Abigail Hebert

This semester, Rabbi Lisa Vinikoor, who works as the College’s part-time Jewish life advisor, has been leading the Limmud Fellowship with a cohort of five students. The ongoing fellowship centers around Jewish ideas and values, with a goal of providing a place for community and dialogue.

The fellows and Vinikoor meet once a week over lunch to talk and use texts from ancient and modern Jewish scholars for guided conversations. According to Vinikoor, the conversational format was an ideal outlet to connect with students interested in learning about Jewish traditions and values.

“I think the fellowship format is such a great way to help busy students have the opportunity to slow down and take this time for learning that is not in an academic setting … and do spiritual learning and thinking about, ‘What does it mean to be a human being?’” Vinikoor said.

When creating this year’s cohort, Vinikoor set out to attract a diverse group of both students who are new to Judaism and also those who have grown up as either culturally or religiously Jewish. Vinikoor explained that the nature of the program focuses on creating an open environment that fosters spiritual learning and encourages further questioning and contemplation through a Jewish lens.

“For everyone [in the fellowship], I’m hoping that I’ve exposed them to new ideas, whether it’s a new concept from a Jewish lens, or a concept that they know about but from a Jewish lens as a beginning point or on a deeper level than they’ve already learned about it,” Vinikoor said. “My goal is actually really about learning and [fellows] being excited to see this as a first step and want to learn more.”

In addition to sparking curiosity and reflection, Vinikoor hopes to create community among participants through the fellowship. She stated that meetings are timed with lunch so that fellows share a meal together while discussing their different viewpoints on spiritual topics.

“Enjoying a little lunch together warms up the experience and sends the message that we’re all coming from different places, and it is about getting to know each other across diversity,” Vinikoor said.

Participants include students of different religious and cultural backgrounds. These students not only learn about the fundamental values of Judaism, but also get exposed to some of the work conducted by the College’s religious advisors and the Rachel Lord Center for Religious and Spiritual Life.

“Engaging with this fellowship exposed me to Jewish thoughts, values and culture. It was eye-opening to learn about a culture so far removed from my own, directly from other Bowdoin students of Jewish backgrounds and Vinikoor,” fellow Vincent Diep ’28 said.

In an interview with the Orient, Vinikoor acknowledged the tensions on campus following the pro-Palestine encampment in Smith Union and added how the skills developed in the fellowship are essential for times of discourse. Although the fellowship does not tackle or aim to cover the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, it provides students with skills to participate in thoughtful disagreements in a nuanced manner.

“Disagreement is a very Jewish idea,” Vinikoor said. “In the Jewish tradition, you study with a partner, not so that the study partner can say, ‘Oh yes, you’re so smart,’ but so that the study partner can challenge you and … your ideas and help you through conversation … and help you develop your thinking.”

Vinikoor emphasized the need to create more spaces in the Bowdoin community where students can develop the spiritual maturity to have productive conversations. The College could benefit from a space for honest and open dialogue across campus regarding the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, she said, which she feels is currently lacking.

Diep echoes the sentiment that spaces for dialogue, such as Limmud, are valuable additions to campus life.

“I do believe non-Jewish students could benefit from Limmud, because it teaches [that] we all as people share some similar universal values,” Diep said. “I see how Limmud could be bridging in this time of discord.”