Learn More about our Presenters

Nathan Abrams

Dr. Nathan Abrams was educated at Oxford and Birmingham Universities. He currently teaches Film Studies at Bangor University. He is the author of Jews & Sex (2008), Caledonian Jews (2009) and The New Jew in Film (2010). He used to live in Aberdeen and is delighted to be back in Scotland.

Jamal Al-Kirnawi 

Jamal Al-Kirnawi is the Arab Student Counsellor at the Ben Gurion University of the Negev. An organiser with Community Advocacy organizations, he has worked to raise awareness of the social and economic rights of residents and citizens of Israel, organising "storefront community centres" in the Bedouin community. He has also done similar work with Bedouin youth and special-needs children through "Shatil," a centre for social change in Israel. Jamal holds a Masters degree in Social Work from McGill University through the Peace Building and Civil Society program, which brings together Israeli, Palestinian, and Jordanian students for training in human rights advocacy. He joins us through his work with the New Israel Fund.

Aviv Avni and Inbar Radyan

Aviv Avni and Inbar Radyan are Jewish Agency Community Shlichim through UJIA. Aviv came to the UK 3 months ago to work and live in Liverpool - since than he hasn’t stopped talking about Israel and the joy of Judaism while working with young people and running activities in schools. Inbar is in her second year of Shlichut in Manchester and is an experienced youth worker, working with youth movements and schools and also facilitating Leadership programs. Aviv and Inbar work cross-communally and as veteran Israelis know that nothing is black or white. They invite you to come and explore the different shades of Israel!

Sharon Barron 

Sharon Barron, formerly an Education Development Officer in East Dunbartonshire, specialised in the delivery of INSET courses to teachers on various aspects of reading and on the selection of books for children.  Over the past ten years, she has written several books for children and for adults.

Shmuel Ben-Tovim

Shmuel Ben-Tovim was born in Israel 1950, is a Major in the IDF reserves and is married with three children. He has been the Minister of Economic Affairs at Embassy of Israel in the UK since 2005. He is also the current Chairman ofthe Association of Economic Representatives in London. Formerly in banking and private business in Israel, he served as a non-executive director in leading companies such as Bezeq, Israel Chemicals and Leumi & Co. Other former positions: Israel’s Trade Commissioner to the USA, Mayor of Kfar Shmaryahu.  He lectures regularly at the Open University and the University of Derby (Israel Campus) and has an MBA from the Hebrew University.

Danny Bergson 

Danny is currently the Rabbi of Newton Mearns Hebrew Congregation. A graduate of Manchester University with Bsc(hons) in Computer Science, he is a trained Cantor and professional guitarist, having played at numerous concerts and Jewish events for over 10 years. Prior to coming to Glasgow, he directed an organisation called “Ignite The Soul” in Manchester that reached out to young unaffiliated Jews. Danny’s passion is bringing Jewish people of diverse backgrounds together to share in the richness of their heritage. He especially likes to use music as a vehicle to inspire and connect.

Daniel Cainer

Daniel Cainer is an acclaimed composer , music producer and broadcaster of topical songs. Having lived a largely secular life he is now recognising that his journey has been a Jewish one all along. His latest material examines this mid-life kosher-crisis with great humour and compassion and led the Jewish Chronicle to describe him as the “new comic bard of Anglo-Jewry” and the playwright Alan Bennett says he’s like a ‘Jewish Jake Thakeray’.

Candid Theatre Company

Candid Theatre Company is a small, successful, non profit making company, run by pupils/ex pupils from Larkhall Academy under the guidance of two members of staff who have previous life experience in the creative arts. Candid Theatre’s aim has been to make accessible to all youngsters no matter what their background. Candid’s previous productions: ‘The Dawn Project’ a play about war, ‘Celebrating Diversity’, ‘The Tempest’, ‘Diversity Installation’, ‘Through their Eyes’ (play about Holocaust survivors), and ‘Through our Eyes’ a contemporary piece sharing a journey that that was a life changing experience to the members of the company.

David Capitanchik

David Capitanchik was a member of Habonim from the age of 8 who made aliyah in November 1952. He spent a year at Kibbutz Gal Ed and then became a member of Kibbutz Amiad from where he spent 2 years in the Israeli Army.  In1962 he returned to the UK to study at the University of Southampton and subsequently taught Politics, specialising in the Middle East and Terrorism at Aberdeen University for the next 26 years.  Since 1981 he has done a considerable amount of broadcasting both nationally and internationally, often on Israeli issues.  During these years he has written a great deal about Israeli elections for the Institute of Jewish Policy Research and visited Israel regularly.  In recent years he has retired from Aberdeen University and been made an Honorary Professor by the Robert Gordon University of Aberdeen.

Stephen Cowan

Stephen Cowan is a city centre Lawyer in Glasgow focusing on Civil Litigation.  In addition to writing articles and book contributions on Scottish legal credit control issues he lectures extensively as well as tutoring at the Glasgow Graduate School of Law.  He is married to Paula, a University Lecturer, and has three children.

Richard Elliot

Richard is a graduate of Glasgow University and has studied various forms of calligraphy for many years. He was first introduced to Hebrew and the stylistic writings of the Tanakh while at Limmud Conference in December 2007. Since then he has indulged in the beauty of the Hebrew script and is pleased to introduce the basics to those interested in learning to write Hebrew.

Clive Gilbert

Clive Gilbert  has an MA in Jewish Studies awarded by Leo Baeck College. He has presented at local and national Limmud on many aspects of Eastern European Jewish history and Yiddish culture.  He has also lectured on the Dead Sea Scrolls and Second Temple History in Manchester, Liverpool and Leeds. He is delighted to debate once again with his son Joel Gilbert on the subject of Joel’s recent dissertation, and looks forward to a lively and interactive discussion with the audience.

Joel Gilbert

Joel is a recent graduate of the University of Sheffield and studied Philosophy and Biblical Studies.  He is from Manchester and has spent time in Israel on kibbutz.  He is debating with his father on the subject of his dissertation for the second time. Last time it was a draw.  He looks forward to having more supporters on his side this time!

Michael Gluckman 

Michael Gluckman is the Executive Director of the Assembly of Masorti Synagogues. A UJIA Ashdown fellow, he has extensive teaching experience and beyond the everyday challenges of leading a communal organisation, has particular interests in storytelling and the development of new ways of presenting Torah texts. He is married with four children.

David Goldberg

David is a retired law lecturer

Ellen Goldberg

Ellen made aliya to Israel from the United States in 1980 and has worked in social justice and human rights for nearly the entire time, over 8 years of which were with New Israel Fund.  Trained in public health and public administration at Harvard, Ellen’s work life has always focused on encouraging the government to treat all its citizens and residents fairly.  She worked for 10 years with Ethiopian immigrants on their resettlement as well as dealing with problems of discrimination, with Arabs and problems of access to education, public services and employment, and with many other minorities in Israel.

Shosh Greenberg

Shosh has been a teacher for many years and as part of her job, she has helped to introduce pupils to many aspects of Israeli life.  She has taught Israeli dancing to children and adults, and they have found these courses both entertaining and informative.  Shosh continues to maintain an active interest in this, and other related aspects, of Israeli culture.

Steven Greenberg

Rabbi Steven Greenberg is a Senior Teaching Fellow at CLAL (National Jewish Center for Learning and Leadership).  He appeared in the documentary, Trembling Before G-d, about gay and lesbian Orthodox Jews and joined the film maker in carrying the film worldwide as a tool for dialogue. In 2004 he won the Koret Jewish Book Award for Philosophy and Thought with Wrestling with God and Men: Homosexuality in the Jewish Tradition.  Steve is also the scholar in residence for two cutting edge organizations, Hazon, a Jewish Environmental organization, and Keshet, an organization dedicated to GLBT inclusion in the larger Jewish community. 

Rachel Gurevitz

Rachel Gurevitz is Associate Rabbi at Congregation B’nai Israel, Bridgeport, Connecticut.  Rachel is an Associate Scholar with CLAL, the National Jewish Center for Learning and Leadership, where she is currently a Fellow of their ‘Rabbis Without Borders’ Program, a group exploring ways of taking Jewish wisdom into the public sphere and beyond the walls of the synagogue.  Rachel is a founding member of her local ‘Tent of Abraham’ group, bringing Jews, Christians and Muslims together in dialogue.  She teaches on a wide range of topics, with a particular interest in Jewish spirituality, mysticism and meditation.  She produces a blog of Jewish inspirational thought at:http://shmakoleinu-hearourvoices.blogspot.com

Samantha Hamilton

Samantha is a graduate in M.A. (Hons) Theology and Religious Studies from the University of Glasgow and was first introduced to Hebrew calligraphy at a Limmud Conference in December 2007. Since then she has used the skills that she gained from the class to create cards and pieces of art.

Itamar Hamiel  

Itamar Hamiel is a long time social activist. Active in the Green Action Association, he also volunteered for the Hotline for Migrant Workers, assisting with the hotline and visiting detained migrant workers.  He is among the establishing founders of the Dialogue Movement at Tel Aviv University, a student interest group which works towards the active cooperation and dialogue of Jewish and Palestinian students. Itamar has been a member of the board, and acting Chairman of the Mahapach Committee since 2007. Mahapach is a Jewish–Arab organization for social change aiming to minimize educational and social gaps in Israeli society. 

Katie Hill 

Katie Hill is the Volunteer Coordinator for Tzedek, working alongside a wide range of volunteers to combat global injustices, and raise awareness within the UK Jewish community. Previous to her role with Tzedek, she coordinated a development education NGO, Development in Action.

Gil Hovav

Gil Hovav, born in Jerusalem in 1962, is an author, publisher, restaurant critic and TV host. He lives in Tel Aviv with his partner and their six year old daughter.

Zöe Jacobs

Having recently received s’michah (ordination) from Hebrew Union College - Jewish Institute of Religion in New York, Zöe Jacobs is delighted to have returned to London, where she grew up. As the full-time cantor at Finchley Reform Synagogue in London, Zöe relishes the opportunity to creatively explore all-things-Jewish with all generations. Zöe is passionate about liturgy, singing, storytelling, and learning, and grasps all opportunities to engage in these topics at Limmud events around Britain!

Alisa Katz 

Alisa Katz, a native New Yorker now residing in Los Angeles, graduated from the University of California, San Diego, and attended the Film Academy of Prague (FAMU). Katz’s film producing experience includes Edward Zwick’s Defiance, Michael Mann’s Miami Vice and Pieter Jan Brugge’s The Clearing. Most recently, Katz produced a 22-episode web series for Michael Eisner’s web distribution outlet, Vuguru. Katz has also held positions with Fox Searchlight, the Santa Barbara International Film Festival, the Israel Film Festival, the Lake Placid Film Forum, the Edinburgh International Film Festival and the Cannes Market. Katz’s interest in Jewish identity, experiential education and worldwide community building has led her to work in Jewish camping, Birthright and other student programs to Israel and Eastern Europe.

Maureen Kendler

Maureen Kendler is Head of Educational Programming  at the London School of Jewish Studies. She is a UJIA Ashdown Fellow, has a teaching background, writes and broadcasts. Maureen is very proud to have been involved with Limmud from the beginning. Teaching texts is her passion.

Suri Krieger

Rabbi Suri has been the music and drama director at Solomon Schechter Day School in New Jersey for the past 18 years. Additionally she is the Rabbi of a rural congregation in upstate New York, and a Chavura in suburbia. In these and various other Jewish settings she weaves an intriguing tapestry of story, song, prayer and poetry.  She has also co-produced an award winning children’s video called “The Secret in Bubbie’s Attic” and has received awards and acknowledgements for alternative and creative Liturgy. Suri has a PhD in Psycho-educational process and received ordination from the Academy for Jewish Religion in May 2008.

Clive Lawton

Clive was one of Limmud’s founders and is now its Senior Consultant. He is also a Governor of the Metropolitan Police Authority, scholar in residence at the London Jewish Cultural Centre, faculty member of the European Centre of Leadership Development, a magistrate, Chair of Tzedek, the 3rd World development agency and Chair of Shap, the Working Party on Education in World Religions. He works internationally as a trainer and consultant on organisational and leadership development, broadcasts and has published about 20 books and educational aids.

David Neville

David Neville works for the BBC, producing and directing plays and series for BBC Radio 4 and BBC Radio 3. Before joining the BBC, he worked as a freelance writer, director and performer. Writing credits include: INSIDE & DESPERATE MEASURES - BBC Radio 4; storylines for Lynda La Plante’s TV series, THE GOVERNOR; the award-winning TV plays, MARTHA & THE AUDITION for STV; Theatre plays include: the Fringe First Award winning play Exile; Across The Barricades; Refuseniks; A Deafening Silence; Leaving Berehovo; and DOUGH which was part of the Glasgow lunchtime theatre Oran Mor’s 2008 season.

Daniel Reisel

Rather naively you might say, Daniel started off by reading Theology and Religious Studies at Cambridge. Following six years of research into the neurobiology of memory, Oxford University grudgingly granted him a PhD in Neuroscience in 2004. He shares 98% of his DNA with the chimpanzee. Possibly more. 

David Rose

Rabbi David Rose was born in New Zealand where he obtained a BA in Political Science and History. He was the National Head of Bnei Akiva in New Zealand. He obtained Rabbinical Ordination from the Chief Rabbinate of Israel, where he lived for 10 years, before moving to Sweden where he helped set up an educational project. He served as the Rabbi of Richmond, Surrey for 4 years, and obtained an MA in Jewish studies from UCL. He was appointed to his current post in Edinburgh in May 2003. Rabbi Rose represents the Jewish community in several civic forums and is currently co-convenor of the Edinburgh Interfaith Association. As well as teaching at the Cheder, he also finds time to conduct Adult Education classes, either at his home or in the Beit Hamedresh at the Shul.

James Sevitt  

James Sevitt is the co-founder and Director of New Routes, a UK-based charity, which opens up and facilitates spaces for strategic dialogue leading to action focused on devising solution-oriented, locally-driven and non-violent strategies to transform and resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. For over 10 years, in the UK, Canada, Israel and the Palestinian Territories, James has been engaged with cross-cultural, community cohesion, human rights and conflict resolution work.

Ayelet Shahak

Ayelet was born in Jerusalem, Israel; married and had three children, after serving in the Israeli Defence Forces.  She and her husband, Tzvika, settled in a town north of Tel Aviv. Ayelet has worked in the educational system as a teacher, vice-principal and project coordinator for over 30 years.  Their oldest daughter was murdered by a suicide bomber in 1996, on her 15th birthday.  After the death of their daughter, Bat-Chen, the parents found a treasury of numerous diaries which the child had kept over the years.  Since then, the Diaries have been translated into 7 languages.  They describe and express a rainbow of ideas and impressions which Bat-Chen developed on various topics ranging from the Holocaust, friendship, family, school, teenage concerns, war and the conflict between Israel and the Arabs. In 1997, the Shahaks established and founded the "Association for the Commemoration Bat-Chen Shahak' which works towards encouraging reflective writing in the form of a diary as well as building bridges with Arab neighbours and groups. 

Kinneret Shiryon

Rabbi Kinneret Shiryon was the first woman to serve as the rabbi of a congregation in Israel. She is the founder of YOZMA – The Progressive Jewish Community Centre of Modi’in. The goal of the centre is to empower Israelis to take initiative in defining their Jewish lives. In 2002, Rabbi Shiryon was elected chairperson of the Council of Progressive Rabbis in Israel (MARAM), where she served for two terms. In 2006, Rabbi Shiryon was awarded Doctor of Divinity for her 25 years of service as Rabbi by H.U.C. in Jerusalem. Presently she is studying for another degree in Talmudic Bibliotherapy.

Anthony Silkoff 

Anthony Silkoff studies Psychology at the University of Glasgow and is currently doing research into political violence and inter-ethnic conflict.  Anthony has volunteer experience in peacebuilding and teaching in Ghana, Kenya and Cambodia, as well as travelling with the Scottish Interfaith Pilgrimage to Israel/Palestine in 2008.  He is currently Chairperson of OneVoice Glasgow.

Judith Silver

Judith has been presenting at Limmuds all over the UK for many years, leading the choir many times and doing concerts and singing workshops.  She is a singer/songwriter, performer and teacher, working in the Jewish community and outside it.  Her work includes being director of the SOAS World Music Choir, leading weekly singalongs in Jewish Care day centres in London, doing outreach work in hospitals for JAMI... and much more.  She has recently released her fourth solo CD – ‘gathering’ – a selection of her original Jewish harmony songs for groups.

Mark Solomon 

Mark Solomon is Rabbi of the Edinburgh Liberal Jewish Community and Interfaith Consultant for Liberal Judaism. He is also a cantor and an honorary rabbi of the Jewish Gay and Lesbian Group. He teaches Talmud and Jewish philosophy at Leo Baeck College and is chair or trustee for a number of interfaith organisations, including the London Society of Jews and Christians, the Scriptural Reasoning Society, the Interfaith Alliance UK and Children of Abraham, a Jewish-Muslim dialogue group.

Rosamund Steen 

Ros Steen trained at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama and the University of Glasgow. She is currently Head of Research and the Centre for Voice in Performance at the RSAMD. She has spent many years working with the techniques of Nadine George of Voice Studio International and  pioneered the use of that work as a medium of rehearsal in professional theatre. She is Scotland’s foremost voice coach having worked extensively in theatre, film and TV. Publications include Helena, Hitler and the Heartland and Teaching Voice in the New Millennium. She was made a Fellow of the Academy in 2007.

Gideon Sylvester 

Rabbi Gideon Sylvester was rabbi of Radlett United Synagogue - Britain's fastest growing Modern Orthodox Synagogue. Since making Aliya in 2004, he has worked as an Adviser to the Minister for Diaspora Affairs at the Office of the Prime Minister of Israel and Director of Yeshivat Hamivtar. Gideon is the United Synagogue's Tribe Israel Rabbi, and works at Ohr Torah Stone where he is a Senior Lecturer at the Centre for Jewish Christian Understanding and Cooperation. He is also a senior Jewish Educator at Merchavim – the Institute for Shared Citizenship in Israel.

Michael Tobias

Michael Tobias graduated from Glasgow University in 1978 with honours in mathematics and physics.  In 1986 he qualified as a fellow of the Faculty of Actuaries.  In 1995 he co-founded Jewish Records Indexing-Poland.  He was appointed Vice President, Programming, JewishGen, Inc. in 1999.  He was appointed database matching consultant to the International Commission on Holocaust Era Insurance Claims (ICHEIC) in 2001.  Michael was awarded the Outstanding Contribution via Internet Award for Jewish Genealogical Database Development in 2001, and developed an enhanced Ellis Island search system with Steve Morse. Michael is married to Jane and has two daughters, Suzanne and Rebecca.

Bob Tomlinson 

Bob Tomlinson was a joint winner of  The Journalist of the Year Award for Scotland, Campaigning Journalist of the Year, UK Press Awards, an award at the New York Television and Film Festival for International Investigative Journalism. He also won awards for campaigning documentaries and investigative programmes in the UK. He served on the Board of the Royal Hospital for Sick Children, Glasgow and is a founding Director of the Yorkhill Children's Foundation on which he still serves. He is a past Trustee of the Scottish Cot Death Trust. The Government appointed him to the Year of Learning team and he served on the Scottsh Board of Crusaid, the AIDS charity.

The UK Jewish Film Festival  

The UK Jewish Film Festival is currently celebrating its ‘barmitzvah ‘year. From modest beginnings in a small cinema in Brighton 13 years ago, the UKJFF has established itself as one of the most successful international Jewish film events. Following the two-week long London festival in November, each year UKJFF embarks on a national tour showing highlights of the best in new and classic Jewish drama features, documentaries and shorts from around the world. The festival is delighted to open its tour to Glasgow with two outstanding films at Limmud Scotland, and will screen additional films at CCA and Grosvenor cinemas. http://www.ukjewishfilmfestival.org.uk/

Heather Valencia

Heather Valencia is an Honorary Research Fellow at the University of Stirling where she lectured in German language and literature. She began studying Yiddish in the mid 1980s and wrote her PhD thesis on the poetry of Abraham Sutzkever. She has edited and translated Yiddish works into English and written numerous articles on Yiddish culture. She edited a bilingual edition of the Yiddish play "The King of Lampedusa", produced an anthology of Yiddish literature, ("Mit groys fargenign/With Great Pleasure") and translated stories by Lamed Shapiro in "The Cross and other Jewish Stories". Her
translation of Esther Kreitman's novel "Diamonds" has just been published.

Peter Watson 

Peter Watson, a Solicitor Advocate, who is married with two children, is Senior Partner and Head of Litigation at Levy & McRae, one of the most respected law firms in Scotland.  Under his leadership, Levy & McRae have built up a worldwide reputation in areas of expertise such as media law, licensing, aviation, international claims, public inquiries, employment law and tax and revenue investigations.  His university education began at Strathclyde where he studied Economics and Psychology.  He studied law at Edinburgh, research at the Scandinavian Maritime Law Institute at Oslo University and studied Petroleum Law at Dundee.  In recent years he has led teams involved in some of the biggest litigation claims in British legal history following major international disasters.

Chaim Weiner 

Chaim Weiner heads the European Masorti Bet Din and is director of Masorti Europe. He was ordained at the Schechter Institute in Jerusalem. He is well known for innovative work in Jewish education, and for he annual study tours to destinations of Jewish interest across Europe.

Jonathan Wittenberg 

Jonathan Wittenberg is rabbi of his ‘home community’, the New North London Synagogue, which he loves, and Senior Rabbi of the Assembly of Masorti Synagogues. He is in interested in people, all aspects of Judaism, literature, plants, animals and long walks with the family and the dog, especially in Scotland.