Limmud leaders from Latin and North America gather in Mexico City
“Our goal: to enhance Jewish life and equip communities for growth.”
By JERUSALEM POST STAFFLimmud leaders from 22 communities across North and South America gathered in Mexico City this weekend to brainstorm enhancing Jewish life and equipping volunteer-led communities for growth.(photo credit: JUAN C. SARLI - GRUPO GESTOR LIMUD CARACAS)
Jewish leaders involved in local Limmuds across Latin and North America gathered in Mexico City last weekend for a Limmud learning retreat.Started in the United Kingdom over thirty years ago, Limmud is a Jewish non-profit which runs events focused on Jewish education in the broadest interpretation: Local branches affiliated with the British organization have opened in dozens of countries all over the world.The gathering in Mexico City marked the first-ever Limmud Elements Americas immersive leadership and learning retreat, which saw participants from Buenos Aires, Caracas, Chile, Colombia, Mexico, Sao Paulo, Toronto, Vancouver, Winnipeg, Limmud FSU Canada and West Coast, Atlanta, the Bay Area, Boston, Chicago, Miami, New York, and Seattle. “Our goal for Elements Americas is to enhance Jewish life and equip volunteer-led communities for growth,” Renato Huarte Cuellar, a founder of Limmud Mexico and Elements steering committee chair said in a statement.“We explored partnering with Jewish organizations and institutions who share our commitment to Jewish learning and diversity. We discussed how we will ensure Limmud is a year-round movement,” he added, stressing that promoting inclusivity was one of the goals of the event.Parallel tracks and training in Spanish, Portuguese, and English were offered throughout the event.The participants also had the opportunity to explore the history and vibrancy of Jewish Mexico City, including the downtown Sinagoga Histórica, built in 1941 and revived by young Jews as a cultural center, as well as the 18,000-member Centro Deportivo Israelita Jewish Community Center.“Limmud Elements Americas has inspired a way to connect with a lot of people with similar objectives,” commented Juan Carlos Sarli, from Limmud Caracas, which draws 10 percent of Venezuela’s Jews. “We all want the best for our community and we all seek ways to integrate with each other here and integrate the diverse range of Jews back home.
