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Limmud LA to return in 2027 with more than 100 Jewish learning sessions

From Jerusalem Post · () English

Summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Sources not specified New plan
  • Limmud LA will return to Los Angeles from January 16-18, 2027, offering over 100 sessions on Jewish topics.
  • The festival expects more than 1,000 participants and is seeking proposals for presenters on various subjects.
  • The 2027 event will honor Alex Shwarzstein, a former Jewish community volunteer, and aims to foster pluralistic learning and intergenerational exchange.

Limmud LA is set to make a comeback in Los Angeles over Martin Luther King Jr. weekend in January 2027. The event, organized by Limmud North America, promises over 100 sessions exploring Jewish religion, culture, history, and contemporary issues. The festival will run from January 16 to 18, commencing with a Saturday evening celebration and followed by two full days of programming.

a unique and open space that is truly pluralistic

— Alex ShwarzsteinDescribing the Limmud model, as quoted by organizers.

Organizers anticipate attracting over 1,000 attendees from the greater Los Angeles area. In preparation, Limmud LA has launched a call for presenters, inviting the public to submit session proposals on a wide range of topics, including Torah, Jewish history, comedy, music, and cooking, among other areas of Jewish interest. This inclusive model operates on the principle that every participant can be both a student and a teacher, fostering an environment where community members and experts can lead sessions together.

It is a rare and beautiful thing to see teenagers, parents and grandparents all engaging and sharing ideas side by side

— Meyer ShwarzsteinReflecting on his daughter's vision for Limmud.

The 2027 festival will be dedicated to the memory of Alex Shwarzstein, a dedicated Jewish community volunteer and former co-chair of Limmud NY. Her parents, Meyer Shwarzstein and Susan Kahn, are presenting the event in her honor. Shwarzstein was instrumental in developing Limmud communities in New York and the San Francisco Bay Area. She described Limmud as a "unique and open space that is truly pluralistic," highlighting the rare opportunity for teenagers, parents, and grandparents to engage and share ideas side-by-side.

The Jewish world needs more places where people with different backgrounds, experiences and perspectives can come together with curiosity, humility and a genuine desire to learn from one another

— Rabbi David SingerExplaining the importance of Limmud's inclusive approach.

Rabbi David Singer, CEO of Limmud North America, emphasized the growing importance of such inclusive spaces, particularly amid increasing divisions within Jewish communities. He stated that "The Jewish world needs more places where people with different backgrounds, experiences and perspectives can come together with curiosity, humility and a genuine desire to learn from one another." Limmud LA is seen as an exciting opportunity to embody this principle, benefiting not only Los Angeles but the broader Jewish community.

That’s what Limmud does, and that’s what makes Limmud LA such an exciting moment – not only for Los Angeles, but for J

— Rabbi David SingerHighlighting the significance of the Limmud LA event.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Jerusalem Post. Summarized and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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