Limmud Coming to Mexico

By JTA October 23, 2012

After experiences in Argentina and Brazil, a Limmud experience will arrive in Mexico.

More than 60 presenters from across the Jewish spectrum – including, a secular rabbi with Orthodox and Conservative colleagues from the Ashkenazi and Sefardi communities, will engage an expected 300 Jews of diverse affiliations at the first-ever “Limmud Mexico.”

The program is scheduled to take place Oct. 28.

”The idea for bringing Limmud to Mexico crystallized when I spoke to the Limmud Buenos Aires founder, Patricia Kahane, at the 2011 ROI Gathering in Buenos Aires. Thanks to an ROI micro grant, I went to the 2011 Limmud Conference in the U.K., tasted Limmud in action and knew we had to bring it here,” Renato Huarte, chair of Limmud Mexico, told JTA. According to Huarte, the idea got started when Limmud International sent Clive Lawton to meet with the Mexican volunteers in February 2012. The idea became a plan and the group of volunteers expanded to 40 people.

Hailing from Mexico, U.S. and Guatemala, participants will be able to choose from sessions addressing core Jewish issues in the 21st century, theater and writing workshops, multifaceted looks at Israel, Jewish history and the Jewish community, text study, and movies from the Mexican Jewish Film Festival. “Limudito,” for 6-year-olds to 12 year-olds staffed by volunteer youth movement counselors, will offer a fun parallel track to the adult program.

“Limmud Mexico exemplifies Jewish vibrancy in Latin America,” said Limmud International Co-Chair Uri Berkowitz. This third Limmud is evidence that in Latin America, Jewish communities are booming. . The Metta Saade Foundation and ROI Community are funders for Limmud Mexico.

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