Earlier this semester, I attended a Jewish Learning Conference in East Brunswick, New Jersey, called Limmud NY as part of a Yeshiva University delegation. Shuki Taylor, the director of Experiential Education at the Center for the Jewish Future led the delegation. Shuki expressed his intentions for spearheading the mission. “Our goal is for YU students to have an impact on Limmud, be impacted by it, and to join the Jewish community in building important bridges that connect the separated and unite the segregated.” That weekend, over eight hundred Jews gathered together and spent their weekend attending lectures on a variety of Jewish topics. The lectures covered the entire Jewish landscape and ranged from Talmudic teachings as expressed through folk dance to standard rabbinic interpretations of classical Jewish texts.
Limmud is a cross-communal experience. Jews from all across the religious spectrum were in attendance. Ranging from unaffiliated to Orthodox, every ideology and denomination was represented. Noah Small, a member of the delegation claimed that “there was something very powerful about nearly a thousand Jews from every walk of life coming together and learning the same texts that have been passed down for thousands of years.” I appreciated the expansive breadth of information that I otherwise would not have had access to. Limmud exposed me to unorthodox interpretations and insights that were quite thought provoking and informative.
Outside of the lectures, many experiences on Limmud proved frustratingly inspirational. After praying at the Orthodox afternoon service on Friday, I checked out the egalitarian service. I was touched as I watched an entire family, brothers and sisters, sitting and praying together. At the Renewal Service, I found the introduction of musical instruments aesthetically pleasing and wondered if this was what prayer at the Temple possibly resembled. Although each Minyan was structurally different, I noticed that each service did manage to bring Jews together in a meaningful meditation with God.
As Shabbat came to a close, I was conflicted. On the one hand, I thought that I probably didn’t fulfill my obligation to hear Havdala given that it was being sung by a woman. On the other hand, I was hearing the most exquisitely sung Havdala I had ever heard. It was so beautiful watching hundreds of people swaying together as Shabbat ebbed away. Is the mumbled version that my father hastily recites necessarily more divine? Aren’t we all here to escort the Sabbath Queen? These experiences were uncomfortable and frustrating as I grappled with these issues.
As part of the YU delegation, we consistently re-grouped throughout the conference to discuss our impressions. At the beginning, I did not know most of the other students and felt that the group dynamic was a little awkward. Besides, how honest could I really be with my questions? Normally these questions are dismissed and regarded as heresy or Kefirah. Would the rest of the group appreciate my concerns or would they simply write me off?
As the weekend progressed, we began to warm up to each other. We managed to create a safe space where we could share our thoughts without fear of being judged and criticized. Tal Meiri, another delegation member, said that she was thankful she had the opportunity to learn at Limmud within the framework of a YU Delegation, which allowed her to hash out confusion, new ideas, and take-aways in a safe environment. While we certainly didn’t all agree on every issue, we were all on this path of intellectual engagement with our tradition. By the bus ride home, we all felt like it was the end of the summer and would miss each other dearly.
Limmud was an aggravating, inspirational, and beautiful weekend. Limmud taught me about the unity of the Jewish people. What other people would pay to spend President’s day weekend studying and learning Jewish ideas together? Sure we may not agree on everything, but you don’t have to agree with someone to be able to embrace them. In fact, with just a little prodding, you’d be surprised to realize just how much we all have in common.