At Limmud Conference, you've got to say it fast - FOMO - because if you say "Fear of Missing Out," something important might happen while you're not paying attention. At least, that's the impression I get from Judy Trotter, longtime Limmud volunteer, former conference chair (1997) and overall chair (1998-2001), who added this acronym to my vocab.
And so it's been at this year's event, the 30th Limmud UK conference: It's often tough to choose, with more than a dozen sessions going on at given time slot, on subjects ranging from Jewish texts to politics, from history to culture ... with a choir of Limmudniks that in three days has prepared a performance; with professional musicians and talented amateurs sharing the stage until the wee hours; with long debates and conversations on the pathways between the buildings of Warwick University, or in the lounge in the evenings. There is an art to really enjoying Limmud, and one of the skills involves overcoming the FOMO and just "being here now," to paraphrase the (Jewish born)guru Ram Dass...
Some of my highlights from the past few days: Rabbi Shlomo Riskin of Efrat, formerly of Lincoln Square synagogue in New York City, described his grandmother, with whom he learned Gemmara as a young man - Chaya Beila bat Mindel v'Rav Shlomo ha Cohen - who had learned Talmud from her own father in Europe. Riskin taught, through his portrait of her, that the notion of highest-level learning for women is nothing really new ("My grandmother was my rebbe," he told us).
Raphael Zarum managed to turn a discussion of kashrut, and the separation of meat from milk, into an exhortation on behalf of play - that is, taking the time to explore and be playful with Jewish ritual, while respecting Jewish law.
Singer-songwriter Debbie Friedman drew participants into "a well of sadness" from which they could draw healing, in a private service, playing the guitar and urging participants to fill the room with their voices.
John Ging, head of UNRWA, described life in Gaza and condemned the imprisonment of Gilad Shalit.
Meesh Hammer-Kossoy told us why Judaism supports righteous behaviour towards other monotheists - it's just not acceptable to behave like a jerk.
A "Limmud Ukelele Orchestra" was formed - and performed - within minutes of the discovery that three men and one woman had each brought their ukes to Limmud...
Seth Rogovoy channeled (the Jewish songwriter-poet) Bob Dylan, and explained Dylan's biblical references.
I had an unexpected and really delightful reunion with my former colleague and boss from the NY Jewish Week, Gary Rosenblatt.
And a chance conversation with another Limmudnik, Idan Asriel, revealed that not only had I interviewed his father on a return visit to his childhood home city of Berlin (where I live) last summer, but I actually had several photos of the Asriel family in Berlin, dedicating a memorial to their lost family, preserved in my cell phone.
And much more. It's all pulled off by dozens (and dozens) of active (and now exhausted) volunteers, and supported in large part by the United Jewish Israel Appeal (which we learned will be dramatically cutting funding over the next three years) and the Pears Foundation in the UK (which offered to match Pound for Pound all donations made at the last night Gala).
One of the remarkable characteristics of Limmud is the fact that people of varied Jewish backgrounds seem to feel at home. While some Orthodox rabbis have expressed disapproval of the mixing with non-traditional Jews that takes place here, there were many traditional Jews among the 2,500 participants, and everyone seemed keen on listening, talking and debating, whether in sessions, at mealtimes or while hurrying from one event to the next. The atmosphere of mutual respect and joyful learning was practically chasidic in intensity.
Limmud UK has spawned 55 Limmuds around the world, starting with Limmud Galil, Israel, in 2002. Some 40,000 people around the world enjoyed Limmud events this year. And according to Limmud International co-chair Helena Miller - who has been to every conference except the first - there are now inquires from Mumbai, Montreal and Geneva about starting new Limmuds. Some call it the biggest and best UK Jewish export - well, perhaps it's the only UK Jewish export - but it certainly is catching.
On the final evening, it's FOMO time again - and so, back out to the foggy landscape of Warwick University, and the last chances to make connections, recharge the spiritual batteries, secure those steps along the Jewish journey, before the buses and trains and taxis and planes take off into 2011.