Russian-speaking Limmud coming to Oz
LIMMUD FSU (former Soviet Union) – one of the biggest Russian-speaking Jewish events in the world – is coming to Australia next year.
LIMMUD FSU (former Soviet Union) – one of the biggest Russian-speaking Jewish events in the world – is coming to Australia next year.
The AJN can reveal the event will take place in Melbourne in March.
The Jewish Agency for Israel’s shlichah for Russian-speaking Jewry in Australia, Sasha Klyachkina, and Hagshama Melbourne coordinator for the Zionist Federation of Australia, Tania Shvartsman, were the only Australians invited to represent the country at this year’s conference in Moscow – the largest gathering of Jews in Russia – which was attended by 1200 people.
Klyachkina said the annual conference, now in its ninth year, started in Russian-speaking countries, “but then people started to realise that Russian-speaking communities, in not necessarily Russian-speaking countries, need something special, something different”.
Describing Limmud FSU in Israel and New York as “very successful”, she noted that the event would also be held in Toronto for the first time in October.
Klyachkina said some sessions at next year’s Australian conferences would be in Russian while others would be in English and “maybe even some in Hebrew”.
She said the “cultural, intellectual and spiritual” event would be the first of its kind in Australia and would “engage all ages and all kinds of people”.
“I am very excited,” she said.
At the recent Moscow conference, Klyachkina and Shvartsman presented a session titled “What kind of animals are KangaRusskis”.
“We talked about the general Jewish community in Australia, because people just don’t know anything about Jews in Australia, and we elaborated on the Russian community,” Klyachkina said.
The pair also spoke about the differences and similarities the Russian-Jewish community in Australia has compared to other Jewish communities around the world, and about the different activities run in Australia specifically for young Russian-Jews, such as the “KangaRusski” Birthright and leadership training programs.
“[The session] was very successful,” she said. “People really loved it and were very interested and curious.”
Appealing for volunteers to get involved with next year’s Limmud FSU conference in Australia, Klyachkina said, “If you can give us an hour a week, or an hour a month, it would be wonderful. We will take whatever you can give us.”
“Limmud FSU will be a huge step for the Russian-Jewish community here in Australia. We’ll need all the support we can get.”
For more information contact Sasha Klyachkina on 0434 039 059, email AlexandraK@jafi.org or visit www.facebook.com/kangarusski.
EVAN ZLATKIS
Havdalah at this year’s Limmud FSU in Moscow. Photo: Nathan Roi.
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