A Record Number of 2150 Participants at Limmud FSU Moscow

    MOSCOW RUSSIA, April 16, 2019 /24-7PressRelease/ -- A record number of 2,150 Jewish participants took part in the biggest Jewish event in Moscow during the past weekend. The program of the flagship annual festival included more than 250 sessions on wide range of topics, with a great selection of activities each hour, for 2 different age groups. In total, the conference included more than 350 different lectures, sessions, panels and performances, and also a special children program, that was structured as Limmud with many options and run by the volunteers-teenagers–an innovative approach.

Keynote speakers at the conference included Russia's chief rabbi, Berel Lazar, Israel's Minister of Jerusalem Affairs and Minister of Environmental Protection Zeev Elkin, Limmud FSU President Aaron G. Frenkel, Israeli Ambassador to Russia Gary Koren, President and CEO of Genesis Philanthropy Group Ilia Salita, Regional director of "Nativ" in Russia and Belarus Yana Agmon, founder of Limmud FSU Chaim Chesler, Philanthropist Harold Grinspoon, lawyer Mikhail Barschevsky, author Lyudmila Ulitskaya, Vice President of the Euro-Asian Jewish Congress Moshe Shvets, Director of the Russian-speaking programs of the Steinsaltz Center Lia Shvets, curator of the exhibit Uri Gershovich, coacher and psychologist Nesia Ferdman and more.

Founder of Limmud FSU, Chaim Chesler: "It's truly unbelievable that we reached our 13th milestone in Moscow, the very place where Limmud FSU was born, and we're honored to continue serving an important part in the life of the local Jewish community." Sandy Cahn, Limmud FSU co-founder added that "it is our hope to continue to flourish and strengthen our wonderful community in Moscow, it's truly inspiring and unprecedent."

A central feature of the event was the inauguration of a new exhibition based on the life's work and heritage of the noted Chabad rabbi Adin Steinsaltz. The exhibit was produced especially for the event by Limmud FSU and the Steinsaltz Center in Jerusalem, today directed by the rabbi's son, Meni Even-Israel, and was the result of a first-time cooperation between the organizations. Rabbi Steinsaltz was one of the first spiritual leaders of Limmud FSU and took part in its inaugural event in Moscow in 2006.

Rabbi Berel Lazar said: "To speak about the greatness of Rabbi Steinsaltz in just a few minutes is an impossible task. I can say one thing: I still remember the inauguration of his Yeshiva. He was the first person to bring in ordinary people with no prior knowledge of the world of the Talmud. He was the first person to open the door to the world of Jewish learning to the simple person from the street. That is what Rabbi Steinsaltz has attempted to do throughout the world - to make Jewish studies accessible. For that, he deserves our deepest thanks."

Regional director of "Nativ" in Russia and Belarus, Yana Agmon: "The preservation of an Independent Jewish identity is the shared motive of Nativ and Limmud FSU. We don't presume to impose from above but study together as to how to strengthen the Jewish ethical core that binds our people together. We are even more delighted that we were partners in preparing the Israel content for the Moscow Limmud FSU festival.

One of the conference's participants, Inna Kagan (25), said: "This is my 5th time at Limmud FSU in Moscow, and I can definitely say that it is just keep getting better and better each year. Amazing energy, atmosphere, and so many high – quality content that makes it almost impossible to choose. I just love it."

Supporters of the event included Genesis Philanthropy Group (GPG), Nativ, Claims Conference, Euro-Asian Jewish Congress, The American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee and more.

In the best tradition of Limmud, the event was made possible by its team of local leaders and volunteers, led by Limmud FSU Executive Director Roman Kogan and the Project Manager Elena Zakharova, volunteers Mikhail Libkin, Alexandra Livergant, Alexander Piatigorskiy, Anna Tseplyaeva and others.

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