Limmud Oz Melbourne 2025

Limmud Oz Melbourne 2025

Welcome to the program for Limmud Oz Melbourne 2025!

Join us for an immersive weekend festival of Jewish ideas and culture, with >100 presenters and sessions to choose from.
From Ben-Gurion to bagels, Yentl to yoga, we always have something for everyone. Limmud is an opportunity for you to cultivate a personal Jewish experience and learn from presenters you might never come across otherwise.

Tickets are available here

9:30am AEST

The ABCD's of the future of Israel and Palestine: articulating four potential options for the future, and assessing the chances for each

Sunday June 8, 2025 9:30am - 10:30am AEST

MG.04 - Room 7 (MPR)

The Israeli-Palestinian Conflict is enormously complex, and multiple ideas have been suggested for its future, but these ideas basically boil down to one of four distinct options, each of which begins with the letter A, B, C or D. No spoilers, but in the session, we'll uncover what those letters stand for, explore each of the options, consider their pros and cons, and look at the forces, both Israeli and Palestinian, pushing in each direction.

Speakers

Alex Sinclair

Alex Sinclair is an educational consultant and adjunct lecturer at Hebrew University. His first book, Loving the Real Israel, was a finalist for the National Jewish Book Award, and his debut novel, Perfect Enemy, was published in 2023. Undergraduate and graduate degrees from Balliol... Read More →

Sunday June 8, 2025 9:30am - 10:30am AEST
MG.04 - Room 7 (MPR)

Everything Israel

10:45am AEST

Bibi the betrayer (boged)! - at least as claimed by about half of the Israeli population 🤔

Sunday June 8, 2025 10:45am - 11:45am AEST

A mind boggling phenomena is at work in Israel - about half of its population claim to believe that their Prime Minister Benjamin (Bibi) Netanyahu is a traitor (boged in Hebrew)!? According to this bold claim, Bibi is supposedly only waging the unnecessary war in Gaza so he can retain his seat as Prime Minister of Israel. This session seeks to open the floor for a passionate discussion about what the ramifications of this claim mean.

Speakers

Emmanuel Gruzman

Research Affiliate, Australian Centre for Jewish Civilisation @ Monash University

Emmanuel is a fascinated student of human curiosities - especially the Jewish ones. Having first obtained an Orthodox Rabbinical Degree in Israel he later graduated his Social Science doctorate at Monash University about Jewish migrant communities in Melbourne. Emmanuel currently... Read More →

Sunday June 8, 2025 10:45am - 11:45am AEST
SG.11 - Room 5

Everything Israel

10:45am AEST

Parallel fronts- 330 days together and apart

Sunday June 8, 2025 10:45am - 11:45am AEST

On October 7th, we, like all of Israel, embarked on an unexpected journey. Each of us took command on our own front—Gabi as a reserve company commander, and Sara as a mother, woman's community leader, and unwavering source of support. Together and apart, we’ve faced the journey of our lives, rediscovering partnership, parenthood, personal growth, challenges and faith. This lecture explores the tension between comfort and conviction—and how our choices define who we are.

Speakers

Sara Ribner-Grabin

Sara is a Jewish educator and social worker with extensive experience in leadership development, youth mentorship, and global Shlichim training. She directed professional development at The Jewish Agency, worked with at-risk youth, and served in international Shlichut roles. Sara... Read More →

Gabi Grabin

Gabi Grabin is an Israeli educator, IDF reserve officer, and social entrepreneur. He co-founded Mechinat Kol Ami, fostering global Jewish-Israeli connections. A seasoned leader in Jewish education, Gabi now directs Next Gen at the ZFA in Melbourne, where he resides with his family... Read More →

Sunday June 8, 2025 10:45am - 11:45am AEST
M1.03 - Room 2

Everything Israel

12:00pm AEST

Arab citizens of Israel, a community in crisis

Sunday June 8, 2025 12:00pm - 1:00pm AEST

MG.04 - Room 7 (MPR)

The Palestinian Arab minority of Israel has plunged into a double crisis in the aftermath of October 7. There’s an atmosphere of fear amid an ongoing crackdown against Arab citizens of Israel who speak out against the war, prompting self-censorship and fears of being jailed and losing their jobs, as some already have. And within their towns and cities an epidemic of homicides rages on, reflecting a rise in heavily armed crime organisations and years of systemic inequality.

Speakers

Dina Kraft

Dina Kraft is a journalist and co-author of the best-seller, "My Friend Anne Frank". She is Israel Correspondent for The Christian Science Monitor, former opinion editor at Haaretz English, and co-hosts the podcast, Groundwork, about Israeli and Palestinian activists. She writes about... Read More →

Sunday June 8, 2025 12:00pm - 1:00pm AEST
MG.04 - Room 7 (MPR)

Everything Israel

1:15pm AEST

New trends in food and wine in Israel

Sunday June 8, 2025 1:15pm - 2:15pm AEST

RG.04 - Room 11

In the last few years, and despite the war in Gaza, Israel has become a powerhouse of food and wine. What is Israeli cuisine? What is happening in the restaurant world in Israel? When it comes to wine, there are more than 300 wineries in Israel and the quality has improved dramatically. There is now a move to more Mediterranean varieties and more white wines.

Speakers

Linda Gradstein

Linda Gradstein is the correspondent for Voice of America which is an international broadcasting network funded by the US government which reaches more than 320 million people around the world in dozens of languages. She is also the Israel correspondent for CBS Radio in the US. In... Read More →

Sunday June 8, 2025 1:15pm - 2:15pm AEST
RG.04 - Room 11

Everything Israel

1:15pm AEST

Step into our office: Three Jewish therapists explore the impacts of October 7th

Sunday June 8, 2025 1:15pm - 2:15pm AEST

RG.03 (theatrette) - Room 10

How do Jewish therapists navigate the emotional, ethical and political dilemmas that have surfaced in therapy rooms since October 7th? In this intimate conversation, three therapists reflect upon the profound personal and professional impacts of that fateful day and what has followed. They explore shifting client dynamics, evolving therapeutic boundaries, and the complex emotional terrain they now face; offering insight into what it means to hold space for others while grappling with their own experiences.

Speakers

Vicki Gordon

Vicki Gordon OAM is a Clinical and Forensic psychologist whose career in the Children's Court Clinic and private practice spans 30+ years. Vicki also provides psychological support to the Victorian Disaster Network, to a range of Jewish organisations and lectures in trauma to medical... Read More →

Brandon Srot

Brandon is a Sydney-based psychotherapist who specialises in working with trauma, grief and loss, personal discovery and relationship therapy. He also facilitates leadership development journeys for individuals and teams across Australia and abroad.

Julia Blum

Julia Blum lives in Melbourne and is a psychoanalytic psychotherapist and accredited mental health social worker, with 47 years of clinical experience, including 20 in private practice. Julia's interest in early trauma includes the impact of trauma as people get older, including Holocaust... Read More →

Sunday June 8, 2025 1:15pm - 2:15pm AEST
RG.03 (theatrette) - Room 10

Everything Israel

2:45pm AEST

How does our community support the status quo?

Sunday June 8, 2025 2:45pm - 3:45pm AEST

In this session, through a combination of discussion, case studies and reflection, we will explore the implicit and explicit ways in which the Australian Jewish community supports the ongoing Israeli occupation of the West Bank. Discussions around the occupation and Israel-Palestine can often be difficult, with little room for nuance or questioning. We want to provide a space to share stories and experiences and learn more about the issue.

Speakers

Russell Goldblatt

Russell was born and raised in Boorloo/Perth and now calls Naarm/Melbourne home. Russell is an experimental physicist and is currently an active member of Emet.

Isabella Satz

Isabella is a lawyer, living in Naarm/Melbourne and is an active member of Emet.

Hannah Sharp

Hannah Sharp is a government lawyer, born and raised in Melbourne, Australia and active in the Jewish Community. Hannah was a leader in Habonim Dror Australia from 2011- 2016 and has been an active member of Emet since 2021.

Talia Slonim

Talia Slonim is an environmental lawyer, living in Naarm/Melbourne and is an active member of Emet.

Sunday June 8, 2025 2:45pm - 3:45pm AEST
SG.08 - Room 8

Everything Israel

4:00pm AEST

The state of two states: why now is the urgent time for peace

Sunday June 8, 2025 4:00pm - 5:00pm AEST

This session will explore why we need to embrace the Israeli Initiative, a peace plan developed by NIF partners, Mitvim and the Berl Katznelson Foundation, in order to end this endless cycle of violence, return the hostages and build a lasting and enduring peace. It will explore how the It's Time peace coalition is building a groundswell of support for the peace movement, even at a time of polarisation and war.

Speakers

Michael Chaitow

Michael is the executive director of NIF Australia. Prior to this, he was was director of digital strategy in NIF’s New York office and before that, led J Street’s campus engagement. Michael has worked as media adviser to the Hon. Linda Burney MP, and as a climate organiser for... Read More →

Sunday June 8, 2025 4:00pm - 5:00pm AEST
SG.08 - Room 8

Everything Israel

5:15pm AEST

Covering the war: challenges and opportunities

Sunday June 8, 2025 5:15pm - 6:15pm AEST

Linda has been a journalist for three decades but covering the Gaza war has been different than any previous conflict. Journalists were not able to enter Gaza which made coverage difficult. Also, the home front was the same as the war front with missiles landing all over Israel. The fact that hundreds of Israelis were being held hostage in Gaza had never happened before.

Speakers

Linda Gradstein

Linda Gradstein is the correspondent for Voice of America which is an international broadcasting network funded by the US government which reaches more than 320 million people around the world in dozens of languages. She is also the Israel correspondent for CBS Radio in the US. In... Read More →

Sunday June 8, 2025 5:15pm - 6:15pm AEST
SG.10 - Room 4

Everything Israel

5:15pm AEST

Jerusalem If I Forget You - Jerusalem's seam lines

Sunday June 8, 2025 5:15pm - 6:15pm AEST

This session explores the key points of friction among Jerusalem’s diverse and often divided communities—Arabs, Haredim (ultra-Orthodox Jews), and secular Israelis. By examining flashpoints such as the Sheikh Jarrah evictions, the Karta Parking Lot riots, and the controversy surrounding the “eruv mehudar” (enhanced Shabbat boundary), we will analyze how these events reflect deeper ideological and cultural conflicts. The session will also delve into the competing visions and narratives of what Jerusalem represents to different groups.

Speakers

Ilan Bloch

Ilan Bloch is the Director of Jewish Life and Learning at The King David School.

Sunday June 8, 2025 5:15pm - 6:15pm AEST
SG.08 - Room 8

Everything Israel

10:45am AEST

A region in flux: explaining the changes and challengers in the Middle East

Monday June 9, 2025 10:45am - 11:45am AEST

RG.04 - Room 11

Israel remains at war. Syria was overthrown. Iran is on the backfoot, but is rushing toward the bomb. Turkey has replaced Iran as Syria’s patron. Qatar continues its influence-buying campaign. Are Islamists on the ascendant or is their influence receding? Where does Israel fit in all of this? Will the Abraham Accords expand? This session will make sense of the recent history of the Middle East, and assist in predicting its future.

Speakers

Bren Carlill

Dr Bren Carlill is the director of special projects at the Australia/Israel & Jewish Affairs Council. He has previously worked at the ZFA, the Departments of Home Affairs and Foreign Affairs and Trade, and for a federal politician. His PhD examined the intractability of the Israeli-Palestinian... Read More →

Monday June 9, 2025 10:45am - 11:45am AEST
RG.04 - Room 11

Everything Israel

10:45am AEST

Engaging with Israel in the era of Smotrich and Ben-Gvir: a guide for the perplexed, the despairing, and the petrified

Monday June 9, 2025 10:45am - 11:45am AEST

RG1.17 (ensemble room) - Room 9

"Loving the real Israel" means grappling with Israel's wonders and warts, its appeals and abominations. Politicians like Bezalel Smotrich and Itamar Ben-Gvir belong, for many Diaspora Jews, to the second half of those dichotomies: their fundamentalist, messianic worldviews, if they come to fruition, will make it hard to like, let alone love, the Israel of the future. What could be the role of Diaspora Jews in this struggle for the soul of the Jewish people?

Speakers

Alex Sinclair

Alex Sinclair is an educational consultant and adjunct lecturer at Hebrew University. His first book, Loving the Real Israel, was a finalist for the National Jewish Book Award, and his debut novel, Perfect Enemy, was published in 2023. Undergraduate and graduate degrees from Balliol... Read More →

Monday June 9, 2025 10:45am - 11:45am AEST
RG1.17 (ensemble room) - Room 9

Everything Israel

12:00pm AEST

Linda Gradstein: in conversation

Monday June 9, 2025 12:00pm - 1:00pm AEST

Linda Gradstein has been a journalist for three decades but covering the Gaza war has been different from any previous conflict, not least because Linda had three sons serving in the army in the early months of the war. Join Linda in conversation as she discusses the emotional whiplash of being an independent observer of events and a desperately worried mother at the same time.

Speakers

Linda Gradstein

Linda Gradstein is the correspondent for Voice of America which is an international broadcasting network funded by the US government which reaches more than 320 million people around the world in dozens of languages. She is also the Israel correspondent for CBS Radio in the US. In... Read More →

Monday June 9, 2025 12:00pm - 1:00pm AEST
SG.08 - Room 8

Everything Israel

12:00pm AEST

Ransoming hostages: an halachic perspective

Monday June 9, 2025 12:00pm - 1:00pm AEST

Since the very first exchange, in recent history, of over 1000 terrorists for the release of Gilad Shalit, the Jewish world has grappled with the issue of ransoming of hostages. Since November 2023, the issue of how traditional Jewish texts speak to the issue, has resurfaced. Are there traditional Jewish texts on ransoming of captives? Are they instructive on the current negotiations with Hamas?

Speakers

Ronnie Figdor

Rabbi Figdor has worked in medical research, computing, education, emergency management and Not-For-Profits. He runs an IT and management consultancy while volunteering on several Alfred Hospital committees, on Deakin University Human Research Ethics committee and as a judge on Tournament... Read More →

Monday June 9, 2025 12:00pm - 1:00pm AEST
M1.03 - Room 2

Everything Israel

1:15pm AEST

Why what happens in the West Bank never stays in the West Bank

Monday June 9, 2025 1:15pm - 2:15pm AEST

MG.04 - Room 7 (MPR)

Israel is conducting another post-October 7 warfront in the West Bank with military operations in refugee camps, cutting electricity and water lines, and launching air strikes, part of its “Iron Wall” campaign which has displaced some 40,000 people. Largely unchecked, settler violence has become routine against Palestinians. And for the first time, far-right settler figures hold powerful positions in the Cabinet, driving decision making that is impacting all Israelis, their security, and the country’s reputation around the world.

Speakers

Dina Kraft

Dina Kraft is a journalist and co-author of the best-seller, "My Friend Anne Frank". She is Israel Correspondent for The Christian Science Monitor, former opinion editor at Haaretz English, and co-hosts the podcast, Groundwork, about Israeli and Palestinian activists. She writes about... Read More →

Monday June 9, 2025 1:15pm - 2:15pm AEST
MG.04 - Room 7 (MPR)

Everything Israel

1:30pm AEST

Education for pluralism in Israel today

Monday June 9, 2025 1:30pm - 2:30pm AEST

In this session Peri will share some thoughts and best practices in education which encourage learners to engage with questions of diverse Jewish identities. This is based on the work we do at TALI with schools and educators to bridge the gaps which undermine the foundations of Israel as a Jewish and democratic society.

Speakers

Peri Sinclair

Dr. Peri Sinclair directs the TALI Center, promoting pluralistic Jewish education and diverse expressions of Jewish and Israeli identity. With a doctorate in Midrash and an MA in Jewish Education, she brings over 25 years of experience in the field, spanning both Israel and the United... Read More →

Monday June 9, 2025 1:30pm - 2:30pm AEST
M1.03 - Room 2

Everything Israel

2:45pm AEST

Israel uncovered

Monday June 9, 2025 2:45pm - 3:45pm AEST

In these challenging times, our hearts turn to the land of Israel. Learn the cultivate compassion, strength, and a profound understanding of the enduring connection between the Jewish people and their beloved homeland. This session is ideal for those who have travelled to Israel and yearn to know more, for those who are planning a trip to Israel, or for those who just want to learn more from an inspiring eighth generation Yerushalmi.

Speakers

Erez Feinberg

Passionate Educator. Expert Storyteller. Proud 8th-Generation Yerushalmi.Born and raised in the heart of Jerusalem, I bring eight generations of deep-rooted connection to the city’s history, culture, and spirit. With an MA in School Leadership, a BA in International Relations, and... Read More →

Monday June 9, 2025 2:45pm - 3:45pm AEST
SG.12 - Room 6

Everything Israel

2:45pm AEST

The 'next step' on the long road to peace in Israel-Palestine

Monday June 9, 2025 2:45pm - 3:45pm AEST

“The situation is hopeless. We must TAKE THE NEXT STEP.” Pablo Casals. The Israel-Palestine conflict looks hopeless. There are ongoing calls for diplomacy to produce a two state solution. But diplomacy cannot deliver when human hearts are so hardened. The next step, that any individual can take, is to embrace a well thought out virtue ethic. Then their own heart can be a positive example. I present such an ethic, based on Abrahamic wisdom.

Speakers

David Cohan

David is a humanistic/progressive Jew. Member of TBI Progressive Synagogue since 2006. Treasures the Tanach as great literature and a source of wisdom, but of wholly human origin. Retired engineer. Slowly working on a book on Ethics, based mainly on wisdom from the Abrahamic text... Read More →

Monday June 9, 2025 2:45pm - 3:45pm AEST
SG.10 - Room 4

Everything Israel

2:45pm AEST

The effect of the Gaza war on the Middle East

Monday June 9, 2025 2:45pm - 3:45pm AEST

RG.04 - Room 11

The Middle East has been changed fundamentally by the war in Gaza and the ascension of President Trump. What are the scenarios for the future of the Iranian nuclear program, US-Israel relations, Israel and the Palestinians, Israel and Egypt, Saudi Arabia and the Abraham accords? Is there a chance for a new, different Middle East.

Speakers

Linda Gradstein

Linda Gradstein is the correspondent for Voice of America which is an international broadcasting network funded by the US government which reaches more than 320 million people around the world in dozens of languages. She is also the Israel correspondent for CBS Radio in the US. In... Read More →

Monday June 9, 2025 2:45pm - 3:45pm AEST
RG.04 - Room 11

Everything Israel

4:00pm AEST

Changing tactics in Gaza: Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir's new approach

Monday June 9, 2025 4:00pm - 5:00pm AEST

On March 5, Lt. Gen, Eyal Zamir replaced Herzi Halevi as the IDF Chief of Staff, bringing with him different ideas about how the Gaza war should be fought. This session looks at some of the changes that Lt. Gen. Zamir has introduced and brings us up to date with the latest developments on the ground.

Speakers

Ahron Shapiro

Ahron Shapiro is a senior policy analyst with the Australia/Israel & Jewish Affairs Council. His opinions and analysis have appeared in Australia’s major newspapers, television and on radio. He is a former editor at the Jerusalem Post and the Australian Jewish News and served in... Read More →

Monday June 9, 2025 4:00pm - 5:00pm AEST
M1.02 - Room 1

Everything Israel

4:00pm AEST

Postcard from Israel’s protest frontlines: the agony and fight of the hostage families and a nation

Monday June 9, 2025 4:00pm - 5:00pm AEST

MG.04 - Room 7 (MPR)

Israel has been a nation in an almost constant state of mass protest for over two years. It began with the unprecedented wave of street demonstrations in wake of Netanyahu’s government plan to overhaul the country’s courts and after the October 7 attack, transitioned into emotional vigils and rage-filled marches demanding the return of the hostages in Gaza. After the second cease-fire collapsed, anti-war protests gained steam. What do these protests look and feel like from the ground? What have they accomplished and where are they going?

Speakers

Dina Kraft

Dina Kraft is a journalist and co-author of the best-seller, "My Friend Anne Frank". She is Israel Correspondent for The Christian Science Monitor, former opinion editor at Haaretz English, and co-hosts the podcast, Groundwork, about Israeli and Palestinian activists. She writes about... Read More →

Monday June 9, 2025 4:00pm - 5:00pm AEST
MG.04 - Room 7 (MPR)

Everything Israel

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