jews from the Holocaust, his work in the Civil Rights Movement, and his staunch efforts in creating the State of Israel.

The schism between Judaism and Christianity is felt most potently in Jesus. Is he God, Messiah, sorcerer or false prophet? Through a censored Rabbinic passage we will explore the debate between the first Christians and Jews, and examine the internal struggle that comes with standing at the brink of history.

Rori Picker Neiss’ participation at Limmud Winnipeg Fest was made possible thanks to a partnership between Limmud North America and Micah Philanthropies.

Isabel Vincent will present highlights from her research into Ida and Louise Cook, English sisters who became opera fans in the 1920s and 1930s, and befriended some of the biggest stars of the day. Among them was Clemens Krauss, Hitler's favorite conductor, who asked them to help him save Jewish musicians. Using slides and excerpts from her book, "Overture of Hope," Vincent tells the story of these ordinary extraordinary heroines.

Isabel Vincent’s participation at Limmud Winnipeg Fest was made possible thanks to a partnership between Limmud North America and The Jewish Book Council

Well after his passing in 1204 CE, Maimonides was finally recognized as one of our greatest teachers and rabbis. This session will explore his wanderings from Spain through North Africa and the Middle East and the surprising influences that had him first treated as an outsider and later, as one our most influential scholars.

Learn how to confidently respond to anti-Israel claims and inspire others to want to learn more about Israel through this interactive workshop.

Limmud Katan offers full-day pregaming for children ages 3-8, and an afternoon-only program (1:15-3:30 pm) for tweens ages 10-13.

Adult registration to Limmud is requiered

The Full Catastrophe is a story about the deep friendship between thirteen-year-old Charlie Minkoff, a boy with intersex traits, and his grandfather Oscar Minkoff, a Holocaust survivor in his nineties. Despite their vast differences in age and experience they are each other’s best friends and lifelong confidants. When Charlie learns that, because of the invasion of the Nazis, Oscar never had a bar mitzvah, he decides to organize one for his beloved zeide.

Méira will discuss the different ways that masculinity is expressed in our contemporary world – whether religiously, socially, medically or in terms of family – as well as the troubling ways that history collides with the present time.

Join Tracey Erin Smith for a lively and interactive discussion peppered with a creative-tool sharing about the creative process.  “Pain to Power: A Kanye West Musical Protest”, is having its world premiere March 2024 at The Winnipeg Jewish Theatre and Smith is a co-creator of this necessary and illuminating work. How do you make a play about antisemitism entertaining, toe-tapping and powerful?

How do you turn personal stories, from a Jewish and Black perspective, into something universal that everyone connects to?  How can art help promote justice and why does sharing our Jewish stories matter? Spend an hour with award-winning theatre and television creator Tracey Erin Smith to dig into these questions.

*Bring a notebook and pen to try for yourself one of the creative tools used in making the show. 

Join us for the first public performance in more than half a century of “The Story of Purim,” an award winning Jewish educational filmstrip which is part of a recently rediscovered lost cache produced by the NY Bureau of Jewish Education in the 1950’s. We’ll view the slides and table-read the script together as we see how much the field of Jewish engagement & education has (and hasn’t) changed over the last 70 years.

Russel Neiss’ participation at Limmud Winnipeg Fest was made possible thanks to a partnership between Limmud North America and The Covenant Foundation.

In this heartfelt baking workshop, we gather to honour the memory of Hadar, a beloved member of Kibbutz Kfar Aza, and to celebrate her passion for baking. Hadar, along with her husband, was murdered on October 7. As a tribute to her and her love for her family, we invite you to join us in baking her favourite cake, the "Maple Cake."

 Hadar's Maple Cake was a cherished tradition in her household, baked with love and care every Shabbat for her family. Through this workshop, we aim to keep her memory alive by sharing the joy of baking this delicious treat that meant so much to her.

 This session is not only a culinary experience but also an opportunity to keep Hadar's light alive.

As our world feels to be in a state of almost perpetual crisis, the role of leadership is more essential than ever before. Together we will look at another story of a moment of existential crisis—the sin of the Golden Calf—and the leadership of Moses in this critical moment. Through a study of the story and Rabbinic commentaries and Midrash, we will explore what our traditions recognize as necessary in the most difficult of times.

Rori Picker Neiss’ participation at Limmud Winnipeg Fest was made possible thanks to a partnership between Limmud North America and Micah Philanthropies.

Benyamin Cohen is the News Director of the Forward, America’s oldest and largest newspaper. He gets up each morning at 5 AM to scour the web for a newsletter he writes that goes to more than 100,000 people which has all the Jewish news you need to know each day. He’ll share the thought-process behind how he curates the news and how readers can teach themselves to spot bias, see when news is being blown out of proportion, and how to find joy and delight in modern Jewish news.

*Benyamin Cohen’s participation at Limmud Winnipeg Fest was made possible thanks to a partnership between Limmud North America and The Jewish Book Council

*As part of the Limmud registration, there is an optional additional cost. If you choose to purchase this optional add-on, you will receive a 50% discounted ticket to this WJT play!

Featuring CJ Capital and Seth Zosky

Seth Zosky and CJ Capital considered Kanye West to be one of their biggest inspirations on their paths to becoming singer-songwriters and America’s Got Talent contestants. Now the pair search for answers, as they stretch the blurred lines of song and protest. What do you do when the artist you admire hates you simply for who you are? Is it possible to separate art from its artist? How can reclaiming ‘cancelled’ music make us stronger?