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”.

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. 

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.

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.

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.

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.

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