sashinka | observation orientated, with a twist of lime | a blog

So the reviews of Limmud NY roll in: this from the Forward (you may need to register):

"Limmud is a postmodern shtetl," said Nigel Savage, an environmental activist and British Limmud veteran who helped initiate the program's New York incarnation. "For the first time since before the French Revolution, we have put three generations and a wide range of denominations to live and celebrate together."

I know that Nigel's my buddy, but postmodern shtetl? P-u-lease.

There's a couple of innacuracies, like that Limmud UK doesn't hold conference over Shabbat, thus negating the possibility of creating a multi-denominational sabbath space (don't I just sound so American?). We do, and we did.

What's interesting, to me, anyhow, is that every Limmud is bound to reflect the community it happens in. And this is the way it should be. So this article places a heavy emphasis on the debates and arguments that took place in order to make the event happen: maybe that's what US Jewry is about. In any group, there's bound to be differences of opinion, but creating a Limmud, and enabling the transformative impact it can have on both participants and the wider community, is about moving past or round those difficulties. While I had a great time - and I really did, I'll be back next year - I can't help wondering if Limmud NY happened despite the differences.