By: Deborah Fishman republished from:HaChavaya, Network-Weaver Series
Tomer Marshall is Curator at Leadel: A Jewish Media Hub, showcasing the rich variety of contemporary Jewish voices and expressions. Following completion of a master’s thesis in comparative media exploring the evolution of formats in new media, he gained experience in web development and writing and directing for television in Israel.
Leadel is excited at the opportunity of livestreamimg from Limmud Conference in the UK. This week (December 25-29, 2011), 2,500 UK and foreign Jews gather for Jewish learning during Christmas time.
Judaism is a religion based on tradition. Our Jewish heritage is passed from generation to generation, and, without the transfer of custom from parent to child, the fabric of traditions quickly unravel. The break in continuity is fast, and red flags are raised in discussions of the Jewish future. As we enter the 21st century, there are signs that technology is about to play a significant role in the transfer of tradition.
Jerusalem is a city full of boundaries; invisible lines surrounding us, distinguishing who is allowed in and who must stay out. Ask one to draw a map of Jerusalem, and you might expect a drawing of Jerusalem's old city walls, but the city extends much farther, and so do the cultural boundaries.
Ahavat Hinam (Love for all) - was the slogan of this year’s Tisha BeAv, which stroke accord against the backdrop of waves of protests around the country. According to our sages, the second temple was destroyed because of Sin’at Chinam (hatred without cause). This year’s Tish’a be Av on Sderot Rothild brought different sectors of Israel together in Ahavat Hinam.
When we inquire about the future of Jewish philanthropy, we are really asking about the future of the Jewish people. This is due to the fact that since Biblical times, the two have been immutably interrelated. Then as now, philanthropy played an integral part in shaping Jewish life, values and society, it was not merely a question of helping the poor.
Many years ago, I heard a speaker – a self-proclaimed Zionist – taking HaTikvah to task. In her opinion, it didn’t speak to the Zionist dream, the true feeling of the Jewish heart aching to return home, or the mission of Zionism. She suggested that The Impossible Dream from the hit Broadway musical "The Man of La Mancha" take its place as the Israeli national anthem. The very words, she thought, encapsulated everything Zionism and Israel stands for:
Uri Brilliant speaks to LEADJEF attendees about his project Sinai.co.il.
Based an old idea of Rav Shapira who wanted every Jew in the world to learn the same thing, and a minimum of learning that you must remember -- this moral idea is to have a shiur or lesson wherever you are.
Uri and his team then designed shiurs especially for the internet taking the following points into consideration:
While technically not directly Passover related, we thought this was worthy enough of our Passover Newsletter to get you thinking about how our people and society has changed since our Exodus from Egypt.
So sit back and enjoy this TED talk with Dan Meslin in "The Antidote to Apathy".
Historian Matthew Mausner presents The New Jerusalem Talmud at Leadel's Digital Jewish Education Forum (LEADJEF) in Tel Aviv. This state of the art learning tool is modeled after how we learn and study the Gemara, and is revolutionizing how we view and analyze global issues today.
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