May 17, 2020: Limmud North America’s virtual festival of Jewish ideas is set to convene thousands of attendees from across the United States and Canada next Sunday, May 24, beginning at 12 PM EDT. Headlined by an opening celebration hosted by actress Mayim Bialik and featuring a talk by Michelle Obama’s head speechwriter, Sarah Hurwitz, the virtual conference features some of the most interesting and important Jewish leaders, change makers and teachers today.
Limmud eFestival includes dozens of sessions on subjects as diverse as food, philosophy and filmmaking taught by presenters including producer Howard Rosenman (Call My By Your Name, Father of the Bride), Arizona State House Representative Alma Hernandez, Superman writer Brian Bendis, Yehuda Kurtzer (Shalom Hartman Institute North America), former Watergate Assistant Prosecutor Jill Wine-Banks, Rabbi Shai Held (Hadar), political strategist Ann Lewis, and many more. Attendees will be able to personalize their festival experience by selecting from almost 50 sessions throughout the day. With conference registration well ahead of expectations already, organizers expect the program to hit full capacity by Sunday.
“eFestival is all about elevating and celebrating Jewish ideas, and this program will be bigger and bolder than anything we have done before,” said Limmud North America National Director David Singer. “Our unique model enables attendees to experience the breadth of Jewish culture and wisdom, mixing entertainment, politics and policy with Jewish texts, philosophy and culture. eFestival is the crossroads of all things Jewish, and Limmud is at the forefront of ensuring that every person and every idea has a seat at the table.”
Limmud North America first conceived of the virtual festival model in the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic. The initial eFestival, which took place on March 29, 2020, was developed in less than two weeks. That conference, attended by more than 1,200 households around the globe, was a
resounding success. Since then, Limmud North America has trained dozens of communities in the art of planning virtual conferences, and will return with its own signature program on May 24.
“We have acted swiftly to provide new opportunities for people to convene, connect and engage during these uncertain times,” said Tony Abrams, a Board Member of Limmud North America. “With unprecedented needs in front of us, we are showing that we can adapt longstanding programs to meet current challenges, ensuring that Jewish connection and discovery are not collateral damage of the pandemic.”
Limmud North America is at the forefront of connecting Jews of all backgrounds with transformative learning and each other though pluralistic educational and cultural experiences. Powered by a grassroots network of volunteer-driven communities across the United States and Canada, Limmud elevates Jewish ideas, building a Jewish future that is more diverse, connected and engaged.
For more information about Limmud eFestival and to register, visit limmudna.org.
