Hundreds of Jerusalemites of all walks of life are converging today on Mt. Herzl to share and interact at Limmud Jerusalem (JLM).

On offer among the 150 Hebrew and English sessions today and tomorrow are workshops, performances, and tours – even a sermon slam: “The Rabbi, the Teacher and the Vibrator,” and “Why Don’t Israelis Stand in Line?!,” as well as “18 Jewish Foods: What Our Iconic Dishes Say About Our People,” “The Devil Made Me Do It: Demons and Identity in the Dead Sea Scrolls,” and “The Place of the Childless Man in Jewish Civilization.”

Additionally, several panels will take place, including:

• Jerusalem Culture? Not an Oxymoron, Not What You Think!
• Authority with Humility: The Use and Abuse of Power by Rabbis
• Religion as a Force for Peace Where the Political Peace Process has Failed – this multifaith panel will include Eliyahu McLean, Abraham Reunion coordinator and director of Jerusalem Peacemakers; Hajj Ibrahim Abuel Hawa, Pastor Daniel Aqleh, a Palestinian Evangelical from Bethlehem, Musa Sabtin, a Palestinian Muslim from Husan; and, Sheikh Rasan Manasra, a Sufi Muslim peacemaker from Nazareth; as well as, Elana Rozenman and Yehuda Stolov.

A Young Limmud program with babysitting for the youngest Limmudniks (until age 2) and play activities through age 5, will also be available. Children aged 6-10, can choose from art, biblio-playback, dance, storytelling and more.

Limmud JLM is part of Israel’s dynamic Limmud community, with festivals in Arava, Beersheva, Galil, Haifa, Modiin, Tel Aviv, Yerucham and an annual FSU Israel festival.

“Limmud JLM is important in light of the shocking events of the summer,” Limmud International Chair David Bilchitz told eJP. “We need to come together in the face of the divisiveness among Jerusalem’s mosaic of communities. Limmud JLM models the tolerance, search for understanding and bridge-building so sorely needed to move forward in Israel.”