All volunteers and staff and event participants and presenters are required to agree with the following code of conduct. Organisers will enforce this code throughout the event. We expect cooperation from all volunteers and participants to help ensure a safe environment for everybody.
Limmud’s Values
Our code of conduct is a manifestation of Limmud’s core values, especially:
- Respect: we expect everyone to be respectful of one another, and to recognise that all volunteers are also participants
- Participation: We are all responsible for each other and for the communities we create
- Diversity: We value the rich diversity among Jews and we encourage people not to stereotype others
- Arguments for the Sake of Heaven: 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
The Quick Version
- Limmud is dedicated to providing a harassment-free experience for everyone, regardless of gender, gender identity and expression, age, sexual orientation, disability, physical appearance, body size, race, ethnicity, religion (or lack thereof), or technology choices.
- We do not tolerate harassment in any form including offensive, disruptive, nuisance or illegal behaviour, or offensive, abusive or aggressive behaviour or language towards Limmud’s staff, suppliers, volunteers, presenters or participants.
- Anyone asked to stop any harassing behaviour is expected to comply immediately.
- Event participants violating these rules may be sanctioned or expelled from that event (including Limmud Festival) without a refund if their behaviour is inappropriate or likely to cause harm or impair the enjoyment, comfort or safety of any of Limmud’s staff, volunteers or participants.
- Volunteers should comply with this code of conduct in all their interactions, including team meetings, conversations on Limmud business or at Limmud events.
The Longer Version
Harassment includes offensive verbal comments related to gender, gender identity and expression, age, sexual orientation, disability, physical appearance, body size, race, ethnicity, religion, technology choices, sexual images in public spaces, deliberate intimidation, stalking, following, harassing photography or recording, sustained disruption of talks or other events, inappropriate physical contact, and unwelcome sexual attention. Sexual language and imagery is not appropriate for any Limmud activity, including talks, workshops, parties and online media (unless it is the clearly labelled subject of a session at an event or on a training exercise). Note that conduct can be harassment whether or not the person responsible realises that this is the effect of their conduct, or that it is inappropriate, etc: it is not for a perpetrator of inappropriate conduct to decide whether the conduct is appropriate or not.
If you are being harassed at an event, notice that someone else is being harassed, or have any other concerns, please contact a member of the organising team or Limmud staff (if there is a nominated welfare officer, you should try and speak to that person). Our team or staff will be happy to help participants contact venue security or the police if necessary, and assist those experiencing harassment to feel safe for the duration of the event.
If a participant engages in harassing behaviour, the event organisers may take any action they deem appropriate, including warning the offender or expulsion from the event with no refund
If you are a volunteer and you have a complaint about the conduct of anyone in the organisation (including event participants or presenters), whether at an event or in any other context, you should raise this with one of the following (as appropriate):
- The Chair(s) of your team/the event team.
- Any Limmud UK Executive member, including the Chair(s).
- Any Limmud trustee, including the Chair(s).
Your complaint will be treated confidentially. The matter will be raised with the person about whom you are complaining in the first instance to see if any issues can be resolved, in particular if the conduct is inadvertent. Should that not achieve a resolution, a more formal complaint procedure will be adopted which may result in the volunteer being sanctioned, including being asked to cease their role. You can find our complaints procedure here.