9.00-10.00am      10.15-11.15am      11.30am-12.30pm      12.45-1.45pm      2.00-3.00pm      3.15-4.15pm      4.30-5.30pm      5.45-6.45pm

Monday 3.15 - 4.15pm

Gay Issues in a Holy Land
Shai Feniger

Israel often seems as a religious country with little room for diversity. Reality shows the opossite, and this session will focus on the gay community in Israel and its journey in the past 20 years, including some debate regarding the world pride parade in Jerusalem.

The Surprisingly Delightful and Idiosyncratic History of Yizkor Bikher
Elissa Goldstein

Yizkor Bikher (Holocaust memorial books) are shtetl histories written and compiled in the post-war period by Holocaust survivors. Their contents provide a fascinating glimpse into a lost world: wedding photographs, town maps (hand-drawn from memory) and newspaper reports of sporting club victories. Yizkor bikher are also rich with anecdotes of daily life: village simpletons abound, along with stern mikvah ladies and ineffectual cheder teachers. There are over 800 Yizkor books in existence, yet this prolific literary phenomenon is hardly mentioned in histories of the Holocaust and Jewish pre-war life in Europe. How do these books fit into the Jewish literary canon? Why have they been neglected by historians? And why should we care?

Yidstock: Sydney's First Jewish Music Festival?
Gary Holzman

With the success of the Jewish Film Festival and Jewish Writers Festival isn’t it about time Sydney had its very own Jewish Music Festival? Such a festival would provide exposure to the amazing amount of musical talent within our community and also connect with the expanding overseas Jewish music scene. This will be a brain-storming session to hopefully define and set in motion the creation of Sydney's first Jewish Music Festival. So if you are a musician, singer, promoter, entrepreneur or music lover please come along and join this planning session.

The French Revolution and Napoleon: Good or Bad for the Jews?
Julie Kalman

In 1791 all Jews in France were given citizenship. For the first time, a government chose to wipe out all discriminatory legislation against Jews, and grant them all the rights that non-Jews enjoyed. But was this good for the Jews? Or was this granting of citizenship the beginning of the end for the cohesiveness of Jewish communities in Western Europe?

The Time for Singing has Come...
Mark Baker, Mark Ginsburg, Debbie Masel Miller, Adam Starr

Debbie Masel Miller reads from her recently published work, "In the Cleft of the Rock: Writings on the Five Books of Moses", to the musical accompaniment of the incomparable Adam Starr and Mark Ginsburg and with an introduction from Mark Baker.


Joy and Happiness according to the Kabbalah
Yanky Berger

We will explore the concepts of joy and happiness according to the Kabbala, including practical techniques from the Tanya on how to deal with sadness and depression.


Islamic Fundamentalism and Radicalisation
Reed Conaway, Emanuele Ottolenghi, Ehud Ya'ari, Eli Yerushalmi

The radicalisation of Islam and the growing threat of Fundamentalist Islam is one of the greatest political debates of our time. Come and hear the views of our experts on this challenging issue.

The What and How of Kosher Slaughter
Yehuda Niasoff

Learn how animals are prepared for slaughter according to the laws of kashrut. This fascinating demonstration (without any animals!) will explore what it takes for an animal to be acceptable for kosher slaughter (shechita), how they are prepared, and the process undertaken. We'll also discuss what "Glatt Kosher" means.

Painting Workshop with Yaeli Ohana
Yaeli Ohana

Learn to paint in a fun and relaxed way with artist Yaeli Ohana, and take home a finished painting! Using passages from 'Song of Songs' as inspiration, you will learn techniques to create textures, stencils and letterforms. Although this practical workshop follows on from the lecture, "Art Inspired by 'Song of Songs'", there is no need to have gone to the lecture in order to participate. Complete beginners and children are welcome.


The Future of Limmud-Oz
Cygal Pellach, Paul Turner

Limmud-Oz is in its tenth year in Australia. Inspired by the Limmud UK model and the idea that anyone can be teacher and everyone should be a student, it has grown into a valued community event. But there is potential for it to be something much greater. In this interactive session, Paul Turner - former Limmud UK committee member and Limmud-Oz 2009 committee member - and Cygal Pellach - Limmud-Oz junkie and 2007 coordinator - will give some examples of how Limmud-Oz can continue to grow and improve and will call on your observations and suggestions. If there is anything about the event that you think could be done better, this is the session for you.

Archaeology and the Bible
Tommy Sterling

Starting from the time of King David we will examine the current archaeological evidence for (and against) Israel living in Canaan as described in the Bible. For example we will review the first extra-Biblical reference to a people described as Israel. We will also examine some cultic relics believed to have been used in Solomon's temple.

Shiur
David Blackman

TBC


Jewish Identity & Responsibility
Peter Slezak

How is Jewish identity to be conceptualized today in light of tensions arising between religious, ethnic, political and moral considerations? What is the relationship between Jewish identity and the State of Israel for diaspora communities? What are the responsibilities of Jews towards the Jewish community, their own country and Israel? How are specifically Jewish traditions and values to be reconciled with the wider intellectual, cultural and ethical traditions in which Jews also participate?

Defiance - continued

Full film screening followed by discussion.