New York, NY, May 21, 2012 - The Government of Israel unanimously approved yesterday the establishment of the Albert Einstein museum in Jerusalem that will reveal items from the legacy of the father of the theory of relativity. The idea for the museum, which will be built on the Givat Ram campus of the Hebrew University, was originally initiated by President Shimon Peres. In his will, Albert Einstein left the Hebrew University his personal papers and the intellectual copyright to them, as well as the right to use his image. The government decision took place a week after the Limmud FSU Conference in Princeton, New Jersey, where the accomplishments of Professor Albert Einstein, who lived and taught at Princeton University, were emphasized. The conference brought together over 650 young … Continue Reading
Limmud FSU Princeton: A Profound Self-Discovery
by Yoram Dori Limmud FSU is always a special experience for its participants. Limmud FSU Princeton, held from May 11 to 13, at Princeton University, was an especially unique event for me. As usual, I learned more than I taught. Some 650 young Russian-speaking Jews, originally from the former Soviet Union, paid good money to hear about Judaism, to learn about Israel, to meet their brothers and sisters, all in a pluralistic spirit, without coercion and without pressure. The lecture topics were determined by the young people themselves, and the theme this year was Albert Einstein, the father of modern physics who lived, taught and died in Princeton. Unlike other Jewish conventions that I’ve attended over the years, since I served as the Jewish Agency chairman’s spokesman in the 1980s, most … Continue Reading
Remembering Einstein
by Nathan Roi More than 650 young Russian-speaking people (including 50 children,) living in the United States, came to Princeton University to participate in a Limmud FSU event centered on the life and work of Professor Albert Einstein. Another 240 could not be accommodated at the sold-out event which took place from 11-13 May. 2012. The past president of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Prof. Hanoch Gutfreund, who has overall responsibility for the huge literary estate which Einstein bequeathed to the university attempted to answer questions from the audience in two packed sessions: how is it that Einstein is, to this day, held up as an a example to be emulated in the world in general and the Jewish world in particular. Gutfreund showed items from the Einstein Archive which attest to this … Continue Reading
Limmud FSU Princeton: Priceless
by Nathan Roi Princeton University is considered one of the leading universities not only in the United States but throughout the world. And, for the more than 600 young Russian-speakers who descended there this past Friday to participate in the Limmud FSU conference, it was a priceless opportunity to visit the campus where so many millions of young people aspire to attend but only a few succeed. It was here that Albert Einstein, on a visit to the United States in 1933, made his home after he decided that as a Jew it would be unsafe to return to his native Germany after the rise of Nazism and the assumption of power by Adolf Hitler. Thanks to wealthy Jewish donors who funded the Institute for Advanced Studies, which Einstein headed, he worked and lived in Princeton until his death in … Continue Reading
For U.S. Russian Jewry, An Exercise in Identity
by Michele Alperin JointMedia News Service PRINCETON, NJ - A gap remains between young Russian Jews and the larger American Jewish community, even as organizations like Limmud FSU and others work to build bridges between them. Sandy Cahn, co-founder of Limmud FSU, suggests that the only way to ultimately bring these two communities together is to continue, at least for now, having separate organizations and events for Russian Jews. “There is something very special about Russian culture where they have an affinity of wanting to be together,” she says. “Having their own Limmud empowers them to be stronger and encourages them to enter in a more impactful and empowered way on the American Jewish scene.” Alexander Levin, the president of the World Forum of Russian Jewry, agrees, … Continue Reading
Limmud FSU Einstein: A First Look
Kicking off Limmud FSU's seventh year, Limmud FSU Princeton opened this past Friday afternoon just a short hop away from Princeton University. This, the first multi-day Limmud FSU event to take place in North America, brought 650 participants (including 50 kids) together for three days of Jewish learning and exploration. The program, geared to all ages and every perspective, was organized by volunteers from the U.S. Russian-speaking Jewish community and reflects the participants’ desire to maintain their Russian Jewish culture while living in the United States. Speaking erev Shabbat, Rabbi "Shmuley" Boteach - a veteran of many Limmud programs around the world - described the atmosphere as "the warmest of any Limmud program" he has witnessed. Previous Limmud FSU programs have centered on … Continue Reading
The Sky is Not the Limit!
by Chaim Chesler Professor Albert Einstein is the focal point of this Limmud FSU for Russsian speakers that is taking place this weekend at Princeton University, New Jersey, the place that gave the great scientist (and many others like him) a home and a refuge after he decided not to return to Germany from a visit to the United States in 1933. Princeton is and was the crucible in which many pre-eminent Nobel prize winners, among them many Jews, were able to pursue their scientific interests. Einstein was one of them “I came to Princeton to conduct research, not teach” he wrote in his book “Out of My Later Years,” in 1950. Among other Jewish Nobel prizewinners who studies and taught at Princeton were the somewhat lesser known name, Jeno Wigner. The Hungarian-born scientist came to … Continue Reading
Taste of Limmud Jerusalem Premiers This Week
MK Haim Amsalem and Rabbi Uri Regev, who heads “Hiddush - For Freedom of Religion and Equality,” will be among the presenters at Taste of Limmud Jerusalem, on Thursday, May 10, 2012, at the Herzl Center, on Jerusalem's Mt. Herzl. At a time when extremism and discrimination against women and immigrants is grabbing headlines, Limmud Jerusalem joins the worldwide Limmud family to promote and celebrate diversity, inclusiveness, dialogue and tolerance. “Limmud Jerusalem is the beginning of a revolution to break down the ghetto walls separating Jews of all stripes in this city,” says Limmud Jerusalem Founding Co-Chair Yogev Karasenty. “We are bringing to Zion Limmud’s grassroots, volunteer-led, cross-communal, multi-generational Jewish model, underscoring the strength in diversity and the … Continue Reading
Limmud FSU Receives Jerusalem Post Award
Just two months ago, readers of The Jerusalem Post voted a story published in the paper by Gil Shefler on Limmud FSU's St. Petersburg Conference as the “Leading Story of the Jewish World in 2011.” The award was presented Sunday at the Jerusalem Post Annual Conference in New York to Matthew Bronfman - Limmud FSU Inetrnational Steering Committee Chair and Dr. Nona Kuchina and Moshe Shneerson (Israel) of Dr. Nona International - the Deputy Chairs of Limmud FSU's steering committee. In remarks, Steve Linde - the Post's eiditor-in-chief said, "Limmud FSU started just six years ago, founded by Chaim Chesler of Israel and Sandra Cahn of New York, whom we are delighted to see here with us today, together with Michael Chlenov, President of the Federation of Jewish Organizations and Communities of … Continue Reading
Limmud FSU Raises the Roof in Moscow
by Nathan Roi Addressing a packed audience this weekend at the Limmud FSU conference for Russian-speaking young Jewish adults at the Klyasma Resort Center near Moscow, Sofa Landver, Israel’s Minister of Immigrant Absorption, said, “A nuclear holocaust in the Middle East would be a nuclear holocaust the world over.” She elaborated by saying that the special character of Iranian nuclear ambitions Israel threatens not only Israel as the Iranian leadership would wish and the Jewish people in general, but people all over the world. Among those in the audience - Ambassador Dorit Golander, Israel’s ambassador to the Russian Federation; MK Carmel Shama-Hacohen, chair of the Knesset Economics Committee and MK Alex Miller, chair of the Knesset Education and Culture Committee. Following her … Continue Reading
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