Taste of Limmud

Limmud JHB in conjunction with the Johannesburg Holocaust & Genocide Centre are excited to present a showcase of Limmud. Come and engage with some of our most popular sessions from Limmud Conference 2017, as well as fascinating new topics by our excellent local and international presenters.

Suggested donation of R120
RSVP to dhovsha@gmail.com

First Session: 11.00 – 12.00

Tales of Transformation: FCB Africa’s Approach to Broad Based Empowerment
Brett Morris
BBBEE is one of the most maligned and misinformed areas of South African business and culture. In this session, Brett Morris, CEO of FCB Africa advertising, will share the transformation story of his company and talk about creative, economic empowerment options that can redress the deep inequalities in South Africa and can include corporate capital as part of the solution.

Walking Through the Past: Teenager’s perspectives on March of the Living Panel
March of the Living is an annual event which brings thousands of Jews to some of the most infamous sites of the Holocaust. Recently returned students will share their experiences of this trip, reflecting on what it means to be a modern Jew in the wake of such tragedy.

Thank You, Comrade Stalin: What Totalitarian Judaism has Taught Me About Communal Conflict
Josh Hovsha
Looking at the darkest regimes of the 20th century, we must ask ourselves what is it that drives us to choose absolute authority? Why do we, even now, have a tendency to hide dissent? As a student of politics and a communal leader, Josh will delve into the theories behind totalitarianism and analyse how they play out in our communal structures.

Second Session: 12.10 – 13.00

Who do we think we are? History and Identity in the SA Jewish Community
Shirli Gilbert & Deborah Posel
South African Jews are a diverse group, even if they have sometimes purported to speak with one voice. In this event, we’ll share the findings of an ongoing research project investigating how South African Jews define their Jewishness, the relationship between their Jewish and South African identities, and attitudes towards Israel.

Confronting Korbanot: Was the Sacrificial Service Sacred or Sadistic?
Josh Poyurs
Few Sections of the Torah challenge our modern sensibilities in the way sacrificial rite does. Is this because we have simply evolved or maybe we didn’t quite ‘get them’ in the first place? This session will delve into the world of the Korbanot and will explore questions that lie at the heart of our encounter with the Divine and what it means to be Human.

Can Broken Things Be Beautiful? Thinking about Art, Therapy and Emotional Repair
Andy Cohen
Consider Kintsugi – a 16th Century Japanese tradition – where broken pottery was mended with lacquered gold dust. This embraces the cultural appreciation that the item is now actually more beautiful for having been broken. Perhaps it is precisely in our suffering that meaning can be made so let us consider that damage has a silver (or rather gold!) lining.