We are thrilled to welcome you for an exciting day full of learning, inspiration, community, creativity, and fun. Whether this is your first Yom Limmud or your 13th, this is not a day to miss!
 
The day will include various sessions to choose from whether you want to learn more about where American Jews find themselves today or LA History through the lens of the 1932 Olympics, practice gentle yoga, draw, make rugelach, and more! We will join together for a community-wide session exploring Resisters: How Ordinary Jews Fought Persecution in Hitler's Germany with Wolf Gruner, Ph.D.

In classic Yom Limmud style, you will leave LBT well nourished, not only with learning, but with food! There’s breakfast…there’s lunch…there are snacks…and of course, cookies!
 
We will also offer a Religious School day of Camp on our campus for our 2-12-year-olds throughout Yom Limmud for our students to engage in their own learning and fun.

We look forward to learning with you!
Rabbi Lisa Berney & the 2025 Yom Limmud Committee

Tot Shabbat with Addie Lupert and Rabbi Berney 
Enjoy Shabbat as we gather with Rabbi Berney, Addie, and each other for songs, stories, and more as we celebrate the holiday of the trees Tu B’Shevat. This service is geared for families with children 6 and younger. 

In the Aftermath: Where as American Jews Do We Find Ourselves Today?
Steven Windmueller, PhD.*
We have encountered a series of transformational experiences, among them the 2020 pandemic, January 6th  (2021), October 7th (2023, )and most recently, November 5th (2024). Each of these events has impacted us in various ways. We have faced a national COVID shutdown, challenges to this democracy, attacks on the State of Israel, and antisemitic actions directed against Jews.  Moving forward, what does all of this mean for us, our democracy, and for Israel?

Dr. Steven Windmueller is an Emeritus Professor of Jewish Communal Studies at the Jack H. Skirball Campus of Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion in Los Angeles. Prior to coming to HUC, Dr. Windmueller had served on the staff of the American Jewish Committee (1969-1972), directed the Albany (NY) Jewish Federation (1973-1985), and the JCRC (Jewish Community Relations Committee) of the Los Angeles Jewish Federation (1985-1995).

The author of four books and numerous articles, Professor Windmueller holds a Ph.D. in International Relations from the University of Pennsylvania.  His research has been primarily focused on Jewish communal trends, anti-Semitism, and Jewish political behavior. His articles have appeared in a number of secular and Jewish publications.

Inside the Mind of God: The Influence of Plato on Ancient Jews and Christians
Rabbi Joshua Garroway, PhD.
Much as Jews and Christians today find themselves wrestling in similar ways with prevailing cultural ideas—for example, the Big Bang, postmodernism, climate change—so, too, did ancient Jews and Christians. In the first two centuries, perhaps no ideas were more popular than those of Plato. This session will examine the fascinating ways in which various Jewish and Christian authors incorporated Greek philosophy into their understanding of Creation. Guarantee: you'll never read Genesis 1:1 the same again!

Rabbi Joshua D. Garroway, Ph.D., is the Sol and Arlene Bronstein Professor of Judaeo-Christian Studies at Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion’s Skirball Campus in Los Angeles. He was ordained at the Cincinnati campus of HUC-JIR in 2003, and then earned his doctorate from the Religious Studies Department at Yale University in 2008. His rabbinate is dedicated to instilling in aspiring Jewish professionals an appreciation for Jewish history, texts, and ideas. Rabbi Garroway lives in Pasadena  with his wife, Kristine Henriksen Garroway, and their three children.

Yoga: Gentle Flow & Stretch
Natalie Bennett*
A slow and gentle flow practice with modifications for all levels and a thoughtful approach to safely build strength and flexibility, while reducing stress and anxiety.

Natalie has been practicing yoga for 30 years and teaching it for twelve. She has her Level 1 and Level 2 certifications through Yoga Alliance. Natalie’s classes are an eclectic mix of Hatha yoga and she welcomes all levels. Natalie is a born and raised Valley Girl and lives in Sherman Oaks with her two daughters.

Grace, Grit & Chutzpah: Thriving Through Life’s Toughest Moments
Scott Greenberg*
Life throws challenges our way, but it’s how we rise to meet them that matters. In this empowering session, discover how to embrace resilience, turn setbacks into opportunities, and lead others through tough times. You’ll learn practical tools to thrive in adversity, find fresh perspectives, and uncover your best self—all while inspiring those around you. This session offers inspiration, strategies, and a few laughs to help you turn challenges into growth. Don’t miss it!

Scott Greenberg is an internationally renowned motivational speaker, business consultant, and author who helps people live and work at a higher level. A two-time cancer survivor, marathon runner, and former small business owner, Scott brings personal and professional resilience to life. The grandson of a “Schindler’s List” Holocaust survivor, his story inspires audiences worldwide. He has spoken in all 50 states and for organizations like TEDx, McDonald’s, and the U.S. Air Force. Scott has authored two leadership books and contributes to Entrepreneur, Nation’s Restaurant News, and other business publications, blending practical tools with unforgettable stories to drive lasting change.

Then and Now: A Bisl (Bit) of LA History Through the Lens of the 1932 Olympics
Barry Siegel
The Olympic Games are part of LA’s history, for Los Angeles, in 1932, became the first non-European city to host the Games, then did so again in 1988 and will repeat once more in 2028. With his new book cited by The Atlantic as one of seven must reads before the Olympics, meet Barry Siegel, author of Dreamers and Schemers: How an Improbable Bid for the 1932 Olympics Transformed Los Angeles from Dusty Outpost to Global Metropolis. Learn how LA entrepreneur William May Garland, politics, scandals, drama and the Great Depression all played a part in orchestrating the making of this young city. Q&A to follow.

Barry Siegel, a Pulitzer Prize winning former national correspondent for the Los Angeles Times, directs the Literary Journalism Program and the Center for Storytelling at UC Irvine where he is a professor of English. He is the author of eight books, including five volumes of narrative nonfiction and three novels set in imaginary Chumash County on the central coast of California. His latest book, Dreamers and Schemers, chronicles how Los Angeles’ pursuit and staging of the 1932 Olympic Games, during the depths of the Great Depression, helped fuel the city’s transformation from a seedy frontier village to a world-famous metropolis.

The Great Rugelach Debate: A Hands-On Cooking Experience!
Tami Lowensohn with Allison Lee*
Yeast dough or cream cheese dough?  Chocolate filling or Fruit filling? Crescent roll or log roll?  We’ll try them all.  No matter your choice, you’ll be able to make and take home some of these sweet treats.

Tami Lowensohn and her family are long time LBT members.  She has done a lot of cooking, and a lot of cooking classes, in the LBT kitchen.

Allison Lee serves as the Managing Director of PEN America Los Angeles, and organization dedicated to celebrating and uniting writers and reads, and defending the freedoms that make it possible. She has over thirty-years of experience in nonprofit development, community engagement, and communications. Better known to most of Leo Baeck as master rugelach-baker, congregational trip coordinator, and rabbi wrangler, Allison received her B.A. in Political Science and American Studies from Tufts University.

Cain and Abel:  The Torah Speaks about Human Nature, Freedom of Choice and Ultimate Responsibility
Rabbi David Woznica
With the Torah as our guide, in this brief but powerful episode, we will consider the following:  Do we have complete freedom of choice?  What is Judaism’s view of human nature (the response may surprise you)?  And, what are the implications for parents and a society? Does God intervene in human events?  Why the greatest challenge in life comes from... within.  Are we fully accountable for our actions? How Judaism liberates us from our less than pure thoughts.  This lecture/discussion encourages participation and is a wonderful opportunity to grapple with an insightful and challenging text.
David Woznica began his rabbinate at the 92nd Street Y in New York and was named Founding Director of the 92nd St. Y Bronfman Center for Jewish Life. Under his direction for over a decade, the center grew exponentially and received international recognition. He is credited for creating and overseeing what is widely regarded as one of the most lively and distinguished hubs of Jewish life in the United States.

Rabbi Woznica joined the clergy of Stephen Wise Temple in 2004. He created the Center for Jewish Life at the temple. The Center’s lecture and dialogue series has attracted some of the most highly sought-after and provocative thinkers and leaders from America and Israel and is attended by thousands of congregants and members of the community each year. The mini courses and learning in your neighborhood courses regularly engage hundreds of congregants in study. And the Melton School for Adult Education is among the largest of any synagogue in the country.

Biblical Babies, Magic and Medicine: Overcoming Infertility in the Biblical World
Kristine Garroway, PhD.
The human desire for children is timeless, as are the extraordinary measures that couples take to fulfill that dream. Join us, as we explore the rituals, remedies, and divine interventions that aspiring Biblical parents turn to in their quests to conceive. From the power of prayer to the use of amulets and herbal treatments, we will see how these methods reflect the broader cultural and religious landscape of the Biblical era.
Kristine Henriksen Garroway is Professor of Bible at the HUC-JIR’s Skirball Campus in Los Angeles where she joined the faculty in 2011. She received her doctorate in Hebrew Bible and Cognate Studies at the HUC-JIR/Cincinnati in 2009. She has spent time studying and researching in Israel and has participated in excavations at Ashkelon, Tel Dor, and Tel Dan. Garroway’s scholarship focuses on children using archaeology and texts of ancient Israel and Mesopotamia. She has published in various scholarly journals and is a regular contributor to thetorah.com. Garroway’s books include: Children in the Ancient Near Eastern Household (Eisenbrauns 2014) and Growing Up in Ancient Israel: Children in Material Culture and Biblical Texts (Society of Biblical Literature 2018), and The Cult of the Child: the Death and Burial of Children in Ancient Israel (Oxford, forthcoming). She is the recipient of the Biblical Archaeological Society’s 2019 Publication Award for Best Book Relating to Hebrew Bible.

Middle Eastern (Mizrachi) Jewish Music Traditions in Israel: From Marginalized Genres to Chart-Topping Hits
Yaron Cherniak
Open to teens and adults.

Join us for a musical journey into the rich past of the Islamic-Judeo cultural exchange, in which music has played a crucial role. Through examples of Israeli Mizrahi artists and live performance showcasing middle eastern instruments such as the Persian Tar, Turkish Saz, Cretan Lyra, and more, you’ll get a taste of the range of music styles across vast geographical areas, spanning from the Maghreb to Central Asia. We will examine various genres and contexts of musical performance, including music performed in synagogues, religious festivals, life cycle events, folk songs, art traditions, and modern popular music, too.

Yaron Cherniak is a PhD student in Ethnomusicology at UCLA and an expert in Middle Eastern and maqam-based music. A multi-instrumentalist, he is a skilled performer in various musical traditions from the Middle East, including Arabic, Turkish, and Persian, as well as contemporary Western music. He holds an M.A. in musicology from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and a B.A. in Music from the Jerusalem Academy of Music, Department of Cross-Disciplinary Music.

Creating a Collage of Hope
Serena Brooks*
Open to all who are at least 8 years old.

Join Serena for this hands-on art workshop, where we will make a collage showing what gives us hope. Please bring 2-3 magazines or catalogs to share, in lieu of recycling them. No art experience necessary – come be creative and have fun!

LBT member Serena Brooks is a contemporary quilt artist who creates large, abstract "paintings" out of fabric. She has exhibited her work in galleries and exhibitions internationally. Interested viewers can find her work on her web site www.serenabrooks.com and on Instagram: @serenabrooksart

Finding Healing and Resilience through Jewish Texts, Teachings, and Music
Rabbi Lisa Berney, Cantor Sara Hass, Rabbi Scott Goldberg
Open to teens and adults

Join our clergy team as we gather in learning and song to explore the texts and music from our tradition that can help guide us toward greater resilience and much needed healing in this year ahead.

An Introduction to Self-Defense through the Power of Shotokan Karate
Alan Weil*
Open to all who are at least 8 years old. No prior martial arts experience is required. Wear loose clothing.

Are you interested in learning how to defend yourself against physical attack and have fun too? Then this class is for you.

You will learn defenses against grabs, chokes, punches, and other physical encounters, all through the powerful martial art of Shotokan Karate.

Sustained karate training ultimately leads to explosive, concussive physical power and a centered mind and body even in difficult times. Each person works toward self-improvement in accordance with his or her abilities.

Alan is a 6th degree black belt in Shotokan Karate and the Chief Instructor of the West Los Angeles Karate School (wlakarate.org). Alan also taught Shotokan Karate at UCLA for a number of years and gave a Tedx talk at UCLA on “Focus in the Martial Arts.” Although Alan has been training and teaching Karate through more than six decades now, his passion for the art of Karate is as great now as it was when he began. And he truly enjoys introducing Shotokan Karate to kids, teens and adults.