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There was a total of over 450 people who attended the Limmud NZ events collectively,

This was the first time that Limmud was ever hosted in Wellington.

There were international presenters from Israel and Australia, along with local Kiwi presenters on a variety of topics. Those topics included Democracy in Israel in the 21st Century, “From Krakow to Krypton” – the Jewish history of comic books, “Yalta the Shrew in the Attic” – an exploration of Yanta in Talmudic sources as it relates to female Talmudic leadership, Musical and meditation sessions, and a special presentation on parenting by national renowned author and speaker, Diane Levy.

The Limmud event in Wellington totalled 190 participants and began on Saturday night with a communal havdalah, led by Max and Shannyn Einsohn from Melbourne, Australia, who are avid Limmud attendees and presenters in Australia and NZ over the past five years. We continued to the Third Eye Pub nearby the WJCC, which hosted the Limmud itself, for an evening of storytelling led by Australia’s own Bram Presser, author of “The Book of Dirt” and punk rock musician. Everyone enjoyed a packed house, over 100 people in the private function of the pub, and we heard stories about people’s grapple with Judaism, guiding in Israel, secret missions with the Mossad, how Bram Presser is responsible for the fate of iconic Israeli singers and composers, and a Venezuelan love story.

On Sunday there were multiple sessions, a vibrant atmosphere and an amazing “Young Limmud” kids’ program, reaching children ages 2 – 17 in a variety of programs.

All in all not only was this a historic event, but also a significant one for the Wellington Jewish Community. The Wellington Jewish Community Centre, Limmud NZ, Temple Sinai, Holocaust Centre of New Zealand and The Deckston Trust all partnered in making this event a reality for this first time in the city’s 177-year-old history of the Jewish community.