Limmud ’16 Presenters

Check out the divesrse talent at Limmud Vancouver 2016.
LimmudVan’ 16 will take place on Saturday evening, January 30, and Sunday, January 31.

National president of Ameinu and a member of the Jewish Agency for Israel board of governors, the World Zionist Organization executive, the board of the J Street education fund and chair of the American Zionist Movement. Read what he has to say on a variety of topics at here.

A University of Washington professor and most recently co-editor of Boundaries of Jewish Identity, a book that grapples with the thorny question of who and what is a Jew. Here’s the link for her publisher’s website

Grandson of the founder of modern Hebrew, Rabbi Eliezer is a scholar, who served as a teacher and pulpit rabbi, Jewish chaplain and university campus rabbi. He has published articles in Hebrew, English, and French, on Judaism, the Holocaust, Zionism and the rebirth of Israel, was the editor of the Rosetta Stone in Hebrew, and has written two books. For more info visit his web-page

A culinary ethnographer, chef, baker and Yiddish instructor at the YIVO institute. She co-hosts a cooking show in Yiddish. Don’t believe it? check out the website…

Rabbi Acoca was ordained in Montreal, has a Master’s Degree in Talmudic Law and a BA from Universite De Montreal. Rabbi Acoca is an expert Mohel who was trained under world renown Mohel Rabbi Shlomo Mahfud and he has been the spiritual leader of Congregation Beth Hamidrash in Vancouver for the last fifteen years.

An award-winning filmmaker whose work has screened at festivals around the world, a director and writer of documentary and non-fiction television programs for NBC, ABC, CBS, PBS, CBC, MTV, CTV, CNBC, Travel, Discovery, History and more. Her production company makes independent documentaries and promotional films for nonprofits and NGOs.

Rabbi Dr. Robert Daum is a Fellow at SFU’s Centre for Dialogue, and holds appointments in 3 academic units at UBC. A Director of The Laurier Institution and of Reconciliation Canada, and Co-convenor of a Strategy Group for the Vancouver Immigration Partnership.

Ordained by Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion, has MA Hebrew Letters (liturgy and philosophy), MA Moral Philosophy. Served as Rabbi in Edmonton and Kelowna. Executive Director of the Sol Mark Centre for Jewish Excellence since 2012.

Marlon Danilewitz was born in South Africa, he is a medical resident at UBC, certified yoga instructor and mindfulness meditation teacher. Marlon has been the primary investigator on multiple clinical trials involving yoga and meditation interventions. He is a Moishe House resident and active part of the Vancouver Jewish community.

Annie Klein works as a casting director in film and TV and is a Reiki Master, Soul Memory Discovery practitioner and artist. She is a certified Sageing leader with years of experience as a hospice counsellor and workshop facilitator. Was recognized as Eshet Hazon (woman of valour) by Aleph in 2011.

Serves as spiritual leader of Or Shalom, and ordained as rabbi and a spiritual director, a mashpiah ruchanit. Hannah has an exhibition, curatorial, and university teaching record in visual arts, and is a Rabbis Without Borders fellow.

A Leadership and Career Coach and an instructor at UBC’s Sauder School of Business, and a second-generation Holocaust survivor of Hungarian parents, Jeff had studied Eastern philosophy and Buddhism for 13 years before returning exclusively to Judaism.

Daniel was the first person to receive semichah from Rabbi Zalman Schachter-Shalomi (in 1974). He cofounded Or Shalom, served as the Hillel Director in Vancouver, as Jewish Chaplain at Dartmouth College, and Rabbinic Director of ALEPH. The Rabbinic Director of ALEPH Canada and the founding director of the Integral Halachah Institute.

Rabbi Laura Duhan Kaplan, Ph.D., is Director of Inter-Religious Studies and Professor of Jewish Studies at Vancouver School of Theology. An award-winning educator, she is also faculty at ALEPH Ordination Programs; Professor Emerita of Philosophy, UNC-Charlotte; and Rabbi Emerita, Or Shalom Synagogue.

Dan Moskovitz is Senior Rabbi of Temple Sholom and is the author of numerous articles. He is a frequent lecturer to Jewish professional groups on the use of technology in Jewish organizations and Jewish men’s issues.

Once graduated from Columbia University with a Bachelors degree in Chemistry and English Literature and a Masters in Science, Rabbi Rosenblatt spent two years in Yeshivat Har Etzion in Israel which led him to receiving semicha from Yeshiva University in New York. Rabbi Rosenblatt is rabbi of Congregation Schara Tzedeck.

Born and raised in Israel, both his parents were born in Ethiopia and came to Israel in the 50’s and the early 70’s. Doron holds a master degree in public administration from Bar Ilan university, and has recently moved to Vancouver with his family. 

Interested in the relationship between ideological radicalization and violent conflict, Dana recently developed an approach to creating Ideologically Challenging Entertainment (ICE) – entertainment that challenges the ideologies that support violent conflict through the use of parallel, entertaining narratives.

Dr. Efrat El-Hanany, an art historian, specializes in the visual culture of the Italian Renaissance, with interests in Chinese, Jewish and contemporary art. She is a faculty member in the Departments of Art History and Womens’ & Gender Studies at Capilano University.

Ezra S. Shanken is the CEO of The Greater Vancouver Jewish Federation. He is the former Director of Emerging Leaders and Philanthropists (ELP) at UJA Federation of New York the Federation System’s largest next generation engagement program.

A community leader, spiritual mentor and educator in Judaism and Chassidut. Received his rabbinical ordination from Yeshivat Tomechei Tmimim College in New York and traveled to Russia to re-establish Jewish community in Minsk. Co-founder and director of Chabad Richmond.

David Matas is legal counsel to the NGO Justice for Jews from Arab Countries. He is an immigration, refugee and international human rights lawyer based in Winnipeg. Was inducted into the Order of Canada in 2009.

Rabbi Hanna Tiferet has been planting the seeds of Jewish Renewal since the late 1960′s through new music, liturgical innovation, and attunement to Mother Earth and the Divine Feminine. She has recorded 8 albums of healing music. Co-founder of Or Shalom.

Barry worked at SFU for 27 years writing about university research. His book “Sensational Scientists” profiling 24 of Canada’s greatest scientists won a national book award. Plays sax and flute in a pop music quartet.

Founder of Early Music Vancouver, and founder and director of The Towne Waytes and Harmonie; Solo English Horn with the Vancouver Symphony at the age of 17, served as President of the Peretz Centre for Secular Jewish Culture.

Communications Specialist at the David Suzuki Foundation, Gail started as a volunteer in 2003 and came on staff in 2007.

A writer and teacher, his fiction and non-fiction have appeared in magazines across Canada and on CBC radio, his new novel portrays contemporary Poland and Vancouver. Over the past fifteen years he has traveled in and written about Poland.

Barbara Heller is a passionate proponent of the art of tapestry and its place in contemporary art. She has exhibited widely locally and internationally and has represented Canada. 

Rabbi Berger had studied in several yeshivas in Israel for 8 years where he received rabbinical ordination, he is currently the Head of Judaics at King David High School in Vancouver.

A writer, a translator from Yiddish, and an actress. Helen has written 4 one-woman shows reframing contemporary Jewish women’s identity and has performed these shows in Canada, the US, Germany, and Lithuania.

An internationally renowned academic with over 280 publications, Dr. Chalmers is interested in the reproductive life of women in difficult circumstances. Her book “Birth, Sex and Abuse: Women’s Voices under Nazi Rule” (2015) was awarded the 2015 Canadian Jewish Literary Award for Holocaust Literature, and a 2016 “CHOICE “ Outstanding Academic Title” award.

An award-winning writer and director, the author of ‘The Five Books of Moses Lapinsky’. Her short film, Ms. Thing, has screened in over 50 film festivals internationally and won Audience Choice Award at Queerfruits Australia. A member of Or Shalom and Board member of the Queer Arts Festival. She teaches creative writing at UBC’s Writing Centre.

Major-General Fitch had served in the Canadian Army for 43 years. Joined in 1966, he served as Military Engineer/Combat Engineer in Quebec City, Germany, Chilliwack, Montreal, Toronto, Ottawa, Edmonton, and Former Yugoslavia.

A professional keynote speaker, trainer, and coach. Best known for her playful modus operandi, she has been involved with facilitating Compassionate Listening and NonViolent Communication for several years.

Dr. Michael C. Klein is a maternity care researcher and Professor Emeritus of Family Medicine and Pediatrics at UBC. Michael and Bonnie were delegates on the 2008 Compassionate Listening tour to Israel/Palestine.

Bonnie Sherr Klein is a retired documentary film maker, author, and disability rights advocate. Bonnie and Michael were delegates on the 2008 Compassionate Listening tour to Israel/Palestine.

Studied Jewish Theology at Pardes Institute and Graduate Studies in Business Administration, Political Affairs and Philosophy at Columbia University. Was Director of the Judaism and Democracy Program of the Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs. Currently Chair of Jewish Family Services Agency (JFSA).

Abba Brodt is the Principal of Richmond Jewish Day School, a father and husband, and is passionate about Jewish identity and the power of Jewish learning.