LimmudFest Nola 2023

Quilts are often held up as a way women who lacked education or leisure time stitched stories to pass along to the next generation. While some scholars have argued that the paucity of quilts among Eastern European Jewish immigrants in the 1880-1920s indicates Jews didn’t quilt, quilts were important to Jewish American life in the 1840s-1880s. Throughout this era, American Jewish women used the album and crazy quilts to repair relationships torn by war, travel, and distance. Moreover, the rise of Jewish sewing circles meant sewing was often a community-building rite. In this hands-on workshop we will look at how one particular Jewish album quilt from the 1850s can help us understand the lives and aesthetic experiences of early Jewish women who didn’t leave written records.

There are sixteen Jewish Cemeteries in New Orleans, administered by seven local cemetery associations. All the cemeteries have been re-mapped in the last five years. Come learn more about each cemetery's story, its headstones, and its secrets from the community members who work to administer, maintain, and preserve them. Come discuss the future of our community's cemeteries, their challenges, and their improvements.

Come hear about how Jewish individuals and organizations are responding to the planetary crisis and changing the nature of what it means to be Jewish in the 21st century. We will talk about work of Hazon, the largest faith-based environmental organization in the U.S: Jewish farming and food connections; teen organizers; and how the largest Jewish organizations are reducing their carbon emissions.

f you ran into God, how would you react? The Talmud tells us a fantastical tale that provides deep insight into the hopes and fears of the rabbis, while offering a window into prognoses for the Jewish future as well. In this session, join Limmud North America CEO Rabbi David Singer to mine ancient and modern texts as we explore opportunities for building a brighter Jewish future, based on belief, cynicism, and the potent power of holy rebellion.

This timely and important session will involve dialogue with two local community leaders, David Hammer and Arnie Fielkow, both with sports backgrounds, who will discuss recent events involving prominent celebrities and athletes who have made disturbing antisemitic and bigoted remarks. David and Arnie will also be featuring a national guest who can weigh in on this topic. Please join us for what undoubtedly will be a very lively discussion.