600 Russian-American Jews gather at Princeton for Limmud FSU
New York, May 14, 2012 -- Over 600 young Russian-American Jews from across the United States came together at Princeton University, May 11-13, for the first-ever three-day Limmud FSU (former Soviet Union) Conference in America. An emphasis at the conference was also placed on the accomplishments of Prof. Albert Einstein, who lived and taught in Princeton.
“Limmud FSU has revolutionized pluralistic Jewish engagement of Russian-speaking Jews and is making a great impact in strengthening Jewish identity through a unique educational experience of Jewish history and culture,” said Sandra Cahn, Limmud FSU co founder.
Alexander Levine, president of The World Forum of Russian Jewry (WFRJ), addressed Limmud dignitaries at the opening ceremony Friday night saying, “I call upon my American colleagues, the leaders of the mainstream Jewish communities in the United States, to join forces with our Russian-speaking Jewry in order to create one united Jewish force, based on the principles of true partnership, recognizing the importance of values, one of another in order to build the strong Jewish Diaspora with Israel at its center.”
Ten years ago Hillels were mostly teaching Judaism 101 – now they are finding and supporting students to run programs for their peers. Ten years ago, going on a free trip to Israel felt like winning a lottery – now it is a rite of passage. Ten years ago living a Jewish life meant going to large community events – now young people are also able to create vibrant home-based communities through Moishe House. And finally, 10 years ago, the possibility of hosting a Moscow Limmud was not even on our radar – this year, more than 1,000 participants of every age and walk of life paid $200 per person to attend this multi-day educational festival. »