Presenters

Rabbi Neil Amswych has been the Principal Rabbi of Bournemouth Reform Synagogue since August 2005. He is also the founder and Chair of IDEA: Interfaith Dorset Education and Action, a multi-faith social action network.

Jenny Amswych

Jenny Goldfried Amswych, born just outside New York City, was for many years a professional dancer in New York City before training as a primary school teacher. She quickly realized that both personally and professionally her heart lay in Judaism and she started her Rabbinic training at the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College outside Philadelphia. Having moved to London in September 2003 and then to Bournemouth in July 2005, Jenny continued her Rabbinic training through the Leo Baeck College. Jenny was ordained as a Rabbi in July 2007 and currently serves as Rabbi for South Hampshire Jewish Community, Associate Rabbi for Bournemouth Reform Synagogue and Community Development Rabbi for the southwest region of England. Jenny is married to Rabbi Neil Amswych and they have a gorgeous little dog named Parker.

Chazan Jaclyn Chernett is the founder and director of EAJL, the European Academy for Jewish Liturgy. She was ordained in New York in 2006 at the Academy for Jewish Religion, a pluralist Rabbinical and Cantorial seminary. She is a Jewish musicologist and one of the founders of the Masorti Movement in the UK.

Dr Dena Coleman has devoted more than 30 years to the teaching profession, the last 14 years as head teacher of one non-Jewish and two Jewish secondary schools (Hasmonean High School and Yavneh College). Her distinguished contribution to education has been recognised by her inclusion in "Who's Who".

Marcus Freed

Marcus is a performer, writer and Bibliyogi. Frustrated with uninspiring synagogues, Marcus devised Bibliyoga^TM as a technique for accessing spirituality through the body. His gurus/training include: Yeshivat HaMivtar (formerly Brovender's), Tripsichore Yoga (Edward Clark), Webber Douglas Academy, the Universities of Birmingham and London. As an actor, Marcus has toured the world performing Biblical comedies "SOLOMON: KING, POET, LOVER" and "ELIJAH: FIRST ACTION HERO". Follow the story at www.bibliyoga.com.

Simon Goulden is the Chief Executive of the United Synagogue Agency for Jewish Education and is the Director of its Community Services Group. He graduated as a civil engineer from London University, became a Chartered Engineer, obtained his postgraduate Diploma in Management Studies and was elected a Member of the Chartered Management Institute. He worked for some years for local authorities in London and the Home Counties. In the mid-1980s he made an important change of career direction when he took on the position of Executive Director of Jews' College - now the London School of Jewish Studies. In 1995, he became the Chief Executive of the newly formed United Synagogue Agency for Jewish Education and more recently took on the role of Director of the Community Services Group, responsible for publications, hospital and prison visitation as well as bereavement counselling. He writes regularly for the United Synagogue Daf Hashavua, newspapers, academic and other journals and has lectured in Europe, America, Australia and Israel. His first major book, ‘Medinatenu' was published in 2002. Simon is married to Rosalind, the Head teacher of Kerem School and they live in North London. Their two sons are married and live in Tel Aviv and London. He is now the grandfather of two girls in Israel which makes him feel very old.

Bernard Jackson

Professor Bernard Jackson LL.B. (Hons), D. Phil., LL.D., D.H.L. (honoris causa) is Co-Director of the Centre for Jewish Studies at the University of Manchester and Director of its Agunah Research Unit. He has held Visiting Appointments in Jerusalem, Oxford, Harvard, Paris, Bologna and Brussels and has published nine books and nearly 200 articles (listed at http://www.legaltheory.demon.co.uk/lib_biblioBSJ1.html).

Adrian Jesner

Rabbi Adrian Jesner was born in Glasgow. After several years' study in Jerusalem he was granted semichah and now has almost 30 years of experience as a community rabbi.  He was Vice President of the Prince and Princess Hospice and Trustee of the Glasgow Jewish Community Trust. He also served as Chaplain to HM Prison in Scotland for 25 years. More recently he was Rabbi of the Reading Hebrew Congregation and is now Rabbi of the Bournemouth Hebrew Congregation. He enjoys reading, walking in the countryside and cooking all kinds of Jewish cuisine.

Clive Lawton

Clive, one of the founders of Limmud, is now its senior consultant, (having been its Executive Director for 7 years) helping to roll Limmud out across the world. He is on the faculty of the London Jewish Cultural Centre, the Melton programme and the European Centre for Leadership. He was the recipient of the 2007 Max Fisher Prize for Jewish Education in the diaspora. He is a leading expert in world religions' calendars.

Mark Levene

Mark Levene is a member of the Parkes Centre for Jewish/non-Jewish relations at the University of Southampton. He is also co-founder of the Forum for the Study of Crisis in the 21^st Century (Crisis Forum) http://www.crisis-forum.org.uk .

Elkan Levy

Elkan Levy is currently Director of the Office of Small Communities, responsible for 70 small communities in the UK, from Truro to Margate and from Bognor to north of Aberdeen. He also served as President of the United Synagogue from 1996-99. Educated in London, Israel and New York, he is well known in communal circles as a dynamic lecturer who is deeply interested in British Jewry, its past and its future.

Eric Moonman

President Zionist Federation. Professor City University, London and Senior Fellow University of Liverpool. Author "Learning to Live in the Violent Society" and other works. Weekly columnist ‘Jewish News'. Former Member of Parliament, Billericay (Lab) and PPS. Former Chair, London Health Authorities.

Brian Nathan

Chartered Accountant who worked in the City for most of his career as Managing Director of a precious metal trading company, one of the founders and chairman of the London platinum and palladium market. Lifelong interest in music of all kinds and particularly Jewish involvement in it.

Aubrey Newman

Aubrey Newman, Emeritus Professor of History at the University of Leicester, is a Past-President of the Jewish Historical Society of England. He is the author of a number of works on Anglo-Jewish history, as well as on the Holocaust and on aspects of Jewish migration. He has spoken previously at Bournemouth Limmud.

Gerald Normie

Gerald Normie spent much of his working life in the education of adults: as a teacher, an organiser and an administrator. He left his post of Assistant Education Officer for Further Education in Leeds in 1969 to become the first Regional Director in the North West of England for the newly formed Open University. He held this post concurrently with that of Northern Ireland Director and his final job was Senior Adviser for Adult Education for the OU.

John Reeves

Born in Budapest. Student of the Jewish Theological Seminary of Hungary. Following the Hungarian uprising in October 1956 John Reeves came to the UK and received a Vice-Chancellor's Scholarship to study at the University of London. He became a partner in an international law firm specialising in German restitution, compensation claims and international estate matters. He participated in BBC Table Talks and special broadcasts. He is past President of B'nai B'rith First Lodge of England. He speaks fluent Hungarian, German and English.

Anna Roth

Anna Roth works mostly with school groups at the Jewish Museum, but also provides services for adult interest groups and cheder groups etc.. She trained and worked as a primary school teacher and has also worked for the Board of Deputies. Her original training is in the field of Art and Design - BA (Hons) in 3D design.

Geoffrey Shisler

Rabbi Shisler was born in Brighton, Sussex and educated at Jews' College, London. He trained there as a Chazan and also gained BA (Hons) in Jewish Studies Certificated Teacher (London University). He has held positions as Minister/Chazan at New Synagogue, London and Kenton, Harrow (20 years). He was then Rabbi to the Bournemouth Hebrew Congregation for 7 years before moving to The New West End Synagogue where he has been the Rabbi for the past 7 years. He is married to Anne and has 2 children and 4 gorgeous grandchildren.

David Simmons

At school, David made a pinhole camera, a tripod, a lighting set and used a plate camera plus photomontage to create a brochure cover for Liverpool Home for Aged Jews. Fifty years later, with experience of many aspects of photography he is in the final year of a Photographic Arts degree course.

David Solomon

David Solomon has emerged in recent years as one of the most dynamic teachers and thinkers in the Jewish world. He holds degrees in several disciplines and is an internationally acclaimed scholar across the entire spectrum of Jewish studies. Best known for his In One Hour series, a catalogue of innovative and dynamic educational talks, each of which serves as basic introduction to a range of areas in Jewish studies. David provides fundamental, big-picture frameworks that immerse students in a total Jewish learning experience. David lives in Tel Aviv, but regularly travels to all parts of the Jewish world. For more information, please visit www.inonehour.net .

Songs of Eden

Phillip Clouts and Alexander Massey make up this musical duo.

Philip Clouts is a pianist, composer and meditation teacher well versed in the ways of the kabbalah. Since he first learned to meditate over 20 years ago, he has studied many texts of this ancient system, and spent time with a number of the key teachers who have devoted their lives to the subject. Philip is also well known here and abroad through his work as a pianist in performances (including WOMAD, Glastonbury and Ronnie Scott's) and recordings with world music groups Zubop and Klezmania, and his jazz group the Philip Clouts Trio.

Alexander Massey is a singer, therapist, teacher who has travelled and performed internationally as a versatile solo vocalist and instrumentalist in the classical, opera and folk worlds, and currently sings with David Roth from the Allegri Quartet, and At-Ma. He offers therapy, teaching and deep personal change work for individuals and groups through Voice Wisdom and Authentic Voice both in the UK and Sydney. All of this work draws extensively on meditative and spiritual practices.

Leonard Steinberg

The Lord Steinberg - Life President of Stanley Leisure plc. Single handedly started the business from a one-shop operation in the mid-1950s, and has been largely responsible for its steady growth. In 1977 and 1998 he received awards for North West Business Person of the Year. In July 1999 he was awarded an Honorary Doctorate by the University of Salford. He also sits on many charitable committees. With so many years' experience in the gaming industry he is considered by many to be a leading authority on gaming and related matters. He was awarded a Life Peerage in May 2004 and was introduced into the House of Lords in September 2004.

Irving Taylor

Irving Taylor is Professor of Surgery, Vice Dean and Director of Clinical Studies at University College, London. He is President of the European Society of Surgical Oncology and an elected member of the Council of the Royal College of Surgeons. He is a Case Examiner for the General Medical Council.

Lindsay Taylor-Guthartz

Lindsey studied archaeology at Cambridge and the Hebrew University and lived in Israel for 17 years. She now lives in Hendon, editing and translating books on Jewish subjects. A graduate of the Susi Bradfield Women Educators Fellowships, she is a Teaching Fellow of London School of Jewish Studies.

Ivor Weintroub

Ivor Weintroub is a Recorder of the Crown & County Courts and a District Judge living in Bournemouth. He is an Honorary Visiting Lecturer at Bournemouth University and a Tutor Member of the Judicial Studies Board, and has spoken at previous Limmud Conferences in Bournemouth and elsewhere. He is a past President of both the Southampton and Bournemouth orthodox communities, a former member of the Board of Deputies and a former Chairman of the Bournemouth & District Jewish Representative Council.

Malcolm Weisman

The Rev. Malcolm Weisman OBE MA (Oxon) O.C.E. is a visiting minister to small communities in Britain and Commonwealth, Senior Jewish Chaplain to H.M. Forces and NATO, and National Hillel Counsellor to Oxford and isolated communities.

Stephen White

Stephen White is a member of Bournemouth Hebrew Congregation, and has lived with his family in Bournemouth since 1981. He is Managing Partner of Scotwork, the largest provider of Negotiating Skills training. He is a past President of the Bournemouth orthodox community and a regular speaker at BHC Adult Education and in the wider community.

Rina Wolfson

Rina Wolfson was born in Liverpool where she attended King David High School. She went on to study at Midreshet Lindenbaum (an orthodox seminary in Jerusalem) before reading Hebrew and Aramaic at Cambridge University. She also has a Master's Degree in Medieval Hebrew in which she focused on the discovery and development of the root system in Hebrew grammar by the Karaite sect. After a long struggle with Orthodoxy she is now an active member of Kol Nefesh Masorti Synagogue, the first (and currently only) fully egalitarian traditional community in the UK. She and her husband Paul were one of the first couples to be married in London using a revolutionary "Brit Ahuvim" or "Lovers Covenant" in which the couple is married under Jewish Partnership Law rather than the law of Kiddushin. After six years' working as Managing Editor for a series of bi-monthly medical journals, she is currently studying Counselling and Psychotherapy at Regent's College, London.

Conflict Relief

Conflict Relief is an unparalleled collaboration of Arab and Israeli/Jewish actors whose fearless comedy cuts through prejudice and shakes up pre-conceptions. By exploring on stage what divides them as well as what binds them together, we invite the audience to think again about the conflict in the Middle East, to see it as though for the first time. Our daring humour and acerbic wit takes to task the pessimists who talk of unbridgeable divides and ‘intractable' conflict. The unique energy we generate insists there is hope, and that change is possible.

The Conflict Relief Team:

Nour Alkawaja, (Co-Founder): Nour is part Palestinian part Canadian and has spent most of her life moving between the East and West. She arrived in London in 2002 to train as a physical theatre performer. Since then, Nour has written a one-woman show and two other original theatrical plays. She has toured in North America, Middle East, Africa and Europe. She has also been workshop leading and teaching Clowning and Physical theatre. Nour now dedicates her time to Conflict Relief and directing.

Ofer Yatziv L.L.C.M (Hons) - (Producer, Co-Founder): Ofer arrived in London from Israel in August 2002, where he worked as a professional dancer. After serving in the Israeli defence forces, Ofer pursued his career as a dancer, producer and choreographer on both stage and screen. Ofer is a two-time winner of the Tel-Aviv City prize for youth dance groups. In July 2005, Ofer graduated from a three-year training with the `Court Yard Theatre Training Company` and performed in the off West End musical 'Oh Camille'.

Jana Zenadeen (PR Manager, Co-Founder): Jana is a Lebanese-American actress and writer who was raised in Saudi Arabia years before moving to Washington DC in 1990. An International Affairs major, Jana trained at the Studio Theatre Acting Conservatory in Washington and the British American Drama Academy in Oxford. In 2002 Jana moved to New York where she appeared in many plays, independent films, and a role on the hit TV show Law & Order. Jana is committed to creative projects that bring a positive awareness and understanding of Arab culture through performance art, writing and film.

Rebecca Gross (Secretary, Devisor & Performer): Rebecca's Jewish ancestors came to Britain from Poland and Russia. She graduated with a First in BA Acting from Central School of Speech and Drama in 2006. While training, she was awarded Outstanding Solo at the BBC Radio Carlton Hobbs Awards. Since graduating, she has appeared in numerous stage productions in London; filmed various commercials; and worked for BBC Radio and Televison. Rebecca feels excited and honoured to be involved with Conflict Relief and hopes that our shared love of humour and hoummous will bring a new way of highlighting the situation in the Middle East.

For questions, please contact us at conflictrelief@yahoo.com or call Ofer at 44 (0)79 5029 3208.