LBC at Limmud 2024
LBC faculty members and rabbinic students presented some great sessions at Limmud Festival 2024 on a wide range of topics, as well as a market stall to showcase LBC.
Rabbi Prof Deborah Kahn-Harris with Tilla Crowne
presented: Judging The Book of Ruth by its Cover
For Deborah’s recent book, Polyamory and Reading the Book of Ruth, she worked with Tilla to create cover art that itself functions as commentary. Through art and dialogue, they explored the complex nature of the characters’ relationships, e.g. Naomi’s shifting gender presentation and the selves that Ruth shows to different people in her life.
Dr Keith Kahn-Harris presented: Just do it: When It’s Okay for Jews to Have No Vision
Vision, strategy, planning…. all these things seem essential for a well-run Jewish organisation. But what are the limits of their usefulness? In the midst of the current unsettled Jewish reality, can we find a value in ‘doing Jewish’ without a specific end in mind?
Rabbi Natan Levy presented Noah the Ploughman
Tucked between the birth of Noah and the flood narrative is a vignette about fallen giants impregnating human women. It’s oft-dismissed as a vestigial pre-biblical myth. Yet, with midrashic rereading and a nudge from agro-economist Ester Boserup, we may find the dark precursor to the flood and a dire warning on male hegemony in the workforce.
LBC rabbinical student Kohenet Yael Tischler presented four sessions:
A Jew on the Loo: The Asher Yatzar Blessing
Asher Yatzar is the traditional prayer for going to the loo. Where does this prayer come from? How do different bodies give thanks for the things they do and don’t do? And most importantly, should you bring your favourite angels to the loo with you?
Bound Up in the Bundle of Life
The Yizkor (memorial) service uses the words of the biblical heroine Abigail, who saves her family from massacre at the hands of the future King David. But what is the link between Abigail and our memorial prayers? And why might Abigail’s story provide comfort to individuals and communities in mourning?
Scripture Exposes Her: Solving the Mystery of Shelomit bat Dibri
There is only one named woman in the book of Leviticus: Shelomit bat Dibri. She is a footnote in someone else’s story, the mother of a man sentenced to death for blasphemy. But who was Shelomit? Did she have her own story? And how might we relate to her story today? (CW: Shelomit’s story contains sexual violence, xenophobia and misogyny.)
Rabbis vs. Witches: Who Would Win in a Fight?
The Talmud claims most women practise witchcraft and that the daughters of Israel are “unrestrained in sorcery.” It also claims that witchcraft is a capital crime. However, it turns out the rabbis themselves are pretty good wizards, and often end up in magical contests with witches and non-Jewish magic-workers!
LBC rabbinical student Tim Motz led two sessions
The first was an introduction to nusach, the traditional chant used for service-leading. He is qualified as a ba’al tefillah with the European Academy of Jewish Liturgy. It was taught together with Ayala Gottlieb Alter as part of Masorti Judaism’s Shema Koleinu programme, which Tim is also contributing to with vocal recordings. The second, ‘Connecting to our ancestors in Prayer’, was a session looking in depth at the first prayer of the Amidah, using the medieval commentary of Abudraham, with the aim of having a better prayer experience in this prayer traditionally said three times daily.