Limmud FSU Canada Turns 10: Oral Tradition Shines in Jewish Passion for Learning

While Jews have long had a special appreciation for books and taken pride in their formidable achievements with the written word, they’re also no lightweights when it comes to the spoken word. That was vividly evident during a recent weekend when 350 people gathered in Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario for the 10th annual Limmud FSU Canada conference where speakers had pride of place. A testament to the time-honored Jewish propensity for learning, the two-day event took place at the White Oaks Hotel, about a 2-hour drive southeast of Toronto, close to the US border.

Limmud FSU Canada is part of the Limmud FSU initiative aimed at Russian-speaking Jews, whose first event took place in Moscow in 2006 and today is active in several countries. It’s affiliated with the international Limmud organization devoted to Jewish learning which began in the United Kingdom in 1980. Since then, Limmud, whose name comes from the Hebrew word ‘to learn,’ has expanded to 80 communities in 43 countries where it produces events, put together largely by local volunteers.

Attendees listen to speaker at recent Limmud FSU Canada conference in Niagara-on-the-Lake, Nov. 2024. (Photo courtesy of Limmud FSU Canada).

A Jewish variation on the famous Ted Talks series, (whose two co-founders themselves include at least one Jew, possibly two), Limmud features a rich roster of presenters covering diverse topics. Limmud sessions differ from Ted Talks in their one-hour length, three times longer than the typical Ted Talk, sometimes involving more than one speaker and usually having time at the end for questions from the audience. As each Limmud timeslot has two or three sessions taking place simultaneously, attendees must choose, knowing it’s impossible to take it all in.

That was indeed the case at the recent Limmud FSU Canada conference in Niagara-on-the-Lake. A fast look of the program shows the wealth of subjects encompassing Jewish issues, culture, tradition, history, politics, academics, business and lifestyle, presented in the form of lectures, panel discussions or workshops.

From a session titled “An In-Depth Analysis of the US Election Results and What to Anticipate from the Incoming Presidency” to one billed as “Wars in Ukraine and Israel: Against a Common Enemy” and another listed as “the Middle East, Palestinians and the Holocaust,” there was no lack of serious topics addressed, with most sessions conducted in English, some in Russian. Others included “From the Inquisition to the Caribbean: the History of Jews in Jamaica,” “AI and Halacha: Navigating the Intersection of Jewish Law and Artificial Intelligence” and “Suppressed Jewish Literature under Soviet Rule.”

The caliber of speakers was excellent. Knowledgeable and well-informed, they collectively represented a pluralistic group consisting of secular and religious, academics and professionals, Canadian, American, Israeli and other nationalities, with a wide mix of ages.

Melissa Lantsman, Canadian MP and Co-Deputy Leader of the Official Opposition, speaks at Limmud FSU Canada, in Niagara-on-the-Lake, Nov. 2024 (Photo by Robert Sarner)

Among the presenters (and their respective topics), were: Former IDF Major General and former Knesset Member, Uzi Dayan (“What Happened on Oct. 7: The First 24 Hours and Beyond”); Canadian Member of Parliament and Co-Deputy Leader of the Official Opposition, Melissa Lantsman (“Defending Israel to Adversaries and Critics in Ottawa”); Israeli scholar of Arab and Islamic culture and researcher at Bar-Ilan University, Dr. Mordechai Kedar (“Understanding the Roots of the War with Hamas and Hezbollah”); Jewish and Israel rights activist with more than 400,000 followers on social media Ruby Rochman (“Understanding and Combatting Antisemitism: Applicable Solutions”); and Criminal defense lawyer active in fighting anti-Israel bias and antisemitism in court, Leora Shemesh (“Rights, Responsibilities and Prosecution of Hate Crimes in Canadian Courts”). Particularly poignant were siblings and former hostages Maya Regev and Itay Regev who recounted their harrowing story of being kidnapped by Hamas on Oct. 7, 2023, their captivity in Gaza and their life after being released nearly two months later.

Lighter fare, including meals taken together, featured an Israeli dance workshop, a yoga class, an interactive couples workshop, and sessions on stand-up comedy, whether coffee is good or bad for one’s health, and weight loss for women over 40.  There were also special workshops designed specifically for the many children and teens whose parents brought them to the conference for which attendees stayed at the hotel for the weekend.

The event’s warm, friendly atmosphere and social interaction greatly added to the stimulating content presented.

“True to form, Limmud FSU Canada united families and generations in a transformative learning experience, made even more meaningful by the post-October 7 state of affairs Jews are dealing with,’ says Kate Noam, Director of Engagement, UJA Federation of Greater Toronto, who’s been highly active in Limmud FSC Canada. “This latest conference was a powerful reminder of our shared resilience and the strength and importance of our community connection.”

For my part, I moderated two sessions and attended many others in the company of many good people. On the first evening, I was honoured to conduct a Q&A with Emil Tesler and Dima Ressin, two courageous young Canadian-Israeli men, who grew up in Toronto and whose lives were forever changed by Oct. 7 and its aftermath.

On that fateful day, Emil’s brother, Din, who was a guard at the Nova festival, sent a farewell message to his family, convinced he wouldn’t survive the terrorist onslaught by Hamas.  Not knowing if his brother was alive, Emil took the next flight to Israel from Toronto. After arriving and learning of Din’s survival, Emil fought in the war in Gaza as part of an IDF Special Forces unit and is now back in Toronto rebuilding his life.

Dima, who was born in Russia, moved to Canada with his family when he was 4 and spent his youth in Toronto. After graduating high school, he moved to Israel in 2002 to volunteer in the IDF, serving in the Nahal Brigade. Following the outbreak of the war, Dina and his unit served in and outside Gaza until he completed his service last July and is now back living in Toronto.

Harry Rosenbaum (left) with his wife Malka in conversation with Robert Sarner at Limmud FSU Canada, in Niagara-on-the-Lake, Nov. 2024 (Photo courtesy of Limmud FSU Canada)

On the conference’s second day, I hosted an hour-long session interviewing the Toronto-based, philanthropic couple, Harry and Malka Rosenbaum, both of whom grew up in the shadow of the Holocaust due to the experiences of their parents. Harry was born in a DP camp in Germany a few years after World War 2 to parents who both miraculously survived Auschwitz. After first moving to the United States, the family came to Canada in 1960 when Harry was 11, settling in Toronto. He would go on to become a lawyer and then a partner in the highly successful Great Gulf Homes development company.

His wife, Malka, was born in Lodz, Poland in 1950 to parents hidden during the Holocaust by a Righteous Gentile who risked his life to save them. Her parents had to give up a baby born in hiding who died as a child. After the war, the family moved to Israel for two years, followed by six months in Paris before moving to Canada in 1954 where her father opened a grocery store in Toronto. Malka later worked as a high school teacher before then devoting herself to raising a family with Harry.

Also on the program, my wife, Galya Sarner, demonstrated her culinary expertise and passion for Israeli food in conducting two cooking workshops, one for adults, the other for teens and children.

Galya Sarner conducts workshop on Israeli cuisine at Limmud FSU Canada, in Niagara-on-the-Lake, Nov. 2024 (Photo courtesy of Limmud FSU Canada)

The conference was organized and hosted by Limmud FSU Canada, the Toronto-based non-profit organization that serves primarily Jews with roots in Russia, Ukraine, Belarus and other former Soviet republics. After leaving their home countries, many first lived in Israel before immigrating to Canada, today home to about 400,000 Jews, of which some 60,000 are referred to as “Russian Jews,” even if their heritage is in a different former Soviet country. Limmud FSU Canada provides them community building opportunities, especially for its many volunteers throughout the year, allowing them to deepen their learning and Jewish connections through pluralistic, inclusive educational gatherings and special programs.

For Mila Voihanski, who’s been at the helm of Limmud FSU Canada since its inception in 2014, this most recent edition of the annual event proved particularly gratifying.

“We’re thrilled about the success of our latest conference in Canada,” says Mila, National Director of Limmud FSU Canada. “As we celebrate our 10th anniversary, we’re filled with gratitude for the incredible journey we’ve had, made possible by the unwavering support of our community. In these challenging times, when antisemitism is on the rise and our Jewish community faces increasing threats, the work we do has never been more important. We’re committed to standing strong, raising our voices and offering our community support, education and solidarity.”

Kate Noam, (left), and Mila Voihanski light candles in ceremony to mark the 10th anniversary of Limmud FSU Canada at event in Niagara-on-the-Lake, Nov. 2024. (Photo courtesy of Limmud FSU Canada).

While most of those attending came from Toronto, Montreal and Ottawa, a small number of attendees and speakers hailed from the United States and Israel. Not surprisingly, given Limmud FSU’s mandate, many, if not most, of those at the conference were Russian-speaking.

If many of the topics covered in the sessions reflected the post-Oct. 7 socio-political reality Jews are facing today, another sobering sign of the times was the visible presence of numerous private security guards protecting the conference, checking anyone trying to gain access to the premises. How sad that in today’s world, even such an innocuous event as the Limmud FSU in Canada gathering requires rigorous security measures due to its Jewish identity.