Limmud FSU Canada Annual Report 2014
LIMMUD FSU CANADA ANNUAL REPORT 2014 Canada Canada Limmud FSU International Limmud FSU Canada Limmud FSU was founded in 2006 by Chaim Chesler and Sandra Cahn. Matthew Bronfman joined shortly after as Chairman of the International Steering Committee, followed by Aron Frenkel as President of Limmud FSU International. Together, they have brought Limmud FSU conferences to Russia, Ukraine, and other countries of the Former Soviet Union (FSU), as well as to Israel, the USA, and now, Canada. All around the globe, Limmud FSU brings together and empowers young Jewish adults, who are revitalizing Jewish communities and culture. This successful model and continuing efforts will ensure a vibrant and sustainable Jewish future for young Russian-speaking adults in the FSU, in Israel, in America, in Australia and throughout the world. Canada has been one of the most active centres of Soviet/Russian-Jewish immigration over the past four decades. Today, among young Russian-speaking Jewish adults in Canada, there is a growing interest and involvement in Jewish life, activism, volunteering in the community, and an expression of Jewish identity. Curiosity, social reasons, and a desire to reconnect with their roots appear to be driving this aspiration to become more involved in Jewish communal life. Built on the experience of an international group of Jewish leaders, working in close partnership with Limmud FSU volunteers, Limmud FSU provides a rich educational and cultural experience — for the community, to the community and by the community. Limmud FSU shares in the core goals of diversity, learning, community and volunteerism with the other Limmud conferences throughout the world. www.limmudfsu.org With the support of Limmud FSU International and local community leaders, we were happy to host the first Limmud FSU Canada in October 2014 - a conference , which focuses on restoring the tradition of life-long Jewish learning and strengthening Jewish identity through its educational opportunities and leadership training. www.limmudfsucanada.org Limmud FSU Canada – Organizing Committee 2014 Prof. Irwin Colter Honorary Chair Leon Martynenko Co-Chair, Limmud FSU Canada Galina Sandler Chair, Governing Council Karina Rondberg Co-Chair, Limmud FSU Canada Dina Dryden Chair, Programming Mila Voihanski Country Director, Limmud FSU Canada Natalia Perchenok Chair, PR & Marketing Kate Noam Emissary for Russian-speaking community Inna Kravitz Chair, Logistics & Volunteers The Limmud FSU Canada 2014 KULTURA Conference could only have taken place thanks to our amazing team of volunteers who put their time and energy into making it a reality. Their hard work, commitment and enthusiasm, was exemplary. Over 35 organizing committee members listed below took part in putting together this amazing event. An additional 70 volunteers joined the effort on the day of the event, making it a real success. Dahlia Levitin, Ksenia Kuzmin, Renat Mataev, Roman Rubin, Ilia Dobkin, Eithan Dudnik, Natalia Storozhilov, Natalia Feldman, Alexander Curlat- Rozenberg, Anna Curlat-Rozenberg, Natalia Brodsky, Vadim Brodsky, Oren Kats, Anton Perchenok, Alex Zveiris, Rachel Zveiris, Alina Shteiman-Kotler, Zarina Aksmanov, Jenia Founk, Irene Vaksman, Gloria Kats, Israel Kochas, Natalia Kogan, Irina Levitt, Elena Mazour, Alexander Tarasov, Lea Zeltserman, Svetlana Untershats, Inna Uretzki Thanks to our partners and colleagues from Limmud FSU International: Chaim Chesler – Founder and Chair, Executive Commmittee, Sandra Cahn – Co-founder and Chair, FRD Committee, Roman Kogan – Executive Director, Chaim Nagus – Financial and Management Consultant, Yan Birbraer – Logistics Director, Olga Noa Lavie – PR in Russian, Social Media and Administartion of Limmud FSU central website and Asher Weill – English Editor Dahlia Levitin Dahlia Levitin served as the volunteer coordinator for the 1ST Limmud FSU Canada conference. The committee selected her as the star volunteer for the event. Dahlia was born in 1985 in Toronto, to parents from the Former Soviet Union. Her parents arrived separately in Canada and were welcomed in Toronto and London, Ontario by the Jewish community. When Dahlia was born, her parents deliberately chose a name for her that had a Hebrew origin. She was raised in a household with a strong sense of Jewish identity and attended a Jewish day school. However, as a teenager she didn’t identify with her Jewish roots and was inclined to assimilate. Two years ago she decided to become more involved and started attending events in the community: fundraisers, volunteer events and Jewish lectures. She is a Human Resource manager at Amazon Canada and is part of the core establishing group of JAM- Jewish and Modern, an organization that reaches out to Russian-speaking Jewish young professionals living in the GTA. Limmud FSU Canada Timeline January Organizing committee retreat – Learning, teambuilding, setting milestones March Website launch May eeting al M bration and Gener le Ce t au zm At a’ H Yom June Limmud FSU Global Leadership Summit in Israel 8 participants from Canada team June Limmud FSU Cana da Fundraising dinn er featuring Matthe w Bronfman and Pr ofessor Irwin Cotle r August tion opens Conference registra July – August Community information sessions October 24-26 Limmud FSU Cana da Inaugural Confer ence Menachem Begin exhibition opening at Schwartz/Reisman Centre Limmud FSU The Limmud FSU 2014 Kultura Conference program featured over 100 lectures, workshops, panel discussions, interviews, and testimonials, with more than 60 speakers from all over the world. Speakers brought their expertise, experience and passion. The conference program was broken down into 5 sub-streams: Art and Culture A great way to appreciate the art and culture that surrounds us: Jewish humor, famous cultural icons, our languages, music, poetry, and sports. History and Heritage The major historical events that effected us: our family stories that when put together become world events; the wars, revolutions and great stories of survival. Jewish values, philosophy and social justice From spiritual connections to current events; the beliefs and interactions formed within our core values. Entrepreneurship Current ideas, trends and topics that influence and enhance our daily lives. Lifestyle Hands-on experiences; sculpting, sushi making, meditation, salsa classes, chess tournaments, table manners workshop, and much more! Kultura 2014 Irwin Cotler Irwin Cotler served as the Honorary Chairman for the Limmud FSU conference. Irwin Cotler is a Law Professor, Constitutional and Comparative Law Scholar, International Human Rights Lawyer, Counsel to prisoners of conscience, NGO Head, Public Intellectual, Peace Activist, Member of Parliament, and former Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada – Irwin Cotler has been variously described in these roles and responsibilities as being “at the forefront of the struggle for justice, peace and human rights.” Anna Shternshis Anna Shternshis, Al and Malka Green Associate Professor of Yiddish, received her doctoral degree (D.Phil) in Modern Languages and Literatures from Oxford University in 2001. She received a post-doctoral position at the University of Pennsylvania in 2001. She joined the University of Toronto in 2001. Since 2007, she was cross-appointed between the German Department and the Center for Diaspora and Transnational Studies at the University of Toronto. Shternshis works in the field of Soviet Jewish history and culture, Yiddish popular culture, and post-Soviet Jewish Diaspora. Special Features: Chess parallel, wine tasting, olive oil workshop Children programming: 75 kids and teens enjoyed a variety of activities including cooking, theatre, music, rock climbing, magic and a nature hike. - 450 participants - 100 different sessions - 60 featured speakers - 75 kids in children’s programming - 70 volunteers Survey demonstrated that 93% of those who participated rated the event as exceeding their expectations Testimonials “Limmud promotes learning, it pro motes intersections, it promotes mor als, and Jewish values.” Matthew Bronfman, Chairman of Limmud FSU International Steering Committee there is no of our moral code is learning and “One of the highest values as part d much to learn. the millennia our people sacrifice greater Mizva than learning. Over FSU Canada is ple under the auspices of Limmud The fact that we have over 400 peo magnificent and wonderful” Federation of Greater Toronto Morris Zbar, CEO and President, UJA “We were tremendously excited to be holding the first Limmud FSU festi val in Canada, with its rich Jewish history and grow ing Russian-speaking population. Limmud FSU Canada provided an important and historic opportunity to offer program s that address and engage this emerging community for generations to com e" Chaim Chesler, Limmud FSU Founde r r t voluntee rgy, groups of people learning, grea “Limmud to me is excitement, ene driven atmosphere” FSU International Sandra Cahn, Co-Founder of Limmud “Limmud FSU Canada was a great highlight of my Jewish journey. Dur ing the Limmud weekend I learned a lot at the lect ures and met so many amazing peo ple! Everyone comes from a different background and has different affiliation with Jud aism but everyone shares a sense of pride of being Jewish and a desire to help the Jewish community grow ” Polina Moskvina, University student erience where you get to be with “Limmud for me is an awesome exp the world united over Shabbat” Russian-speaking Jews from across nteer Gal Fridman, Young Limmudnik volu “Limmud for me is a gathering with like-minded people, celebrating my Russian-Jewish identity and building life long con nections in the community in Toro nto” Kate Noam, Emissary for the Russian speaking Jewish Community in Toro nto that it is mud, particularly Limmud FSU, is "The real key to the success of Lim ed by the to be created, managed and promot owned by the participants. It has ada and we're so proud of this" participants. It all happened in Can ve Director Roman Kogan, Limmud FSU Executi “Limmud is a gathering of Jewish people that care about each other and care about learning together” Julia Smirnova, Limmud FSU particip ant from New York Limmud FSU Sponsors and Funders Limmud FSU gratefully acknowledges the support of our donors. Without their backing our events could not take place. Limmud FSU Canada Supporters: Grantors: Limmud FSU International Foundation, UJA Federation of Greater Toronto, The Jewish Community Foundation of Montreal Donors: Limmud FSU Canada Partners and Sponsors: Gold Level - $10,000 Apotex Foundation - Honey & Barry Sherman Israel Koschitzky Family Charitable Foundation Nathan and Lily Silver Family Foundation The Leboff Family Charitable Foundation The Warren and Debbie Kimel Family Foundation Silver Level - $2,500-$5,000 Paul Bronfman Bronze Level - $1,000-$2,500 AJGL Group Mishay Solutions Inc. Kenny & Madlene Bodenstein Saul and Toby Feldberg State of Israel Bonds Canada Friends of Limmud FSU Canada - up to $1,000 Aron Davidson Dr. Lew Pliamm Elena Belovich ICM Consulting Group Irina Petrini Acheinu Organization, Ottawa Centre for Jewish Studies at University of Toronto Congregation Darchei Noam, Toronto Coppa's EMETemployment - JVS Toronto Ethnic Channels Group Inc. Hillel of Greater Toronto Area Ida Tilis JAM - Jewish and Modern J. Projects - Russian-Jewish Community Initiatives at the UJA J. Roots - Hebrew Supplementary School Limmud FSU International Maon Noam Congregation Canada RAJET Ameinu Organization - Russian Adult Jewish Education of Toronto Russian Express - Canadian Russian Press Inc. Schwartz-Reisman Community Centre The Ashkenaz Foundation Toronto Jewish Film Festival UJA Federation of Greater Toronto U.M.C.A. Rich Tree Academy United Community of Russian-Speaking Jews of Quebec YEDi - York Entrepreneurship Development Institute YYZ Travel Group Limmud FSU Canada Governing Council: Alexandra Pelts Anna Shternshis Ida Tilis Igor Sorokin Jane Katkova - Brown Julia Koschitzky Lorne Goldstein Rabbi Tina Grimberg Shoel Silver Limmud FSU International Sponsors and Funders: International Fellowship of Christians and Jews Matthew Bronfman Aaron Frenkel Conference for Jewish Material Claims against Germany American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee Diane Wohl Israel Ministry of Jerusalem and Diaspora Affairs Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs Jewish National Fund (KKL) Jewish Agency for Israel Cahn Family Foundation Chester Foundation David Kislin Dr. Nona International Dutch Jewish Humanitarian Fund Eugene Grant Edward Mermelstein Feliks Frenkel IKEA Israel Israel Bonds Israel Discount Bank Israel Ministry of Immigrant Absorption Jerry Levin Joe Cooper L. A. Pincus Fund for Jewish Education in the Diaspora Joe Cooper L. A. Pincus Fund for Jewish Education in the Diaspora Mark Wilf Menachem Begin Heritage Center, Jerusalem Michael Zurakhinsky Prime Minister’s Office – Nativ Richard Maidman Ruben Landsberger Ruth Salomy Salarc Foundation Samuel Bronfman Foundation Shulem Fisher UJA – Federation of New York World Zionist Organization https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCT7C39SF6 88acn1SLUuMgI QAAAA https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCT7C39SF688acn1SLUuMgIQ Want to be involved / contribute / present - get in touch with us: 9600 Bathurst St., Maple, ON L6A3Z8 [email protected] Tel. 416-618-0278 See you on November 20-22, 2015!
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