An unparalleled European gathering for Russian-speaking Jews is set to take place in February 2017.

“This unprecedented continental gathering will bring together the Russian-speaking Jewish communities of Europe to re-imagine our future,” said Limmud FSU Founder Chaim Chesler. “Our first extra-territorial Limmud FSU will also be our first nomadic conference, convening Russian-speaking Jews from across the Europe in the continent’s informal capital.”

The first-ever Limmud FSU Europe was announced at a London event last week. Guests learned about the history of Limmud FSU and plans for the upcoming Pan-European conference, which will be held Feb. 3-5, 2017.

The gathering, also called “Limmud in London for the Russian-Speaking Jews of Europe,” will mark the first time in its decade-long history that Limmud FSU will not be geared toward Russian-speaking Jews of a specific city or country. Limmud FSU Europe will be aimed at the 300,000 Russian-speaking Jews across Central and Western Europe. Some 200,000 live in Germany and the Baltic states, but there is a strong Russian-Jewish presence in Austria, the Benelux countries, Czech Republic, France, Hungary, Italy, Scandinavia and the U.K.

Over 500 Russian-speaking Jews are expected to attend and organizers are envisioning the possibility of holding future Limmud FSU Europe events in other European capitals.

Speaking about the upcoming event, Matthew Bronfman, Limmud FSU International Steering Committee Chair, told eJP: “The ideas and the spirit of Limmud FSU are important for Jewish communities around the world. I am very pleased that the U.K., where the world’s first Limmud took place 35 years ago, will now host the first Russian-European Limmud.”

For more details about the 2017 conference in London, please visit: www.limmudfsu.eu/en/. Registration will open later this month.

Limmud FSU Europe is being sponsored by Genesis Philanthropy Group.