July 18, 2010 / 7 Av 5770 

A unique event for Russian-speaking Israelis will take place from 21-23 July in Jerusalem at the Kiryat Moriah Campus, the Menachem Begin Heritage Center and the Shai Agnon House. Limmud FSU brings together young Jewish adults who are reviving and revitalizing Jewish communities and Jewish culture and identity throughout the former Soviet Union, in the USA and in Israel. An intensive three-day program includes dynamic events, workshops, panels, interviews, lectures, cultural presentations, seminars and round-table discussions on a vast range of topics, given by many of Israel’s leading academics, journalists, public figures and politicians, either in Russian or in Hebrew with Russian translation.

This year’s Limmud FSU is being held on the general theme of Nobel prizewinners born in the Russian Empire, the Soviet Union and in Israel. There are 26 such people among the 180 who have won the Nobel Prize, including Menachem Begin, Yitzhak Rabin and Shimon Peres – all Nobel laureates for peace. This year’s event will be attended by several of the prizewinners, as well as family members of Begin, Rabin, Peres and Shai Agnon.

The events include lectures by Zipi Livni on Israel’s society, Yossi Bachar, General Manager of Israel Discount Bank on macroeconomics in Israel, Nina Popova from St Petersburg on the poets Anna Ahmatova and Joseph Brodsky, Anton Nossik, an internet genius, and master classes by Leonid Ptashka and Evgenya Dodina. Some of the most popular and interesting sessions and interviews will be broadcast on the internet.

The Gala Opening Event at Kiryat Moriah, beginning at 8.00 pm on Wednesday, 21 July, will be held in the presence of President Shimon Peres, together with Minister of Foreign Affairs, Avigdor Lieberman, Minister of Education, Gideon Sa’ar, Minister of Information and the Diaspora, Yuli Edelstein, Minister of Science and Technology, Daniel Hershkowitz, Leader of the Opposition, Zipi Livni, Natan Sharansky, Chair of the Jewish Agency, Matthew Bronfman, the US businessman who is among Limmud FSUs principal supporters and Chair of its International Steering Committee, Carlolyn Bogush, Chair of Limmud International, members of the Knesset and many other prominent public figures and personalities. The Co-Chairs of Limmud FSU Jerusalem are the noted actress Evgenya Dodina and the television and radio commentator, Yaron Deckel, who together will be conducting the festive event. The three honorary Chairs of Limmud Nobel Jerusalem, the philanthropists Aharon Frenkel, Diana Wohl and Dr. Nona Kuchina will also be present. Artists performing include jazz musician Leonid Ptashka, Yonatan Raziel and an IDF entertainment group.

The following day, Thursday 22 July at 8.00 pm, again at Kiryat Moriah, a Salute to Russian Immigrants in Israel will be held to mark 20 years since the mass immigration of the late 1980s and 1990s. Among the participants will be Minister of Culture and Sport, Limor Livnat, Deputy Minister of Defense, Matan Vilnai, IDF Chief Education Officer, Brig. Gen. Eli Shermeister, Sharansky and Bronfman and other distinguished guests. Artists performing at the event include Arkady Duchin, and Los Caparos.

Inaugurated in the United Kingdom nearly 30 years ago, Limmud has become probably the most significant and widely attended cultural event on the world Jewish stage. Limmud festivals take place today across the globe attended by tens of thousands of people in virtually every country with a significant Jewish population and in many languages. Limmud FSU is part of that international movement, all of which takes place on a volunteer basis. Limmud FSU was founded in 2005 by Chaim Chesler, together with Sandra Cahn of New York and Mikhail Chlenov of Russia.

For additional information contact Roman Kogan, Limmud FSU Chief Operations Officer at roman.kogan@limmudfsu.org or 054 4643358

Some of the most popular and interesting sessions and interviews will be broadcast on the internet. Members of the media may reproduce this material free of charge.

Website: www.limmudfsu.org