A Festival of Learning – Limmud 2011
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January 5, 2012 - crossposted from Rachel's blog.
Limmud is a utopian version of university. As this was my first Limmud Conference, I hadn’t known quite what to expect, but I was thrilled to spend a week transported back to the best aspects of my college years. My schedule was busy from morning to late night, but at Limmud, I could attend only those classes that most interested me. There were no tests and no papers, no pressure or deadlines, and the lecturers were all leaders in their field. The students were all glad to be in the classroom and eager to engage in lively debates on topics ranging from theater and poetry to philosophy, Zionism, current events and Tanach. With no course requirements to worry about, I varied my days with a smattering of classes from topics that sounded intriguing or lecturers that I had heard of. As I stayed up late nights at the pub with my fellow classmates we chatted about friends, favorite lectures and our dreams for the future. But just as with university – where long after the classes have ended and the coursework completed, it is the people who make the most lasting impact.
It’s all about people.
The second thing that struck me both at ROI, and again at Limmud, was the feeling of support I received from those around me – the faith I felt others placed in me. I attended Limmud to spread the word about IsraCorps, the organization I am founding alongside ROIers Edoe Cohen, Rachel Ishofsky, and Sarah Schonberg. We’ve been working since last June to create a program for Israelis and Jews who want to do long-term service work in the development world. Limmud was our first opportunity to present it to the larger Jewish world. There was incredible interest and some very helpful feedback that came out of the session I gave about the project. I met dozens of individuals and connected with several organizations who have offered partnerships and suggestions as we move forward.
While I received encouragement from many people, nothing matched the unflappable support I of my fellow ROIers. And in a week that is noteworthy because of amazing people – intellectuals, artists, community organizers and entrepreneurs – it is the ROIers that stood above the rest. I will forever remember Limmud as a place where the individuals I know from the ROI Community acted in turn as cheerleaders, advisors, connectors and sounding boards – each expressing a personal interest in helping IsraCorps succeed. The faith this remarkable community has placed in me is both humbling and empowering; I return from Limmud energized and ready to take the next step in our journey of launching IsraCorps.
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