LimmudLA Conference 2009: Outstanding Success!
From Friday February 13 through Monday February 16, more than 700 Jews gathered together to explore Jewish texts, arts, practice, culture, beliefs, and philosophy from traditional to progressive and everything in between.
Students, retirees, new moms, old dads, and every other labeled and non-labeled demographic group shared an extraordinary weekend learning in sessions, dancing to great music, and chatting about all things Jewish and LA with old and new friends.
A defining feature of the conference is that presenters are not paid to offer sessions. In keeping with the LimmudLA ethos of volunteerism, presenters, who are themselves participants, offer their time and expertise to make the conference a success.
Click on the names below to learn more about our presenters and the sessions they led at Conference 2009.
- Jason Ablin, Head of School, Milken Comunity High School
- Naomi Ackerman, Social Activist and Conflict Resolution Specialist
- Aaron Alexander, Assistant Dean of the Ziegler School of Rabbinic Studies
- Ron Arons, Author of "The Jews of Sing Sing"
- Jeff Astrof, Sitcom Writer/Producer
- Joshua Avedon, Co-Founder of Jumpstart
- Stephanie Avedon, Educator, Yogi, and Jewish Explorer
- Elissa Ben-Naim, Rabbi of Wilshire Boulevard Temple
- Alla Berkovich, Jewelry and Precious Metal Craftswoman
- Robert Berman, Founder and Director of the Halachic Organ Donor Society
- Danielle Berrin, Hollywood Writer for the Jewish Journal
- Jeffrey Blutinger, Co-Director of Jewish Studies at Cal State Long Beach
- Gregory Bonsignore, Resident Playwright at The Library of Alexandria
- Rachel Bookstein, Director of Hillel at Cal State Long Beach
- Yonah Bookstein, Director of Jewlicious
- Ra'anan Boustan, Assistant Professor of Near Eastern Languages and Cultures ay UCLA
- Carol Buchman, Memphis-Based Artist and Painter
- Dave Chameides, Director of Sustainability at Shalhevet High School
- Lee Chernotsky, Community Relations Manager at Vista Del Mar Child and Family Services
- Michael Chusid, Expert Shofar Blower
- Michelle Citrin, Brooklyn-Based Singer/Songwriter
- William Cutter, Emeritus Professor of Literature and Human Relations at Hebrew Union College
- David Cygielman, Co-Founder and Executive Director of Moishe House
- Mark Diamond, Executive Vice President of the Board of Rabbis of Southern California
- Chaim Elbaum, Israeli Director and Scriptwriter
- Alex Fax, Torah Reader Extraordinaire
- Ed Feinstein, Senior Rabbi of Valley Beth Shalom
- Michael Feldman, Social Activist for Collaboration and Communication
- Shawn Fields-Meyer, Rabbi of 9th and 10th Grades at Milken Community High School
- Tom Fields-Meyer, Long-Term Writer and Journalist
- Linda Fife, Professional and Volunteer Jewish Community Organizer
- Lorin Fife, Board Chair of L.A.'s Jewish Community Foundation
- Abby Fifer Mandell, Director of Education at the Society and Business Lab at USC
- Bruce Fine, Emmy-Nominated Producer and Comic
- Abe Friedman, Rabbinical School Student
- Matthew Friedman, Associate Director for the Pacific Southwest Region of the ADL
- Dara Frimmer, Assistant Rabbi of Temple Isaiah
- Dov Gartenberg, Restorer of the Ritual Feast
- Amelia Glaser, Assistant Professor of Russian and Comparative Literature at UCSD
- Sam Glaser, Performer, Composer, Educator and Cantorial Soloist
- Jeffrey Glettner, Creator of Jewish Art
- Pearl Gluck, Director of "Divan" and "Williamsburg"
- Daniel Goldberg, Producer of Documentary Films on Mexican Jewish Subjects
- Eric Gordon, Director of the Workmen's Circle of Southern California
- Andy Green, Active Member of PicoEgal and Avid Gamer
- Norman Green, California State Bar Certified Specialist in Taxation Law
- Rachel Green, Daughter of Kindertransport Survivor
- Natan Greenberg, Founder and Director of Israeli Yeshiva Bat Ayin
- Gidi Grinstein, President and Founder of the Reut Institute
- Jay Gruska, Emmy-Nominated Songwriter
- Maital Guttman, Israeli-American Documentary Fimmaker
- Joel Haber, Writer and Script Analyst
- Raphael Harrington, Teacher of Creative Thinking, Body Langauge, and Kabbalah
- Naama Haviv, Member of Jewish World Watch's Funds Allocation Committee
- Barbara Heller, Writer and Director of Children's Plays and Musicals
- Janeen Rae Heller, Vocalist, Guitarist, and Sawyer
- Robby Helperin, Los Angeles-Based Musician and Band Leader
- Hilary Helstein, Executive Director of the Los Angeles Jewish Film Festival
- Sara Meira Hoberman, Rabbinical Student at the Ziegler School of Rabbinic Studies
- Yechiel Hoffman, Jewish Educator and Activist for Social Causes
- Anne Hromadka, Program Director for Jewish Arts Initiative of Southern California
- Avigail Hurvitz-Prinz, Program Associate for Hazon
- David Ingber, Founder and Spiritual Director of Romemu in Manhattan
- Wendy Jackler, Recreational Knitter
- Rami Jaffee, Keyboardist for The Wallflowers, Foo Fighters, and Pearl Jam
- Ruth Judkowitz, Musical Director of Voices of Conscience
- Lior Kaminetsky, Israeli Classical, Jewish, and Klezmer Musician
- Yosef Kanefsky, Rabbi of B'nai David-Judea Congregation
- Alisa Katz, Documentary Filmmaker on Jewish Education in Eastern Europe
- Gerry Katzman, Actor, Comedian, and Teacher of Stand-Up Classes
- Yitzchak Kerem, Visiting Professor of Sephardic Studies at American Jewish University
- Menachem Klein, Medical Intuitive/Healer
- Shira "ShirLaLa" Kline, Producer of Outrageously Hip Jewish Kiddie Rock
- Lisa Klug, Author of "Cool Jew: The Ultimate Guide for Every Member of the Tribe"
- Deborah Engel Kollin, Day School Administrator of Pressman Academy
- Ze'ev Korn, Educator and Social Worker
- Helene Kornsgold, Rabbi-in-Residence at Pressman Academy
- Dave Koz, Six-Time Grammy Nominated Jazz Musician
- Joy Krauthammer, Leader of Women's Lifecycle and Healing Rituals
- Esther Kustanowitz, Journalist, Blogger, and Online Social Media Guru
- Gail Labovitz, Assistant Professor of Rabbinic Literature and Jewish Law at AJU
- Daniel Landes, Director of the Pardes Institute of Jewish Studies in Jerusalem
- Cynthia Lauer-Kagal, Toronto-Based Practitioner of Alternative Dispute Resolution
- Sara Lederer, Clinical Psychologist
- Simcha Levenberg, Comedian and Orthodox Rabbi
- Richard Levik, Host of TheLeviteLine.com
- Brian Levine, Award-Winning Bassist
- AriellaShira Lewis, Leader of Lifecycle and Healing Rituals
- Joseph Lipner, Co-Author of the Children's Book "Max Said Yes! The Woodstock Story"
- Evan Lowenstein, Half of the Pop/Rock Duo "Evan and Jaron"
- Avram Mandell, Director of Education at Leo Baeck Temple
- Judith Margolis, Israel-Based American Artist, Writer, and Educator
- Matisyahu, Hasidic Singer Blending Reggae, Traditional Jewish Music, and Hip Hop
- Laurie Matzkin, Co-Founder of Minyan Malei Shirah
- Sharon McCauley, Tallit Maker
- Yael Miller, Co-Developer of OperationSupportJewsintheMilitary.com
- Cheston Mizel, Founder of JConnect LA
- Modi, Stand-Up Comedian Headliner
- Daniel Needlestone, Co-Chair of UK-Based Pro-Zion
- Harry Nelson, Full-Time Lawyer and Part-Time Teacher of Jewish Texts
- Hillel Neuer, Executive Director of UN Watch in Geneva
- Sarah Newman, Writer and Researcher on Industrial Food Production
- Rebecca Pappas, Dance Maker
- Bernie Pearl, Blues Musician
- Martine Porter-Zasada, Homeschooling Parent
- Victor Raphael, Artist Blending Traditional Media With Modern Electronic Media
- Daniel Reisel, Education Chair of the Jewish Human Rights Group RenéCassin
- Joel Rembaum, Senior Rabbi of Temple Beth Am
- Anthony K. Rogers-Wright, African-American Jew By Choice
- Elana Rosenbaum, Co-Founder and Director of Moishe House in Buenos Aires
- Aaron Rosenberg, Former Israeli Resident and Jack of all Trades
- Jason Rosenblatt, Jazz Pianist, Harmonica Innovator, and Founder of Shtreiml
- Shari Rosenman, Lawyer, Teacher, and Challah Baker Extraordinaire
- Shep Rosenman, Musician and Entertainment Lawyer
- Zvi Howard Rosenman, Feature Film, Television, and Documentary Producer
- Rena Rotenberg, Co-Author of "Torah Talk: An Early Childhood Teaching Guide"
- Ruthie Rotenberg, Executive Director of LimmudLA
- Anne Rubin, Kindertransport Survivor
- Shlomo "Schwartzie" Schwartz, Director of The Chai Center
- Shlomo Seidenfeld, Director of Isralight LA
- Chaim Seidler-Feller, Director of UCLA Hillel
- Doreen Seidler-Feller, Clinical Psychologist
- Jonathan Sheff, Teacher of Torah and Jewish Mysticism
- Michael Shefrin, Former Musician and Band Manager, Current Entertainment Law Professional
- Todd Shotz, Founder of Hebrew Helpers
- Shtreiml, Musical Group Mixing Not-So-Traditional Eastern-European Jewish and Turkish Music
- Deborah Silver, Rabbinical Student at the Ziegler School of Rabbinic Studies
- Leat Silvera, Homeschooling Parent and Founder of the Alternative Or Eliyahu School
- Alexei Smith, Director of the Office of Ecumenical & Interreligious Affairs of the LA Archdiocese
- Naomi Solomon, Photographer
- Yehuda Solomon, Singer and Co-Founder of Moshav
- Yosef Solomon, Musician and Co-Founder of Moshav
- Jonah Steinberg, Associate Dean at the Rabbinical School of Hebrew College
- Lisa Stern, Civilian Author of Laws on Slave Labor Restitution
- David Suissa, Advertising and Marketing Exec and Educator on Spirituality and Israel
- Carl Sunshine, Occasional Torah Teacher at the Westwood Free Minyan and the Library Minyan
- Gideon Sylvester, Founder and Rabbi of Britain's Fastest-Growing Modern Orthodox Synagogue
- Amira Tashman, Event Planner and Interior Designer
- Michal Taviv-Margolese, Program Director of JConnect LA
- Daryl Temkin, Founder of Israel Institute for the Advancement of Alternative Energy Innovation
- Oded Turgeman, Co-Founder of The Operating Room, a Film and Television Content Developer
- Ida Unger, Certified Iyengar Yoga Instructor
- Saul Wachs, Professor of Education and Liturgy at Gratz College
- Brenda Walt, Brenda of Catering by Brenda
- Harold Walt, South African Native and Limmud Enthusiast
- Suzannah Warlick, Director of "Match & Marry"
- Merryl Weber, Teacher of Jewish Meditation
- Elchanan Weinbach, Head of School for Shalhevet School
- Jason Weiner, Assistant Rabbi of Young Israel of Century City
- Pam Weisberger, Program Chair for the Jewish Genealogical Society of Los Angeles
- Rhoda Weisman, Founding Executive Director of Professional Leaders Project
- David N. Weiss, Vice President of the Writers Guild of America, West
- Gary Wexler, Non-Profit and Jewish Marketing Guru
- Adam Winter, Member of the Mediterranean Klezmer Ensemble in Los Angeles
- Andy Wolf, Producer, Director, Puppeteer, and Comedian
- Abigail Yasgur, Co-Author of the Children's Book "Max Said Yes! The Woodstock Story"
- Elianna Yolkut, Rabbi of Adat Ari El
- Raphael Zarum, Chief Executive and Head of Faculty at the London School of Jewish Studies
- Phyllis Zimbler Miller, Co-Developer of OperationSupportJewsintheMilitary.com
