Presenters 2024

Melissa Lantsman

Deputy Leader of the Conservative Party of Canada

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Melissa Lantsman is the Member of Parliament for Thornhill, elected in the 2021 Canadian federal election. She currently serves as the Deputy Leader of the Conservative Party of Canada under the leadership of Pierre Poilievre.

Melissa was born and raised in Thornhill by immigrant parents who came to Canada from the Former Soviet Union in the 1970s. She has been an advocate and volunteer in her community since her youth. Before being elected to office, she was one of Canada’s most sought-after public affairs executives and served on several charitable boards.

Melissa was a regular TV commentator and talk radio host. She is a graduate of the University of Toronto, an avid Blue Jays fan, and is fluent in English, French and Russian.

Dina Rubina

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Alex Yentin

Psychotherapist. BA from Ben Gurion and Bar Ilan University (Israel), MA from New York University, postgraduate studies in Clinical and Group Psychotherapy.

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Alex Yentin is a New York State licensed psychotherapist and an active presenter in the Jewish community of New York and around the world including many Limmud conferences. He holds BA from Ben Gurion and Bar Ilan University (Israel), MA from New York University and has completed postgraduate studies for Clinical and Group Psychotherapy. Alex works as an individual and group psychotherapist in New York City and is passionate about psychology, sex education, and equal opportunities for all.

Leora Shemesh

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Ronit Weinreich

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Ronit Weinreich is an educator who specialized in dance. It is her passion and her mission to serve as an ambassador, to bring Israeli dance, music and culture to our community.

Nathan Jacobson

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Nathan Jacobson was born and raised in Winnipeg to parents whose families had emigrated to Canada from Nikolayev and Povoloch from what was then Russia. Having Zionism infused in him from a young age, at the age of 19 he volunteered for the IDF where he served for over six years as an officer in special combat units. He continued to serve the country in special capacities in wide ranging operations of special importance to the state. Some of his involvement came to light in the Israeli documentary TV show “Uvda” (fact) in a program called “The Man Who Knew Too Much”. After working as an executive in high tech in Canada and the US, in 1989 Mr. Jacobson began doing business in the then USSR initially to do project investments on behalf of the Gulf Investment Council. With the invasion of Kuwait, Jacobson turned his focus to his own projects. He is best known for bringing General Motors to the USSR and opening dealerships in Moscow, Kiev, Alma Ata and Baku. Subsequently he gained the distributorship of Philip Morris tobacco for Russia and Kazakhstan. Seeing new opportunities he partnered with one of the large oil companies and built almost 2000 gasoline stations across the breadth of Russia and Ukraine. His construction projects expanded to large mining and civil projects. In 2002 he saw new opportunities in the new online world and moved into the online payment service industry. The companies that he started evolved into what is today Paysafe. Nathan still does work in the financial sector and other projects. He lives between Toronto, Cyprus, and Israel. He has a daughter that is 23 and a student at OCAD and his beloved standard poodles Bali and Teva.

Ilia Akselrod

Stand-up comedian

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Ilya Akselrod came to Israel from Minsk in 1990 at the age of six. At the age of 15 he became involved with KVN. Participates in”Comedy Battle” in Russia and manages a stand-up project in Israel. He hosts a morning television show on Channel 9.

Rabbi Daniel Korobkin

Leader of the BAYT

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Rabbi Daniel Korobkin is the spiritual leader of the BAYT (Thornhill), one of the largest synagogues in North America. He received his Master of Arts degree in medieval Jewish and Islamic thought from UCLA’s Department of Near Eastern Languages and Cultures, and his Master of Science degree from the Johns Hopkins University School for Engineering at the Applied Physics Laboratory. He was an adjunct professor at Muhlenberg College. He is the author of the new translation of the classic philosophic work The Kuzari: In Defense of the Despised Faith. Currently, Rabbi Korobkin also serves as the president of the Rabbinical Council of America.

Jeremy Levi

Mayor, Town of Hampstead, Quebec

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Rivka Campbell

Speaker on Jewish Diversity

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“From the Inquisition to the Caribbean: Jews of Jamaica” The history of Jews in Jamaica is rich and extensive, including the fascinating escapades of the Jewish Pirates of the Caribbean. The first wave of arrivals were escaping the Inquisition. Among the latest immigrants were European refugees running away from Nazism. Though the community today is but a fraction of its former size, its impact on Jamaica and Jewish history endures.

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Rivka Campbell, a Jew of Jamaican descent born and raised in Toronto, seeks to build community among Jews of Colour in Canada while opening dialogue among the mainstream Jewish community about the experience of Jews of Colour and Jewish Diversity. She is the co-founder of the group Jews of Colour – Canada.

Rivka is a recognized speaker on Jewish Diversity and has been interviewed by CJN and other publications numerous times. Rivka is filming a documentary on Jewish Diversity. She is the host of the Canadian Jewish News podcast called “Rivkush”. The only Jew of Colour hosted podcast with a focus on Jews of Colour discussing diversity, Judaism, and Israel.

Rivka has lectured at Limmud conferences, synagogues, JCCs, community groups and Hebrew Schools. She is the Executive Director for Beth Tikvah Synagogue and an Executive Committee member of the North American Association of Synagogue Executives (NAASE).

Opher Brayer

Co-Founder and Chief Scientific Officer of Impro.AI

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Conversations with AI: How to Transition from Brainstorming to Precise Execution Discover how using AI as a second brain can enhance your cognitive abilities in thinking, questioning and business problem solving. Instead of relying just on intuition, imagine consulting a second brain—your AI chatbot—for recommendations and decision-making. This approach not only facilitates better decision-making but also accelerates execution by identifying biases swiftly and accurately, often ten times faster. Learn how this session can help you transform brainstorming sessions into precise execution models, boosting productivity by tenfold.

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As the Co-Founder and Chief Scientific Officer of Impro.AI, Opher Brayer develops AI-powered solutions that enhance human capabilities and business outcomes. Opher’s deep expertise in digital transformation, AI, and executive performance coaching enlightens attendees on the intersection of productivity, innovation, leadership, and enhanced business performance. For years, Opher has trained dozens of executives worldwide and conducted private workshops on the AI revolution and technological innovation. His ability to inspire and empower audiences, combined with his profound knowledge of AI and innovation, ensures that he will captivate and educate attendees at the Limmud Festival.

Uzi Dayan

Former Chairman of Israel`s National Security Council (NSC)

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Join us for two captivating lectures that delve into the heart of Israeli history and current events. In the first lecture, explore the X’s life story, from his family roots to a distinguished military and political career, set against Israel’s historical milestones. The second lecture offers his in-depth analysis of the 7/10 tragedy, its causes, the critical first 24 hours, and a forecast for the future of Israel and the Jewish people.

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Maj. Gen. Dayan was born in 1948 and grew up on Moshav Hayogev in Israel. He was inducted into the IDF in 1966, volunteering for an elite combat unit and subsequently fought in the Six-Day War, the War of Attrition (1969-l971), the 1973 Yom Kippur War (where he was a company commander) and the Lebanon War (1982) . In May 1993 Maj. Gen. Dayan was appointed Head of the IDF General Staff `s Planning Branch. Within the framework of this post, he headed the Israeli Security Committee at the peace negotiations with the Jordanians, Palestinians and Syrians. In early 1996, Dayan was appointed Central Command Commander followed by Deputy Chief of the General Staff until 2000. From 2000-2002, Dayan served as Chairman of Israel`s National Security Council (NSC) as well as National Security Adviser to Prime Ministers Barak and Sharon. In 2003 he founded the Sderot Conference on Socio-Economic Issues and in 1994 was appointed Chairman of Green Horizons, a leading Zionist youth organization – both of which he heads to date. From 2011-2018 Dayan served as Chairman of Mifal Ha’pais –Israel`s National Lottery. He has also served two terms in Israel`s Knesset (Parliament). He holds a B.Sc. degree in mathematics and physics from the Hebrew University, Jerusalem and a M.Sc. degree in operations research from Stanford University, California. Maj. Gen. Dayan is married to Prof. Tamar Dayan, a faculty member at Tel Aviv University’s Department of Zoology. They have three children.

Dr. Mordechai Kedar

researcher at the Begin-Sadat Center for Strategic Studies and formerly a lecturer in the Department of Arabic at Bar-Ilan University in Israel. One of Israel's leading gurus in understanding the Arab world

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Yury (Gary) Tabach

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Alik Gomelsky

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“Avraam Shifrin: Zionist, Israeli-American Intelligence Agent, and the Soviet Union’s #1 Enemy” The fascinating story of Avraam Shifrin, a Jewish hero from the USSR: a 21-year-old Red Army captain and World War II veteran; a Gulag prisoner who attempted seven escapes from prisons and labor camps; creator of the first detailed map and guide to the Gulag; a Freemason who smuggled Zionist and anti-Soviet literature; and a writer, publicist, and human rights activist. The lecture will include the screening of a unique documentary fragment, “Prisonland”, filmed with a hidden camera inside Soviet concentration camps during the 1970s. It will also showcase declassified archival documents, many of which are being published for the first time.

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Andy Reti

Holocaust survivor, author and motorcycle enthusiast

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“Holocaust Survivor Andy Réti – A Ring of Love” A story of Andy and his mother’s survival in the Budapest Ghetto. It is also the story of life after the horrors of the Shoah and the beginning of a new life in Canada.

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Andy Réti is a child survivor of the Holocaust. Born in 1942 in Budapest, Hungary, he was only two years old when his mother and grandmother were forced out of their home in Hungary and into a Jewish ghetto. Andy’s father and grandfather had already been moved to a forced labour camp. He was liberated from the Budapest ghetto on January 18, 1945, by the Soviet Red Army. He and his mother, grandmother and grandfather survived the horrors of the war through good fortune and grit. They immigrated to Canada shortly thereafter. Andy attributes his survival to the courage, resilience and sacrifice of his mother and grandmother. He believes that “every Holocaust survivor’s story is a love story; the love of life, family and freedom.”

Andy has been involved in Holocaust education since 1998. In 2001, he wrote The Son of an Extraordinary Woman — a sequel to his mother’s book, An Ordinary Woman in Extraordinary Times, which was written in 1990. In 2016, the two books were combined and re-released as Stronger Together.

Olga Potylko

Yoga and fitness coach

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Yoga and fitness coach with over 20 years of experience. Former athlete. World fitness championship silver medalist and Master of Sports of International Class in Fitness.

Graduated from the National University of physical education and sports ( Kyiv, Ukraine ). Studied physiology, nutrition, movement biomechanics, and rehabilitation in depth.

Implemented yoga into the training program of Olympic athletes as well as actively partnering with youth hockey team and youth women soccer team.

Rudy Rochman

Jewish Rights Activist & Social Content Creator

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Rudy Rochman was born in France and grew up moving around the world from Paris, Miami, Los Angeles, Palo Alto, Israel, New York and more. At the age of 17, he enlisted in the IDF Paratroopers and served in the 101st Airborne Brigade.

After the army, Rudy chose to pursue his bachelor’s degree at Columbia University since it was then listed as the #1 most antisemitic school in North America. There, he founded the grassroots pro-Israel movement on campus, which revolutionized campus discourse and quickly became a model for international Jewish rights movements worldwide.

Rudy has a large social media presence with over 600k followers and videos which have racked up millions of views. His work primarily focuses on shifting the global, ideological, and political conversations regarding the Jewish People & Israel, uniting sectors of Israeli society, locating & bringing awareness to the disconnected Tribes of Israel worldwide, and generating innovative ways to combat antisemitism. He even got banned from Malaysia in 2015 for being “too much of a Zionist”.

In 2018, Rudy was chosen for the 36 Under 36 Award of most influential Jews in the world for his dedication and activism. Rudy is also a leader in several grassroots movements which build relations between Israeli & Palestinian leaders to collectively change the systemic flaws and cultural divides that prevent both collectives inhabiting the Land from achieving their aspirations.

In 2020, Rudy completed his MBA in Israel and founded the documentary series “We Were Never Lost”, which highlights the stories of disconnected and unrecognized communities of Jews worldwide. In July of 2021, his team traveled to Nigeria to film an episode of their first season but were kidnapped and held captive under extremely harsh conditions in a Nigerian prison for 3 weeks. Since then, the We Were Never Lost team has traveled to 8 other Africa countries locating such communities and are currently wrapping up the production of the series.

On October 7th, 2023, Rudy was called up for war as a reservist in the IDF Paratroopers 55th Brigade and was sent to Kfar Aza to fight Hamas, as one of the first respondents to stop the massacre taking place. Following that, Rudy’s unit was the first team sent into Khan Yunis, Gaza where he served for 2 months until their release in February 2024.

Rudy is based in Jerusalem and constantly travels around the world, using his background and expertise to inspire and empower the next generation of Jews to narrate their own story and to write the next chapter of Jewish history.