Limmud’s Promise –
Wherever you find yourself, Limmud will take you one step further on your Jewish journey.

Limmud Ottawa is an ambitious and passionate organization, part of a global movement with a global reputation for creating events with a lively approach to Jewish learning. Limmud, which comes from the Hebrew word meaning learning, is a global organization that was founded in the UK in 1980. It has since inspired over 65 different communities across six continents to adopt its model. Our mission is to celebrate Jewish life and learning in all of its diversity by bringing together Jews of all backgrounds and all ages.

We are driven by the belief that diversity of perspective, dedication to learning in its broadest sense, and a strong sense of volunteerism are keys to mobilizing and inspiring Jewish individuals and community. We’re inspired, led and run by volunteers. We’re committed to harnessing the energy of people from right across the Jewish community – all ages, all religious affiliations & none –  and from across the world.

Limmud’s mission is informed by the following values:

Learning

  • Everyone should be a student and anyone can be a teacher.
  • Learning embraces personal development, knowledge and skills.
  • Learning changes people, inspires action and opens new worlds.
  • We encourage the creation of a learning environment in which people are able to reflect and grow.
  • There are many inspirations that can offer opportunities for learning.

Expanding Jewish Horizons:

  • We strive to create individual, collective and communal experiences, through which we strengthen and develop our Jewish identity.

Enabling Connections:

  • We aim to create opportunities for communities and individuals to connect.
  • We recognise the strength of providing a space where spiritual, emotional and intellectual connections are made.

Participation:

  • Volunteerism is a key feature of almost everything we do.
  • We are all responsible for each other and for the communities we create – everyone has an important contribution to make.
  • We encourage participants to take an active part in all we do.

Empowerment:

  • We inspire people to be ambitious about their contribution.
  • We challenge people, and trust them to rise to that challenge.
  • We see the potential of individuals and communities, and support their development.
  • We empower people to make choices and provide the information they need to inform those choices (including in the biographies which we ask presenters to provide).

Diversity

  • We value the rich diversity among Jews, and so we seek to create cross-communal and intergenerational experiences.
  • We value accessibility, and aim to be accessible to all.
  • We value choice in form, content and style in our programmes.
  • We encourage people not to stereotype others.

Community and Mutual Responsibility

  • Limmud is a community of learning.
  • We can achieve more together than we can individually.
  • We gain from, and should give something back to, the Jewish and wider community.

Respect:

  • No-one is more important than anyone else.
  • We expect all participants to be respectful of one another, and to recognise that all volunteers are also participants.
  • Personal attacks are not acceptable in any Limmud context, especially within sessions at events.

Arguments for the Sake of Heaven:

  • We recognise and appreciate that ‘arguments for the sake of heaven’ can make a positive contribution to furthering our education and understanding.
  • We do not participate in legitimising or de-legitimising any religious or political position found in the worldwide Jewish community. Anyone coming to Limmud seeking opportunities for this will not find them. We have no part to play in the debates between/across denominations.
  • Sessions which encourage vigorous debate are entirely acceptable but we will seek to avoid religious or political conflict. Sessions should be educational, and not polemical.