A number of Bay Area organizations are set to take part in the Global Day of Jewish Learning, an annual, free event being held this year on Sunday, Nov. 9. Each year hundreds of synagogues, JCCs and other organizations host study sessions, drawing 10,000 participants from around the world.
The event, inspired by the life and legacy of Rabbi Adin Steinsaltz, has been organized by Limmud North America since 2010. Limmud — Hebrew for “learning” — is providing study guides for participants and facilitators to use as jumping-off points.
In the Bay Area, the Jewish Studio Project will kick off the day with creative expression activities, and the Jews of Color Initiative and New Lehrhaus are offering multiple learning sessions.
Limmud organizers offer a wide variety of sessions to satisfy diverse interests. In the Bay Area, “Taking Torah to the Streets” will be led by Rabbi David Cooper at Manny’s in S.F. discussing the intersection of Judaism and activism. If you’re more interested in live music, take a gander at the Jacob’s Ladder Trio concert at Urban Adamah in Berkeley. Wine connoisseurs and those interested in Rabbi Nahman of Bratslav might enjoy the “Holy Spirits” event with New Lehrhaus executive director Robby Adler Peckerar. There will also be online events that can be accessed through limmudna.org/globalday, some coming from Oakland and Berkeley and others from such locales as Hungary, Germany and Israel.
“This year’s theme, 70 Faces of Torah, feels especially relevant at this moment where there is much division within the Jewish community,” said Limmud North America board chair Donna Friedman Meir. “The Torah reminds us that Judaism not only embraces multiple perspectives but, in fact, was given to each of us to meet us where we are, with our own unique gifts and talents.”