Registration opens Friday, May 1 for the fourth annual Limmud Bay Area, which will take place June 26-28 at Sonoma State University in Rohnert Park.
It’s the second year the grassroots Jewish learning confab is being held on the Sonoma campus, after two initial years at the Asilomar Conference Center in Pacific Grove. Not only does Sonoma feel more central, “It feels like you’re there to learn,” says Elina Kaplan, this year’s co-chair with Liki Abrams. “It’s a university setting, more conducive to the type of learning we want to foster.”
Limmud is a grassroots-led Jewish learning phenomenon that got its start 37 years ago in England and now takes place in more than 70 locations worldwide. Attendees can choose from a variety of sessions in any given hour, on topics ranging from Talmud to psychology, film, Bible, food and geopolitics.
For the first time, Limmud will take place over Shabbat and include formal Shabbat programming (last year there was an optional pre-Limmud Shabbat program). Saturday morning’s offerings will include a range of worship services, as well as learning sessions for participants who prefer not to attend services.
“Shabbat brings with it a slew of issues,” says Kaplan, “from people who don’t want to go to services to others who don’t want to sit in a room where people are taking notes on Shabbat.” Dealing with that diversity is part of the experiment this year’s Limmud team has undertaken, she says.
Also new this year, Kaplan says, are four world-class Jewish study programs taking part: Kolot and Pardes, both from Israel, and the Bay Area’s Kevah and Sefaria. In addition to leading sessions throughout the weekend, teachers from these groups will conduct a plenary on cutting-edge adult Jewish education.
Organizers are urging people to plan early, because attendance will be capped at 350 due to the added Shabbat component. Last year, some 420 participants attended.
Many pricing packages are available along with a limited number of needs-based subsidies. Most include lodging, and all packages include four kosher meals made with locally sourced food. Prices range from $290 to $475 for adults, and $170 to $295 for children and teens.
For details, visit www.limmudbayarea.org or contact [email protected]. — j. staff