moscow (jta) | The idea was simple, but rare in Russian Jewish life: to get as many people as possible to learn about Judaism.
LimmudFSU, held May 14 in downtown Moscow, was touted by its organizers as the first networking and educational opportunity for Russian Jews.
Several hundred people, mostly elderly, attended the event, while 700 people registered for the next Limmud — and 100 more registered to help as volunteers.
“Everyone with an expertise can come and talk. That’s the beauty of Limmud,” said Chaim Chesler, the founder of Limmud FSU.
This week’s event — which the organizers unofficially called “pre-Limmud,” referring to a five-day conference to be held next February — offered eight types of activities, ranging from lectures on Jewish philosophy and Holocaust to art workshops, kids’ activities and even Jewish karaoke.
Like almost every other new undertaking in the Russian Jewish community in recent years, Limmud is imported from the West.
Conceived by an Israeli and an American, and funded primarily by Western sources, the initiative also involved a group of younger locals who, the organizers hope, will eventually take up the entire project.
Israel Singer, chairman of the Policy Council at the World Jewish Congress, believes Limmud has a chance to provide local Jews “an opportunity to inspire themselves, to invigorate Jewish culture.”
There is irony, said Singer, in that “this part of the world, where great Jewish culture came from, is now encountering a tremendous amount of Jewish ignorance.”
The hesitation of a middle-aged Jewish man who was perusing the 50-page program in the club’s lobby exemplified Singer’s point.
“There is a session on the differences between Litvaks and Chasidim,” said Boris Bramberg, an engineer, referring to a session co-hosted by two Moscow rabbis representing the two streams in Judaism. “I would love to go, but I don’t even know the difference between Orthodox and Reform Judaism.”
An hour later, though, Bramberg was involved in a lively conversation with a Chabad rabbi.
The $5 entrance fee for the marathon was a rather modest amount, even by Russian standards. But organizers said those attending next year’s five-day Limmud at a retreat near Moscow will pay $120.
To persuade people to pay for their Jewish education is a step forward for a Russian community used to receiving free Jewish services, said Alexander Pyatigorsky, 25, who helped coordinated the event.
“This is a step toward changing the way people think about the Jewish community. People should give their time, money or both, and for that they can get what they want.”